s: Thee in thy kingdom, where thy graces live.


s: Wilt thou not one day whisper, "You have climbed


s: Beyond your merits; pray you, fall behind"?


s: Wish thy friend joy of his journey, but pray in secret


s: that he have no joy, for then may he return quickly to thee.


s: A fatal feud.  Alas! when fathers bleed,


s: The children shall fulfil the wild design.


s: Twin graves, twin sorrows, and oh, mad to-do


s: Of vengeance! oh, dread entail of regret!


s: There lie they in their dark, self-chosen graves,


s: And from them cries Hate's everlasting ghost,--


s: "Blood hath been shed, and Love and ye are slaves,


s: Time wrecks, and freedom drifts upon life's coast."


s: Which found a throne upon a Juliet's tomb.


s: To see, to touch, to know, and to desire;


s: To cry, "Oh, wipe the gloomy stain away,


s: Thou who first raised the sword, Who gave the hilt


s: Into the hand of man. This blood they spilt--


s: Our fathers--oh, blot out the bitter day!


s: Turn back the hands upon the clock of Time,


s: Their righteous hate who bore us in our crime!"


s: "Upon the children!"--'Tis the cold reply


s: Of Him who makes to those who must not die.


s: Yet life is sweet.  Thy soul hath breathed along,


s: Thine eyes have cast their glory on the earth,


s: Thy foot hath touched it, and thine hour of birth


s: Didst give a new pulse to the veins of song.


s: Better to stand amid the toppling towers


s: Of every valiant hope; a Samson's dream,


s: Than the deep indolence of Lethe's stream,


s: The loneliness of slow submerging hours.


s: Better, oh, better thus to see the wreck,


s: And to have rocked to motion of the spheres;


s: Better, oh, better to have trod the deck


s: Of hope, and sailed the unmanageable years-


s: Ay, better to have paid the price, and known,


s: Upon the disc of Love's bright planet fell


s: A darkness yestereve, and from your lips


s: I heard cold words; then came a swift eclipse


s: And if I spoke with sadness and with fear;


s: If from your gentle coldness I drew back,


s: And felt that I had lost the flowery track


s: That led to peace in Love's sweet atmosphere:


s: My aching heart--the dread some evil star


s: Had crossed the warm affection in your breast,


s: Had bade me stand apart from where you are.


s: The world seemed breaking on my life; I heard


s: The crash of sorrows in that chiding word.


s: That thou and I must live our lives apart;


s: What couldst thou ever ask me that I should


s: What cannot men achieve with lance in rest


s: If living 'neath the pureness of thy eyes,


s: And reaching outward, heart-strong, from thy hand,


s: Set here and there a beacon in the land.


s: Achievement-wards, as all brave souls have gone,


s: Perchance should find new star-drifts in the sky


s: Should serve the strivings of a widening age,


s: And fashion wisdom from the social fret.


s: Deep did Time's lances go; thou pluck'st them forth,


s: And on my sullen woundings laid the balm


s: Of thy life's sweetness. Oh, let my love be worth


s: Once more I lift Love's chalice to thine eyes:


s: Something in her, like to a hidden thought


s: Within my life, that long time I had sought,


s: But never found till her soul spoke to me.


s: And if she said a thousand times, "I did


s: Not call thee, thou cam'st seeking; not my voice


s: Was it thou heard'st; thy love was not my choice!"


s: I should straightway reply, "That of thee hid,


s: Even from thyself, lest it should startle thee,


s: Hath called me, made me slave and king in one;


s: And when the mists of Time shall rise, and we


s: Stand forth, it shall be said, Since Time begun


s: Ye two were called as one from that high hill,


s: Where the creating Master hath His will."


s: Struck through the heart in sharing the tense strain,


s: And all the world seemed bounded by one will.


s: That caught their wonder; then the skies were rent


s: With quivering sound, with passion's liberty.


s: So have I stood before this parting day,


s: With chilly fingers pressed upon my breast,


s: That my heart burst not fleshen bands away,


s: And my sharp cry break through my lady's rest.


s: I have shut burning eyelids on the sight


s: Of this dread time that scorches my sad night.


s: Have I then found thee but to lose thee, friend?


s: But touched thee ere thou vanished from my gaze?


s: And when my soul is struggling from the maze


s: Of many conflicts, must our converse end?


s: Across the empty space that now shall spread


s: Save but to whisper prayers above the dead?


s: Ah, cruel thought! Shall not Hope's convoy bear


s: Shall I not on thy white hand drop a tear


s: Of crowned joy, one day, where thou dost move


s: And now when from the shore goes out the ship


s: Dearer than wine Zeus carried to his lip;


s: My aching heart cries from its pent-up pain,--


s: "O Love, O Life, O more than life to me,


s: Of thy sweet presence till we meet again!"


s: The arrow of mischance piercing my side;


s: I rose with strength, like giants in their pride.


s: But now--but now--how shall I stand alone,


s: Knowing the light, the hope of me is gone?


s: O counsel, pleader for all highest good,


s: Thou hast upon my sorrow poured thy balm!


s: Poor soldier he who did not raise his sword,


s: And, touching with his lips the hilt-cross, swear


s: Of one that blessed him with her queenly word.


s: Most base crusader, who at night and morn


s: From whose sweet power was his knighthood born,


s: Shall I not, then, in the tumultuous place


s: Of my life's warfare ever seek thy face?


s: Which thou hast done; here summon I thy words,


s: Sweeter to me than sweetest song of birds;


s: That came like grace immortal to my needs.


s: Its liberal light; our office is to bless.


s: If blessings could be compassed by my prayer,


s: High heaven should set star-gems in thy hair.


s: Last night I saw the warm white Southern moon


s: Where the gold-girdled sun takes rest at noon.


s: I slept; I dreamed. Against a sunset sky


s: I saw thee stand all garmented in white;


s: With hand stretched to me, and there in thy sight


s: I went to meet thee; but I heard thee cry:


s: "We stand apart as sun from shining sun;


s: Thou hast thy place; there rolleth far and near


s: Thou canst not come, nor I go to thee, dear."


s: Methought I bowed my head to thy decree,


s: 'Tis morning now, and dreams and fears are gone,


s: And sleep has calmed the fever in my veins,


s: And I am strong to drink the cup that drains


s: The last drop through my lips, and make no moan.


s: Strength I have borrowed from the outward show


s: Over the shock of feeling?  Shall I grow


s: More fearful than the soldier, when between


s: The smoke of hostile cannon lies his way;


s: While her bright eyes behold him in the fray?


s: Here do I smile between the warring hosts


s: Of sad farewells; and reek not what it costs.


s: Aught that thy goodness frowns on, be it hid


s: Of coming springs fall on the quiet grave.


s: Perchance some violets will grow to tell


s: That I, when uttering this last farewell,


s: That I, who worship thee, have love so great,


s: Faithful, when coward promptings cry, "Forget."


s: Shine on, O sun! Sing on, O birds of song!


s: And in her light my heart fashions a tune


s: Sung by some knight in days gone overlong,


s: When he with minstrel eyes in Syrian grove


s: Looked out towards his England, and then drew


s: From a sweet instrument a sound that grew


s: These songs that have more sunlight far than cloud;


s: More summer flowers than dead leaves 'neath the snow;


s: That tell of hopes from which you raised the shroud.


s: My lady, bright benignant star, shine on--


s: HE that hath pleasant dreams is more fortunate


s: So, thou art gone; and I am left to wear


s: Of winter tones, when summer time is here.


s: Where it fell back in silence when you went


s: Sat laughing in the white sails of thy barque.


s: 'Twas not moth-wings dashing against the flame,


s: Struck from soul-crossing chords, that, separate, frame


s: But now between the warring strings there grows


s: A space of peace, as 'tween truce-honoured foes.


s: Here one by one come back the thousand things


s: Which made divinely sweet our intercourse;


s: Love summons them here straightway to divorce


s: "Here laid she her white hand upon my arm;


s: To this place came she with slow-gliding grace;


s: And these sweet notes she sang me for a charm."


s: I treasure up her words, and say them o'er


s: With close-shut eyes; with her again I float


s: Upon the Loire; I see the gems she wore,


s: And hear her laughter ringing through the trees.


s: Save in my dreams.  There it was vast and lone,


s: Splendid in power, breaking against the stone


s: Making a cool white curtain for the sun,


s: And melting mornward when the day was done,


s: A moving sphere where spirits kept their trysts.


s: A ceaseless swinging with the swinging earth,


s: Round mountains in their everlasting snow.


s: From all the elements since the first dawn.


s: Then came in further years the virgin sight


s: Of the live sea; the sea that marches down,


s: To match its puissance with earth's awful might.


s: As thought melts into endless thought, and round


s: The rim of the sheer world was heard a sound,


s: And through the varying waste of elements


s: There passed a sail, which caught the opposing wind,


s: Beholds the foe it, conquering, left behind.


s: "And Life," I said,--"Life is but like the sea;


s: And what shall guide us to our destiny?"


s: The prescience of dreams struck walls away


s: From mortal fact, and mortal fact revealed,


s: Even as a blind man's fingers wander o'er


s: His harpstrings, led by sound to dreams of sound,


s: Of the great globe: as in a rush of song


s: From feathered throats, one, in a mighty wood,


s: So I, dream-nurtured, standing by the sea,


s: Made levy on the wonders that should be.


s: And God is good, I said, and Art is good,


s: And labour hath its rich reward of sleep;


s: And recompense will come for all who keep


s: Dishonour's ill contagion from the blood.


s: We shall find One who loveth to befriend


s: E'en those who faint for shame within His sight.


s: There comes the voice that circumvents the gale;


s: And saith, "I overcome" to man's "I fail."


s: "And peradventure now," said I, "the zest


s: Between the soul's swift speech and God's high will;


s: That saith to tempests of the thought, "Be still!"


s: The leprous sense.  Ah, who can find his way


s: As one sees on some ancient urn, upthrown


s: From out a tomb, records that none may read


s: So, on the great palimpsest men have writ


s: Such lines o'ercrossed that none interprets it.


s: What marvel that the soul of youth should cry,


s: "Man builds his temples 'tween me and the face


s: Of Him whom I would seek; I cannot trace


s: The wisdom absolute?"  What marvel that,


s: Beyond all measure! his full faith was spent,


s: The voice of Love spoke; Love, that writes its name


s: On Life and Death-and then my lady came.


s: As light leaps up from star to star, so mounts


s: Of knowledge rises from creation's founts;


s: Upon half-lights that we were wont to show,


s: Absorbing them.  'Tis Love that beckons us


s: From low desires, from restlessness and sin,


s: To heights that else we had not reached; and thus


s: We find the Heaven we dared not hope to win.


s: Our lives are fed on Love's fine regimen


s: "It is no matter;"--thus the noble Dane,


s: About his heart more ill than one could tell;


s: Against his soul struck solemn notes of pain.


s: So 'gainst the deadly smother he could press


s: Purpose divine, and at the last disclose


s: For life's great shift a regnant readiness.


s: To-day I bought some matches in the street


s: From one whose eyes had long since lost their sight.


s: Trembling with palsy was he to his feet.


s: "Father," I said, "how fare you in the night?"


s: "In body ill, but 'tis no matter, friend,


s: Strong is my soul to keep me to the end."


s: DISTRUST not a woman nor a king--it availeth nothing.


s: WHEN thou journeyest into the shadows, take not sweetmeats


s: with thee, but a seed of corn and a bottle of tears and wine;


s: that thou mayst have a garden in the land whither thou goeat.


s: Once more, once more!  That golden eventide!


s: Golden within, without all cold and grey,


s: Slowly you came forth from the troubled day,


s: Singing my heart--you glided to my side;


s: You glided in; the same grave, quiet face,


s: The same deep look, the never-ending light


s: In your proud eyes, eyes shining through the night,


s: That night of absence--distance--from your place.


