quote · Legacy record
The deep damnation of the crowd, O Gold! Heapeth reproach upon thy innocent dust! “Evil’s prolific root,”—“Bribe of the just,”— “Strength of the false and cruel,”—“God, extoll’d By priests, by whom heaven’s pardoning grace is sold,”— Such are thy titles! while, with covetous lust, Men hoard the very ore they have befoul’d With the tongue’s obloquy of wordy rust,— Yet thou art sinless, Gold! and bright, and bland, And fit for glorious offices; and blest, When put to uses holy. Oh, be sure The curse is not on thee; for ’tis the hand That toucheth thee doth thee with stains invest, Or maketh thee beneficent and pure!
The deep damnation of the crowd, O Gold! Heapeth reproach upon thy innocent dust! “Evil’s prolific root,”—“Bribe of the just,”— “Strength of the false and cruel,”—“God, extoll’d By priests, by whom heaven’s pardoning grace is sold,”— Such are thy titles! while, with covetous lust, Men hoard the very ore they have befoul’d With the tongue’s obloquy of wordy rust,— Yet thou art sinless, Gold! and bright, and bland, And fit for glorious offices; and blest, When put to uses holy. Oh, be sure The curse is not on thee; for ’tis the hand That toucheth thee doth thee with stains invest, Or maketh thee beneficent and pure!
In print by 1888 AD · industrial
Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.
Meaning not yet available
An individual explanation has not yet been added. We do not substitute a generic description for an interpretation of these particular words.
Begin with source-checked readings and explanations ↗Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Calder Campbell (identity unresolved)
Attribution: unknown - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- In print by 1888 AD · industrial
In print by 1888: recorded in A Cyclopædia of Sacred Poetical Quotations (catalogued1888). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- A Cyclopædia of Sacred Poetical Quotations (catalogued1888) (1888 AD)
Page 256 · printed citation: Calder Campbell · subject: GOLD
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.