Inmany-colouredragstheyran,Likeironrunletsoftheheath。
Dispersedlaybroth-pot,sticks,anddrinking-can。
Threegirls,withshoulderslikeaboatatseaTippedsidewaysbythewavetheirclothingslidFromeitherridgeunequally,Lean,swiftandvoluble,bestridAstarting-point,unfrockedtothebentknee。
Theyraced;theirbrothersyelledthemon,andbrokeInacttofollow,butasonetheysnuffedWood-fumes,andbythefirethatspokeOfprovender,itspaleflamepuffed,Androlledathwartdwarffurzesgrey-bluesmoke。
Soononthedarkedgeofaruddiergleam,Themother-potperusing,all,stretchedflat,Pausedforitsbubbling-upsupreme:
Adoguprightincirclesat,Andofthisnosewentwiththeflyingsteam。
Iturnedandlookedonheavenawhile,wherenowThemoor-facedsunsetbroadenedwithredlight;
Threwhighaloftagoldenbough,AndseemedthedesertofthenightFardownwithmelloworchardstoendow。
Onhergreatventure,Man,EarthgazeswhileherfingersdintthebreastWhichishiswellofstrength,hishomeofrest,Andfairtoscan。
Moreaidthanthatembrace,Thatnourishment,shecannotge:hisheartInvolveshisfate;andshewhourgedthestartAbidestherace。
ForheisinthelistsContentiouswiththeelements,whosedowerFirstspranghim;forswiftvulturestodevourIfhedesists。
HisbreathofinstantthirstIswarningofacreaturematchedwithstrife,Tomeetitasabride,orletfalllifeOnlife’saccursed。
NolongerforthheboundsThelustyanimal,afieldtoroam,ButpeeringinEarth’sentrails,wherethegnomeStrangethemespropounds。
ByhungersharplyspedTograspatweaponserehelearnstheiruse,Ineachnewringhebearsagiant’sthews,Aninfant’shead。
AndeverthatoldtaskOfreadingwhatheisandwhencehecame,Whithertogo,findswilderlettersflameAcrosshermask。
Shehearshiswailfulprayer,WhennowtotheInsibleheravesTorendhimfromher,nowofhismothercravesHercalm,hercare。
I
ThethingthatshuddersmostWithinhimistheburdenofhiscry。
Seenofhisdread,sheistohisblankeyeTheeyelessGhost。
OrsometimesshewillseemHeavenly,butherblush,soonwearingwhite,Veilslikeagorsebushinawebofblight,Withgold-budsdim。
OnceworshippedPrimeofPowers,ShestillwastheImplacable:asabeast,ShestruckhimdownanddraggedhimfromthefeastShecrownedwithflowers。
Herpompofglorioushues,Herrevelriesofripeness,herkindsmile,Hersongs,herpeepingfaces,lureawhileWithsymbol-clues。
ThemysterysheholdsForhim,inveteratelyhestrainstosee,AndsightofhisobtusenessisthekeyAmongthosefolds。
Hemayentreat,aspire,Hemaydespair,andshehasneverheed。
Shedrinkinghiswarmsweatwillsoothehisneed,Nothisdesire。
Shepromptshimtorejoice,Yetscareshimonthethresholdwiththeshroud。
Hedeemshercherishingofherbest-endowedAwanton’schoice。
AlbeitthereofhehasfoundFirmroadwaybetweenlustfulnessandpain;
Hashalftransferredthebattletohisbrain,Frombloodyground;
Hewillnotreadhergood,Orwise,butwiththepassionSelfobscures;
Throughthatolddelofthethousandlures,Throughthatdensehood:
Throughterror,throughdistrust;
Thegreedtotouch,toew,tohave,tole:
ThroughallthatmakesofhimasensiteAbhorringdust。
Beholdhiswormyhome!
Andhethewind-whipped,anywhitherwaveCrazilytumbledonashingle-graveTowasteinfoam。
ThereforethewretchinclinedAfreshtotheInsible,who,hesaith,Canraisehimhigh:withvowsoflingfaithForlittlesigns。
Somesignshemustdemand,Someproofsofslaughterednature;someprizedfew,Tosatisfythesensesitistrue,Andinhishand,
ThismiraclewhichsavesHimself,himselfdothfromextinctionclutch,Byrtueofhisworth,contrastingmuchWithbrutesandknaves。
Fromdust,ofhimabhorred,HewouldbesnatchedbyGracediscoveringworth。
’SevermefromthehollownessofEarth!
Metake,dearLord!’