s: Calm words, slow touch of hand, but, oh, the cry,


s: The long, long cry of passion and of joy


s: Within my heart; the star-burst in the sky--


s: The world--our world--which time may not destroy!


s: Dearest, once more, the old song at thy feet.


s: Dearest, once more! This I could tell and tell


s: Till life turned drowsy with the ceaseless note;


s: Dearest, once more! The words throb in my throat,


s: My heart beats to them like a muffled bell.


s: Change--Time and Change! O Change and Time, you come


s: Not knocking at my door, knowing me gone;


s: Here have I dwelt within my heart alone,


s: Song was gone from me--sweet, I could not sing,


s: Under my hand the old chord ceased to ring,


s: Hushed by the grinding of the high gods' mills.


s: Dearest, once more. Those mad mills had their way--


s: Now is mine hour.   To every man his day.


s: How have I toiled, how have I set my face


s: Fair to the swords! No man could say I quailed;


s: Ne'er did I falter; I dare not to have failed,


s: I dare not to have dropped from out the race.


s: Good was the fight--good, till a piteous dream


s: Crept from some direful covert of despair;


s: Showed me your look, that look so true and fair,


s: Distant and bleak; for me no more to gleam.


s: Then came dark moments; lady, then I drew


s: Forth from its place the round unfathomed bowl


s: Of sorrow, and from it I quaffed to you;


s: Their hearts' last prize--and dare not count the cost.


s: But you are here unchanged.  You say not so


s: In words, but when you placed your hands in mine;


s: Within your eyes, I read it; and I know.


s: And when those hands ran up along my arm,


s: To read my heart, how could I doubt that charm,


s: The faith, with pride unspeakable, the whole


s: Course of those years in which communion slept.


s: Your soul flamed in your look; you read; I knew


s: How little worth was I, how heavenly you.


s: I read your truth. You read--What did you read?


s: Did you read all, and, reading all, forgive?


s: How I--O little dwarf of conscience sieve


s: My soul; bare all before her bare indeed!


s: And, looking on the remnant and the waste,


s: Can you absolve me,--me, the doubter, one


s: Who challenged what God spent His genius on,


s: His genius and His pride; so fair, so chaste?


s: I am ashamed. . . . And when I told my dreams,


s: Shaken and humble,--"Dear, there was no cause,"


s: Your words; proud, sorrowful, as it beseems


s: Such as thou art. There never was a cause


s: And you forgive me, bless me, for reply.


s: You bless me, then you turn away your head--


s: "Never again, dear. I have blessed you so,


s: My lips upon your lips; between must flow


s: The river--Oh the river!"  Thus you said.


s: Stream that we may not cross, sun that is joy:


s: Flow as thou must; shine on in full employ--


s: Shine through her eyes thou; let the river run.


s: O lady, to your liegeman speak.  You say:


s: "Dream no more dreams; yourself be as am I"


s: Your hands clasped to your face, so shutting out the day.


s: An instant, then to me, your low good-bye--


s: Good-night, good-bye; and then the social reign,


s: The lights, the songs, the flowers--and the pain.


s: "Oh, hush!" you said; "oh, hush!" The twilight hung


s: Between us and the world; but in your face,


s: Flooding with warm inner light, the sovereign grace


s: Of one who rests the brooding trees among--


s: Of one who steps down from a lofty throne,


s: Seeking that peace the sceptre cannot call;


s: And leaving courtier, page, and seneschal,


s: And, going, listens to the notes that swell


s: From golden throats--stories of ardent days,


s: And lovers in fair vales; and homing bell:


s: And the sweet theme unbearable, she prays


s: The song-bird cease! So, on the tale I dare,


s: Your "hush!" your wistful "hush!" broke like prayer.


s: "Never," you said, "never this side the grave,


s: And what shall come hereafter, who may know?


s: Whether we e'en shall guess the way we go,


s: Passing beneath Death's mystic architrave


s: O lady, you have questioned, answer too.


s: You--you to die--silence and gloom for you:


s: Dead song, dead lights, dead graces, and dead flowers?


s: The inconsequent paltry Nothing--gone--gone all;


s: The genius of the ageless Something spend


s: The commonplace conception, that we reap


s: Reward of drudge and ploughman--idle sleep!


s: You shall live on triumphant, you shall take


s: Your place among the peerless, fearless ones;


s: And those who loved you here shall tell their sons


s: And those your Peers shall say, "Others are pure,


s: Others are noble, others too have vowed,


s: And for a vow have suffered; but she bowed


s: She smote the being more to her than all,--


s: Her own soul and the world,--a truth to hold,


s: Faith with the dead; and hung a heavy pall


s: 'Tween her and love and life. The world is old,


s: It hath sent here none queenlier.  Of the few,


s: The royal few is she, martyred and true."


s: Upon the rack of this tough world I hear,


s: As when Cordelia's glories all dissever-


s: That wild moan of the dispossessed Lear.


s: O world, vex not this ghost, yea, let it pass,


s: The Spirit of these songs.  The fool hath mocked,


s: From where the soul holds to our lips the glass,


s: To see what breath of life.  O fool, poor fool,


s: Well, we have laughed together, you and I.


s: Let us be grand again, my fool.  The throne


s: Know you where I, my royal fool, was crowned?


s: Where at the Pole our valiant men were drowned?


s: Where the soft creamy wash of Indian seas


s: Spreads palmward? Where the sunset glides to dawn,


s: No night between? Where all the tides are drawn


s: To greet their Sun and bathe their Idol's knees?


s: Where was I crowned? Dear fool, upon a stone


s: That standeth where Earth's arches make but one,


s: Where all the banners of her soul were flown,


s: The stone is left: 'tis here against the door


s: Of throne and kingdom. . . . Pray you, mock no more.


s: A time will come when we again shall rail--


s: Not yet, not yet.  The flood comes on apace,


s: Grows dimmer as it widens--pale, so pale.


s: Have we not railed and laughed these many days,


s: Mummers before the lights?  Dear fool, your hand


s: Upon your lips--Oh let us once be grand,


s: Grand as we were when treading royal ways.


s: Lo, there she moves beyond the river.  Gone--


s: Gone is the sun-lo, starlight in her eyes.


s: See, how she standeth silent and alone--


s: Oh, hush! let us not vex her with our cries.


s: Proud as of old, unto my throne I go. . . .


s: Cordelia's gone...... Hush, draw the curtain--so.


s: When you and I have played the little hour,


s: Have seen the tall subaltern Life to Death


s: Yield up his sword; and, smiling, draw the breath,


s: The first long breath of freedom; when the flower


s: Of Recompense has fluttered to our feet,


s: Alone, and absolute, and free: oh, then,


s: Oh, then, most dear, how shall be told the tale?


s: Clasped hands, pressed lips, and so clasped hands again;


s: No words. But as the proud wind fills the sail,


s: My love to yours shall reach, then one deep moan


s: The Angel of the Cross Roads lead me out,


s: And say, "Thy feet shall follow in the trail


s: Of every tribe; and thou shalt pitch thy tent


s: Which hath thereon the alphabet of life;


s: Yea, thou shalt spell it out e'en as a child:


s: Gilfaron--The first--the language of the Garden, sire,


s: When man spoke with the naked searching thought,


s: The King--Speak so forthwith; come, show us to be wise.


s: Gilfaron--The Angel of the Cross Roads to me said:


s: "And wisdom comes by looking eye to eye,


s: For ye shall find the Lodges of the Wise,


s: The farthest Camp of the Delightful Fires,


s: By marching two by two, not one by one."


s: As one would stand who saw a sudden light


s: Flood down the world, and so encompass him


s: Brooded above and gladdened to his sight;


s: So stand I in the flame of one great thought,


s: That broadens to my soul from where she waits,


s: Who, yesterday, drew wide the inner gates


s: Her words come to me like a summer-song,


s: Blown from the throat of some sweet nightingale;


s: I stand within her light the whole day long,


s: And think upon her till the white stars fail:


s: I lift my head towards all that makes life wise,


s: Her presence; I am like a bird that hears


s: A long-lost traveller, when, by her grace,


s: I learn of her life's sweetness face to face,


s: And sweep the chords of sympathies profound.


s: Her regal nature calmly holds its height


s: Above life's din, while moving in its maze.


s: Unworthy thoughts would die within her sight,


s: And mean deeds creep to darkness from her gaze.


s: The word that gives her nobleness a crown.


s: Courage have I to face all bitter things,


s: That start out darkly from the rugged path,


s: Leading to life's achievement; not God's wrath


s: I did not know what life meant till I felt


s: Her hand clasp mine in compact to the end;


s: Till her dear voice said, "See, I am your friend!"


s: And at her feet, amazed, my spirit knelt.


s: And yet I spoke but hoarsely then my thought,


s: Her understanding all my meaning caught,


s: She read it line by line, and then there fell


s: The curtain on the shrine-and it is well.


s: Of her short letter; and I still can feel


s: The missive lies there,--but a few plain words:


s: A thought about a song, a note of praise,


s: The phrases like a psalm: a line that reads--


s: "I wish that you were coming!"  Why, it lies


s: Upon my heart like blossoms on the skies,


s: Like breath of balm upon the clover meads.


s: The perfumed words soothe me into a dream;


s: My thoughts float to her on the scented stream.


s: None ever climbed to mountain heights of song,


s: But felt the touch of some good woman's palm;


s: None ever reached God's altitude of calm,


s: But heard one voice cry, "Follow!" from the throng.


s: Above my reach, cold, in some dim recess,


s: Where never she should feel a warm caress


s: Of this my hand that serves her till I die.


s: I would not set her higher than my heart,--


s: Though she is nobler than I e'er can be;


s: Because she placed me from the crowd apart,


s: And with her tenderness she honoured me.


s: Strikes through the thousand lives that fold it round,


s: Sweeps to a song through elemental strife!


s: Through cycles infinite the forces wait,


s: No circumstance can warp them from their sphere;


s: They meet sometime; and this is God and Fate.


s: Which sanctifies "I will" and "I refuse,"


s: When Love speaks--Love, the peaceful end of Laws.


s: High as the eagle builds his lonely nest


s: That none may break the mother-eagle's rest;


s: My nest of love; Heaven's face alone bends down


s: To give it sunlight, starlight; while is blown


s: None shall affright, no harm may come to her,


s: Whom I have set there in that lofty home:


s: Love's eye is sleepless; I could feel the stir


s: E'en of God's cohorts, if they chanced to come.


s: I am her shield; I would that I might prove


s: WHEN thou makest a voyage to the stars, go thou blindfolded;


s: and carry not a sword, but the sandals of thy youth.


s: SEEK thou the Angel of the Cross Roads ere thou goest upon a


s: journey, and she will give thee wisdom at the Four Corners.


s: Behold, now, I have touched the highest point


s: With this sweet Present the ungenerous Past,


s: With love the wounds that struck stark in my soul;


s: With hope life's aching restlessness and dole;


s: Where sleeps, death-silent, one that left her side


s: Ere he had reached the flow of manhood's tide,


s: So stood I by my life whence Life had fled.


s: But Life came back at Love's clear trumpet-call,


s: And at Love's feet I cast the useless pall.


s: The rest--what does it matter? Soon the night


s: Will come to whelm us, then the morning chime.


s: One hand clasps ours, one heart believes us true;


s: And strives through Love to teach us what to say?


s: Which blows in from the world, there standeth one


s: Who draws Love's curtains closely everywhere,


s: As God folds down the banners of the sun.


s: I felt her fan my shoulder touch to-night.


s: Soft act, faint touch, no meaning did it bear


s: Of a new feeling cross my soul's clear sight.


