I.
Man! weak insect, poor and proud,
Atom, lost amid the crowd,
Ever pushing on through life
Buffeted by sinful strife,-
Man! mere drop of all those seas,
Leaf among the forest trees,
Paltry pebble on the shore
Heap'd on myriad myriads more,-
Man! mean item in the list,
Hardly counted, little miss'd,
Unconsider'd and unknown,
Lightly cared for, left alone,
Daily toiling in thy lot,
And, when dead, remember'd not,-
Man! how evil is thy state,
Cold, and stern, and desolate!

II.
Man! rare chrysalis of Light
Watch'd and nurst by angels bright,
Heir of Grandeurs! soon to be
Ripen'd and reveal'd in thee,-
Man! true claimant of the Skies,
Owner of Creation's prize,
Waiting mek at Glory's door,
King among ten thousand more,-
Man! great end of all beside,
To the LORD OF ALL allied,-
Undiscover'd lump of gold,
Spring unseal'd of joys untold,
In thy duties daily blest,
And - when all are done - at Rest;
Man! how beauteous and divine
In this low estate of thine!