s: Is, both of us agree, our chief concern:


s: And how you 'll act is what I fain would see


s: You dare to make the most of your life's scheme


s: Since there's no higher law that counterchecks.


s: You've just demolished the revealed with--quick,


s: Down to the root of all that checks your will,


s: All prohibition to lie, kill and thieve,


s: Or shame, from just the fact that at the first


s: Threw club down and forewent his brains beside,


s: I read this in a French book t' other day.


s: Oh, men spin clouds of fuzz where matters end,


s: But you who reach where the first thread begins,


s: You'll soon cut that!--which means you can, but won't,


s: Through certain instincts, blind, unreasoned-out,


s: You dare not set aside, you can't tell why,


s: But there they are, and so you let them rule.


s: Then, friend, you seem as much a slave as I,


s: Without the good the slave expects to get,


s: You own your instincts? why, what else do I,


s: Who want, am  made for, and must have a God


s: Ere I can be aught, do aught?--no mere name


s: Want, but the true thing with what proves its truth,


s: To wit, a relation from that thing to me,


s: Touching from head to foot--which touch I feel,


s: And with it take the rest, this life of ours!


s: I live my life here; yours you dare not live,


s: --Not as I state it, who (you please subjoin)


s: Disfigure such a life and call it names.


s: While, to your mind, remains another way


s: For simple men: knowledge and power have rights,


s: But ignorance and weakness have rights too.


s: There needs no crucial effort to find truth


s: We ought to turn each side, try hard and see,


s: And if we can't, be glad we've earned at least


s: The right, by one laborious proof the more,


s: To graze in peace earth's pleasant pasturage.


s: Men are not angels, neither are they brutes:


s: Something we  may see, all we cannot see.


s: And  swear to each detail the most minute


s: In what I think a Pan's face--you, mere cloud:


s: I swear I hear him speak and see him wink,


s: Mankind  may doubt there's any cloud at all.


s: Willing to see (for no cloud 's worth a face)--


s: And leaving quiet what no strength can move,


s: And which, who bids you move? who has the right?


s: I bid you; but you are God's sheep, not mine;


s: In this the pleasant pasture of our life


s: Much you may eat without the least offence,


s: Much you don't eat because your maw objects,


s: Much you would eat but that your fellow-flock


s: And thereupon you like your mates so well


s: You cannot please yourself, offending them;


s: Though when they seem exorbitantly sheep,


s: You weigh your pleasure with their butts and bleats


s: And strike the balance.  Sometimes certain fears


s: Restrain you, real checks since you find them so;


s: Sometimes you please yourself and nothing checks:


s: And thus you graze through life with not one lie,


s: If so, you beat--which means you are not I--


s: Who needs must make earth mine and feed my fill


s: Not simply unbutted at, unbickered with,


s: By those obsequious wethers' very selves.


s: Look at me. sir; my age is double yours:


s: At yours, I knew beforehand, so enjoyed,


s: What now I should be--as, permit the word,


s: And stretch of tether twenty years to come.


s: We both have minds and bodies much alike:


s: In truth's name, don't you want my bishopric,


s: My daily bread, my influence and my state?


s: You're young.  I'm old; you must be old one day;


s: Will you find then, as I do hour by hour,


s: Women their lovers kneel to, who cut curls


s: From your fat lap-dog's ear to grace a brooch--


s: Dukes, who petition just to kiss your ring--


s: With much beside you know or may conceive?


s: Suppose we die to-night: well, here am I,


s: Such were my gains, life bore this fruit to me,


s: Found at Albano, chess, Anacreon's Greek.


s: But you--the highest honor in your life,


s: The thing you'll crown yourself with, all your days,


s: Is--dining here and drinking this last glass


s: And social influence, worldly worth in short,


s: You're shrewd and know that should you publish one


s: The world would brand the lie--my enemies first,


s: Who'd sneer--"the  bishop's an arch-hypocrite


s: And knave perhaps, but not so frank a fool."


s: Whereas I should not dare for both my ears


s: Breathe one such syllable, smile one such smile,


s: Before the chaplain who reflects myself--


s: My shade's so much more potent than your flesh.


s: What's your reward, self-abnegating friend?


s: Stood you confessed of those exceptional


s: And privileged great natures that dwarf mine--


s: A statesman with a scheme to stop this war,


s: I should have nothing to object: such men


s: Carry the fire, all things grow warm to them,


s: Their drugget's worth my purple, they beat me.


s: But you--you 're just as little those as I--


s: You, Gigadibs, who, thirty years of age,


s: Write statedly for Blackwood's Magazine,


s: Believe you see two points in Hamlet's soul


s: Unseized by the Germans yet--which view you'll print--


s: Meantime the best you have to show being still


s: "The Slum and Cellar, or Whitechapel life


s: Limned after dark!" it made me laugh, I know,


s: And pleased a month, and brought you in ten pounds.


s: And therefore give you, if you choose, three words


s: (The card and pencil-scratch is quite enough)


s: Which whether here, in Dublin or New York,


s: Will get you, prompt as at my eyebrow's wink,


s: In all our own reviews and some not ours.


s: Go write your lively sketches! be the first


s: Or better simply say, "The Outward-bound."


s: Why, men as soon would throw it in my teeth


s: As copy and quote the infamy chalked broad


s: You  will not wait for that experience though,


s: Over his wine so smiled and talked his hour


s: Episcopus, nec non>--(the deuce knows what


s: Who played with spoons, explored his plate's design,


s: And ranged the olive-stones about its edge,


s: While the great bishop rolled him out a mind


s: Long crumpled, till creased consciousness lay smooth.


s: For Blougram, he believed, say, half he spoke.


s: That crossed his mind, amusing because new,


s: He chose to represent as fixtures there,


s: Invariable convictions (such they seemed


s: Flung daily down, and not the same way twice)


s: While certain hell-deep instincts, man's weak tongue


s: Because styled hell-deep ('t is an old mistake


s: To place hell at the bottom of the earth)


s: He ignored these--not having in readiness


s: He said true things, but called them by wrong names.


s: "On the whole," he thought, "I justify myself


s: On every point where cavillers like this


s: Oppugn my life: he tries one kind of fence,


s: I close, he's worsted, that's enough for him.


s: He's on the ground: if ground should break away


s: I take my stand on, there's a firmer yet


s: Beneath it, both of us may sink and reach.


s: His ground was over mine and broke the first:


s: So, let him sit with me this many a year!"


s: He did not sit five minutes.  Just a week


s: Something had struck him in the "Outward-bound"


s: Another way than Blougram's purpose was:


s: But settler's-implements (enough for three)


s: And started for Australia--there, I hope,


s: By this time he has tested his first plough,


s: And studied his last chapter of St. John.


s: "Bishop Blougram's Apology" is made over the wine after dinner to


s: chosen faith on this ground, the more absolute the form of faith,


s: makes safer for him.  To Gigadibs' objection that were his nature


s: made him, and can but make the best of himself as he is.  To the


s: objection that he addresses himself to grosser estimators than he


s: slaughter men as Napoleon had for such slight ends.  As for


s: declaring that doubts prove faith, and that man's free will


s: doubt is a moral spur.  Thus the arguments from expediency,


s: instinct, and consciousness, all bear on the side of faith, and


s: surer foundation than the religious law the bishop follows, both


s: founded upon instinct.  The bishop closes as he began, with the


s: consciousness that rewards for his way of living are of a


s: substantial nature, while Gigadibs has nothing to show for his


s: Feast of the Sacrament of the Altar is celebrated.


s: Correggio, who was born in the territory of Modena, Italy.


s: exceeding Saint Peter's, the founder of the Roman Church.


s: defined God as the "moral order of the universe."


s: "As certain also of your own poets have said"--


s: Cleon the poet (from the sprinkled isles,


s: And laugh their pride when the light wave lisps "Greece")--


s: I read and seem as if I heard thee speak.


s: Gift after gift; they block my court at last


s: Royal with sunset, like a thought of thee:


s: And one white she-slave from the group dispersed


s: Of black and white slaves (like the chequer-work


s: Pavement, at once my nation's work and gift,


s: Now covered with this settle-down of doves),


s: Woven of sea-wools, with her two white hands


s: Thy lip hath bettered ere it blesses mine.


s: Well-counselled, king, in thy munificence!


s: Of love for him whose song gives life its joy,


s: To help on life in straight ways, broad enough


s: For vulgar souls, by ruling and the rest.


s: Thou, in the daily building of thy tower--


s: Whether in fierce and sudden spasms of toil,


s: Or through dim lulls of unapparent growth,


s: Or when the general work 'mid good acclaim


s: Climbed with the eye to cheer the architect--


s: Didst ne'er engage in work for mere work's sake--


s: Whence, all the tumult of the building hushed,


s: Thou first of men mightst look out to the East:


s: The vulgar saw thy tower, thou sawest the sun.


s: Making this slave narrate thy fortunes, speak


s: Thy great words, and describe thy royal face--


s: Wishing thee wholly where Zeus lives the most,


s: Thy letter's first requirement meets me here.


s: It is as thou hast heard: in one short life


s: I, Cleon, have effected all those things


s: Is mine--and also mine the little chant,


s: When, lights at prow, the seamen haul their net.


s: Men turn from the sun's self to see, is mine;


s: The Poecile, o'er-storied its whole length,


s: As thou didst hear, with painting, is mine too.


s: And I have written three books on the soul,


s: For music--why, I have combined the moods,


s: Inventing one.  In brief, all arts are mine;


s: Thus much the people know and  recognize,


s: Throughout our seventeen islands.  Marvel not.


s: We of these latter days, with greater mind


s: Than our forerunners, since more composite,


s: Look not so great, beside their simple way,


s: To a judge who only sees one way at once,


s: Great in his way--not ours, nor meant for ours.


s: And ours is greater, had we skill to know:


s: For, what we call this life of men on earth,


s: This sequence of the soul's achievements here


s: Being, as I find much reason to conceive,


s: As a great whole, not analyzed to parts,


s: How shall a certain part, pronounced complete,


s: Was the thing done?--then, what's to do again?


s: See, in the chequered pavement opposite,


s: Suppose the artist made a perfect rhomb,


s: Making at last a picture; there it lies.


s: So, first the perfect separate forms were made,


s: For where had been a progress, otherwise?


s: Mankind, made up of all the single men--


s: Now mark me! those divine men of old time


s: Have reached, thou sayest well, each at one point


s: The outside verge that rounds our faculty;


s: And where they reached, who can do more than reach?


s: At some one point the inside of a sphere,


s: And, as we turn the sphere, touch all the rest


s: The whole circumference of that emptied sphere,


s: Holds thrice the weight of water in itself


s: And yet the vulgar call the sphere first full


s: Up to the visible height--and after, void;


s: Not knowing air's more hidden properties.


s: And thus our soul, misknown, cries out to Zeus


s: Why stay we on the earth unless to grow?


s: Long since, I imaged, wrote the fiction out,


s: And, once for all, showed simultaneously


s: What, in its nature, never can be shown,


s: Piecemeal or in succession;--showed, I say,


s: Of all his children from the birth of time,


s: The judgment which should give the due to each,


s: Show where the labor lay and where the ease,


s: And prove Zeus' self, the latent everywhere!


s: This is a dream;--but no dream, let us hope,


s: That years and days, the summers and the springs,


s: The grapes which dye thy wine are richer far,


s: Through culture, than the wild wealth of the rock;


s: The wave plum than the savage-tasted drupe;


s: The pastured honey-bee drops choicer sweet;


s: The flowers turn double, and the leaves turn flowers;


s: That young and tender crescent-moon, thy slave,


s: Sleeping above her robe as buoyed by clouds,


s: I have not chanted verse like Homer, no--


s: Nor swept string like Terpander, no--nor carved


s: And painted men like Phidias and his friend;


s: I am not great as they are, point by point.