s: To me what matter that the players played!


s: They grew upon the instant like the toys


s: Which dance before the sight of idle boys;


s: I could not hear the laughter that they made.


s: Swept was I on that breath her hand had drawn,


s: Through the dull air, into a mountain-space,


s: Where shafts of the bright sun-god interlace,


s: And straightway crying, "O my heart, rejoice!"


s: Far up the sky the sunset glamour spreads,


s: The sea grows calm, the waves the sun has kissed


s: Strike white hands softly 'gainst the rocky heads.


s: So calm the world, so still the city lies,


s: So warm the haze that spreads o'er everything;


s: And yet where, there, Peace sits as Lord and King,


s: Havoc will reign when next the sun shall rise.


s: The wheels pause only for a little space,


s: And in the pause they gather strength again.


s: 'Tis but the veil drawn over Labour's face,


s: O'er strife, derision, and the sin of men.


s: My heart with a sweet inner joy o'erflows


s: To nature's peace, and a kind silence knows.


s: But see: my lady comes.  I hear her feet


s: Upon the sward; she standeth by my side.


s: If in his day they two had chanced to meet.


s: And I, tossed by the tide of circumstance,


s: Lifting weak hands against a host of swords,


s: Paused suddenly to hear her gentle words


s: Making powerless the lightnings of mischance.


s: That one might sing behind his prison bars,


s: I, who it seemed fate singled out for wrongs--


s: She smiled on me as smile the nearest stars.


s: From her deep soul I draw my peace, and thus,


s: One wreath of rhyme I weave for both of us.


s: In their high place, immortal on the earth,


s: My song might be a thing to crown her worth,--


s: 'Tis but a pathway for the feet of Love.


s: But since she walks where I am fain to sing,


s: Since she has said, "I listen, O my friend!"


s: And I am proud, yes, prouder than a king.


s: They smile a welcome though my best hope dies,


s: Will she, for whom my heart has built a shrine,


s: Take from me all that makes this world divine?


s: Art's use what is it but to touch the springs


s: To guide the feet of peasants and of kings!


s: Thoughts alien to thoughts kindred, and to merge


s: The lines of colour that should not diverge,


s: And give the sun a window to shine through!


s: What is it but to make the world have heed


s: For what its dull eyes else would hardly scan,


s: To draw in a stark light a shameless deed,


s: To cherish honour, and to smite all shame,


s: To lend hearts voices, and give thoughts a name!


s: But wherein shall Art work?   Shall beauty lead


s: It captive, and set kisses on its mouth?


s: Shall it be strained unto the breast of youth,


s: And in a garden live where grows no weed?


s: Shall it, in dalliance with the flaunting world,


s: Play but soft airs, sing but sweet-tempered songs?


s: Veer lightly from the stress of all great wrongs,


s: And lisp of peace 'mid battle-flags unfurled?


s: Shall it but pluck the sleeve of wantonness,


s: But wave its golden wand at sin's duress,


s: And say, "Ah me! ah me!" to fallow crime?


s: Nay, Art serves Truth, and Truth with Titan blows,


s: Strikes fearless at all evil that it knows.


s: The substance of my dreams, the waking plan


s: Of practised thought; I can no measure scan,


s: But thou work'st in me like eternal law.


s: Richer than prelates pray for with their beads;


s: If some should bring before me frankincense,


s: And make a pleasant fire to greet mine eyes;


s: Gifts fairer than a seraph could devise:


s: I would, my sovereign, kneel to thee and say,


s: "It all is thine; thou showedst me the way."


s: Thee on the brow, or smooth thy silken hair?


s: Never close down thine eyelids with Love's prayer,


s: Or fold my arms about my new-found bliss?


s: Shall I who cry to all, "Come not within


s: The bounds where I my lady have enshrined;


s: One dear caress, the rich exchequer find


s: Of thy soft cheek?  If thou command, my lips


s: Shall find surcease but at thy fingertips.


s: Why do I love thee? Shall my answer run:


s: Because that thou hast beauty, noble place,


s: Because of some sweet glamour in thy face,


s: And eyes that shame the clear light of the sun?


s: Shall I exclaim upon thy snow-white hands,


s: Challenge the world to show a gentler mien,


s: Call down the seraphs to attest, the sheen


s: Upon thy brow is borrowed from their lands?


s: Shall I trace out a map of all thy worth,


s: Parcel thy virtues, say, "For this and this


s: I learned to love her; here new charms had birth;


s: Nay, lady, though I love thee, I make pause


s: Before thy question, and know naught to say;


s: Love led me, nor e'en register Love's cause.


s: What love does for me; what from Love it gains;


s: Canst thou, indeed, not tell what wrought in thee


s: Canst thou not say, "'Twas this that made decree


s: Of conquest; here thy soul with mine did meet?"


s: The shrine where thou hast blessed and I adore?


s: Where I can feel the end of things complete,


s: Where no hot breath of ill can scorch the brow.


s: 'Tis man's breath kills the spring's soft-petaled flower--


s: Ye give a refuge for the heart of youth.


s: When feebled eyes search for forgotten springs;


s: Ye fan the breeze that turns the moulded page,


s: And carry back the soul to ardent things.


s: Poor payment can I give, but here engage


s: Night after night I watched one quiet star


s: Shine 'tween my curtain and the window-bar


s: Until I slept, and made my sleep more mild?


s: To me, o'er untrod years, o'er varying days,


s: To give me courage, as from phase to phase


s: Of youth's desires I passed to deeds of men?


s: That I in blindness wandered from my path;


s: That I wooed Folly with her mumming smile,


s: Another hand touched mine with sadness there,


s: And saved me till I saw thy face appear.


s: That with its touch I have walked all my days;


s: Soft as a pad of rose-leaves, and as pure


s: As upraised palms of angels, seen in dreams:


s: And soothed by it, to stand as it beseems


s: A man who strives to conquer and endure.


s: A woman's hand!--there is no better thing


s: It hath been more to this lame life of mine,


s: When faith was weakness, and despair was king.


s: Man more than all men, Thou wast glad to bless


s: Converse with things that are or things that were;


s: Whene'er I seek life's hidden folds to stir,


s: And watch the inner to the outer rolled.


s: Hast thou not felt her sunshine on thy face?


s: In me hast thou not learned some signs to trace


s: Of that dear soul who calleth me her son?


s: Found favour, from her it was gathered most.


s: Was like a watch-fire on a rock-bound coast.


s: Hast with Love's holy chrism touched my brow.


s: The tide runs counter, and the wind is high;


s: I see no channel through the rocks ahead.


s: The bending sails!  Look, I shall quaff a cup


s: To Fate, while the wild ocean swallows up


s: The shipwrecked youth, the man who lives in him."


s: She said: "But thou hast valour, dear, too much


s: For such as this; thou hast grave embassy,


s: Given with thy birth; would'st thou thine honour smutch


s: With coward failing?  Dear son, breast the sea."


s: Firm-purposed from that hour, through wind and wave,


s: I brought my message till thou shelter gave.


s: When first I saw thee, lady, straightway came


s: The thought that somehow, somewhere, destiny,


s: Through blinding paths of happiness or blame,


s: Would bend my way of life, my soul to thee.


s: Nay, you were but a star-gleam in my sky.


s: You gave no thought, and I passed not away;


s: But like some traveller in a deep defile


s: I walked in darkness even through the day:


s: Pointed the hour that waked me from my trance.


s: I did not will this thing.    I set my face


s: How knew I thou shouldst roll away the stone


s: From hopes long buried, by thy tender grace?


s: What does it matter that we make resolve?


s: The Fates laugh at us as they sit and spin;


s: We cannot tell what Good is, or what Sin,


s: Or why old faiths in mist of pain dissolve.


s: Waiting with patient hands on shield and sword,


s: Till Time has struck the letters of one word--


s: Word of such high-born worth: triumphant Love,


s: May have clear passport over land and sea,


s: And make the subject sacred as his king;


s: As waits the warrior for a pontiff's palm,


s: Upraised in blessing o'er his high emprise;


s: And bows his mailed forehead prayerful-wise,


s: That should make impotent man's "I forget,"


s: And make God's "I remember" more divine:


s: Which should command at need the homage of


s: But yestermorn my marshalled hopes were held


s: To-day I am as birds that leave the cage


s: To seek green fastnesses they knew of eld;


s: Within his golden beaver, and whose hand


s: Clenches with pride his tried and conquering brand,


s: A touch that speaks reveille to my soul;


s: To enfold the world and circumscribe each pole.


s: Slow let me speak it: From her lips and brow


s: Or angels whisper down the shadeless blue!


s: That speak through quivering lips from heart to heart;


s: I have come nearer to thy greater worth,


s: For thou hast raised me from the common earth.


s: I can say now, "There was the confluence


s: Of all Love's tributaries; there the sea


s: And there my coarser touched her finer sense.


s: Poor though I am in my own sight, I know


s: That thou hast winnowed, sweet, what best I am;


s: Hath fallen as on frost-bound earth the snow.


s: It hideth the harsh furrows that the wheels


s: Of heavy trials made in Life's champaign;


s: Upon its pure unfolding sunshine steals,


s: And there is promise of the spring again.


s: And poise my fealty o'er the head of Death."


s: If Death should come to me to-night, and say:


s: One little day with this thy love to live,


s: Then, my embrace; or, leave her for alway,


s: And thou shalt walk a full array of years;


s: Upon thee shall the world's large honours fall,


s: And praises clamorous shall make for all


s: Thy strivings rich amends."  If in my ears


s: Thou saidst, "I love thee!" I would straightway cry,


s: "A thousand years upon this barren earth


s: Is death without her: for that day I die,


s: And count my life for it of poorest worth."


s: Love's reckoning is too noble to be told


s: By Time's slow fingers on its sands of gold.


s: As in a foreign land one threads his way


s: 'Mid alien scenes, knowing no face he meets;


s: And, hearing his name spoken, turns and greets


s: With wondering joy a friend of other days;


s: As in the pause that comes between the sound


s: Which makes his name seem in its sweetness drowned


s: Of glad surprise, when first thy lips let fall


s: The name I lightly carried when a child,


s: That I shall rise to at the judgment call.


s: I have walked in a world of many dreams,


s: And noble souls beside the shining streams


s: Of fancy have with beckonings led me on.


s: Their faces oft, mayhap, I could not see,


s: Only their waving hands and noble forms.


s: Sometimes there sprang between quick-gathered storms,


s: Women with smiling eyes and star-spun hair


s: Spake gentle things, bade me look back to view


s: The deeds of the great souls who climbed the stair


s: Immortal, and for whom God's manna grew:


s: And all who set rich wine upon the lees.


s: Men of brave stature came and placed their hands


s: Upon my head, and, lifting shining swords,


s: Drew through the air signs mightier than words,


s: Glimpses I caught of faces that have come


s: Through crowding ages; whisperings of songs;


s: And prayers for the redress of human wrongs


s: They were but shadows, but they lent me joy;


s: The world with hands raised, evil to destroy,


s: Who live but for the honour of their race.


s: They taught me to strike at no idol raised,


s: Worshipped a space, then left to be dispraised.


s: Stedfastness, shall we find it, then, at all?


s: Is it that as the winds blow north and south,


s: So must be praises from the loud world's mouth,


s: Which on its heroes in their glory fall?


s: Because the voice grows stiller, or the arm


s: The shoulders sink beneath new-rising cause,


s: And the fine thought has lost its moving charm;


s: Their heads, and haste to mock the failing one,


s: Who in his strength could make the nations quake;


s: In this full time we have seen mockers run


s: Who saith thy hand is weak, King Tennyson?


