| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895. |
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| Youth and Age |
| | | William Bell Scott (1811–90) |
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| OUR night repast was ended: quietness | |
| Return’d again: the boys were in their books; | |
| The old man slept, and by him slept his dog: | |
| My thoughts were in the dream-land of to-morrow: | |
| A knock is heard; anon the maid brings in | 5 |
| A black-seal’d letter that some over-work’d | |
| Late messenger leaves. Each one looks round and scans, | |
| But lifts it not, and I at last am told | |
| To read it. “Died here at his house this day”— | |
| Some well-known name not needful here to print, | 10 |
| Follows at length. Soon all return again | |
| To their first stillness, but the old man coughs, | |
| And cries, “Ah, he was always like the grave, | |
| And still he was but young!” while those who stand | |
| On life’s green threshold smile within themselves, | 15 |
| Thinking how very old he was to them, | |
| And what long years, what memorable deeds, | |
| Are theirs in prospect! Little care have they | |
| What old man dies, what child is born, indeed; | |
| Their day is coming, and their sun shall shine! | 20 |
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