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Anti-war essays, poems, short stories and literary excerpts
British writers on peace and war
Charles Mackay: Hung the sword in the hall, the spear on the wall
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Charles Mackay
From The Festival of Labour
Opening of the Great Exhibition of 1851
The world is growing wiser,
New thoughts and hopes are born;
Too long we’ve dwelt in darkness,
And tarried for the morn.
Too long in foolish warfare
We’ve dipp’d our bleeding hands;
But wisdom, taught by suffering keen,
Comes beaming o’er the lands.
Our princes and our peoples
The grateful truth have learn’d,
And strive for glory purer far
Than Caesar ever earn’d.
Gather, ye nations, gather!
Let ancient discords cease,
And earth, with myriad voices
Awake the song of peace!
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