s: Who crieth, See, the monarch is grown old,


s: His sceptre falls?  Oh, carpers rude and bold,


s: You who have fed upon the gracious benison


s: Dispraise the sweet-strung harp, grown tremulous


s: You cannot tear the laurels from his brow.


s: He lives above your idle vaunts and fears,


s: Enthroned where all master souls stand up


s: In their high place, and fill the golden cup,


s: God-blest for kings, with wine of endless years,


s: And greet him one with them. O brotherhood


s: Of envious dullards, ye are wroth with good.


s: Why, let them rail! God's full anointed ones


s: Have heard the world exclaim, "We know you not."


s: They who by their souls' travailing have brought


s: Yet, who can stay the passage of the stars?


s: Who can prevail against the thunder-sound?


s: The wire that flashes lightning to the ground


s: So, men may strike quick stabs at Caesar's worth,--


s: They only make his life an endless force,


s: 'Scaped from its penthouse, flashing through the earth,


s: And 'whelming those who railed about his Gorse.


s: Men's moods disturb not those born truly great:


s: They know their end; they can afford to wait.


s: And so life passed. I lived from year to year


s: With shadows, the strong warders of desire;


s: I learned through them to seek the golden fire


s: That hides itself in Song's bright hemisphere.


s: I made strange pictures, conjured images


s: From my deep longings; wrote the passages


s: Of life inwrought with half-glad wonderings.


s: To say to him, "Behold, at last surcease


s: Of thy unrest has come, therefore, rejoice"?


s: Here set I down some dreams that come again,


s: The sheeted lightning, like a golden door,


s: Swings to and fro to let earth-angels in.


s: Most bravely has she sailed o'er every sea,


s: Withstood the storm-rack, spurned the sullen reef;


s: Cherished her strength; and held her guerdon fief


s: To him who saith, "My ship comes back to me!


s: Behold, I sent her forth a stately thing,


s: To Fortunate Isles, and where the silver sands


s: Girdle a summer sea; that she might bring


s: My bride, who wist not that I loved her so--


s: A ship in port; well-crossed the harbour-bar;


s: The hawser swung, the grinding helm at rest;


s: Hands clasping hands, and eyes with eager zest


s: Mark how he proudly treads the whitened deck!


s: "My bride, my bride, my lone soul's best beloved,


s: Come forth, come forth!  Where art thou, Isobel?--


s: Pallid, and wan!  Lord, hath it thus befell


s: This is but dust; where has the spirit roved?


s: O death-cold bride! for this, then, have I strove?


s: O phantom ship, O loveless wraith of Love!"


s: And a soft-curtained room, where ruddy flakes


s: Of fame fall free, in liquid light that slakes


s: The soft desire of one cold, paleface: lo,


s: Close-pressed sweet lips, and eyes of violet,


s: That are filled up as with a sudden fear--


s: A storm's prelude upon the expectant mere.


s: Who ever see in life's chance or mischance.


s: And he who saw, what could he do but say,


s: "Fold up the tents; the camp is struck; away!


s: Vain victor who rides not in rest his lance!"


s: Beside the hearthstone where the flame-flakes fell,


s: A night wind-swept and bound about with glee


s: White restless hands that falter, then begin


s: And life, and death, and love, and weariness,


s: And unrequital, thrid the maze of sound;


s: And one voice saith, "Behold, the lost is found!"


s: Out of the night there comes a wanderer,


s: Who waits upon the threshold, and is still;


s: And listens, and bows down his head, until


s: His grief-drawn breath startles the heart of her.


s: The victor vanquished, at her feet he fell,


s: Two of one name; they standing where the sun


s: Makes shadows in the orchard-bloom of spring;


s: "Raise thy pale face and wondrous eyes to mine;


s: Let not thy poor lips quiver in such pain;


s: Too young and blindly thou hast drunk the wine


s: Crushed from the lees of love.  Be strong again.


s: Trail back thy golden hair from thy broad brow,


s: And raise thy lily neck like some tall tower,


s: So it but holds its height, heeding not how.


s: The noblest find their way o'er paths of ire


s: To the clear summit of God's full desire."


s: I think in that far time when Gabriel came


s: And gave short speech to Mary sweet and wise,


s: That when the faint fear faded from her eyes,


s: And they were filled up with a sudden flame


s: Of the Lord's garden; saying: "This is sent


s: And it shall bloom till all be consummate."


s: Lo, then he passed. She, musing where she sate,


s: Felt all her being moved in manner wondrous mild;


s: Then, laying 'gainst her bosom the white flower,


s: She bowed her head, and said, "It is God's dower."


s: Dreams, only dreams. They sprang from loneliness


s: To reach the soul that now in golden fire


s: Of cherished song I pray for and caress.


s: I wandered through the world with longing gaze,


s: Of changeless love, and bid her make appraise.


s: I knew that some day I should look within


s: The ever-deepening distance of her eyes;


s: And passing near me, pointed down the road


s: Of light lives in the brightness of the day;


s: Yet what am I that thou shouldst ope the gate


s: Of thy most sweet completeness; and should spend


s: Rich values of thy life on me thy friend,


s: Thee in thy kingdom, where thy graces live.


s: Wilt thou not one day whisper, "You have climbed


s: Beyond your merits; pray you, fall behind"?


s: Wish thy friend joy of his journey, but pray in secret


s: that he have no joy, for then may he return quickly to thee.


s: A fatal feud.  Alas! when fathers bleed,


s: The children shall fulfil the wild design.


s: Twin graves, twin sorrows, and oh, mad to-do


s: Of vengeance! oh, dread entail of regret!


s: There lie they in their dark, self-chosen graves,


s: And from them cries Hate's everlasting ghost,--


s: "Blood hath been shed, and Love and ye are slaves,


s: Time wrecks, and freedom drifts upon life's coast."


s: Which found a throne upon a Juliet's tomb.


s: To see, to touch, to know, and to desire;


s: To cry, "Oh, wipe the gloomy stain away,


s: Thou who first raised the sword, Who gave the hilt


s: Into the hand of man. This blood they spilt--


s: Our fathers--oh, blot out the bitter day!


s: Turn back the hands upon the clock of Time,


s: Their righteous hate who bore us in our crime!"


s: "Upon the children!"--'Tis the cold reply


s: Of Him who makes to those who must not die.


s: Yet life is sweet.  Thy soul hath breathed along,


s: Thine eyes have cast their glory on the earth,


s: Thy foot hath touched it, and thine hour of birth


s: Didst give a new pulse to the veins of song.


s: Better to stand amid the toppling towers


s: Of every valiant hope; a Samson's dream,


s: Than the deep indolence of Lethe's stream,


s: The loneliness of slow submerging hours.


s: Better, oh, better thus to see the wreck,


s: And to have rocked to motion of the spheres;


s: Better, oh, better to have trod the deck


s: Of hope, and sailed the unmanageable years--


s: Ay, better to have paid the price, and known,


s: Upon the disc of Love's bright planet fell


s: A darkness yestereve, and from your lips


s: I heard cold words; then came a swift eclipse


s: And if I spoke with sadness and with fear;


s: If from your gentle coldness I drew back,


s: And felt that I had lost the flowery track


s: That led to peace in Love's sweet atmosphere:


s: My aching heart--the dread some evil star


s: Had crossed the warm affection in your breast,


s: Had bade me stand apart from where you are.


s: The world seemed breaking on my life; I heard


s: The crash of sorrows in that chiding word.


s: That thou and I must live our lives apart;


s: What couldst thou ever ask me that I should


s: What cannot men achieve with lance in rest


s: If living 'neath the pureness of thy eyes,


s: And reaching outward, heart-strong, from thy hand,


s: Set here and there a beacon in the land.


s: Achievement-wards, as all brave souls have gone,


s: Perchance should find new star-drifts in the sky


s: Should serve the strivings of a widening age,


s: And fashion wisdom from the social fret.


s: Deep did Time's lances go; thou pluck'st them forth,


s: And on my sullen woundings laid the balm


s: Of thy life's sweetness. Oh, let my love be worth


s: Once more I lift Love's chalice to thine eyes:


s: Something in her, like to a hidden thought


s: Within my life, that long time I had sought,


s: But never found till her soul spoke to me.


s: And if she said a thousand times, "I did


s: Not call thee, thou cam'st seeking; not my voice


s: Was it thou heard'st; thy love was not my choice!"


s: I should straightway reply, "That of thee hid,


s: Even from thyself, lest it should startle thee,


s: Hath called me, made me slave and king in one;


s: And when the mists of Time shall rise, and we


s: Stand forth, it shall be said, Since Time begun


s: Ye two were called as one from that high hill,


s: Where the creating Master hath His will."


s: Struck through the heart in sharing the tense strain,


s: And all the world seemed bounded by one will.


s: That caught their wonder; then the skies were rent


s: With quivering sound, with passion's liberty.


s: So have I stood before this parting day,


s: With chilly fingers pressed upon my breast,


s: That my heart burst not fleshen bands away,


s: And my sharp cry break through my lady's rest.


s: I have shut burning eyelids on the sight


s: Of this dread time that scorches my sad night.


s: Have I then found thee but to lose thee, friend?


s: But touched thee ere thou vanished from my gaze?


s: And when my soul is struggling from the maze


s: Of many conflicts, must our converse end?


s: Across the empty space that now shall spread


s: Save but to whisper prayers above the dead?


s: Ah, cruel thought! Shall not Hope's convoy bear


s: Shall I not on thy white hand drop a tear


s: Of crowned joy, one day, where thou dost move


s: And now when from the shore goes out the ship


s: Dearer than wine Zeus carried to his lip;


s: My aching heart cries from its pent-up pain,--


s: "O Love, O Life, O more than life to me,


s: Of thy sweet presence till we meet again!"


s: The arrow of mischance piercing my side;


s: I rose with strength, like giants in their pride.


s: But now--but now--how shall I stand alone,


s: Knowing the light, the hope of me is gone?


s: O counsel, pleader for all highest good,


s: Thou hast upon my sorrow poured thy balm!


s: Poor soldier he who did not raise his sword,


s: And, touching with his lips the hilt-cross, swear


s: Of one that blessed him with her queenly word.


s: Most base crusader, who at night and morn


s: From whose sweet power was his knighthood born,


s: Shall I not, then, in the tumultuous place


s: Of my life's warfare ever seek thy face?


s: Which thou hast done; here summon I thy words,


s: Sweeter to me than sweetest song of birds;


s: That came like grace immortal to my needs.


s: Its liberal light; our office is to bless.


s: If blessings could be compassed by my prayer,


s: High heaven should set star-gems in thy hair.


s: Last night I saw the warm white Southern moon


s: Where the gold-girdled sun takes rest at noon.


s: I slept; I dreamed. Against a sunset sky


s: I saw thee stand all garmented in white;


s: With hand stretched to me, and there in thy sight


s: I went to meet thee; but I heard thee cry:


s: "We stand apart as sun from shining sun;


s: Thou hast thy place; there rolleth far and near


s: Thou canst not come, nor I go to thee, dear."


s: Methought I bowed my head to thy decree,


s: 'Tis morning now, and dreams and fears are gone,


s: And sleep has calmed the fever in my veins,


s: And I am strong to drink the cup that drains


s: The last drop through my lips, and make no moan.


s: Strength I have borrowed from the outward show


s: Over the shock of feeling?  Shall I grow


s: More fearful than the soldier, when between


s: The smoke of hostile cannon lies his way;


s: While her bright eyes behold him in the fray?


s: Here do I smile between the warring hosts


s: Of sad farewells; and reek not what it costs.


s: Aught that thy goodness frowns on, be it hid


s: Of coming springs fall on the quiet grave.


s: Perchance some violets will grow to tell


s: That I, when uttering this last farewell,


s: That I, who worship thee, have love so great,


s: Faithful, when coward promptings cry, "Forget."