s: With these four, running these into one soul,


s: Who, separate, ignored each other's art.


s: Say, is it nothing that I know them all?


s: The wild flower was the larger; I have dashed


s: Rose-blood upon its petals, pricked its cup's


s: Honey with  wine, and driven its seed to fruit,


s: And show a better flower if not so large:


s: Whose gift alone it is! which, shall I dare


s: (All pride apart) upon the absurd pretext


s: That such a gift by chance lay in my hand,


s: It might have fallen to another's hand: what then?


s: I pass too surely: let at least truth stay!


s: And next, of what thou followest on to ask.


s: This being with me as I declare, 0 king,


s: My works, in all these varicolored kinds,


s: Thou askest, if (my soul thus in men's hearts)


s: Inquiring thence how, now life closeth up,


s: I face death with success in my right hand:


s: Whether I fear death less than dost thyself


s: The fortunate of men?  "For" (writest thou)


s: "Thou leavest much behind, while I leave naught.


s: Thy life stays in the poems men shall sing,


s: The pictures men shall study; while my life,


s: Complete and whole now in its power and joy,


s: Is lost indeed; since, what survives myself?


s: And that--some supple courtier of my heir


s: Shall use its robed and sceptred arm, perhaps,


s: To fix the rope to, which best drags it down.


s: I go then: triumph thou, who dost not go!"


s: Nay, thou art worthy of hearing my whole mind.


s: Is this apparent, when thou turn'st to muse


s: Upon the scheme of earth and man in chief,


s: That admiration grows as knowledge grows?


s: Reserved in part, to grace the after-time?


s: Ere aught had been recorded, nay perceived,


s: Thou, with the light now in thee, couldst have looked


s: On all earth's tenantry, from worm to bird,


s: Ere man, her last, appeared upon the stage--


s: Thou wouldst have seen them perfect, and deduced


s: Conceding which--had Zeus then questioned thee


s: Do more for visible creatures than is done?"


s: Thou wouldst have answered, "Ay, by making each


s: Grow conscious in himself--by that alone.


s: All's perfect else: the shell sucks fast the rock,


s: The fish strikes through the sea, the snake both swims


s: And slides, forth range the beasts, the birds take flight,


s: Till life's mechanics can no further go--


s: Like fire from off thy finger into each,


s: But 't is pure fire, and they mere matter are;


s: It has them, not they it: and so I choose


s: That a third thing should stand apart from both,


s: And feel the force it has, may view itself,


s: And so be happy."  Man might live at first


s: The animal life: but is there nothing more?


s: How he lives; and, the more he gets to know


s: The more joy-giving will his life become.


s: Thus man, who hath this quality, is best.


s: But thou, king, hadst more reasonably said:


s: "Let progress end at once--man make no step


s: Beyond the natural man, the better beast,


s: Using his senses, not the sense of sense."


s: In man there's failure, only since he left


s: The lower and inconscious forms of life.


s: We called it an advance, the rendering plain


s: Man's spirit might grow conscious of man's life,


s: Take each step higher over the brute's head.


s: This grew the only life, the pleasure-house,


s: Watch-tower and treasure-fortress of the soul,


s: Which whole surrounding flats of natural life


s: Seemed only fit to yield subsistence to;


s: A tower that crowns a country.  But alas,


s: The soul now climbs it just to perish there!


s: For thence we  have discovered ('t is no dream--


s: We know  this, which we had not else perceived)


s: For joy, spread round about us, meant for us,


s: Inviting us; and still the soul craves all,


s: And still the flesh replies, "Take no jot more


s: Than ere thou clombst the tower to look abroad!


s: Nay, so much less as that fatigue has brought


s: Deduction to it."  We struggle, fain to enlarge


s: Increase our power, supply fresh oil to life,


s: Repair the waste of age and sickness: no,


s: It skills not! life's inadequate to joy,


s: As the soul sees joy, tempting life to take.


s: They praise a fountain in my garden here


s: Thin from her tube; she smiles to see it rise.


s: From that great river which the hills shut up,


s: And mock  her with my  leave to take the same?


s: The artificer has given her one small tube


s: Past power to widen or exchange--what boots


s: To know she might spout oceans if she could?


s: She cannot lift beyond her first thin thread;


s: While he sees God's.  Is it for Zeus to boast,


s: "See, man, how happy I live, and despair--


s: That I may be still happier--for thy use!"


s: If this were so, we could not thank our Lord,


s: As hearts beat on to doing; 'tis not so--


s: Still, no.  If care--where is the sign? I ask,


s: Who seest the wider but to sigh the more.


s: Most progress is most failure: thou sayest well.


s: The last point now:--thou dost except a case--


s: Who leave behind me living works indeed;


s: For, such a poem, such a painting lives.


s: What? dost thou verily trip upon a word,


s: Confound the accurate view of what joy is


s: (Caught somewhat  clearer by my eyes than thine)


s: With feeling joy? confound the knowing how


s: Where is the artist's vantage o'er the king?


s: How divers men young, strong, fair, wise, can act--


s: Carve the young Phoebus, am I therefore young?


s: The many years of pain that taught me art!


s: Indeed, to know is something, and to prove


s: How all this beauty might be enjoyed, is more;


s: But, knowing naught, to enjoy is something too.


s: Yon rower, with the moulded muscles there,


s: I can write love-odes: thy fair slave's an ode.


s: I get to sing of love, when grown too gray


s: For being beloved: she turns to that young man,


s: I know the joy of kingship: well, thou art king!


s: "But," sayest thou--(and I marvel, I repeat,


s: To find thee trip on such a mere word) "what


s: Thou writest, paintest, stays; that does not die:


s: Sappho survives, because we sing her songs,


s: And AEschylus, because we read his plays!"


s: Why, if they live still, let them come and take


s: Thy slave in my despite, drink from thy cup,


s: Speak in my place.  Thou diest while I survive?


s: Say rather that my fate is deadlier still,


s: By power and insight) more enlarged, more keen;


s: While every day my hairs fall more and more,


s: My hand shakes, and the heavy years increase--


s: The horror quickening still from year to year,


s: When I shall know most, and yet least enjoy--


s: When all my works wherein I prove my worth,


s: Being present still to mock me in men's mouths,


s: Alive still, in the praise of such as thou,


s: The man who loved his life so over-much,


s: Some future state revealed to us by Zeus,


s: --To seek which, the joy-hunger forces us:


s: That, stung by straitness of our life, made strait


s: On purpose to make prized the life at large--


s: Freed by the throbbing impulse we call death,


s: We burst there as the worm into the fly,


s: Who, while a worm still, wants his wings.  But no!


s: Live long and happy, and in that thought die;


s: Glad for what was!  Farewell.  And for the rest,


s: To one called Paulus; we have heard his fame


s: Indeed, if Christus be not one with him--


s: I know not, nor am troubled much to know.


s: As Paulus proves to be, one circumcised,


s: He writeth, doth he? well, and he may write.


s: Who touched on this same isle, preached him and Christ;


s: Their doctrine could be held by no sane man.


s: "Cleon" expresses the approach of Greek thought at the time of


s: Christ towards the idea of immortality as made known by Cleon, a


s: lines of activity, and of sympathizing with each of those simple


s: Browning's conception of such Greek poets as Cleon seeking "the


s: father of all light-houses, on the island of Pharos, near


s: Alexandria.  Hence the French name for light-house, phare.


s: three strings to the four-stringed Greek lyre.


s: B. C.).  Only fragments of her verse remain.


s: Gentiles carried him to many of the islands in the AEgean Sea as


s: well as to Athens and Corinth (Acts 13-21).


s: I know a Mount, the gracious Sun perceives


s: First, when he visits, last, too, when he leaves


s: The world; and, vainly favored, it repays


s: The day-long glory of his steadfast gaze


s: By no change of its large calm front of snow.


s: And underneath the Mount, a Flower I know,


s: He cannot have perceived, that changes ever


s: At his approach; and, in the lost endeavor


s: To live his life, has parted, one by one,


s: With all a flower's true graces, for the grace


s: With ray-like florets round a disk-like face.


s: As over many  a land of theirs its large


s: Calm front of snow like a triumphal targe


s: Is reared, and still with old names, fresh names vie,


s: Each to its proper praise and own account:


s: Men call the Flower, the Sunflower, sportively.


s: Oh, Angel of the East, one, one gold look


s: Across the waters to this twilight nook,


s: --The far sad waters.  Angel, to this nook!


s: Dear Pilgrim, art thou for the East indeed?


s: That I, French Rudel, choose for my device


s: And hurried fingers could not fail to hurt


s: The woven picture; 't is a woman's skill


s: Or well, the work is finished.  Say, men feed


s: On songs I sing, and therefore bask the bees


s: On my flower's breast as on a platform broad:


s: But, as the flower's concern is not for these


s: But to the East--the East!  Go, say this, Pilgrim dear!


s: "Rudel to the Lady of Tripoli": Rudel symbolizes his love as the


s: Take them, Love, the book and me together:


s: Where the heart lies, let the brain lie also.


s: These, the world might view--but one, the volume.


s: Who that one, you ask? Your heart instructs you.


s: Did she live and love it all her life-time?


s: Where it lay in place of Rafael's glory,


s: Rafael's cheek so duteous and so loving--


s: Cheek, the world was wont to hail a painter's,


s: Rafael's cheek, her love had turned a poet's?


s: You and I would rather read that volume,


s: Lean and list the bosom-beats of Rafael,


s: Would we not?  than wonder at Madonnas--


s: Her, that's left with lilies in the Louvre--


s: Guarded long the treasure-book and loved it.


s: Cried, and the world cried too, "Ours, the treasure!"


s: Suddenly, as rare things will, it vanished.


s: While he mused  and traced it and retraced it,


s: Still by drops of that hot ink he dipped for,


s: When, his left-hand i' the hair o' the wicked,


s: Back he held the brow and pricked its stigma,


s: Bit into the live man's flesh, for parchment,


s: Loosed him, laughed to see the writing rankle,


s: Let the wretch go festering through Florence)--


s: Such he gave his daily dreadful line to)


s: "Entered and would  seize, forsooth, the poet."


s: Says the poet--"Then I stopped my  painting."


s: Would we not?--than read a fresh Inferno.


s: While he softened o'er his outlined angel,


s: In they broke, those "people of importance;"


s: What of Rafael's sonnets, Dante's picture?


s: This: no artist lives and loves, that longs not


s: (Ah,  the prize !) to find his love a language


s: Fit and fair and simple and sufficient--


s: Not, this one time, art that's turned his nature.


s: None but would forego his proper dowry--


s: Does he paint? he fain would write a poem--


s: Does he write? he fain would paint a picture,


s: Gain the man's joy, miss the artist's sorrow.


s: Wherefore?  Heaven's gift takes earth's abatement!


s: He who smites the rock and spreads the water,


s: Bidding drink and live a crowd beneath him,


s: Proves, perchance, but mortal in the minute,


s: While he smites, how can he but remember,


s: When they stood and mocked--"Shall smiting help us?"


s: When they drank and sneered--"A   stroke is easy!"


s: When they wiped their mouths and went their journey,


s: Throwing him  for thanks--"But drought was pleasant."


s: Thus old memories mar the actual triumph;


s: Thus achievement lacks a gracious somewhat;


s: O'er-importuned brows becloud the mandate,


s: Carelessness or consciousness--the gesture.


s: For he bears an ancient wrong about him,


s: Sees and knows again those phalanxed faces,


s: Hears, yet one time more, the 'customed prelude--


s: "How shouldst thou, of all men, smite, and save us?"


s: Guesses what is like to prove the sequel--


s: Oh, the crowd must have emphatic warrant!


s: Theirs, the Sinai-forehead's cloven brilliance,


s: Right-arm's rod-sweep, tongue's imperial fiat.


