Ellen Sturgis Hooper (1812–1848)

WHO counts himself as nobly born

Is noble in despite of place,

And honors are but brands to one

Who wears them not with nature’s grace.

The prince may sit with clown or churl,

Nor feel his state disgraced thereby;

But he who has but small esteem

Husbands that little carefully.

Then, be thou peasant, be thou peer,

Count it still more thou art thine own;

Stand on a larger heraldry

Than that of nation or of zone.

What though not bid to knightly halls?

Those halls have missed a courtly guest;

That mansion is not privileged,

Which is not open to the best.

Give honor due when custom asks,

Nor wrangle for this lesser claim;

It is not to be destitute,

To have the thing without the name.

Then dost thou come of gentle blood,

Disgrace not thy good company;—

If lowly born, so bear thyself

That gentle blood may come of thee.

Strive not with pain to scale the height

Of some fair garden’s petty wall,

But scale the open mountain side,

Whose summit rises over all.