Fragment LIII: Learn patience, O my soul! though rack’d and torn

Learn patience, O my soul! though rack’d and torn
With deep distress—bear it !—it must be borne!
Your unavailing hopes and vain regret,
Forget them, or endeavour to forget :
Those womanish repinings, unrepress’d,
(Which gratify your foes,) serve to molest
Your sympathizing friends—learn to endure !
And bear calamities you cannot cure!
Nor hope to change the laws of destiny
By mortal efforts !—Vainly would you fly ,
To the remotest margin of the sky,
Where ocean meets the firmament ; in vain
Would you descend beneath, and dive amain
Down to the dreary subterraneous reign.