s: Never  dares the man put off the prophet.


s: Did he love one face from out the thousands,


s: (Were she Jethro's daughter, white and wifely,


s: Meant to save his own life in the desert;


s: (Kneeling down to let his breast be opened)


s: Hoard and life together for his mistress.


s: Paint you pictures, no, nor carve you statues,


s: Make you music that should all-express me;


s: This of verse alone, one life allows me;


s: Verse and nothing else have I to give you.


s: Other heights in other lives, God willing;


s: All the gifts from all the heights, your own, Love!


s: Shade so finely touched, love's sense must seize it.


s: Take these lines, look lovingly and nearly,


s: Lines I write the first time and the last time.


s: He who works in fresco, steals a hair brush,


s: Curbs the liberal hand, subservient proudly,


s: Cramps his spirit, crowds its all in little,


s: Fills his lady's missal-marge with flowerets.


s: He who blows thro' bronze, may breathe thro' silver,


s: He who writes, may write for once as I do.


s: Enter each and all, and use their service,


s: Speak from every mouth--the speech, a poem.


s: Hardly shall I tell my joys and sorrows,


s: Hopes and tears, belief and disbelieving:


s: I am mine and yours--the rest be all men's,


s: Let me speak this once in my true person,


s: Though the fruit of speech be just this sentence;


s: Pray you, look on these my men and women,


s: Where my heart lies, let my brain lie also!


s: Poor the speech; be how I speak, for all things.


s: Not but that you know me!  Lo, the moon's self!


s: Here in London, yonder late in Florence,


s: Still we find her face, the thrice-transfigured.


s: Came she, our new crescent of a hair's-breadth.


s: Rounder 'twixt the cypresses and rounder,


s: Perfect till the nightingales applauded.


s: Now, a piece of her old self, impoverished,


s: Hard to greet, she traverses the houseroofs,


s: Hurries with unhandsome thrift of silver,


s: What, there's nothing in the moon noteworthy?


s: Nay: for if that moon could love a mortal,


s: All her magic ('tis the old sweet mythos),


s: She would turn a new side to her mortal,


s: Side unseen of herdsman, huntsman, steersman--


s: Think, the wonder of the moonstruck mortal--


s: When she turns round, comes again in heaven,


s: Proves she like some portent of an iceberg


s: Swimming full upon the ship it founders,


s: Hungry with huge teeth of splintered crystals?


s: Proves she as the paved work of a sapphire


s: Seen by Moses when he climbed the mountain?


s: Climbed and saw the very God, the Highest,


s: Stand upon the paved work of a sapphire.


s: Shone the stone, the sapphire of that paved work,


s: When they ate and drank and saw God also!


s: What were seen? None knows, none ever shall know.


s: Only this is sure--the sight were other,


s: Not the moon's same side, born late in Florence,


s: God be thanked, the meanest of his creatures


s: Boasts two soul-sides, one to face the world with,


s: This I say of me, but think of you, Love!


s: Ah, but that's the world's side, there's the wonder,


s: Thus they see you, praise you, think they know you!


s: There, in turn I stand with them and praise you--


s: Out of my own self, I dare to phrase it.


s: But the best is when I glide from out them,


s: Cross a step or two of dubious twilight,


s: Silent silver lights and darks undreamed of,


s: Where I hush and bless myself with silence.


s: Wrote one song--and in my  brain I sing it,


s: Drew one angel--borne, see, on my bosom!


s: "One Word More" is the dedication to Elizabeth Barrett Browning


s: which was appended to "Men and Women" as first published when it


s: contained fifty poems since distributed under other titles.


s: sonnets on the back of sketches for his wall painting, the


s: betook myself to draw the resemblance of an angel upon certain


s: tablets."  That this lady was Beatrice Portinari, as Browning


s: Mr. W. M.  Rossetti makes him obtuse here, as he and other


s: commentators seem to be in their understanding of Browning


s: throughout this stanza.  Browning evidently contrasts Dante's


s: leading him to discover that the Milky Way was an assemblage of


s: starry worlds, and the earth a planet revolving on its axis and


s: "The Lum Hat wantin' the Croon" is published, with music, by


s: Mr. R. W. Pentland, Edinburgh, and it also appears in The British


s: first appeared in St. Andrews University Bazaar Book, and is


s: included in Seekers after a City. "Macfadden and Macfee" was


s: contributed to Aberdeen University Alma Mater, and has been


s: reprinted in Alma Mater Anthology. Various of the other verses


s: have appeared in The Edinburgh Medical Journal and The Caledonian


s: Not mine to let the hair grow long, and talk


s: In raptured accents of the Higher Things,


s: Ne'er have I languished on the lower slopes


s: Of sweet Parnassus in the thrice-dead years,


s: Nor mine the gift-O, gilded gift and grand!


s: But here to han'le the auld crambo-clink


s: On hame-owre themes weel-kent by Galen's tribe,


s: Regairdless o' what ither fowk may think


s: There's ae guid wife, we're weel acquaint,


s: Nae trouble's kent but what she's taen't,


s: There's ne'er a bairn they hae that thrives,


s: When the sharpest flint made the deepest dint,


s: He drew his tune frae the burnie's croon


s: At the mou' o's cave to pleesure the lave,


s: An' the wife in bye hush'd the bairnie's cry


s: When they saw the sheen o' the makar's een,


s: But the nicht grew auld an' he never devaul'd


s: Wi' an auld fish-hake an' a great muckle skate,


s: "There's food an' there's firin' gaun to the sea,


s: An' she stuck oot her fit-but it caught in the gate,


s: An' awa' she went wi' the great muckle skate,


s: She'd an awfu' time astride o' the gate,


s: Though it seemed to gree fine wi' the great muckle skate,


s: When he sees an auld body astride o' a gate,


s: Come bobbin' alang in the waves wi' a skate,


s: A man on a boord! It's a wife on a gate,


s: It's auld Mistress Mackintosh here wi' a skate,


s: I canna tell that, but whatever her fate,


s: I'll wager ye'll find it was shared by a skate,


s: When ye think o' the wife that was lost for a gate,


s: An' auld fish-hake an' a great muckle skate,


s: Southron are here: pawkiness and pride of race; love of the


s: Where the foamin' flood an' the crag is,


s: For that's the way that the Heelanters dae


s: Whaur the foamin' flood an' the crag is!


s: He lat him feel that the Land o' the Leal


s: When he cast his buits an' soopled his cuits


s: But they brocht a joke, they did indeed,


s: not hitherto appeared in print. It is certainly not in Child's


s: Collection. It was taken down from the singing of an aged man of


s: show that the incidents recorded in the ballad occurred in the


s: seventeenth century, and that Sir Walter Scott had heard at least


s: Had washed his kilt an' cleaned his dirk


s: The freends o' baith, like hoodie craws,


s: They glanced like lightnin' up Strathyre


s: Faith, there's a hantle queer complaints


s: To tell his doots o' Death's dark tricks,


s: Sae when they cam' frae Jean's clean pat,


s: Gude kens hae gey sma' stock o' patience!


s: That gars the sweat hail doon like rain.


s: Whiles Tam gangs dancin' owre the flair,


s: Of that there's not the slightest question,


s: A' kin' o' wersh tongue-twistin' drinks,


s: Wee poothers that could cure convulsions,


s: He'd toothache tinctur's, cures for corns,


s: While, nearly scunnert wi' their squirmin',


s: "Well, well, Macphail!" the doctor says,


s: An' though puir Tam looked rale no-weel,


s: Wi' tryin' to haud himsel' frae lauchin'!


s: There's ae thing ye maun ne'er gang back on.


s: But if the crack warks roond to leeches,


s: Puir Tam pits doon his pipe an' retches!


s: Losh keep's! When a' thing's said an' dune,


s: Jock banned the lamp-"'twas in his een"-


s: 'Twas up at the tree near the heid o' the glen


s: The cauld wind whistled his auld duds through,


s: Though my gibbles were a' for the human frame


s: "Ye're oot i' the warst that the weather can dae,


s: For learnin's the shauchle instead o' the step


s: Will ye come to a hoose whaur a gude man bides,


s: Ye can howk i' the kebbuck an' howk again


s: Or seek ye a saxpence to slocken your drooth?


s: A tuft o' the broom was knotted wi' tow,


s: While he shook his heid owre some ferlies there,


s: An' I'll pay ye back when we've finished oor tack


s: He spat on the siller an' pooched it syne,


s: In the kindly yoke o' the gaun-about folk,


s: On the bowl o's cutty he scartit a spunk,


s: Gin his claes would hae fleggit a bubbly-jock,


s: An' oor forebears maybe were near-hand freen's


s: For says auld Jock Smairt, wha was passin' wi' his cairt:


s: An' says auld jock Smairt, wha was passin' wi' his cairt:


s: An' stour filled the een o' the unctioneer,


s: An' says auld Jock Smairt, wha was passin' wi' his cairt:


s: An' the rein catched the grey mear's tail,


s: An' when auld Jock Smairt saw the fashion o' his cairt:


s: I was gaun to my supper richt hungert an' tired,


s: The snaw wi' the dark'nin' was fast dingin' on,


s: An' the win' had a coorse kin' o' sough.


s: 'Twas a cheery like sicht as the bonny fire-licht


s: Gar't the winnock play flicker wi' flame;


s: But my supper was "Aff for the doctor at aince!"


s: Noo, I kent there was somethin' o' that sort to be,


s: An' I'd had my ain thochts, tae, aboot it;


s: Sae when my gude-mither had tel't me to flee,


s: Wi' a new pair o' buits that was pinchin' like sin,


s: 'Twas the warst nicht o' a' that I ever pit in,


s: I'd a gude seeven mile o' a fecht wi' the snaw,


s: An the road was near smoort oot wi' drift;


s: While the maister at market had got on the ba',


s: When I passed the auld inn as I cam' owre the hill,


s: I bude to gang in-bye an' swallow a gill,


s: "Gude be thankit!" says I, at the doctor's front door,


s: But my he'rt gae a dunt at the story that runt


s: The man wasna in? He was at the big hoose?


s: Hoo the deevil was I to get haud o' him noo,


s: The doctor was spendin' the nicht at the laird's,


s: A feckless bit cratur, weel-meanin' an' a',


s: Though she ne'er got ayont the doo's cleckin'.


s: It's them that should hae them that hinna eneugh,


s: Here's me wi' a dizzen, and aye at the pleugh


s: Sin' that nicht that the bairnie cam' hame!


s: What was I to dae? I was at my wits' en',


s: An' e'en had I got her to traivel the road


s: I was switin' wi' fear though my fingers was cauld,


s: Man, my feet was that sair I was creepin' twa-fauld


s: Three hoors an' a hauf sin' I startit awa',


s: Govy-ding! It's nae mows for the heid o' the hoose


s: A set o' mis-chanters like what I'd come through


s: I was ettlin' to greet as I stude in the street


s: But a voice that I kent soondit richt in my lug,


s: As I tells him my story, for wha should he be


s: "It's a brute of a night, but to doctor's my trade,


s: An' he druve his ain trap seeven mile through the snaw


s: Ay! an' cracked like a pen-gun the hail o' the road


s: When he fand I was grewsin' awa' at his side


s: Syne when a' thing was owre an' I gruppit his han'


s: Says the wife, "We maun gie him the name!"


s: An' there's aye been a gude word for him i' the hoose


s: Sin' the nicht that the bairnie cam' hame.


s: Noo, ye'll no' tak' it ill o' me, Mistress Macqueen,


s: An' I am a mither that's beerit fourteen,


s: When ye see your bit bairnie there drawin' up her knees,


s: Juist gie her a nip o' a gude yalla cheese,


s: An' ye'll find that there's naethin' superior!


