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Poem
August 11, 1837
The Charlotte Journal
Charlotte, Mecklenburg County, North Carolina
What is this article about?
Moral poem decrying the destructive power of the tongue, which causes more harm than the sword through slander, betrayal, seduction, and other vices, with a biblical epigraph from Ecclesiastes Apocrypha 18:8, urging youth to control it.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
THE EVILS OF A MISCHIEVOUS TONGUE
Many have fallen by the edge of the sword,
But not so many as have fallen by the tongue.
Eccl. Apoc. xviii. 8.
Tho' millions the sword of the warrior hath slaughter'd,
While fame has the homicide's eulogy rung:
Yet many more millions on millions are martyr'd
Cut off by that cowardly weapon, the tongue.
O'er sword may be match'd by another as keen,
In battle the bold man a bolder may meet,
But the shaft of the slanderer, flying unseen
From the quiver of malice, brings ruin complete.
An insolent tongue, by a taunt or a gibe,
Enkindles heart-burnings and bloody affray;
A treacherous tongue, when impell'd by a bribe,
The guiltless condemn, or a nation betray.
A smooth subtle tongue vile seducers employ
The fair sex to lure to libidinous thrall;
A slip of the tongue, may its owner destroy.
And the tongue of the serpent occasion'd the fall.
Then be it impress'd on Columbia's youth
That the tongue is an engine of terrible force
Not govern'd by reason, not guided by truth,
A plague, which may desolate worlds in its course.
Many have fallen by the edge of the sword,
But not so many as have fallen by the tongue.
Eccl. Apoc. xviii. 8.
Tho' millions the sword of the warrior hath slaughter'd,
While fame has the homicide's eulogy rung:
Yet many more millions on millions are martyr'd
Cut off by that cowardly weapon, the tongue.
O'er sword may be match'd by another as keen,
In battle the bold man a bolder may meet,
But the shaft of the slanderer, flying unseen
From the quiver of malice, brings ruin complete.
An insolent tongue, by a taunt or a gibe,
Enkindles heart-burnings and bloody affray;
A treacherous tongue, when impell'd by a bribe,
The guiltless condemn, or a nation betray.
A smooth subtle tongue vile seducers employ
The fair sex to lure to libidinous thrall;
A slip of the tongue, may its owner destroy.
And the tongue of the serpent occasion'd the fall.
Then be it impress'd on Columbia's youth
That the tongue is an engine of terrible force
Not govern'd by reason, not guided by truth,
A plague, which may desolate worlds in its course.
What sub-type of article is it?
Satire
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
Religious Faith
What keywords are associated?
Evils Tongue
Slander
Moral Warning
Biblical Epigraph
Columbia Youth
Poem Details
Title
The Evils Of A Mischievous Tongue
Form / Style
Rhymed Couplets
Key Lines
Many Have Fallen By The Edge Of The Sword,
But Not So Many As Have Fallen By The Tongue.
Cut Off By That Cowardly Weapon, The Tongue.
And The Tongue Of The Serpent Occasion'd The Fall.
A Plague, Which May Desolate Worlds In Its Course.