by George Santayana (1863 - 1952)
O World, thou choosest not the better...
Language: English
O World, thou choosest not the better part! It is not wisdom to be only wise, And on the inward vision close the eyes, But it is wisdom to believe the heart. Columbus found a world, and had no chart, Save one that faith deciphered in the skies; To trust the soul's invincible surmise Was all his science and his only art. Our knowledge is a torch of smoky pine That lights the pathway but one step ahead Across a void of mystery and dread. Bid, then, the tender light of faith to shine By which alone the mortal heart is led Unto the thinking of the thought divine.
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Text Authorship:
- by George Santayana (1863 - 1952), no title, appears in Sonnets and Other Verses, first published 1906 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by John Woods Duke (1899 - 1984), "The better part", 1977 [ high voice and piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Alva Henderson (b. 1940), "The tender light of faith" [ chorus ] [sung text not yet checked]
- by Ernst Toch (1887 - 1964), "O World, thou choosest not", op. 67 no. 4 (1945), published 1953, rev. 1953 [ SATB chorus a cappella ], from The Inner Circle - six choruses a cappella, no. 4 [sung text not yet checked]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2010-11-07
Line count: 14
Word count: 109