s: The doctor had said that ye shouldna row'r ticht,


s: Ye should aye gie the wee cratur's belly scope?


s: Awa' wi' the lang-leggit lum-hattit fricht


s: Wi' his specks an' his wee widden tellyscope!


s: What kens he o' littlens? He's nane o' his ain,


s: If she greets it juist keeps the hoose cheerier,


s: See! THAT was the wey I did a' my fourteen,


s: I tell ye, noo, warkin' fowk canna draw breath,


s: What wi' sanitries, cruelties, an' bobbies,


s: An' the doctors would pit ye in fair fear o' death


s: Wi' their blethers o' German macrobbies!


s: I've been at their lectures on health an' High Jean,


s: Use your ain commonsense when ye're treating' your wean,


s: She's awa'? Weel, ma wumman, I thocht that mysel',


s: When I saw your blind doon frae our corner,


s: An', says I, "I'll juist tak' a step upbye an' tell


s: Twa or three things its better to warn her."


s: 'Twas the doctor's negleck o'r, the auld nosey-wax!


s: There's naethin' to dae noo, but beery her,


s: Tammy Chips mak's a kist here at seeven-an'-sax,


s: An' ye'll find that there's naethin' superior!


s: The wife she was ailin', the doctor was ca'ed,


s: While Peter was suppin' his brose at the fire,


s: "Eh, doctor! My back's fair awa' wi' it noo,


s: Hae Peter! Come owre wi' the lamp, like a man,


s: But Peter had bade wi' her near forty year,


s: Sae he lowsed his tap button for ease till his wame,


s: "Weel Isie," says he, "an' it's me that should ken,


s: The lamp's bidin' here: if he's seekin' a sicht


s: O' yer tongue he can pull't to the lamp!"


s: I dinna ken what is the maitter wi' Jeams,


s: He canna get sleepit at nicht for his dreams,


s: An' aye when he waukens he granes and he screams


s: Can ye no mak' up somethin' to gie him a sleep?


s: I'm tellin' ye, doctor, he gars my flesh creep,


s: Till I'm that fu' o' nerves that the verra least cheep


s: Wi' his meat he was aince a man easy to please,


s: But last Sabbath he flang the fried ingans an' cheese


s: That I had for his supper richt into the bleeze,


s: Then he sat in the ingle an' chowed bogie-roll,


s: An' read "Jowler's Sermons" an' talked o' his soul,


s: Faith! conduc' o' that sort's no' easy to thole,


s: He's plenty o' siller, ye're sure o' your fee,


s: Just gie him a soondin', an' gin he's to dee,


s: Come oot wi' the truth-dinna fash for a lee,


s: What! Juist heepocondry? Nocht wrang wi his chest?


s: The Deil flee awa' wi' the man for a pest!


s: To think o' me lossin' sae mony nichts' rest


s: Ay, though he may rout like the bull in the park,


s: I'se warrant the morn he's on wi' his sark,


s: An' aff wi' the rest o' the men till his wark,


s: It's "I'll try this," and "I'll try that,"


s: Till a man's ill-natur' lappers his sark


s: There's whiles I think we're waur than maist,


s: Drogues is nae better than they're ca'ed?


s: Weel, here's your mixtur'-auchteen pence,


s: Lat's see that bottle! Here's your line!


s: He's a muckle man, Sandy, he's mair nor sax fit


s: A size that's no' handy for wark i' the pit,


s: But frae a' bad mis-chanters he'd aye keepit free


s: Excep'in' that nicht he'd a fire in his e'e.


s: He was lyin' an' holin' at wark at the face,


s: For the gaffer had gi'en him a gey dirty place,


s: Sae while i' the gloamin' I sat owre my tea


s: He lowsed an' cam' hame wi' a fire in his e'e.


s: Ae wife says "Saut butter," ane "Sugar o' leed,"


s: An' anither says "Poultice the back o' your heid!"


s: He first tried them singly an' syne tried a' three,


s: But sairer an' sairer got Sandy's sair e'e.


s: Wi's heid in blue flannen (he couldna stan' licht)


s: I'se warrant he lookit a bonny like sicht,


s: Till dang near deleerit, as hard's he could flee,


s: Eck ran to the smiddy for ease till his e'e.


s: The smith was a billy wha cam' frae the sooth,


s: An' was awful sair fashed wi' a sutten-doon drooth.


s: He claimed half a mutchkin as fore-handit fee,


s: An' syne yokit howkin' in Sandy's sair e'e.


s: The p'int o' his gully, an' sleeve o' his sark


s: Was a' the smith's gibbles for surgical wark.


s: For ae fire extrackit the smith pit in three,


s: Till Eck was fair rackit wi' pain in his e'e.


s: At last to the doctor he gangs daft wi' pain,


s: An' gets a gude sweerin' an' syne some cocaine.


s: The fire was ta'en oot then, to Sandy's great glee,


s: An' he spent the neist week wi' a drap in his e'e.


s: 'Twas the turn o' the nicht when a' was quate


s: That Death cam' stappin' the clachan through


s: But heidin' straucht for the eastmost hoose


s: "An' is this to be a' my warnin', Death?


s: An' weel ye may dae's a gude turnie, lad,


s: "Gin ye canna wale ane o' the fancy kin's,


s: Noo, Faith! the auld jade was a humoursome taed,


s: An' she leugh sae sair at his fleechin' air


s: But the craftiest carle in a' the warl',


s: awa', away; fair awa' wi' it, fairly done for.


s: besom, broom; a woman of loose character.


s: birse, bristle; to get one's birse set up, to get in a rage.


s: body, person; beast or body, beast or man.


s: Daylicht has mony een, daylight reveals many things,


s: doon-settin', settlement, start in life.


s: doo's cleckin, pigeon's hatch, two of a family.


s: fegs, an affirmative exclamation, a corruption of Faith.


s: fish-hake, a wooden frame on which to hang fish.


s: forrit, forward; even forrit, straight on.


s: fowre, four; weel on fowre, nearly four o'clock.


s: gaed, went; gaed owre, went beyond the power of.


s: gie, give; gie him the name, name the child after him.


s: gillie-callum, a variety of Scots dance.


s: haill, whole; haill apotheck, whole affair.


s: hame, home; the nicht that the bairnie cam' hame, the night that


s: herts, hearts; gart the hert rise, made one sick.


s: losh, an exclamation, corruption of Lord.


s: narra', narrow; narra' i' the swalla', narrow-throated.


s: nosey-wax, a nobody (expression of contempt).


s: pen-gun, pop-gun; to crack like a pen-gun, to be very loquacious.


s: rubbin'-post, post for cattle to rub against.


s: scunnert, disgusted to the verge of nausea.


s: shakers, pit the shakers on me, set me trembling with fear.


s: shauchle, shamble, walk in a shuffling manner.


s: sookeys, suckers; sookers for bairns, children's so-called


s: soondin', sounding, examination with a stethoscope.


s: sough, rushing sound; to sough awa', to breathe his last.


s: strae, straw; in the strae, in child-bed.


s: sutten-doon, habitual, chronic, settled.


s: taed, toad (used affectionately or otherwise of a person).


s: tapsalteerie, head over heels, topsy-turvy.


s: tryst, appointment, make an appointment.


s: wag-at-the-wa', wall clock with long pendulum.


s: wat, wet; wat his whustle, took a drink.


s: weet, wet; to weet the bairnie's heid, to drink the health of the


s: Built on the steadfast centre of the world,


s: And waited for the middle hour of night,


s: Now swiftly coming, to convene her court.


s: Was the fair island honoured by her reign;


s: Slowly around her rolled the Frigid Zone,


s: A silvery ring, circling her nearer realm


s: With the pale lustre of its snowy walls,


s: Defending from all storm and sudden change


s: The sea which bathed the island's level shores.


s: She sat upon her throne, and none might tell


s: Whether her limbs the lambent lustre cast


s: Upon the pearls of which it was composed,


s: Or they cast beauty on her glowing form.


s: Around her feet a pavement spread, inlaid


s: Of squares of roseate sea-shells, set about


s: With purple gems, unknown in other lands;--


s: Thence, winding paths, sprinkled with golden sand,


s: Ran out, through bowers of flowers and fields of green


s: Shone full against the island. The North-star,


s: Sparkling and blazing like a silver sun,


s: From heaven to charm the endless Arctic night;--


s: And thus a soft profusion of pure light,


s: More exquisite than sunshine, fell abroad.


s: Unnipped by daintiest frosts, in every field


s: Flowers crowded thick; and trees, not tall nor rude,


s: With slender stems upholding feathery shade,


s: Nodded their heads and hung their pliant limbs


s: In natural bowers, sweet with delicious gloom.


s: Queen OENE sent her luminous glance afar:


s: Fine rays of tintless light played round her head,


s: Crowning her beauty with mysterious glory.


s: She gazed away, beyond the tranquil sea,


s: To distant mountains of unchanging snow,


s: And still beyond, to where full many a tower


s: And fortress reared their walls of gleaming ice


s: Scarcely had she in silence throned herself,


s: Ere from the trees, or flower-coves of the shore,


s: Her maids of honor came, a virgin train,


s: Like a bright constellation clustering round


s: The central star, most glorious of them all.


s: From its far moorings, nestled at her ease,


s: Was seen slowly to skim the silver lake;


s: While the huge flower seemed of itself propelled,


s: Save that, by chance, a flushed and saucy face,


s: Peeped from the waves, showing a little imp


s: Who tugged at its stout stem with willful toil.


s: As the slant moonlight through the crimson flower


s: Bathed her with blushes; but, when on the strand


s: She lightly sprang, flinging her tresses back,


s: A southern maiden would have deemed her pale.


s: Too rich for pallor was the polished glow


s: Of her lithe figure; while, in either cheek,


s: The red veins glimmered; dark blue were her eyes;


s: Her tresses, like deep shadows, made more fair


s: The light which they enhanced, glancing within.


s: The first to touch the white feet of the Queen


s: And place herself at her right hand, was she.


s: Others came soon; all bright, all beautiful,


s: With deep blue eyes, and sweet mouths set in smiles.


s: Twined many times; these, flickering, rose and fell


s: With the soft breath their full, graced bosoms drew.


s: From waist to knee of each a tunic dropped


s: Of birds' gay plumage, and fringed deep with gems,


s: Which they with artless and unenvying pride,


s: Would fain have made, each, most magnificent.


s: They gathered round their Queen, as midnight neared.


s: Suddenly, with the hour, there came a change


s: Over the moonlight and the courtly scene.


s: OENE upon the pavement pressed her feet,


s: And out the North-Lights sprang, to do her will,


s: From secret caverns underneath its pearls.


s: O'er all the land she bade them come and go;


s: Were lighted with wild splendors, as the troupes


s: Of messengers rushed swiftly to and fro.


s: The people of the Arctics knew their Queen


s: Summoned her subjects to the Presence then


s: By wavering tints which played beneath the Star,


s: And the great speed with which the North-Lights flew.


s: They hurried even to the Temperate Zone.


s: A band of phantom spirits took wings and flew


s: Far to the southern sky, a fluttering crowd.


s: A warrior, yellow garbed, with fiery spear,


s: Bestrode a frantic steed, and looked not back


s: With scintillant flames some perched on towers remote


s: Or bore green banners o'er the mirroring sea,


s: Or flitted through dim valleys, bright and fast,


s: Casting their flickering shadows down the deep


s: Of favor or redress, from air and earth,


s: Came now, bringing petitions, councils, gifts.


s: Some slid on twinkling star-beams through the air,


s: Some sailed in shallops over the light waves,


s: And all who came had presents for their Queen,--


s: Rare tints which they had caught just as the Moon


s: Peered o'er the shoulder of the mighty Thug.--


s: Those dwelling in the caverns of the sea


s: And pearls from underneath their low-based bergs


s: Deep in the green waves, that, with thunderous sound,


s: Did lull the giants of the North to sleep.