s: Shine on, O sun! Sing on, O birds of song!


s: And in her light my heart fashions a tune


s: Sung by some knight in days gone overlong,


s: When he with minstrel eyes in Syrian grove


s: Looked out towards his England, and then drew


s: From a sweet instrument a sound that grew


s: These songs that have more sunlight far than cloud;


s: More summer flowers than dead leaves 'neath the snow;


s: That tell of hopes from which you raised the shroud.


s: My lady, bright benignant star, shine on--


s: HE that hath pleasant dreams is more fortunate


s: So, thou art gone; and I am left to wear


s: Of winter tones, when summer time is here.


s: Where it fell back in silence when you went


s: Sat laughing in the white sails of thy barque.


s: 'Twas not moth-wings dashing against the flame,


s: Struck from soul-crossing chords, that, separate, frame


s: But now between the warring strings there grows


s: A space of peace, as 'tween truce-honoured foes.


s: Here one by one come back the thousand things


s: Which made divinely sweet our intercourse;


s: Love summons them here straightway to divorce


s: "Here laid she her white hand upon my arm;


s: To this place came she with slow-gliding grace;


s: And these sweet notes she sang me for a charm."


s: I treasure up her words, and say them o'er


s: With close-shut eyes; with her again I float


s: Upon the Loire; I see the gems she wore,


s: And hear her laughter ringing through the trees.


s: Save in my dreams.  There it was vast and lone,


s: Splendid in power, breaking against the stone


s: Making a cool white curtain for the sun,


s: And melting mornward when the day was done,


s: A moving sphere where spirits kept their trysts.


s: A ceaseless swinging with the swinging earth,


s: Round mountains in their everlasting snow.


s: From all the elements since the first dawn.


s: Then came in further years the virgin sight


s: Of the live sea; the sea that marches down,


s: To match its puissance with earth's awful might.


s: As thought melts into endless thought, and round


s: The rim of the sheer world was heard a sound,


s: And through the varying waste of elements


s: There passed a sail, which caught the opposing wind,


s: Beholds the foe it, conquering, left behind.


s: "And Life," I said,--"Life is but like the sea;


s: And what shall guide us to our destiny?"


s: The prescience of dreams struck walls away


s: From mortal fact, and mortal fact revealed,


s: Even as a blind man's fingers wander o'er


s: His harpstrings, led by sound to dreams of sound,


s: Of the great globe: as in a rush of song


s: From feathered throats, one, in a mighty wood,


s: So I, dream-nurtured, standing by the sea,


s: Made levy on the wonders that should be.


s: And God is good, I said, and Art is good,


s: And labour hath its rich reward of sleep;


s: And recompense will come for all who keep


s: Dishonour's ill contagion from the blood.


s: We shall find One who loveth to befriend


s: E'en those who faint for shame within His sight.


s: There comes the voice that circumvents the gale;


s: And saith, "I overcome" to man's "I fail."


s: "And peradventure now," said I, "the zest


s: Between the soul's swift speech and God's high will;


s: That saith to tempests of the thought, "Be still!"


s: The leprous sense.  Ah, who can find his way


s: As one sees on some ancient urn, upthrown


s: From out a tomb, records that none may read


s: So, on the great palimpsest men have writ


s: Such lines o'ercrossed that none interprets it.


s: What marvel that the soul of youth should cry,


s: "Man builds his temples 'tween me and the face


s: Of Him whom I would seek; I cannot trace


s: The wisdom absolute?"  What marvel that,


s: Beyond all measure! his full faith was spent,


s: The voice of Love spoke; Love, that writes its name


s: On Life and Death-and then my lady came.


s: As light leaps up from star to star, so mounts


s: Of knowledge rises from creation's founts;


s: Upon half-lights that we were wont to show,


s: Absorbing them.  'Tis Love that beckons us


s: From low desires, from restlessness and sin,


s: To heights that else we had not reached; and thus


s: We find the Heaven we dared not hope to win.


s: Our lives are fed on Love's fine regimen


s: "It is no matter;"--thus the noble Dane,


s: About his heart more ill than one could tell;


s: Against his soul struck solemn notes of pain.


s: So 'gainst the deadly smother he could press


s: Purpose divine, and at the last disclose


s: For life's great shift a regnant readiness.


s: To-day I bought some matches in the street


s: From one whose eyes had long since lost their sight.


s: Trembling with palsy was he to his feet.


s: "Father," I said, "how fare you in the night?"


s: "In body ill, but 'tis no matter, friend,


s: Strong is my soul to keep me to the end."


s: DISTRUST not a woman nor a king--it availeth nothing.


s: WHEN thou journeyest into the shadows, take not sweetmeats


s: with thee, but a seed of corn and a bottle of tears and wine;


s: that thou mayst have a garden in the land whither thou goeat.


s: Once more, once more!  That golden eventide!


s: Golden within, without all cold and grey,


s: Slowly you came forth from the troubled day,


s: Singing my heart--you glided to my side;


s: You glided in; the same grave, quiet face,


s: The same deep look, the never-ending light


s: In your proud eyes, eyes shining through the night,


s: That night of absence--distance--from your place.


s: Calm words, slow touch of hand, but, oh, the cry,


s: The long, long cry of passion and of joy


s: Within my heart; the star-burst in the sky--


s: The world--our world--which time may not destroy!


s: Dearest, once more, the old song at thy feet.


s: Dearest, once more! This I could tell and tell


s: Till life turned drowsy with the ceaseless note;


s: Dearest, once more! The words throb in my throat,


s: My heart beats to them like a muffled bell.


s: Change--Time and Change! O Change and Time, you come


s: Not knocking at my door, knowing me gone;


s: Here have I dwelt within my heart alone,


s: Song was gone from me--sweet, I could not sing,


s: Under my hand the old chord ceased to ring,


s: Hushed by the grinding of the high gods' mills.


s: Dearest, once more. Those mad mills had their way--


s: Now is mine hour.   To every man his day.


s: How have I toiled, how have I set my face


s: Fair to the swords! No man could say I quailed;


s: Ne'er did I falter; I dare not to have failed,


s: I dare not to have dropped from out the race.


s: Good was the fight--good, till a piteous dream


s: Crept from some direful covert of despair;


s: Showed me your look, that look so true and fair,


s: Distant and bleak; for me no more to gleam.


s: Then came dark moments; lady, then I drew


s: Forth from its place the round unfathomed bowl


s: Of sorrow, and from it I quaffed to you;


s: Their hearts' last prize--and dare not count the cost.


s: But you are here unchanged.  You say not so


s: In words, but when you placed your hands in mine;


s: Within your eyes, I read it; and I know.


s: And when those hands ran up along my arm,


s: To read my heart, how could I doubt that charm,


s: The faith, with pride unspeakable, the whole


s: Course of those years in which communion slept.


s: Your soul flamed in your look; you read; I knew


s: How little worth was I, how heavenly you.


s: I read your truth. You read--What did you read?


s: Did you read all, and, reading all, forgive?


s: How I--O little dwarf of conscience sieve


s: My soul; bare all before her bare indeed!


s: And, looking on the remnant and the waste,


s: Can you absolve me,--me, the doubter, one


s: Who challenged what God spent His genius on,


s: His genius and His pride; so fair, so chaste?


s: I am ashamed. . . . And when I told my dreams,


s: Shaken and humble,--"Dear, there was no cause,"


s: Your words; proud, sorrowful, as it beseems


s: Such as thou art. There never was a cause


s: And you forgive me, bless me, for reply.


s: You bless me, then you turn away your head--


s: "Never again, dear. I have blessed you so,


s: My lips upon your lips; between must flow


s: The river--Oh the river!"  Thus you said.


s: Stream that we may not cross, sun that is joy:


s: Flow as thou must; shine on in full employ--


s: Shine through her eyes thou; let the river run.


s: O lady, to your liegeman speak.  You say:


s: "Dream no more dreams; yourself be as am I!"


s: Your hands clasped to your face, so shutting out the day.


s: An instant, then to me, your low good-bye--


s: Good-night, good-bye; and then the social reign,


s: The lights, the songs, the flowers--and the pain.


s: "Oh, hush!" you said; "oh, hush!" The twilight hung


s: Between us and the world; but in your face,


s: Flooding with warm inner light, the sovereign grace


s: Of one who rests the brooding trees among--


s: Of one who steps down from a lofty throne,


s: Seeking that peace the sceptre cannot call;


s: And leaving courtier, page, and seneschal,


s: And, going, listens to the notes that swell


s: From golden throats--stories of ardent days,


s: And lovers in fair vales; and homing bell:


s: And the sweet theme unbearable, she prays


s: The song-bird cease! So, on the tale I dare,


s: Your "hush!" your wistful "hush!" broke like prayer.


s: "Never," you said, "never this side the grave,


s: And what shall come hereafter, who may know?


s: Whether we e'en shall guess the way we go,


s: Passing beneath Death's mystic architrave


s: O lady, you have questioned, answer too.


s: You--you to die--silence and gloom for you:


s: Dead song, dead lights, dead graces, and dead flowers?


s: The inconsequent paltry Nothing--gone--gone all;


s: The genius of the ageless Something spend


s: The commonplace conception, that we reap


s: Reward of drudge and ploughman--idle sleep!


s: You shall live on triumphant, you shall take


s: Your place among the peerless, fearless ones;


s: And those who loved you here shall tell their sons


s: And those your Peers shall say, "Others are pure,


s: Others are noble, others too have vowed,


s: And for a vow have suffered; but she bowed


s: She smote the being more to her than all,--


s: Her own soul and the world,--a truth to hold,


s: Faith with the dead; and hung a heavy pall


s: 'Tween her and love and life. The world is old,


s: It hath sent here none queenlier.  Of the few,


s: The royal few is she, martyred and true."


s: Upon the rack of this tough world I hear,


s: As when Cordelia's glories all dissever-


s: That wild moan of the dispossessed Lear.


s: O world, vex not this ghost, yea, let it pass,


s: The Spirit of these songs.  The fool hath mocked,


s: From where the soul holds to our lips the glass,


s: To see what breath of life.  O fool, poor fool,


s: Well, we have laughed together, you and I.


s: Let us be grand again, my fool.  The throne


s: Know you where I, my royal fool, was crowned?


s: Where at the Pole our valiant men were drowned?


s: Where the soft creamy wash of Indian seas


s: Spreads palmward? Where the sunset glides to dawn,


s: No night between? Where all the tides are drawn


s: To greet their Sun and bathe their Idol's knees?


s: Where was I crowned? Dear fool, upon a stone


s: That standeth where Earth's arches make but one,


s: Where all the banners of her soul were flown,


s: The stone is left: 'tis here against the door


s: Of throne and kingdom. . . . Pray you, mock no more.


s: A time will come when we again shall rail--


s: Not yet, not yet.  The flood comes on apace,


s: Grows dimmer as it widens--pale, so pale.


s: Have we not railed and laughed these many days,


s: Mummers before the lights?  Dear fool, your hand


s: Upon your lips--Oh let us once be grand,


s: Grand as we were when treading royal ways.


s: Lo, there she moves beyond the river.  Gone--


s: Gone is the sun-lo, starlight in her eyes.


s: See, how she standeth silent and alone--


s: Oh, hush! let us not vex her with our cries.


s: Proud as of old, unto my throne I go. . . .


s: Cordelia's gone...... Hush, draw the curtain--so.


s: When you and I have played the little hour,


s: Have seen the tall subaltern Life to Death


s: Yield up his sword; and, smiling, draw the breath,


s: The first long breath of freedom; when the flower


s: Of Recompense has fluttered to our feet,


s: Alone, and absolute, and free: oh, then,


s: Oh, then, most dear, how shall be told the tale?


