VERSE: THE TWO SPIRITS (1855)

In the serene stillness of the night, under a starless expanse, a moment of ethereal dialogue unfolds between two timeless entities: the Spirit of the Present and the Spirit of the Past. Their conversation, luminous and profound, traverses the noble deeds of humanity.

The Spirit of the Past speaks of a legacy etched in iron, where honour cast shadows over graves and the names of heroes shimmered like jewels within the annals of history. To these ancient souls, life without honor was an ignoble existence, and death in valor was the pinnacle of purpose.

Conversely, the Spirit of the Present heralds the modern heroes, beloved and honored in their lands more dearly than those of the past. These children of the present hold life sacred yet do not hesitate to embrace the call of duty, embodying the principle that God’s gift of life is paramount, yet not at the expense of righteousness.

The dialogue takes a turn to the maternal influence in warfare. The Spirit of the Past reminisces about mothers who taught “Death, not dishonour,” rejoicing in the fearless deaths of their offspring as a fulfillment of fate. In contrast, the Spirit of the Present speaks of a more profound mourning. Modern mothers, though grieved, teach their children the nobler virtues of fighting for God and the right, embodying a more nuanced understanding of honor that does not glorify death but valorizes the cause for which one fights.

As the conversation draws to a close, the Spirit of the Past laments a time when no sorrow was spoken for the fallen, a time ruled by a stern fate where vengeance was the cry that echoed in the aftermath of loss.

This ethereal discourse between the two spirits serves not just as a reflection on how valor and honor have evolved but highlights a shift towards a nuanced understanding of duty, where the sanctity of life and the moral imperative to fight for just causes resonate more deeply with the ethos of the present.