s: There came, as time rolled by, from the far verge


s: Of her vast realm, the rugged guardian ghouls,


s: On all encroachers from the hated South.


s: These had wild forms and gaunt; their dress was rude--


s: Skins of the white bear fastened to their loins.


s: They bore long, glistening spears, and deadly clubs


s: Wrenched from the spines of monsters of the sea.


s: Their gifts were rude as they, and yet their Queen


s: Gazing with favor on these proofs of valor.


s: Tales of achievements dread, of battles, deaths,


s: Had they to speak, while, with pleased ear intent,


s: With crispy locks and frosty eyes, and breath


s: Chiller than death's,--naked, as scorning e'en


s: To wear the trophies of his fierce renown--


s: Before the Presence stood, and told in haste,--


s: Yet proud to serve so well--how he was called


s: WOLE, guardian of old Thug;--how from the South


s: Came, ploughing slowly through the unwilling sea,


s: A ship, crowded with mortals from that land;


s: Sent out by skirmishing Frosts, they still drew near,


s: Daring to come, with their invading eyes,


s: Where never mortals else had looked and lived.


s: He told,--and here he glanced, upon his friends,


s: Eyes of bright scorn--how the imperious ship


s: Passed safely Tug and Dor, though all the guards


s: Shot barbs of ice, and filled the air with fine,


s: Invisible needles, piercing their pained flesh,


s: And tore their stiffening sails with sharp-teethed winds;


s: How, still, the ship pressed on where He kept watch,


s: How, as it closer came, he fixed his eyes


s: Had power to stir, nor even the sails to flap,


s: While banded winds which he sent forth, still drove


s: The doomed ones onward to the eager shore,


s: Where every soul had perished, one by one.


s: "Thou hast done well, old WOLE," Queen OENE said.


s: Stepping a pace in front of her companions,


s: With bashful cheek, but with a kindling eye--


s: "'Tis not for one like me to have a thought


s: In thy rare presence, Queen," KOLONA said,--


s: "Yet I would dare to tell thee what I saw


s: Across the sea, to find what curious things


s: The other shore might hold. My lily bark,


s: Being too frail for such a venturous cruise


s: I borrowed GONDOR's boat of nautilus' shells,


s: Put up my lua-leaf sail and swiftly sped


s: Grew smaller than a star. The air grew cold:--


s: I almost shivered in my bird's-down mantle;


s: But when I neared the opposing shore, the sight


s: One of that mortal race which we have kept


s: With war assiduous, from our inner realms,


s: Told me the truth. At first I would have fled,


s: But, being unperceived by him, I lingered,--


s: Thenceforth, sweet Queen, I never can forget


s: The face of this one man which I have seen.


s: Triumph was on his brow, and yet not that


s: So much as doubt and earnest questioning.


s: Which must have been his Soul; it searched the deep,


s: The earth, the sky, with bright and troubled gaze;


s: And then, glanced forward with so still a look,


s: It seemed that it, perforce, would vanish space,


s: And bring our secret world within its ken;


s: Such as we hear gleamed from the cunning eyes


s: Of those fierce hordes who, centuries ago,


s: Came in their boats and strove to conquer us.


s: Knowledge was what it craved, with truth it burned;


s: Its power within his features. Then I felt


s: That, could I bring him to thy gracious feet


s: The dream of which so oft hath troubled us,


s: Breaking upon us, like the light of Heaven,


s: Too high for us to fix its source--that spoke


s: The thought of which doth haunt us. In return


s: We could bestow the knowledge which he craved,


s: And link his name with ours through all the earth,


s: Fearless of harm from one who only craves


s: The crown of Genius for his soul-lit brow.


s: Yet feared so much, O, Queen, thy just displeasure,


s: And when he turned, 'twas with so deep a sigh


s: The sound awakened in me strange regret,


s: Endless reproach, and grief before unknown.


s: Art angry with thy maiden, peerless Queen?"


s: A shadow came, and deepened in her eyes.


s: "I might have slain thee both, if thou hadst ventured;


s: With our severest powers, from envious Man.


s: Yet, as thou sayest, he might have fed our hearts


s: With sweet immortal food--aye, given us souls,


s: If such things be,--worth half my priceless realms.


s: No more--no more! KOLONA! take thy place!"


s: As a soft flower shrinks from the coming night,


s: Amid her tresses, from her sovereign's eyes,


s: Amid the bright and coyly wondering train.


s: A band of sprites, armed with sharp, silver spears,


s: With pearl-encrusted garb and gleaming sandals,


s: Dwelling low down the land, even amid men,


s: The Queen's advance guard, giving due alarm


s: Of all attacks, taking short flights by night,


s: And reconnoitering the southern world,--


s: Had sent a group to counsel with their Queen.


s: These, now, had much to say of an adventure


s: Which took them almost to the Tropic Zone:--


s: How they had blighted fruit; and mildews cast


s: Over the fields; and blasted flowering trees;


s: Doting on honeyed flowers to fill their mouths;


s: Chilling the saucy birds within their nests;


s: Ruining the rainbow hues of many a garden;


s: Pricking the insect world with their fine spears,


s: And disappointing mortals of their wish.


s: Their somewhat boastful discourse these had ceased,


s: When came in hosts a crowd around the Pole,


s: Parting on each side to make way for one,


s: A stranger, craving audience of their Queen.


s: What saw those weird and piercing eyes, full turned


s: To meet the coming throng?--a singular sight,


s: Which filled them with bright anger and surprise!


s: A mortal came; her girlish feet the first


s: And not more strange to her was this wild queen,


s: And all the fairness of these maids of honor,


s: The fluttering brightness of her golden hair,


s: The lustrous darkness of her eyes, the warmth


s: Of tropic tints upon her brow and cheek,


s: The dimpled fullness of her form, appeared


s: In vivid contrast with their fairer charms.


s: She held an offering of gorgeous flowers--


s: Those most renowned for fragrance--in her hands,


s: Which, as she reached the platform, she held forth


s: With a most winning, most beseeching air.


s: Amazed at such presumption, on the maid,


s: Queen OENE's brow darkened in sudden wrath.


s: "Warriors! do ye permit this sight!" she cried.


s: The lightest breath of that majestic voice


s: Had ever been with prompt obedience met;


s: But now, though hoarse and deep as surging sea,


s: The Pole-Queen raised aloft her pale right arm;--


s: She stamped her haughty feet upon the pave,--


s: And all the Powers of the vast Frigid Zone


s: Shook till the people reeled, and reeling, fell;


s: The circle of white gems about the throne


s: Threw off strange darts of light which smote like steel:


s: Swift whirling round with inconceivable speed


s: A host of Northern Lights sprang into air,


s: And, battling round their Queen, confused and wild,


s: Blent with each other in the fierce affray.


s: The frightened stars paled in the distant sky;


s: And spectres rushed on shadowy steeds of grey


s: Down the flushed firmament; and shining spears,


s: Held by invisible hands, whirled high o'erhead.


s: Saw wonders in the Northern air with fear;


s: And when an inward trembling shook the Pole


s: Central through all the earth, in distant lands


s: The mountains belched forth fire on fated cities.


s: Behind the throne suddenly arose a shower,


s: As 'twere of phosphorescent flakes of snow,


s: Straight upward like a fountain, and then fell


s: In glowing sparks wide over all the land.


s: The surging sea dashed its bewildered waves


s: Against the foreheads of gigantic bergs,


s: Walking, like drunken men, the noisy deep.


s: While near, a thousand prostrate subjects lay


s: "Queen of this strange and spectral land, wilt thou


s: Come wandering all this way, impelled by love?


s: Have led me to thy fair and fearful presence.


s: I have no power, am but a weak young girl;


s: And chance, alone, has thus revealed to me


s: With thy bright self and this enchanted isle,--


s: So palely, purely fair--undreamed of beauty!


s: Love is the sole excuse which I can urge


s: For my intrusion"--here the stranger blushed,


s: Drooping in silence her embarrassed head.


s: "Speak on!" imperially the Pole-Queen said,


s: Charmed in her own despite, by that sweet face;


s: While LIR-LIR to KOLONA leaned and smiled,


s: And a soft flutter through the courtly train


s: Stirred, like the shimmer of a moonlit breeze


s: Kissing the waves:--"I will thy message hear!"


s: And so the maiden, gathering courage, said:


s: "Far in a blooming isle, in Southern seas,


s: I had a home, whose walls, of marble cool,


s: Were chequered by soft shadows, hovering,


s: Like flocks of birds, about its battlements;


s: For, all around, were trees, whose glistening leaves


s: Danced ever, in the sunlight or the moonlight,


s: To the soft flutes of the Arcadian winds;


s: The gorgeous flowers nodded their lovely heads.


s: Through the bright days, and in my sleep at night,


s: I heard the ripples breaking on the sand,


s: A thing of course,--like sunshine and fresh air,--


s: Or like the love which grew into my life,


s: The fluttering foliage and the sighing waves


s: Seemed whispering "BERTHO!" ever in my ear;


s: Could find no other meaning in their sound.


s: But BERTHO--he was poor! still, not so poor


s: As brave, high-souled, and strangely venturesome.


s: He trusted to the sea to gain his wealth,


s: Ah! how I wept, when told that we must part!


s: How much more bitter tears I shed that day


s: On which he left me, wretched, by the shore,


s: Watching the gleam of his receding sails!


s: "Dim grew the golden air from that dark hour.


s: Like some rich flower, torn from the wooing kiss


s: I drooped, and lost the redness of my cheeks.


s: All the wild thrills that used to come and go,


s: Tumultuous, through my happy heart, and send


s: The pulses flying through my frame, died out.


s: "And thus in sadness two long summers passed.


s: Wrought out a vision in my troubled sleep,


s: Through which I saw my BERTHO, and he bade


s: My soul be still and fear not,--I should take


s: My little boat, in which I used to skirt


s: The island shores, and loose it on the deep,


s: Placing myself within it:--It would come,


s: By force of an unknown and magic current,


s: (The thought of which, in speculative minds,


s: Had long been cherished,) straightway to the shore


s: Of the strange country where, enthralled, he dwelt.


s: If I still loved him, this would prove my love!


s: "Straight from my couch I rose, and like a ghost


s: Stole through the darkness of my father's halls;


s: I heaped a few fresh fruits, and bore a vase


s: Filled with fresh water,--this was all my store.


s: I loosed my shallop from the anchoring rock,


s: Whose aid was all I asked upon the deep.


s: Went murmuring back from its delightful shores.


s: The loveliest hour of all the twenty-four


s: Charmed earth and ocean, that eventful time.


s: Moonlight and morning, softly blending, lay


s: Upon the land; while down the glassy sea,


s: Far in the distance, slowly stole a band


s: Of sunrise glories, smiling, looking back,


s: And glowing with warm splendors. All the East


s: Was crimson with their blushes, and the waves


s: Which followed in their bright and stately way


s: Wore crests of gold, and purple-shaded robes.


s: Next came light breezes blowing from the land,


s: Odorous with roses, sweet with drowsy songs


s: Of nightingales, and cool with myrtle leaves,


s: Following down the path the sunrise took.


s: And next, the stars went dimly down the west,


s: Crowd upon crowd, in slow and shining cars,


s: Bright wheeling down their heaven-appointed way.


s: "All day the sun shadowed himself in clouds;


s: My cheeks scarce browned beneath his cooled rays.


s: Then mermaids, who, attracted by my voice,


s: Had floated round me, underneath the waves,


s: Not daring to appear, swam near, reached out


s: Their arms of glowing white, and touched the boat.


s: Charmed by the helplessness of sleep in me,


s: They chanted sea-hymns, and I, straightway, dreamed


s: Of tinkling fountains in my father's halls,


s: Murmuring his words of love in my thrilled ear.