s: Clasped hands, pressed lips, and so clasped hands again;


s: No words. But as the proud wind fills the sail,


s: My love to yours shall reach, then one deep moan


s: EDITED From MSS. and Rare Printed Originals


s: The following curious collection I have gathered together during


s: several years' reading in out-of-the-way corners. Manuscripts, in


s: The first and worst of these the Fleshe,


s: She needes must yield her castle strong,


s: Leeving at large all fables vainly us'd,


s: all trifling toys that doe no truth import,


s: Lo, here how the end (at length), though long diffus'd,


s: unfoldeth plaine a rare and true report,


s: To glad those minds who seek their countries wealth


s: by proffer'd pains t'enlarge its happy health.


s: At Rome I was when Fox did there arrive;


s: What gallant joy his deedes did there revive


s: in the hearts of those which heard his valiantness.


s: And how the Pope did recompense his pains,


s: and letters gave to move his greater gains.


s: that those his pains are fables, and untrue;


s: but divers more that did his Patents view,


s: that nought but truth John Fox cloth here bewray.


s: Besides, there's one was slave with him in thrall


s: This witness can this matter perfect all:


s: what needeth more? for witness he may stand.


s: the other man more larger proof can show.


s: The above lines by Anthony Munday are omitted by Hakluyt in his


s: reprint of the captivity of John Fox in his "Principal English


s: Care for thy soule, as thing of greatest pryce!


s: Made to the ende to taste of power Divine,


s: Devoid of guilt, abhorryng sin and vice,


s: Apt by God's grace to virtue to incline;


s: Care for it soe, as by thy retchless traine


s: It bee not brought to taste eternall paine!


s: Care for thy corpse (body), but chiefely for soules sake,


s: To vanquish pryde, but comely clothing take.


s: Seeke after skille; deepe ignorance detest;


s: Care so, I say, the flesh to feede and cloth,


s: That thou harm not thy soule and bodie both.


s: Care for the world, to doe thy bodie right;


s: Back not thy wytt to win by wicked wayes;


s: Seeke not t'oppress the weak by wrongfull might;


s: And, in like sort, bee mindfull of the pore.


s: Care for thy soule, as for thy chiefest staye,


s: Care for thy bodie, for the soules avail;


s: Care for the world, for bodies helpe alwaye,


s: Care yett but soe as virtue may prevail;


s: Care in such sort, that thou be sure of this,


s: Care keepe the not from heaven and heavenlie blisse.


s: Faction, that ever dwells in Courte where witt excels,


s: Fortune and Love have sworne that they were never borne


s: Cupid, which doth aspire to be god of Desire,


s: That where his arrows hit, somejoy, some sorrow it:


s: Fortune swears "weakest heartes," the bookes of Cupide's artes.


s: Senselesse themselves shal prove. Venture hath place in love.


s: This discord it begot atheists, that honour not.


s: Fortune shoud ever dwel in Court where wits excel;


s: Soe to the wood went I, with Love to live and dye;


s: Experience of my youth made mee thinke humble Truth


s: My saint I keepe to mee, and Joan herself is free,


s: Shee that doth onely move passions of love with Love.


s: Disgrac'd, undone, forlorn, made Fortune's Sport,


s: Banish'd your Kingdom first, and then your Court;


s: Out of my Places turn'd, and out of Doors,


s: The scene of Laughter, and the common chats


s: On my past Grandeur and my Follies Think:


s: Would I had been the Brat of some mean Drab,


s: Whom Fear or Chance had caus'd to choak or stab,


s: And by him made so wretched, scorn'd a Thing.


s: How little cause has mankind to be proud


s: Mark'd with a Star and Garter, and made fine


s: With all those gaudy Trifles once call'd mine,


s: Your Hobby-Horses  and your Joys of State,


s: I was your Darling, but against your Will,


s: And know that I will be the Peoples still;


s: And when you're dead, I and my Friends, the Rout,


s: And to my Troubles this one Comfort bring,


s: Next after you, by ------, I will be King.


s: Ungrateful Boy! I will not call thee Son,


s: And thy Complaints serve but to show thee more,


s: Resent it not, shake not thy addle Head,


s: And be no more by Clubs and Rascals led.


s: Have I made thee the Darling of my Joys,


s: The prettiest and the lustiest of my Boys?


s: Have I so oft sent thee with cost to France,


s: To take new Dresses up, and learn to dance?


s: Have I done all that Royal Dad could do,


s: But say I did with thy fond Mother sport,


s: 'Twas my good Nature, and I meant her Fame,


s: My Mistresses all are by each Fop well known,


s: And I still willing all their Brats to own.


s: I made thee once,'tis true, the Post of Grace,


s: Each glitt'ring Office, till thy heavy Brow


s: Grew dull with Honour, and my Pow'r low.


s: I spangled thee with Favours, hung thy Nose


s: With Rings of Gold and Pearl, till all grew Foes


s: I lost my safety when I made thee Great.


s: There's not the least Injustice to you shewn;


s: Bestow'd by fits, and snatch'd away in Rage;


s: And sure that Livery which I give my Slaves


s: I may take from 'em when my Portsmouth raves.


s: If you with feigned Wrongs still keep a Clutter,


s: And make the People for your Sake to mutter,


s: For my own Comfort, but your Trouble, know,


s: G------fish, I'll send you to the Shades below.


s: O Last and Bests of Scots! Who didst maintain


s: Thy Country's Freedom from a Foreign Reign,


s: New People fill the Land now thou art gone,


s: Scotland and thou did each in other live,


s: Thou wouldst not her, nor could she thee, survive.


s: Farewell! who living didst support the State,


s: And couldst not fall but with thy Country's Fate.


s: When doom'd to love, and doom'd to languish,


s: The Husband's the Pilot, the Wife is the Ocean,


s: He always in danger, she always in motion;


s: And he that in Wedlock twice hazards his Carcase


s: Twice ventures the Drowning, and, Faith, that's a hard case.


s: Even at our Weapons the Females defeat us,


s: And Death, only Death, can sign our _Quietus_.


s: Not to tell you sad stories of Liberty lost,


s: Our Mirth is all pall'd, and our Measures all crost;


s: That Pagan Confinement, that damnable Station,


s: Sutes no other States or Degrees in the Nation.


s: The _Levite_ it keeps from Parochial Duty,


s: For who can at once mind Religion and Beauty?


s: The Rich it alarms with Expences and Trouble,


s: And a poor Beast, you know, can scarce carry double.


s: 'Twas invented, they tell you, to keep us from falling;


s: Oh the Virtues and Graces of shrill Caterwauling!


s: How it palls in your Gain; but, pray, how do you know, Sir,


s: How often your Neighbour breaks in your Enclosure?


s: For this is the principal Comforts of Marriage,


s: You must eat tho' a hundred have spit in your Porridg.


s: If at night you're inactive, or fail in performing,


s: Enter Thunder and Lightning, and Blood-shed, next Morning;


s: Lust's the Bone of your Shanks, O dear Mr. Horner:


s: This comes of your sinning with Crape in a Corner.


s: Then to make up the Breach all your Strength you must rally,


s: And labour and sweat like a Slave in a Gaily;


s: And still you must charge--O blessed Condition!--


s: Tho' you know, to your cost, you've no more Ammunition:


s: Till at last the poor fool of a mortified man


s: Is unable to make a poor Flash in the Pan.


s: Fire, Flood, and Female, begin with a letter,


s: But for all the World's not a Farthing the better.


s: Your Flood is soon gone, and your Fire you must humble,


s: If into Flames store of Water you tumble;


s: But to cure the damn'd Lust of your Wife's Titilation,


s: As well you may p---- out the last Conflagration.


s: And thus I have sent you my Thoughts of the matter;


s: You may judge as you please; I scorn for to flatter:


s: I could say much more, but here ends the Chapter.


s: There is a grain which, tho' 'tis common,


s: 'Tis _Oates_, bare _Oates_, that is become


s: That like _Hesperian_ Fruit, _Oates_ may


s: What would they then have done, think ye,


s: Since then such good by _Oates_ we find,


s: To _Oates_ shall dance, to _Oates_ shall sing,


s: We'll hang Atchievments o'er their Dust,


s: You Catholick States-men and Church-men, rejoyce,


s: And praise Heaven's Goodness with Heart and with Voice;


s: None greater on Earth or in Heaven than She,


s: Some say she's as good as the best of the Three.


s: But a Braver than this was never yet told;


s: 'Tis pity that every good Catholick living


s: Had not heard on't before the last Day of Thanksgiving.


s: In _Lombardy-Land_ great _Modena's_ Duchess


s: Was snatched from her Empire by Death's cruel clutches;


s: When to Heaven she came (for thither she went)


s: Each Angel received her with Joy and Content.


s: And begged that God's Mother would grant her one Boon:


s: Give _England_ a Son (at this Critical Point)


s: To put little _Orange's_ Nose out of Joynt.


s: As soon as our Lady had heard her Petition,


s: To _Gabriel_, the Angel, she strait gave Commission;


s: She pluck'd off her Smock from her _Shoulders Divine_,


s: And charg'd him to hasten to _England's_ fair Queen.


s: And bid her for ever to praise my Great Name,


s: For I, in her favour, will work such a Wonder,


s: Shall keep the most Insolent Hereticks under.


s: "Tell _James_ (my best son) his part of the matter


s: Must be with this only to cover my daughter;


s: Let him put it upon her with's own Royal Hand,


s: Then let him go travel to visit the Land;


s: Though not as before, in form of a Dove;


s: Yet down He shall come in some likeness or other


s: (Perhaps like Count _Dada_), and make her a Mother."


s: The Message with Hearts full of Faith was receiv'd,


s: And the next news we heard was _Q. M._ conceiv'd;


s: You great ones Converted, poor cheated Dissenters,


s: Pray Heav'n to strengthen Her Majesties Placket,


s: For if this Trick fail, beware of your Jacket.


s: And like true Cheats, you dropt that Fund,


s: They were the worst that e'er were heard,


s: King _Charles_ the Second knew your aim,


s: 'Less Gold change Conscience and his Mind,


s: When B----t  perceiv'd the beautiful Dames,


s: Who flock'd to the Chapel of Holy St. _James_,


s: On their Lovers the kindest Looks did bestow,


s: And smil'd not on him while he bellow'd below,


s: This dangerous Ill in the Church to prevent:


s: "O Madam!" quoth he, "our Religion is lost


s: If the Ladies thus ogle the Knights of the Toast.


s: "Your Highness observes how I labour and sweat


s: Their Affections to raise, and new Flames to beget;


s: And sure when I preach all the World, will agree


s: That their Ears and their Eyes should be pointed on me:


s: As my Parts to regard, or my Presence to mind;


s: Nay, I scarce have a sight of any one Face


s: But those of old _Oxford_ and ugly Arglas.


s: "These sorrowful Matrons, with Hearts full of Truth,


s: Repent for the manifold Sins of their Youth:


s: The rest with their Tattle my Harmony spoil;


s: 'Tis a mercy to find that at Church they contain;


s: Ev'n Hen--ham's  Shapes their weak Fancies intice,


s: And rather than me they will ogle the Vice.


s: "These Practices, Madam, my Preaching disgrace;


s: Shall Laymen enjoy the just Rights of my Place?


s: Then all may lament my Condition for hard,


s: To thresh in the Pulpit without a Reward.


s: And from their ripe Vineyards such Labourers send;


s: Or build up the Seats, that the Beauties may see


s: The Face of no brawny Pretender but me."


s: The Princess, by rude Importunities press'd,


s: Tho' she laugh'd at his Reasons, allow'd his request;


s: And now _Britain's_ Nymphs in a Protestant Reign


s: Are locked up at Pray'rs like the Virgins in Spain,


s: If any kind Man from Bondage will save her,


s: The Lass in Gratitude grants him the Favour.


