Central American Antiquities

In South Kensington Museum

‘Youth and crabbed age
Cannot live together;’
So they say.

On this little page
See you when and whether
That they may.

Age was very old—
Stones from Chichimec
Hardly wrung;

Youth had hair of gold
Knotted on her neck—
Fair and young!

Age was carved with odd
Slaves, and priests that slew them—
God and Beast;

Man and Beast and God—
There she sat and drew them,
King and Priest!

There she sat and drew
Many a monstrous head
And antique;

Horrors from Peru,
Huacas doubly dead,
Dead cacique!

Ere Pizarro came
These were lords of men
Long ago;

Gods without a name,
Born or how or when,
None may know!

Now from Yucatan
These doth Science bear
Over seas;

And methinks a man
Finds youth doubly fair,
Sketching these!