s: They rocked the bark, too, with their lily hands,


s: As tender mothers rock their cradled babes:


s: And one wild sea-nymph reached and touched my hair--


s: I saw her through my dream!--and one unstrung


s: The pearls from out her own wave-wetted locks,


s: Swept the boat onward, as by magic power.


s: At times I thought, perchance, the nymphs beneath


s: Propelled it, but when I recalled my dream,


s: I knew some freak of nature, or some law,


s: As soft as shepherd's reed, sing ocean-songs;


s: And sometimes, in the day, above the wave


s: Pearled in a clinging mass of shell-wreathed hair,


s: Peering upon me with strange, smiling eyes.


s: Gay fishes, in the sunlight gleaming, swam


s: And birds did sometimes rest their weary wings


s: Which I did share with them, though small my store.


s: No wind came now, blowing from flowery shores,


s: At times to startle me with dreams of home;


s: No more bewildering songs rose all the night


s: An instant from the deep; nor long, fair fingers


s: Had floated by like a long stream of gold;


s: The Arctics lay before me, vast and drear;


s: The sea was green and rough; no gay fish darted


s: Like silver arrows from the quivering wave;


s: But monsters, with thick scales and hideous eyes,


s: Looked sullenly up in stupid wonderment,


s: While some swam to'ards me, with rapacious maws


s: Sharp-fanged and bloody, and exulting fins


s: Flapping with demon slowness their huge sides;--


s: For many hours an old sea-dragon hovered.


s: His huge folds lay like rainbows on the sea,


s: And his two eyes, like suns, resplendent shone.


s: He seemed to guard thy realm, O, mighty Queen!


s: And, with the cunning power of those large eyes,


s: I charmed this wary dragon of the North;


s: The eyes that erst had sparkled goldenly


s: With a malicious and infatuous brightness,


s: Grew lost and dreaming in a vacant splendor;


s: The rainbow lustre of his lengthening folds


s: Faded to harmless green, till, prone, he lay,


s: A floating dream of dread, upon the deep;


s: Then, with the noiseless current drifting on,


s: I passed your subtle guardian swiftly by;


s: While only one faint sparkle, green and gold,


s: Broke from his sluggish sides as I swept past.


s: "The grandeur of your floating towers of ice


s: Stole on my sight; the sea rolled rough; the air


s: Was sharp and clear; and yet this delicate robe


s: Soon, upon every side, I saw tall bergs.


s: A child of fragrant airs and sunny skies,


s: Enervate with the South's soft luxuries,


s: These icebergs burst upon me like a sense


s: While in the distance, calmly floating on


s: Through the broad sunlight, then I loved to dream


s: That they were palaces upreared by gnomes,


s: With glittering towers and silver pinnacles,--


s: That in them were expanded halls of light--


s: Vast chambers--with such gorgeous, fretted roofs


s: And shining floors, as wearied human sight;


s: That fountains filled them with a slumberous sound;


s: And curtains, wrought of silver-threaded frost,


s: Were looped with priceless pearls from room to room;--


s: Lost in the pitiless sea,--where they would bathe


s: Their thoughts in heaven's splendor, looking out


s: The golden windows towards the constant sun,


s: Shining, unceasing, slant against their brows.


s: "But, as I nearer drew, I lost that dream


s: In one more gloomy. They did seem to shape


s: Themselves to living giants; lifting high


s: Their frowning foreheads, crowned with fiery crowns.


s: Gloomier did they grow, with their white hair


s: And lifted spears, walking with mighty steps


s: The creaking floor of the unsteady deep.--


s: Meeting, with crashing spears and splintered shields,


s: With hoarse cries, breast to breast, in angry strife;


s: Their armor shivered at their feet, the sea


s: Broken beneath their tread and shuddering


s: Broad fields stretched out in many a frozen ridge;


s: While far beyond were paths of printless snow.


s: Opening, like a deep river, through the ice.


s: A shadowy land spread out on either side,


s: Where, moveless as some black and brooding bird,


s: Night hovered, silent, vast, and wonderful.


s: Thy Heralds, the North-Lights, did startle me


s: Into new wonder by their glowing shapes,


s: Swift rushing down the sky, those phantasms wild,


s: Flushing, and paling in their measureless speed.


s: Where all was calm and warm, and where no tower


s: Seemed stealing my true sense--so fair the scene.


s: Huge lillies, which no tropic land might boast,


s: Slept on the water--like embodied moonlight;


s: A mellow lustre bathed all things; sweet birds


s: With rainbow plumage fluttered through the air,


s: And this fair island dawned upon my sight.


s: Soon on the shore rested my vessel's prow,


s: And I, ascending the bright paths which spread


s: Through bowers of wond'rous beauty, came to thee,


s: The central light of all this loveliness.


s: This is my sin, if thou wilt judge it such.


s: But love, the fondest that did ever throb


s: It was, which brought me. It must be, sweet Queen


s: My BERTHO dwells. Do'st know him? Is he well?


s: And does he for his fond-eyed OLIVE look,


s: With hollow shadows underneath his brows


s: The eager pleading of her glance with one


s: Of chilly calmness, as she thus replied:--


s: "There is _no living_ mortal in my realms,


s: Save thou alone, the first who ever came.


s: Thy BERTHO, from a thousand shades of men


s: Pray, how can we distinguish? Would'st thou search?


s: The slightest new obstruction in thy way;


s: We do not comprehend that strange excess


s: Of passion which hath made thee venture here.


s: But love, at least, is harmless. Go thy ways."


s: The innocent maidens, gathered round their Queen,


s: Looked on with interest, as the southern girl


s: Turned with a mute and trembling lip, away.


s: Sprang towards her, reaching forth a friendly hand,


s: Whispering,--"Stay, beautiful, and sup with us;


s: But, OLIVE shook her head, denying smiles


s: Deep in her wistful eyes, and went her way.


s: Court being ended, from her regal throne


s: OENE descended, passed the glowing steps,


s: And, like a star that walks the path of heaven


s: With a long train of light, she and her maids


s: Hedged round with lillies growing tall and fair,


s: The North-Lights clustered in a coronal,


s: And each held forth a lamp, in the still air,


s: Of purple, blue or green, crimson or rose,


s: Whose flickering splendors, like soft rainbows, fell


s: Upon the table, spread with fruits heaped high


s: On plates of delicate, transparent shells;


s: While many a dainty, gathered from the sea


s: The guests had circled, e'er one ruby drop


s: Of liquid passed their lips, or food was touched,


s: The Virgins of the Court, in voices flowing,


s: Did sing this song in honor of the Feast,


s: While with a silent and a magical grace,


s: The North-Lights danced, and waved their flaming lamps:


s: Which spread its silver circle round the Pole.


s: Her feet were weary and her thoughts were sad.


s: That wond'rous mountain of whose old renown


s: The Arctic world thought with exalted hearts--


s: Stood in her path and seemed to bar her way.


s: Four months of darkness in the valley slept,


s: Freezing in silent dreams; the Moon did crown


s: The hoary brow of the old headland, Thug,


s: Peering through heaven's roof upon its God.


s: "Ah, BERTHO! BERTHO!" the young traveller cried,


s: While rapid tears ran down her grief-touched cheeks:--


s: "Is there no way save this? My feet refuse


s: This faithful bosom thy delight shall be--


s: No more thine eyes shall smile into mine own


s: Till both swim full of bliss--no more thy mouth


s: Breathe its soft words and kisses on my cheek,


s: Naming me thine--thine only--thine forever!


s: Where art thou, BERTHO? BERTHO! Cruel Thug;


s: Sink thyself in the sea, presumptuous mount,


s: Till I can pluck my lover from thy breast!"


s: Long time, she lay, half perished, on the snow,


s: Till love revived, with its eternal fires,


s: The warmth of purpose in her chilly breast;


s: Then, springing to her feet, she shook her curls,


s: In golden billows from her brows, the while


s: Settled itself, and triumphed in her eyes:--


s: "Torrent nor precipice, nor jutting crag--


s: Night, spirits, ghouls, nor ravenous wild beasts,


s: Distance, nor time, shall fright me from the way,"


s: Though avalanches roared from steep to steep


s: And fear increased with every perilous step.


s: The Moon alone was kind to the poor child,


s: Shedding its softest lustre round her feet.


s: Near half way up the mount she may have passed


s: When a fierce growl smote on her frightened ear,


s: As, from the shadows bounding, came a beast,


s: Grizzly, ferocious, snapping its sharp tusks:--


s: So close it came she felt the hungry breath


s: She sprang aside, then fled; but steep the path,


s: And sinking fainting, to the ground, she sighed--


s: "This is the last! BERTHO! Ah, me! farewell!"


s: "Nay, not the last! thou'rt not dead yet, my dear!


s: Look up, thou fairy, or thou mortal child--


s: I scarce know which--assure thyself of life.


s: Recalled to life, the trembling girl arose.


s: A spear that dripped with her pursuer's blood.


s: With still unconquered terror of the brute


s: But if thou art what now thou dost appear,


s: A creature of that world from whence I come,


s: Let me but hear thy voice--but hear one word


s: Of my blest country's language, and I'll deem


s: The service I have done thee with this spear


s: Naught in comparison. Speak, quickly speak!"


s: "What shall I say, but thank thee for my life?


s: Come searching for my lover. Dost thou know


s: What do'est _thou_ here? It must be thou art come


s: In search of wife or child,--what other fate


s: Could lead thee to such barren heights as these?"


s: "Alas! dear child! there are other springs than love


s: To move the human heart. Ambition, may be;


s: And my illustrious country, led me here."


s: He paused and sighed. She saw his locks were thin;


s: Some white with years, but more with troubled toil;


s: And that he stood barefooted in the snow.


s: Upon the grey, sublime, forlorn old man.


s: Coldly the moonlight glinted o'er the group


s: Regarding each the other with surprise:--


s: He, struck with mingled wonder and delight


s: To meet this woman, beautiful and young.


s: "Dear friend," she said, brushing away her tears,


s: "If thou wilt rest thee on this smoothest rock


s: And tell me who thou art, and whence did come,


s: And wherefore lingering here, pleased will I listen."


s: A smile stole o'er his pale, storm-beaten face.--


s: "I know thee now, from mother Eve descended,


s: By thy most feminine willingness to hear,


s: The sorrows which did claim thy ready tears


s: While they were but suspected. Sit thee down.


s: Five years it is since, with three stately ships


s: And sturdy crews to man them, one proud day


s: I sailed away from the great three-linked isle,


s: Under my fair Queen's sovereign patronage,


s: For the far Frigid Zone--the wild, the fierce,


s: The unknown Arctic seas--through their cold depths,


s: Their intricate, unmarked, majestic ways,


s: To find a North-West Passage: which wise men


s: And skillful mariners, learned of the sea,


s: Might to the world be opened. High my heart


s: With courage and ambition swelled its tides,


s: Knowledge I had and skill, with enterprise;


s: And should I be successful, future times


s: Should know my name, and future mariners


s: But one faint spot was there in my proud heart,


s: And that was where my constant wife, at parting,


s: Shed sorrowful tears, until they did strike through,


s: That faithful brow should lean to it again.


s: "To thee, if thou indeed hast safely passed


s: The horrors and the beauties of the sea,


s: Or, on the deck, learned of the sea and sky


s: The subtle mariner's ever-changeful lore.


s: Prosperous we were, till o'er the mystic bounds


s: Of OENE's realms I sailed; save now and then


s: With tears we left upon the bloomless shores


s: Where birds nor flowers should ever bless his grave.


s: On--on--beyond all shores--or sights of dwarfs


s: Slaying the rein-deer by their snow-built huts:--


s: On, through the thickening perils of the way!


s: Methought I held within my brain the clue


s: Through that bewildering labyrinth of ice.


