Vaunt

I count not riches as doth the common sort, / nor do I prize the English tongue above all. / For though the isle of Albion vaunt her speech, / and Nippon dreameth of wedlock with the West, / I hold my treasure in a wider store. / The songs of Spain, of France, of Portugal, / of Catalan, Italia, Chabacano, / with Esperanto and Lojban twain, / do weave a garland fair of southern fire. / Yet turn I also eastward, where the dawn / in Orient tongues doth clothe the soul with light— / Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Thai, / and Vietnam's sweet flowing words of jade. / But richest still the tongues that earth forgot, / the songs of elder tribes, Aboriginal, / Amerindian, whose breath is spirit's root, / more precious far than gold of any crown. / Thus is my wealth not coin nor empty fame, / but in the rainbow'd speech of humankind, / where East and West together find their peace, / and every voice is kin unto mine own.

I count not riches as doth the common sort, / nor do I prize the English tongue above all. / For though the isle of Albion vaunt her speech, / and Nippon dreameth of wedlock with the West, / I hold my treasure in a wider store. / The songs of Spain, of France, of Portugal, / of Catalan, Italia, Chabacano, / with Esperanto and Lojban twain, / do weave a garland fair of southern fire. / Yet turn I also eastward, where the dawn / in Orient tongues doth clothe the soul with light— / Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Cantonese, Thai, / and Vietnam's sweet flowing words of jade. / But richest still the tongues that earth forgot, / the songs of elder tribes, Aboriginal, / Amerindian, whose breath is spirit's root, / more precious far than gold of any crown. / Thus is my wealth not coin nor empty fame, / but in the rainbow'd speech of humankind, / where East and West together find their peace, / and every voice is kin unto mine own.

"The number," said he, "is great, but what can be expected from mere citizen soldiers? They vaunt and menace in time of safety; none are so arrogant when the enemy is at a distance; but when the din of war thunders at the gates they hide themselves in terror."

Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.

My vanquisher, spoiled of his vaunted spoil.

the spirits beneath, whom I seduced / with other promises and other vaunts

“In every vaunt you make,” she said, “I have my triumph. I single out in you the meanest man I know, the parasite and tool of the proud tyrant, that his wound may go the deeper, and may rankle more. Boast, and revenge me on him! […]”

He has answered me back, vaunt for vaunt, rhetoric for rhetoric. He has lifted the only shield I cannot break, the shield of an impenetrable pomposity.

the vaunt and firstlings of those broils