s: Oh, say! what is that thing call'd _light_,


s: I will sing in the Praise, if you'll lend but an Ear,


s: Of the first Royal Regiment, but don't think I jeer


s: If I vow and protest they are as brave Men and Willing,


s: As ever old _Rome_ bred, or new _Iniskilling_.


s: Oh, had you but seen them March with that _Decorum_


s: That no _Roman_ Triumph could e're go before 'em,


s: Some smoking, some whistling, all meaning no harm,


s: Like _Yorkshire_ Attornies coming up to a Term,


s: You'd ha' swore Knight and Squires, Prigs, Cuckolds, and Pandors.


s: Whose Warriers who thorow all Dangers durst go.


s: Most bravely despising Blood, Battle, and Foe,


s: Were mounted on Steeds the last Lord Mayor's Day,


s: 'Twas that very day their high Prowess was shown,


s: In guarding the King thro' the Fire-works o' th' Town;


s: Tho' Sparks were unhors'd and their lac'd Coats were spoil'd,


s: They dreaded no Squibs of Men, Women, or Child.


s: The Cornet whose nose, though it spoke him no _Roman_,


s: Was mounted that day on a Horse that feared no man,


s: No Wounds, for all o're his Trappings so sumptuous


s: He had ty'd Squibs and Crackers; 'twas mighty presumptuous.


s: For note his Design; faith, 'tis worth your admiring:


s: 'Twas to let the Queen se how his Horse could stand firing,


s: Not wisely consid'ring her Majesty's marry'd,


s: And he had been hang'd if the Queen had miscarry'd.


s: All Hearts true as Steel, but of all brave Fellows


s: Th'Attorney for my money who was so zealous,


s: He went for the Lease of his own House from Home,


s: To make a new covering for the Troop's Kettle drum.


s: The Lieutenant being thrown by his Jennet,


s: His Son in Law fancying some Treachery in it,


s: Gave the Oaths to the Horse, which the Beast took, they say,


s: But swore by the Lord they went down like chopt hay.


s: He the Nag of an _Irish_ Papist did buy,


s: So doubting his Courage and his Loyalty,


s: He taught him to eat with his Oats Gunpowdero,


s: The Tub-preaching Saint was so furious a Blade,


s: In Jack-boots both Day and Night preacht, slept, and pray'd;


s: To call them to prayers he need no Saint's Bell,


s: For gingling his Spurs chim'd them all in as well.


s: A noble stout Scrivener that now shall be nameless,


s: That in Day of Battle he might be found blameless,


s: A War-horse of Wood from _Duck Carver_ buys,


s: To learn with more safety the Horse Exercise.


s: With one eye on's Honour, the other on's Gain,


s: That so by that means he his Prancer bestriding,


s: Might practise at once both his Writing and Riding.


s: But, oh, the sad news which their Joy now confounds,


s: To _Ireland_, their own, like the last Trumpet sounds;


s: Lord! Lord! how this sets them a Waiting Petitions,


s: And thinking of nothing but Terms and Conditions.


s: Oh, who will March for me? speak any that dare,


s: A Horse and an Hundred Pounds for him, that's fair;


s: Dear Courtiers, excuse me from Teagland and Slaughter,


s: And take which you please, _Sir_, my Wife or my Daughter."


s: Some feign'd themselves lame, some feign'd themselves clapt,


s: At last finding all themselves by themselves trapt,


s: And told him the Truth, 'twas all but a Jest.


s: "A Jest," quoth the King, and with that the King smil'd,


s: "Come, it ne're shall be said such a Jest shall be spoil'd;


s: Therefore I dismiss you. in Peace all depart,


s: For it was more your Goodness than my Desert."


s: Thus happily freed from the dreadful Vexation


s: Of being Defenders of this, or that Nation,


s: They kist Royal Fist, and were drunk all for Joy,


s: And broke all their swords, and cry'd _Vive le Roy_.


s: A mighty great Fleet--the like was ne'er seen


s: Design'd the Destruction of _France_, to have been,


s: The Fleet was composed of _English_ and _Dutch_;


s: For Men and for Guns there was never seen such,


s: Nor so little done when expected so much,


s: One hundred Ships which we Capital call,


s: With Frigots and Tenders, and Yatchts that were small,


s: Went out, and did little or nothing at all,


s: Had they chanc'd to have met with the _French_ Fleet, oh, then,


s: As they beat 'em last year, so they'd beat 'em again,


s: Six thousand great Guns and seventy-eight more,


s: It had been the same thing had they all been ashore,


s: But T----  now must command them no more;


s: We try'd of what Mettle he was made of before;


s: For a Bullet perhaps from the loud Cannons Breech,


s: Which makes no distinction betwixt poor and rich,


s: His fine self and his Fleet to the Sea to expose,


s: But he'll have a care how he meets with his Foes,


s: Which either might serve by Land or by Water,


s: But of what they have done we have heard no great matter,


s: In the month of _May_ last they sail'd on the Main,


s: And now in _September_ they come back again


s: With the loss of some ships, but in Battle none slain,


s: "En redit Hastingus, pocatis regibus Indi,


s: Ecce silet vulpes, annosaque fabula Burki,


s: Faucibus haret, eheu, Dic, age, dic Sheridan."


s: From Eastern climes, lo, Hastings! late return'd,


s: His struggles ended, and his fame well earn'd,


s: Thy name shall live and grace th'historic page;


s: There licens'd falsehoods  shall no more prevail,


s: Nor Dodsley publish  Edmund's annual tale.


s: When France, exulting, deem'd our ruin near,


s: And Hyder's progress struck each Chief with fear;


s: When hostile nations press'd in league combin'd,


s: Collected, firm, and dauntless was thy mind;


s: Inspir'd by Hastings, Coote : the seasons brav'd,


s: Embark'd his succours, and a kingdom sav'd.


s: Goddard  at his command our standard bore


s: Through lands to England's sons unknown before;


s: While Popham's victories rais'd our country's fame


s: And fix'd in realms remote the British name.


s: The sued-for peace  to Gualior's fall is due.


s: And Gualior's capture long was Hastings' view.


s: History shall tell how clos'd the scene of blood,


s: When to a world oppos'd Britannia stood;


s: No conquest Gallia claims on India's coast,


s: No splendid triumphs can the Belgian boast,


s: Their league dissolve, and give the contest o'er;


s: And peace restor'd, e'en party owns, tho' late,


s: That Hastings' firmness has preserv'd the State.


s: Succeeding ages this great truth shall know,


s: That England's genius, in a luckless hour


s: For Gallic schemes, gave Hastings Sov'reign pow'r.


s: Hastings, previous to Mr. Fox's bringing in his India Bill.]


s: French European regiment, and much of the success of that day is


s: Perch'd on his couch Distemper breathes,


s: And Care like smoke, in turbid wreathes,


s: In schemes, for which man's transient age


s: With lacks enrich'd, with honours crown'd,


s: Here lies poor Johnson. Reader, have a care,


s: Tread lightly, lest you rouse a sleeping bear:


s: He was, but self-sufficient, rude, and vain;


s: Would you know all his wisdom and his folly,


s: His actions, sayings, mirth, and melancholy?


s: Boswell and Thrale, retailers of his wit,


s: Will tell you how he wrote, and talked, and cough'd, and spit.


s: Come, keen _Iambicks_, with your Badgers' Feet,


s: And Badger-like bite till your Teeth do meet;


s: With all the Scorpions that should whip this Age.


s: But that there's Charm in Verse, I would not quote


s: Unless my Head were red, that I might brew


s: Invention there that might be Poison too.


s: Were I a drowzy Judge, whose dismal Note


s: Disgorges Halters, as a Juggler's Throat


s: Does Ribbons; could I in Sir _Empyrick's_ Tone


s: Speak Pills in Phrase, and quack Destruction;


s: Or roar like _Marshal_, that _Geneva_ Bull,


s: Yet to express a _Scot_, to play that Prize,


s: Not all those Mouth-Granadoes can suffice.


s: I must, like Hocus, swallow Daggers first.


s: _Scots_ are like Witches; do but whet your Pen,


s: Scratch till the Blood comes, they'll not hurt you then.


s: Now as the Martyrs were compell'd to take


s: The Shapes of Beasts, like Hypocrites at Stake,


s: I'll bait my _Scot_ so, yet not cheat your Eyes;


s: No more let Ireland brag her harmless Nation


s: Fosters no Venom since that _Scots'_ Plantation;


s: Since they came in England has Wolves again.


s: Nature her self does _Scotch_-men Beasts confess,


s: A Land that brings in Question and Suspence


s: God's Omnipresence but that _Charles_ came thence,


s: But that _Montrose_ and _Crawford's_ Royal Band


s: Aton'd their Sin, and Christened half the Land.


s: Nor is it all the Nation has these Spots,


s: There is a Church as well as Kirk of Scots,


s: As in a Picture where the Squinting Paint


s: Shews Fiend on this Side and on that Side Saint;


s: And in the Twilight of his Fancy's Theme,


s: Scar'd from his Sins, repented in a Fright,


s: Had he view'd Scotland had turn'd Proselyte.


s: A Land where one may pray with curst Intent;


s: Had _Cain_ been _Scot_, God would have chant'd his   Doom,


s: Not forc'd him wander, but confin'd him home.


s: Hence 'tis they live as Rovers, and defie


s: They're Citizens o' th' World, they're all in all;


s: And yet they ramble not to learn the Mode,


s: Or which of the _Dutch_ States a double Jug


s: The Card by which the Mariners are Steer'd.


s: No! The Scots-Errant fight, and fight to eat;


s: Their Ostrich Stomachs make their Swords their Meat.


s: Nature with _Scots_ as Tooth-drawers has dealt,


s: Who use to string their Teeth upon their Belt.


s: Not Gold, nor Acts of Grace, 'tis Steel must tame


s: The Stubborn _Scot_: A Prince that would reclaim


s: Rebels by yielding does like him. or worse,


s: Who saddled his own Back to shame his Horse.


s: Was it for this you left your leaner Soil,


s: Lord! what a Goodly Thing is want of Shirts!


s: How a _Scotch_ Stomach and no Meat converts!


s: They wanted Food and Raiment, so they took


s: Religion for their Seamstress and their Cook.


s: Unmask them well; their Honours and Estate,


s: As well as Conscience, are Sophisticate.


s: Shrive but their Titles, and their Money poise;


s: A Laird and Twenty Pence, pronounc'd with Noise,


s: When constru'd, but for a plain Yeoman go,


s: And a good sober Two-pence, and well so.


s: Hence then,'you Proud Imposters, get you gone,


s: The Ostracism, and sham'd it out of Use.


s: Because he heard some _Spaniards_ were there.


s: Had he but known what _Scots_ in Hell had been,


s: He would, Erasmus-like, have hung between.


s: My Muse has done. A voider for the Nonce;


s: I wrong the Devil should I pick the Bones.


s: That Dish is his, for when the _Scots_ decease,


s: Hell, like their Nation, feeds on Barnacles.


s: A _Scot_, when from the Gallows-Tree got loose,


s: Drops into _Stix_, and turns a _Soland_ Goose.


s: Your children, wives, and grandsires hoary,


s: Behold their tears, and hear their cries!


s: Shall hateful tyrants, mischief breeding,


s: Now, now, the dang'rous storm is rolling


s: Which treach'rous kings, confederate, raise;


s: The dogs of war, let loose, are howling,


s: While lawless force, with guilty stride,


s: With crimes and blood his hands embruing?


s: Their thirst of power and gold unbounded,


s: Like beasts of burden would they load us,


s: Like gods, would bid their slaves adore;


s: Then shall they longer lash and goad us?