s: For weeks the Sun, a pale and sinking ghost,


s: With feeble eyes had glared upon the Pole.


s: Nor with his wavering arrows could o'erthrow


s: Even the airy domes of delicate sprites,


s: Sitting and decking their etherial robes


s: And turning them, sparkling, to his sullen face.


s: Borne by the flying winds, hourly arrived,


s: Warning me from her shores. At last the Queen,


s: It bore down upon us with such grand array


s: An hundred giant ships, whose rainbow sails


s: And glittering masts towered a thousand feet


s: Above our tiny vessels, weighed their anchors


s: And slowly from their harbors drifted out.


s: We heard the creaking of their cables--heard


s: The shouting of their fierce and naked crews--


s: We saw the green sea boil against their keels--


s: Their viewless banners flapped against our faces--


s: Their viewless darts pierced us on every side


s: Till men fell on our decks, a stony heap.


s: We strove, at least, to make a brave retreat,


s: Toiling in mute dispair, or madly praying


s: The winds to favor our poor, shattered sails.


s: Two of the largest of their avenging fleet,


s: My stoutest vessel like some frailest shell;


s: Then swung apart, with laughter on their decks,


s: Showing me, where my noble friends had been,


s: Only a seething gulf. The sweat of anguish


s: The brother ship went down. At length the winds,


s: Drove us upon the rocks beneath this mount.


s: Five years had wasted all our store of food;


s: But, seeing monsters like this beast of prey,


s: Some of the least exhausted boldly forth


s: Went to destroy them--I amid the rest,--


s: Over our eyes, and we lay down to sleep--


s: Waking to hear the mocking laugh of ghouls,


s: To find us chained, enslaved,--and, worse than all!


s: Lost from our corporal bodies--spirits--dead!


s: "I, as the leader of the intruding band,


s: Am doomed to wander on this mountain side,


s: Freed from the thraldom of weird OENE's power,


s: This is the punishment those mortals bear,


s: Who, venturing into this strange Arctic world,


s: Are vanquished by its sovereign. She hath power,


s: The source of which I know not, to retain


s: The souls of mortals for an hundred years,


s: Demanding service which they needs must pay.


s: The gloomy caverns underneath this mount,


s: And those which in the hearts of icebergs lie,


s: And many by the sea, are filled with those


s: Who work their ransom out with tedious toil.


s: How cruelly all friends from distant shores,


s: Who dare attempt my rescue, are restrained.


s: Alas; the North-west Passage! When the day


s: Glinted o'er this pale land, before my sight


s: Cruel is she who took from me that substance


s: With which I might have conquered an escape,


s: Leaving me, a forlorn old spirit, sere and grey.


s: Musing through barren hours upon the past,


s: I think with bitterness on those who once


s: Were friends and lovers--Queen, companions, Wife!


s: The kisses of their children, smiles of men


s: Renowned of deeds which have not failed, like mine--


s: _This_ is the portion of that happier crowd


s: But ah! the worst part of it all, is this,--


s: To be forgotten by my own best friends--


s: My wife--my wife!"--he ended with bowed head.


s: "Art thou indeed a spirit?" OLIVE asked,


s: Shrinking a step aside. Then her kind heart


s: O'ercome the transient awe, and stealing close,


s: While smiling on him with sweet, wondering eyes,


s: Whose name is on the lip of the great world?--


s: Of whom the wives and mothers, tearful, speak


s: When sound the Northern wind-harps?--whose grand fate,


s: Hath power to touch, not only hearts of men,


s: But draw the golden drops from weeping purses?


s: Oh! be content! if Fame and Love content thee.


s: For thee, the hearts of mariners beat loud--


s: For thee, ships chase the pathways of the sea--


s: By thee the souls of nations, like one chord


s: And men talk on the streets, and by their hearths,


s: Of him who led to dismal, distant shores


s: In that new world, where generous hearts are found


s: And others joined him in his kindly plan,


s: And oh, for thee, thou princely-fortuned man,


s: A pale face from a northern window looks,


s: At night, when spectral tints are in the North--


s: By day, when winds blow down from that bleak source--


s: That face peers from the window anxiously,


s: Bearing some message to her pining heart."


s: As breaks the sunlight from a snow-filled cloud,


s: Smiles struggled through the list'ner's wintry looks.


s: "As land-bird with a green twig in its beak


s: Is welcome to the homesick ship which long


s: Hath tossed in foreign waters, so art thou


s: Welcome to me, with this consoling tale.


s: In dreaming of a love which hath not failed;


s: Now knowing that the first to welcome me


s: In Heaven's ineffable bowers, will be my wife."


s: "Since thou, Sir JOHN, protected me from harm,


s: What I have said may be some small return.


s: I do dislike to leave thee here, so lonely;


s: But since I for my BERTHO went in search,


s: Nought stays my footsteps long. Where'er I go,


s: We shall in spirit, if not in body, meet.


s: I have seen this witching Pole-Queen; I have passed


s: This circling cold and stood in the warm heart


s: Of her domains--have pressed her magic isle


s: With my poor human feet, and with my voice


s: Have plead the cause of two young, eager souls.


s: She was not kind, and yet not very cruel,


s: She may relent, even of her hate towards thee.


s: I'll not forget to plead thy cause, dear sir,


s: And heaven bless thine innocence, sweet friend."


s: With parting gesture full of tender grace


s: And soft regret, she passed upon her way.


s: Of Thug she stood, gazing bewildered round.


s: No more she heard her lover's haunting call;


s: But she herself cried out with aching voice,


s: Whose sweetness dropped with every silver tone


s: From the full note of hope to doubt and fear.


s: Sudden a chill fell on her, and a shadow;


s: Her breath congealed, and on those rosy lips


s: The white rime gathered. From behind a rock,


s: Which crowned the mountain, there advanced to view


s: He poised his massive spear in act to throw;


s: Yet, seeing there, chilled in her loveliness,


s: (Like some young rose-bud nipped by spring-time frost,)


s: The maiden whom his Queen herself did spare,


s: The frown rolled from his forehead as a cloud


s: Rolls from a rugged crag. The spear remained


s: Moveless in air, while through his frosty glance


s: Flew back and thrilled her heart, as on her knees


s: She dropped, and lifting up her pleading hands


s: Crying--"Slay me, at once, great WOLE, slay me!


s: With those keen looks, or tell me of my lover!


s: If this great mountain rested on my breast


s: It could not crush me worse than this suspense,


s: Kill me or free me from it! What, to thee--


s: Thou greatest warrior of this shadowy land,


s: Whose conquests like the snows upon this mount


s: Unsoiled by one defeat--what is to thee,


s: One prisoner, if she who loves him well,


s: Comes kneeling at thy feet, to ask him back?


s: Thou'lt give him her, I know, since to achieve


s: Renown like thine there must be generous heart."


s: "Look!" cried the warrior and outstretched his spear--


s: "'Tis not auspicious hour for such a plea."


s: Following the motion of his hand she saw


s: Shoot swiftly, or along the red edge roll.


s: Dim on the distant verge of ghostly shores


s: Pale fleets of paler shades, and flying hosts


s: Of spectral horsemen on their vanishing steeds,


s: While fairies that, on snow-flakes, sailed about


s: Down through the valleys darted out of sight;


s: And meteors, coursing higher in the sky,


s: Exploded in their wrath, dropping down dead


s: The fiery ghouls who rode their shining wings.


s: Sudden, while OLIVE gazed, she thought a flame


s: Sprang from her feet, when looking, startled, down,


s: On which she stood. Silent and rapt she gazed


s: While thousand golden flames on thousand spires


s: Were low and lower lit; and here and there


s: Some broad plain glimmered into sudden white--


s: And frozen cataracts which, in daring leaps


s: Midway between vast depths were holden tight,


s: Gleamed out like streams of gold:--Thus, one by one,


s: The wonders of that soulless land appeared,


s: While grey and ghast, behind the sparkling towers


s: Of gorgeous Thug, the ancient Night stooped down.


s: WOLE gnashed his teeth and turned again to smite


s: The helpless girl who pleaded; but the light


s: Which angered him had beautified her so,


s: That his cold breath grew moist upon his beard.


s: The sunlight melting in her eyes and flushing


s: Her cheeks with rosy redness, crowned her hair


s: With lustrous splendor, and about her form


s: Fell like a robe of glory, warm and soft.


s: The sullen throbbing of his heart was seen


s: Thrilling his moistened beard--"Pass from my sight!


s: Thou makest old Thug's warrior drop his spear,


s: And should that fair face beam on me eternal,


s: And OENE was no Queen. Yet I would rather,


s: Crush thee beneath my feet, than be this traitor."


s: He would have thrust her rudely from his path.


s: Turning her fair face from him, so her hair


s: Hid its too touching beauty from his sight;


s: Clasping her suppliant hands upon her bosom


s: She spoke out wildly, as one weary waiting


s: Where is my BERTHO in this mountain hidden?--


s: Shaping fantastic dreams of heartless OENE,


s: With aching hands into a tangible beauty.


s: How can'st thou keep two yearning souls apart?


s: If _thou_ could'st feel what love is, mighty master


s: Of loveless War, then thou would'st pity me!"


s: "Thou shalt behold thy lover, southern girl,"


s: Was WOLE's reply, and reaching round the rock


s: Took up a horn shorn from some monster's head


s: And blew in it a blast meant to be angry:


s: Yet strangely pining from the curves it came,


s: And went down wailing through the pallid sunlight,


s: Stirred in his bosom by the lovely stranger.


s: Which someway down the mountain had just caught


s: The radiance of the morning, and now stood


s: With emrald towers and columns sapphire-hued:


s: While at the summons, swift was lifted up


s: A shining net-work from behind the columns,


s: And out there flew two fair, unearthly sprites,


s: With wings like birds of Paradise, and bodies


s: Of shape uncertain; for so swiftly shifted


s: Their rainbow hues amid enwreathing mists,


s: That OLIVE likened them to those vagaries


s: Born to the eyes that gaze upon the spray


s: Of cataracts dashing in the sun. Their flying


s: Made music like the flowing on of streams,


s: They came and hovered in the air before her,


s: While she regarded them with timid looks


s: Of fear and pleasure, seeing not their features,


s: But floating hair of gold, and beamy brightness


s: As of white foreheads and blue, humid eyes.


s: Next moment she was lifted from the earth,


s: Encircled, as it were, by many rainbows,


s: And rushing, bird-like, through the airy space:


s: While a monotonous, soft and sleepy humming


s: Rose all around and filled her drowsy ears.


s: Brief time it was, 'till, with bewildered eyes,


s: The side that with such toil she just had climbed.


s: She stood alone--and where? the roses shrank


s: From her wan cheeks to view her new distress,--


s: All dripping, black, and hopelessly down-leant.


s: A glimmering hope now broke upon her sense--


s: Seeing an arch, and, far beyond, the gleam


s: Of lights that from some cavern stole away.


s: Under the arch she passed and found herself


s: And brightening into more than noon-day breadth


s: And gorgeousness of light, until she paused


s: Beneath the grand arch of that grand succession,


s: Standing amazed, one slender hand upheld


s: Shading her eyes, half blinded by that view


s: Before her spread, a world within a world.


s: Searching for Adam; and yet, oft beguiled


s: From the great love-thought, by the sights she saw.


s: If she glanced upward to the sparkling dome,


s: The lamps, swinging like suns as far above,


s: Shone down upon her beautiful young face,


s: Smiling to see them dwarfed within her eyes.


s: The crystal floor doubled her bashful feet;


s: She saw no walls; but the refulgent space


s: Was here and there disturbed by artful groups.


s: Once, by a fountain passing, dulcet murmurs,


s: Temples, which mimicked the frost's fairy work,


s: Burning with gems, attracted her to gaze.