Shehearshim。HimsheowesForhalfherlovelinessalovewellwonByworkthatlightstheshapelessandthedun,Theircommonfoes。
Hebuildsthesoaringspires,Thatsinghissoulinstone:ofherhedraws,Thoughblindtoher,byspellingatherlaws,Herpurestfires。
Throughhimhathsheexchanged,Forthegoldharvest-robes,themuralcrown,Herhaggardquarry-featuresandthickfrownWheremonstersranged。
Andorder,highdiscourse,Anddecency,thanwhichislifelessdear,Shehasofhim:thelyreoflanguageclear,Love’stongueandsource。
Shehearshim,andcanhearWithgloryinhisgainsbyworkachieved:
WithgriefforgriefthatistheunperceedInhersonear。
IfhealoftforaidImploringstorms,heressenceisthespur。
HiscrytoheavenisacrytoherHewouldevade。
Notelsewherecanhetend。
Thoseareherruleswhichbidhimwashfoulsins;
ThoseherrevulsionsfromtheskullthatgrinsToapehisend。
AndherdesiresarethoseForhappiness,forlastingness,forlight。
’TisshewhokindlesinhishauntingnightThehopeddawn-rose。
FairfountainsofthedarkDailyshewaveshim,thathisinnerdreamMayclaspamidthegloomsaspringingbeam,Aqueringlark:
ThislifeandhertoknowForSpirit:withawakenednessofgleeTofeelsternjoyherorigin:notheThechildofwoe。
ButthatthesensesstillUsurpthestationoftheirissuemind,Hewouldhaveburstthechrysalisoftheblind:
Asyethewill;
Asyethewill,sheprays,YetwillwhenhisdistempereddelofSelf;-
Thegluttonforherfruits,thewilyelfInshiftingrays;-
Thatcaptainofthescorned;
Thecoveteroflifeinsoulandshell,Thefratricide,thethief,theinfidel,Thehoofedandhorned;-
HesingularlydoomedTowhatheexecratesandwrithestoshun;-
Whenfirehaspassedhimvapourtothesun,Andsunrelumed,
ThenshallthehorridpallBelifted,andaspiritnighdine,’LeinthyoffspringasIleinmine,’
Willhearhercall。
WhencelooksheonalandWhereonhislabourisacarvenpage;
AndforthfromheritagetoheritageNoughtwritonsand。
HisfablesoftheAbove,Andhisgappedreadingsofthecrownandsword,Thehelldetestedandtheheavenadored,Thehate,thelove,XLI
Thebrightwing,theblackhoof,Heshallperuse,fromReasonnotdisjoined,AndneverunfaithclamouringtobecoinedTofaithbyproof。
SheherjustLordmayew,Nothe,hercreature,tillhissoulhasyearnedWithallhergiftstoreachthelightdiscernedHerspiritthrough。
TheninhimtimeshallrunAsinthehourthattoyoungsunlightcrows;
And——’Ifthouhastgoodfaithitcanrepose,’
Shetellsherson。
Meanwhileonhim,herchiefExpression,hergreatwordoflife,looksshe;
Twi-mindedofhim,asthewangtree,Ordatedleaf。
Seethesweetwomen,friend,thatleanbeneathTheever-fallingfountainofgreenleavesRoundthewhitebendingstem,andlikeawreathOfourmostblushfulflowershinetremblingthrough,Toteachphilosophersthethirstofthieves:
Isoneforme?isoneforyou?
Fairsirs,wegeyouwelcome,yieldyouplace,Andyoushallchooseamonguswhichyouwill,Withouttheidlepastimeofthechase,Iftothistreatyyoucanwellagree:
Towedourcause,anditshightaskfulfil。
Hewho’sforus,forhimarewe!
Mostgraciousladies,nighwhenlighthasbirth,Atroopofmaids,brownasburntheather-bells,Andrichwithlifeasmoss-rootsbreatheofearthInthefirstpluckingofthem,pastusflewTolabour,singingrusticritornells:
Hadtheyacause?aretheyofyou?-
Sirs,theyareasunthinkingarmiesareTothoughtfulleaders,andourcauseistheirs。
Whentheyknowmentheyknowthestateofwar:
Butnowtheydreamlikesunlightonasea,Anddeemyouholdthehalfofhappypairs。
Hewho’sforus,forhimarewe!
Ladies,Ilistenedtoaringofdames;
Judicialintherobeandwig;secureAsveneratedportraitsintheirframes;
AndtheydenouncedsomeinsurrectionnewAgainstsoundlawswhichkeepyougoodandpure。
Areyouofthem?aretheyofyou?-
Sirs,theyareofus,astheirdressdenotes,Andbyasmuch:letthemtogetherchime:
Itisanancientbellwithintheirthroats,Pulledbyanagedringer;withwhatgleeBefitstheyellowyesterdaysoftime。
Hewho’sforus,forhimarewe!
Sweetladies,youwithbeauty,youwithwit;
DoweredofallfavoursandallblessedthingsWhereattheruddytorchofLoveislit;
Whereforethisvainandoutwornstriferenew,Whichstaysthetidenomorethaneddy-rings?