s: Can dungeons, bolts, and bars confine thee,


s: That wont to breathe the sounds of love,


s: I have pleasure in acknowledging the courteous permission


s: the editors to reprint in this form such of the following fables


s: were originally published in Harper's periodicals, in _Life_,


s: That grapes were ripe and grapes were good


s: His throws were strong, his aim was fine,


s: Paused, and found he'd won, and laid the


s: When they answered, "You don't tell us!"


s: The wretched taste that marked the thing.


s: Then, though with pain he nearly swooned,


s: "If pumpkins fell from trees like that,"


s: For they locked the bird up in the garret


s: "'Tis an omen of fortune, this gold egg,"


s: And they made it their practice to dust 'em


s: She tapped his shell, and called him--well,


s: She smiled a smile that showed this style


s: Then caught his breath, grew pale as death,


s: Contemptuous heart, don't think you're smart,


s: The country cousin replied, "Delighted."


s: He served him terrapin, kidneys devilled,


s: And roasted partridge, and candied fruit;


s: In Little Neck Clams at first they revelled,


s: The country cousin exclaimed: "Such feeding


s: The town rat murmured, "The feast is ended."


s: His cousin followed him, helter-skelter,


s: He glanced around at their dusty shelter


s: "You must dine some night at my rustic cottage;


s: I'll warn you now that it's simple fare:


s: And the wine that's known as _ordinaire_,


s: But for holes I haven't to make a bee-line,


s: "You smile at the lot of a mere commuter,


s: He dined next night with his poor relation,


s: And caught dyspepsia, and lost his train,


s: He waited an hour in the lonely station,


s: And said some things that were quite profane.


s: "I'll never," he cried, in tones complaining,


s: What the veriest boor should understand,


s: I will frankly state that I'm somewhat bored


s: "But you quite forget," the rush replied,


s: "Of course," said the oak, "in my sapling days


s: But the wildest storm that the winds could raise


s: The shrewd little bulrush answered, "Friend,


s: And the rush bent low as the storm went past,


s: Though not for long, for he found the blast


s: The oak lay prone when the storm was done,


s: For it's this: Some storms come early, and


s: Once paused at a stream to drink and rest,


s: And found that, bound on a similar quest,


s: He cantered in front and galloped behind.


s: "My friend," said the wolf, with a winsome air,


s: "Go to!" quoth the lamb. (Though he said not where,


s: He showed what he meant by his brazen stare


s: "My capers," he cried, "are the kind that are


s: And I'll do as I please. If your drink I mar,


s: And, near it, the word which should be set


s: Said the wolf: "You are tough and may bring remorse,


s: I've swallowed your capers, I've swallowed your sauce,


s: And it's plain to be seen that my only course


s: For of all black sheep, or near, or far,


s: Two things there are, no doubt you know,


s: A fisher was casting his flies in a brook,


s: With a patented reel and a patented hook


s: And the thirty-fifth cast, which he vowed was the last


s: Brought suddenly out of the water a trout


s: This fish had a way that would win him a place


s: And he looked at the fisherman full in the face


s: He murmered "Alas!" from his place in the grass,


s: And then, when he'd twisted and wriggled, he


s: Remarked in a pet that his heart was upset


s: "I request," he observed, "to be instantly flung


s: Once again in the pool I've been living in."


s: The fisherman said, "You will tire out your tongue.


s: Put you back in the pool? Why, you fatuous fool,


s: I have eaten much smaller and thinner fish.


s: You're not salmon or sole, but I think, on the whole,


s: You're a fairly respectable dinner-fish."


s: The fisherman's cook tried her hand on the trout


s: And with various herbs she embellished him;


s: He was lovely to see, and there isn't a doubt


s: That the fisherman's family relished him,


s: And, to prove that they did, both his wife and his kid


s: Avowing no dish could compare with that fish,


s: Notwithstanding his singular meagreness.


s: And THE MORAL, you'll find, is although it is kind


s: To grant favors that people are wishing for,


s: Still a dinner you'll lack if you chance to throw back


s: In the pool little trout that you're fishing for;


s: If their pleading you spurn you will certainly learn


s: It is needless to state that a trout on a plate


s: And thence, like all such winged creatures,


s: When stones lay round her, most convenient.


s: "Oh, lor'!" the startled gnat exclaimed,


s: Had somewhat soothed her deep bereavement.


s: He was so deceived that he quite believed


s: That was cunningly planned to supply the demand


s: (When the trap was through with this interview


s: When his comrades laughed at his shortage aft


s: "Pray check your mirth, for I hear from Worth


s: And, upon my soul, I think on the whole,


s: Preserve your tales, for, when all else fails,


s: That clothes vex those whom they belong to:


s: "Now watch me," cried this spell of weather,


s: Such weather threatens much the health of


s: Between the clouds, observed the victim,


s: Said he, "This wind is doubtless new here:


s: 'Tis quite the freshest ever blew here."


s: The wondering wind replied, "Good gracious!


s: That wretched man, first chilled, then roasted?


s: And that's no cause for vulgar laughter.


s: The poet Kabîr, a selection from whose songs is here for the


s: first time offered to English readers, is one of the most


s: interesting personalities in the history of Indian mysticism.


s: Born in or near Benares, of Mohammedan parents, and probably


s: about the year 1440, be became in early life a disciple of the


s: celebrated Hindu ascetic Râmânanda.  Râmânanda had brought to


s: Northern India the religious revival which Râmânuja, the great


s: twelfth-century reformer of Brâhmanism, had initiated in the


s: South.  This revival was in part a reaction against the


s: increasing formalism of the orthodox cult, in part an assertion


s: of the demands of the heart as against the intense


s: intellectualism of the Vedânta philosophy, the exaggerated monism


s: preaching the form of an ardent personal devotion to the God


s: Vishnu, as representing the personal aspect of the Divine Nature:


s: appearance at a certain level of spiritual culture, and which


s: creeds and philosophies are powerless to kill.


s: Though such a devotion is indigenous in Hinduism, and finds


s: expression in many passages of the Bhagavad Gîtâ, there was in


s: its mediæval revival a large element of syncretism.  Râmânanda,


s: through whom its spirit is said to have reached Kabîr, appears to


s: Jalâlu'ddîn Rûmî, and Hâfiz, were exercising a powerful influence


s: theology of Brâhmanism.  Some have regarded both these great


s: religious leaders as influenced also by Christian thought and


s: life: but as this is a point upon which competent authorities


s: perhaps three--apparently antagonistic streams of intense


s: the early Christian Church: and it is one of the outstanding


s: characteristics of Kabîr's genius that he was able in his poems


s: A great religious reformer, the founder of a sect to which nearly


s: mystical poet that Kabîr lives for us.  His fate has been that of


s: children of God, his followers have honoured his memory by


s: re-erecting in a new place the barriers which he laboured to cast


s: expressions of his vision and his love; and it is by these, not


s: by the didactic teachings associated with his name, that he makes


s: abstractions, the most otherworldly passion for the Infinite, to


s: the most intimate and personal realization of God, expressed in


s: homely metaphors and religious symbols drawn indifferently from


s: Hindu and Mohammedan belief.  It is impossible to say of their


s: author that he was Brâhman or Sûfî, Vedântist or Vaishnavite.


s: definitions; yet each contributed something to the description of


s: Kabîr's story is surrounded by contradictory legends, on none of


s: and a Brâhman saint.  His name, however, is practically a


s: Mohammedan weaver of Benares, the city in which the chief events


s: In fifteenth-century Benares the syncretistic tendencies of


s: Bhakti religion had reached full development.  Sûfîs and Brâhmans


s: both creeds frequenting the teachings of Râmânanda, whose


s: reputation was then at its height.  The boy Kabîr, in whom the


s: religious passion was innate, saw in Râmânanda his destined


s: teacher; but knew how slight were the chances that a Hindu guru


s: would accept a Mohammedan as disciple.  He therefore hid upon the


s: bathe; with the result that the master, coming down to the water,


s: astonishment, "Ram!  Ram!"--the name of the incarnation under


s: which he worshipped God.  Kabîr then declared that he had


s: received the mantra of initiation from Râmânanda's lips, and was


s: by it admitted to discipleship.  In spite of the protests of


s: orthodox Brâhmans and Mohammedans, both equally annoyed by this


s: contempt of theological landmarks, he persisted in his claim;


s: thus exhibiting in action that very principle of religious


s: synthesis which Râmânanda had sought to establish in thought.


s: Râmânanda appears to have accepted him, and though Mohammedan


s: legends speak of the famous Sûfî Pîr, Takkî of Jhansî, as Kabîr's


s: to whom in his songs he acknowledges indebtedness.


s: The little that we know of Kabîr's life contradicts many current


s: ideas concerning the Oriental mystic.  Of the stages of


s: discipline through which he passed, the manner in which his


s: spiritual genius developed, we are completely ignorant.  He seems


s: the theological and philosophical arguments which his master held


s: source we may perhaps trace his acquaintance with the terms of


s: Hindu and Sûfî philosophy.  He may or may not have submitted to


s: the traditional education of the Hindu or the Sûfî contemplative:


s: professional ascetic, or retired from the world in order to


s: devote himself to bodily mortifications and the exclusive pursuit


s: of adoration, its artistic expression in music and words--for he


s: was a skilled musician as well as a poet--he lived the sane and


s: diligent life of the Oriental craftsman.  All the legends agree


s: on this point: that Kabîr was a weaver, a simple and unlettered


s: man, who earned his living at the loom.  Like Paul the tentmaker,


s: ribbon-maker, he knew how to combine vision and industry; the


s: work of his hands helped rather than hindered the impassioned


s: meditation of his heart.  Hating mere bodily austerities, he was


s: no ascetic, but a married man, the father of a family--a


s: circumstance which Hindu legends of the monastic type vainly


s: attempt to conceal or explain--and it was from out of the heart


s: of the common life that he sang his rapturous lyrics of divine


s: love.  Here his works corroborate the traditional story of his


s: life.  Again and again he extols the life of home, the value and


s: reality of diurnal existence, with its opportunities for love and


s: pervaded by love, joy, and beauty--the proper theatre of man's


s: quest--in order to find that One Reality Who has "spread His form


s: It does not need much experience of ascetic literature to


s: recognize the boldness and originality of this attitude in such a


s: whether Hindu or Mohammedan, Kabîr was plainly a heretic; and his


s: observance--which was as thorough and as intense as that of the


s: Quakers themselves--completed, so far as ecclesiastical opinion


s: was concerned, his reputation as a dangerous man.  The "simple


s: far; for He awaited discovery everywhere, more accessible to "the


s: intervening between the soul and its love--


s: The images are all lifeless, they cannot speak:


s: The Purâna and the Koran are mere words:


s: This sort of thing cannot be tolerated by any organized church;


s: and it is not surprising that Kabîr, having his head-quarters in


s: Benares, the very centre of priestly influence, was subjected to


s: considerable persecution.  The well-known legend of the beautiful


s: like the Magdalen, by her sudden encounter with the initiate of a


s: which he was regarded by the ecclesiastical powers.  Once at


s: least, after the performance of a supposed miracle of healing, he


s: claiming the possession of divine powers.  But Sikandar Lodi, a


s: ruler of considerable culture, was tolerant of the eccentricities


s: Mohammedan birth, was outside the authority of the Brâhmans, and


s: technically classed with the Sûfîs, to whom great theological


s: latitude was allowed.  Therefore, though he was banished in the


s: interests of peace from Benares, his life was spared.  This seems


s: it is the last event in his career of which we have definite


s: knowledge.  Thenceforth he appears to have moved about amongst


s: various cities of northern India, the centre of a group of