s: Music, from hidden sources, beat the air


s: Beyond th' enchanted sense, and darting back


s: Swept with a sweet vibration near her face.


s: Thrice o'er her brow she drew her languid hand,


s: That, if it were a dream, she might dispel


s: The gay enchantment; and thrice murmured o'er


s: The spells learned of her nurse in infancy,


s: Which would all witchcraft render innocent;


s: But that great cavern of the northern world


s: Was not by nurse's spells to be dissolved,


s: Growing more wond'rous, as she wondered more.


s: Now, 'neath her feet, the floor less polished grew,


s: And fountains dashed from the unsculptured rock;


s: She saw half-finished grottoes, fewer lights,


s: As if of hammers and the shouts of workmen;


s: Meanwhile her heart loudly began to beat.


s: "BERTHO! I have come, BERTHO!" she cried out,


s: As the next moment, 'mid a swarthy group


s: Raised itself from a shaft of phorphyry,


s: And turned itself to hear that throbbing heart.


s: A light too glad for smiles came o'er the face,


s: The shadowy face, uplifted from its toil,


s: And, "OLIVE!" echoed back her eager cry.


s: Was that young girl holding her glowing arms


s: To clasp her love; her sweet mouth all a-tremble,


s: Her dark eyes flashing joy and tender tears,


s: With sudden pleasure;--but, what clasped she?


s: A shadow! Pale and silent she shrank back;


s: His face a melancholy so profound put on


s: "Is this one mystery of this mystic world--


s: This world of phantoms?" sighed the stricken girl.


s: "Oh! why did hope keep life within my breast,


s: And passion thrill me with strange fortitude?


s: For him who nevermore can give them back?


s: Why did I smile to think my arms were soft


s: When thus this spirit fades within their clasp?


s: BERTHO!--that scornful Queen did tell me this.


s: There is no warmth nor beauty in this land!


s: Its people have no hearts--know not of love--


s: Their thoughts are colder than their beds of snow.


s: Indeed, this is no world!--but some vain dream,


s: BERTHO is dead--is dead--and yet not dead!


s: Which stormed across the spirit's anguished face:--


s: "Forbear, poor child! thy pitiful complaints!


s: When through these long years of distasteful toil


s: I thought of thee, unceasing, day and night,


s: Calling on heaven to bend thy steps towards me,


s: I thought not that this spirit, weary, worn,


s: Its feeling could retain and substance lose.


s: Fool that I was! to sigh for human love!


s: Why art thou here to madden me with looks,--


s: Those womanly, caressing looks which fill


s: My soul with wild desires! Back, to thy home,


s: In that gold-girdled circle of daylight,


s: Where thou and I did'st one time idly dream!


s: There breathe the passionate breath of orange-flowers--


s: Walk in the sunlight till thy brows are flushed


s: With its warm kisses--plunge thy snowy feet


s: In the embracing waves and silver sand--


s: Shake down magnolia-blossoms on thy hair--


s: With thy sweet cries--and, on bright eves, look up


s: And charm the moon upon her lingering way


s: With that soft fire of thine entrancing eyes!


s: Thou wilt not for regret or tears find time.


s: And tangible robes of life, will haunt thy steps,


s: Drawing up, with magnetic looks, the smiles


s: Which lie deep down in thy now tearful orbs;


s: And, wiling from their blissful hiding-place,


s: The bashful dimples to thy blushing cheeks,


s: Beguile thy hand to rest within his own,


s: Sitting, as we have sat,--thy glossy hair


s: Rippling in golden waves across his breast."


s: "Can he be mad as well as dead?" the girl


s: Murmured aside! and then her sorrowing brow


s: Sprang to her lips and eyes--her trembling voice


s: Steadied itself on her unfaltering love.--


s: "Forgive me, BERTHO, that my woman's heart,


s: Finding thee thus, should, for an instant, only,


s: Shrink back from thee in awe and deep regret.


s: My love, which has endured so much, grows strong


s: That I may never from thy side be driven.


s: Or fragrant blooms, or singing nightingales!


s: I love them not. My father's marble floors


s: Were colder than the icy plains I've passed,


s: When thy dear footsteps fled them. Be content.


s: Love like our own needs not the warmth of sighs


s: Upon the sacred shrine; 'twill burn as bright,


s: Though never by the breath of kisses fanned;


s: That only sings amid the orange-flowers.


s: What have I still?--thy spirit, which is THOU.


s: What have I lost?--thy body, which I loved


s: But as the garment which adorned thy soul.


s: Thou art my BERTHO still! I, thy fond OLIVE,


s: Who comes to share thy banishment with thee.


s: Can OENE thrall thee. In the meanwhile, I


s: Shall die, and be a spirit, as thou art.


s: Till, hand in hand we leave these dismal shores


s: And celebrate our marriage-day in heaven."


s: Tumultuous music filled the spacious cave.


s: Impatient to behold what further charms,


s: Her prisoned laborers at their tasks had wrought.


s: Blowing on quaintly curved and curious shells


s: Of sweet, unsyllabled sounds, and long-drawn sighs,


s: Murmuring shores, caverns, and surging deeps--


s: There flew, midway between the roof and floor,


s: A band of sprites which lived in air or sea;


s: With eyes like twinkling stars, and winged feet,


s: And sparkling fins down either shoulder-blade,


s: And cheeks puffed out and flushing with their toil.


s: Announced by these, the courtly train approached


s: The spot where BERTHO and his OLIVE stood,


s: Close by an emrald rock, within whose breast


s: A living spring slept like a smiling child.


s: Around the brim BERTHO had sculptured moss


s: And rare similitudes of southern flowers;


s: Shaped violets from sapphires, and from stalks,


s: Hung ruby roses, bright, but without soul,


s: Bent her proud eyes upon the waiting pair:--


s: "So! thou hast found thy lover, southern maid?


s: Are, then, these sunbeams which flow from thy head,


s: Across the perilous chasm which guards our cave?"


s: "Yes! I have found my lover, noble OENE;


s: See! this sweet spring which we have brimmed with flowers--


s: A mirror for thy beautiful face, O Queen!


s: In hopes that thou would'st never banish me,


s: But leave me by his side to aid his work,


s: Spoke BERTHO with a moody passionateness,


s: To the full use of all my natural powers.


s: Happy! when hearing this young creature's laugh--


s: Peep from her cheeks, and hide themselves again--


s: Feeling her soft breath warming o'er my brow--


s: Yet be this bodiless ghost of what I was!


s: O, Queen! wilt thou not give me back that shape--


s: Which thou dids't cruelly bereave me of--


s: That I, again, may feel my bounding heart


s: Throbbing against the bosom of my bride?


s: Then thou shalt find what grateful souls can do.


s: And she I love will serve thee patiently


s: Unnumbered years, till we our freedom earn."


s: The sternness of his tone had melted down


s: Grown humid, as he fixed them on the Queen


s: So pale and passive, had the shadow rolled,


s: Stole from the twilight of her deepening eyes,


s: Troubling its cold repose, shot quickly up.


s: A moment of suspense, and then she spoke:


s: "'Tis true that I thy body might restore,


s: Since but suspension of its human powers,


s: But what assurance have I that this boon


s: May not prove dangerous? Mortals have what we,


s: With all our vast machinery and weird powers


s: Moving the earth, the sea and air, have not--


s: And that is--SOUL. A soul and body, too,


s: Might circumvent us--work us desperate harm;--


s: At least 'tis wise to fear the things unknown,


s: No weapon at thy service--art a slave,--


s: And shall I give to thee a master's place?


s: Yet, thou hast wakened in me a new thought.


s: What is this love of which you mortals tell?--


s: Which puts such tender sweetness in your tones


s: Such brightness in your looks, and makes you turn


s: Your words have stirred strange pleasure in my heart:


s: I, too, would know what love is. I command


s: That thou shalt teach me, BERTHO. Let the girl


s: Return, uninjured, to her southern bowers;


s: Whilst thou remain to teach me this new lore.


s: Perchance, in finding Love, I'll gain a soul,


s: The vague, sad intuitions that now mock me,


s: Make real, and I become what I have dreamed.


s: Make these things come to pass, and thou shalt have,


s: The highest of my chieftains. Follow me!"


s: These ominous words of the enamored Queen,


s: Spoken as though she knew not what it was


s: Fixed on the speaker's face--that Northern face,


s: Wild in its power and in its beauty weird.


s: The midnight blackness of her plentiful hair,


s: On which the maiden bent her pale regard.


s: "Love is not taught, Queen OENE; 'tis a gift


s: Could never purchase one of its small joys.


s: Love, in exchange, takes nothing but itself,


s: Power cannot claim it--fear cannot command--


s: The humblest peasant, singing in her hut,


s: Is often richer than the proudest princess:


s: To keep them from despair, when sin and shame,


s: Pain, poverty, and death, and madness came


s: Look in each other's eyes and say--"We love"--


s: The common earth grows to a heavenly world.


s: Singing of birds, shining of summer suns,


s: Blooming of flowers and brightness of the moon,


s: Walking, with light feet, to the harmony;


s: Grateful for life--and all, because _they love_.


s: Thus have _we_ said those irrecallable words--


s: Therefore, sweet Queen, command him not, I pray,


s: To an impossible thing, which needs compel


s: Rebellion to the will which he respects.


s: The humblest service which thy pride requires,


s: If I from BERTHO am not forced to part."


s: While he, gathering resolve from OLIVE's face


s: Of love and anguish, answered the mute look:


s: "I cannot teach thee love, since it is learned


s: The sweet contagion; but, my bride and I


s: Thou say'st thou hast no soul. This cannot be,


s: Since reason and all mental gifts are thine;


s: Within the lovely calyx sleeps the germ,--


s: A flower as yet unblossomed. Warmth and light


s: From the great spiritual Sun alone it wants


s: Shall we expound this marvellous mystery?--


s: Tell thee of Endless Life which still unfolds


s: Till it doth circle every star in heaven?--


s: And light within thy spotless bosom's shrine


s: The silvery flame of Christ's unwavering love--


s: A love which we, indeed, would gladly teach,


s: The parent of all other, whose pure fire


s: Doth hallow and exalt our earthly hopes.


s: We'll learn those peerless lips to syllable, GOD!--


s: A word that thrills the Universe with awe!


s: But a sweet Woman, and a child of Heaven."


s: A slow, soft light, into the wondering eyes


s: A deeper glow than from their slumberous blue


s: Had ever startled; as she slightly bent,


s: With earnest air, her crowned, resplendent head.


s: "Speak on!" she bade, "my thirsty heart is held


s: To catch your words, as lillies catch the dew--


s: With the fresh gathering. It has waited long;


s: And now, it shall be filled to bright excess.


s: Speak on! I am impatient. But, first say


s: That I shall then be worthier of love,--


s: When I have mastered all these subtle things


s: That thou wilt love me better than this girl.


s: I'll have thee for my teacher--thee alone;


s: She shall return to her gay, foreign home,


s: I'll bid my warriors wait upon her steps,--


s: My North-Lights shall illuminate her way,


s: No frost shall nip the redness of her cheeks,


s: And no rude wind shall bluster round her feet."


s: "The frost of fear already nips her cheeks


s: At the mere word she droops, a blighted flower.


s: Nay, gracious Queen? accept of both our hearts,


s: Down on her knees sank OLIVE, bending low


s: Her suppliant head, murmuring "Accept our hearts;"--


s: But the same beauty which had conquered WOLE


s: Angered the jealous Queen; she could not brook


s: The glistening of those unbound locks of gold;


s: A pain, before unknown, stung her proud heart;


s: While the fierce consciousness of absolute power


s: Urged her to tyrannous deeds. She waved her hand,


s: And while her maidens shrank as if in dread,


s: The finny sprites blew the shrill note of war,


s: At which an hundred warriors gathered round.