noon
I make the pang I demand purposely bitter . I twine round the offering I ask the fibres that bleed in relaxing . What to other men would be no duty , is duty to thee , because it entails a triumphant self-conquest , and pays to Humanity the arrears of just dues long neglected . ' Grant the hard sacrifice made ; I must think Heaven has ends for your joy even here , when it asks you to part with the cause of your sorrows ; -- I must think that your evening of life may have sunshine denied to its noon . But with God are no bargains . A virtue , the most arduous because it must trample down what your life has exalted as virtue , is before you ; distasteful , austere , repellant . The most inviting arguments in its favour are , that it proffers no bribes ; men would acquit you in rejecting it ; judged by our world 's ordinary rule , men would be right in acquitting you .