Whoisforlovemustbeforyou-
Themannersofthemarket,honestsirs,’Tishardtoquitwhenyoubeholdthewares。
Youflatterus,orperchanceourmillinersYouflatter;sothisvainandoutwornSheMaystillbethecharmedsnaketoyoursoftairs!
AhigherlordthanLoveclaimwe-
Oneday,dearlady,missingthebroadtrack,Icameonawood’sborder,byamead,WheregoldenMayranuptomotedblack:
AndthereIsawQueenBeautyholdreew,WithLovebeforeherthroneinacttoplead。
Takehimforme,takeherforyou-
Ingeniousgentleman,thetaleisknown。
Lovepleadedsweetly:Beautywouldnotmelt:
Shewouldnotmelt:heturnedinwrath:herthroneTheshadowofhisbackfrozewitheringly,AndsobbingathisfeetQueenBeautyknelt。
OnotsuchslavesofLovearewe!-
Love,lady,likethestarabovethatlanceOfradianceflungbysunsetonridgedcloud,Sadasthelastlineofabraveromance!-
YoungLovehungdim,yetqueringroundhimthrewBeamsoffreshfire,whileBeautywanedandbowed。
ScornLove,anddreadthedoomforyou-
Calledshenotforhermirror,sir?ForthranHerwomen:Iamlost,shecried,whenlo,LoveintheformofanadmiringmanOncemoreinadorationbenttheknee,AndbroughtthefadedPagantofullblow:
Forwhichherthroneshegave:notwe!-
Myversion,madam,runsnottothatend。
Acertainmadnessofanhourhalfpast,Caughtherlikefever;herjustlordnofriendShefancied;aimedbeyondbeauty,andthencegrewTheprimacerbity,sweetLove’soutcast。
Greatheavenwardoffthatstrokefromyou!-
Yourprayertoheaven,goodsir,isgenerous:
HowgenerouslikewisethatyoudonotnameOffendednature!ShefromallofusCouchedidleunderneathourshoweringtree,Mayquitewithholdhermostdestructeflame;
Andthenwhatwoefulwomenwe!-
Quite,couldnotbe,fairlady;yetyouryouthMayruntodroughtinsionaryschemes:
Andalatewakingtoperceethetruth,Whendayfallsshroudinghersupremeadieu,Showsdarkerwastesthanunaccomplisheddreams:
Andthatmaybeinstoreforyou-
Osir,thetruth,thetruth!is’tintheskies,Orinthegrass,orinthisheartofours?
ButOthetruth,thetruth!themanyeyesThatlookonit!thedersethingstheysee,Accordingtotheirthirstforfruitorflowers!
Passon:itisthetruthseekwe。
Lady,thereisatruthofsettledlawsThatdownthepastburnslikeagreatwatch-fire。
Letyouthhailchangefulmornings;butyourcause,Whettingitsedgetocuttheraceintwo,Isfelony:youforfeitthebrightlyre,Muchhonourandmuchgloryyou!
Sir,wasitglory,wasithonour,pride,Andnotascatandserpentandpoorslave,Wherewithwewalkedinunionbyyourside?
Sparetofalsewomanlinessherdelicacy,Orbidtruemanlinessgeear,wecrave:
Inourdefencethuschainedarewe。
Yours,madam,weretheprilegesoflifePropertoman’sideal;youwerethemarkOfaction,andthebannerinthestrife:
Yea,ofyourveryweaknessonceyoudrewThestrengththatsoundsthewells,outfliesthelark:
Wrappedinarobeofflamewereyou!-
Yourfriendlooksthoughtful。Sir,whenwewerechill,Youclotheduswarmly;allinhonour!whenWestarvedyoufedus;allinhonourstill:
Oh,allinhonour,ultra-honourably!
Deepisthegratitudeweowetomen,Forprilegedindeedwerewe!
Youciteexceptions,madam,thataresad,Butcomeintheredstruggleofourgrowth。
Alas,thatIshouldhavetosayit!badIstwo-sexeduponearth:thiswhichyoudo,Showsanimalimpatience,mentalsloth:
Manmonstrous!piningseraphsyou!-
Ifainwouldaskyourfriend……butIwillaskYou,sir,howifinplaceofnumbersvague,YoursadexceptionsweretobreakthatmaskTheywearforyourcoolmindhistorically,AndblazelikeblacklistsofaPRESENTplague?
Butinthatlightbeholdthemwe-
Yourspiritbreathesamistuponourworld,Lady,andlikearaintopiercetheroofAnddrenchthebedwheretoil-tossedmanliescurledInhishard-earnedoblion!Youarefew,Scattered,ill-counselled,blinded:foraproof,Ihaveled,andhaveknownnonelikeyou。