A crown! what is it?
It is to bear the miseries of a people!
To bear the read more

A crown! what is it?
It is to bear the miseries of a people!
To bear the miseries of a people!
And sink beneath a load of splendid care!

Every noble crown is, and on Earth will forever be, a crown of
thorns.

Every noble crown is, and on Earth will forever be, a crown of
thorns.

But all's to no end, for the time will not mend
Till the King enjoys his own again.

But all's to no end, for the time will not mend
Till the King enjoys his own again.

There was a king of Thule,
Was faithful till the grave,
To whom his mistress dying,
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There was a king of Thule,
Was faithful till the grave,
To whom his mistress dying,
A golden goblet gave.
[Ger., Es war ein Konig in Tule
Gar treu bis an das Grab,
Dem sterbend seine Buhle
Einen gold'nen Becher gab.]

And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?
intendest thou to kill me, as read more

And he said, Who made thee a prince and a judge over us?
intendest thou to kill me, as thou killedest the Egyptian? And
Moses feared, and said, Surely this thing is known.

The throne of another is not stable for thee.
[Lat., Alieno in loco
Haud stabile regnum est.]

The throne of another is not stable for thee.
[Lat., Alieno in loco
Haud stabile regnum est.]

Many a crown
Covers bald foreheads.

Many a crown
Covers bald foreheads.

For God's sake let us sit upon the ground
And tell sad stories of the death of kings!
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For God's sake let us sit upon the ground
And tell sad stories of the death of kings!
How some have been deposed, some slain in war,
Some haunted by the ghosts they have deposed,
Some poisoned by their wives, some sleeping killed--
All murdered; for within the hollow crown
That rounds the mortal temples of a king
Keeps Death his court; and there the antic sits,
Scoffing his state and grinning at his pomp;
Allowing him a breath, a little scene,
To monarchize, be feared, and kill with looks;
Infusing him with self and vain conceit,
As if this flesh which walls about our life
Were brass impregnable; and humored thus,
Comes at the last, and with a little pin
Bores through his castle wall, and farewell king!
Cover your heads, and mock not flesh and blood
With solemn reverence, Throw away respect,
Tradition, form, and ceremonious duty;
For you have but mistook me all this while.
I live with bread like you, feel want, taste grief,
Need friends. Subjected thus,

I shall be an autocrat: that's my trade. And the good Lord will
forgive me: that's his.
[Fr., read more

I shall be an autocrat: that's my trade. And the good Lord will
forgive me: that's his.
[Fr., Moi, je serai autocrate: c'est mon metier. Et le bon Dieu
me pardonnnera: c'est son metier.]