The Telescopic Optic.

In words less whirley, the cash in hand represents the presents of the Present, and the distant drum denotes Hope's hey-day and pay-day. But the telescopic optic oft' overlooks the things which are nearest and dearest, and the hope-hopper, whilst hiking hastily towards the ever retreating horizon, denies himself the delight in sight. For to-day is real, but to-morrow is a dream which may come true and may come blue.

So take the cash in hand—the gold of sun and light,
The dreamer, dreaming dreams in blind contentment, might
Be wiser than the pagan, in his patch of sun a'bask,
But at least the pagan's Present is as much as he would ask,
While the dreamer asks of Fortune more than Fortune oft' can give,
Dreamers only dream they're living, whilst the pagans know they live.

But 'tis possible to mingle your tomorrow and to-day,
And to pluck the flowers of Fortune where they bloom upon the way
To the hill whose crest will shew you other crests which you will climb,
In your search for what will always be behind the hills of Time.
But 'it's fun to pluck the Present, like a prime and pristine plum,
While you keep one ear directed to tomorrow's distant drum.