TokeepwatchwithdelightOntheharmonythere?
Ligeia!whateverThyimagemaybe,NomagicshallseverThymusicfromthee。
ThouhastboundmanyeyesInadreamysleep-
ButthestrainsstillariseWhich_thy_vigilancekeep-
ThesoundoftherainWhichleapsdowntotheflower,AnddancesagainIntherhythmoftheshower-
員hemurmurthatspringsFromthegrowingofgrass*TheAlbatrossissaidtosleeponthewing。?ImetwiththisideainanoldEnglishtale,whichIamnowunabletoobtainandquotefrommemory:-“Theverieessenceand,asitwere,springe-heade,andorigineofallmusicheistheveriepleasauntesoundewhichthetreesoftheforestdomakewhentheygrowe。”
Arethemusicofthings-
Butaremodell’d,alas!-
Away,thenmydearest,O!hietheeawayTospringsthatlieclearestBeneaththemoon-ray-
Tolonelakethatsmiles,Initsdreamofdeeprest,Atthemanystar-islesThatenjewelitsbreast-
Wherewildflowers,creeping,Havemingledtheirshade,OnitsmarginissleepingFullmanyamaid-
Somehaveleftthecoolglade,and*Havesleptwiththebee-
Arousethemmymaiden,Onmoorlandandlea-
Go!breatheontheirslumber,Allsoftlyinear,ThemusicalnumberTheyslumber’dtohear-
ForwhatcanawakenAnangelsosoon*Thewildbeewillnotsleepintheshadeiftherebemoonlight。
Therhymeinthisverse,asinoneaboutsixtylinesbefore,hasanappearanceofaffectation。Itis,however,imitatedfromSirW。Scott,orratherfromClaudHalcro-inwhosemouthIadmireditseffect:
O!werethereanisland,Tho’eversowildWherewomanmightsmile,andNomanbebeguil’d,&c。
WhosesleephathbeentakenBeneaththecoldmoon,AsthespellwhichnoslumberOfwitcherymaytest,TherythmicalnumberWhichlull’dhimtorest?”
Spiritsinwing,andangelstotheview,Athousandseraphsburstth’Empyreanthro’,Youngdreamsstillhoveringontheirdrowsyflight-
Seraphsinallbut“Knowledge。”thekeenlightThatfell,refracted,thro’thybounds,afarODeath!fromeyeofGoduponthatstar:
Sweetwasthaterror-sweeterstillthatdeath-
Sweetwasthaterror-ev’nwith_us_thebreathOfsciencedimsthemirrorofourjoy-
Tothem’tweretheSimoom,andwoulddestroy-
ForwhattothemavailethittoknowThatTruthisFalsehood-orthatBlissisWoe?
Sweetwastheirdeath-withthemtodiewasrifeWiththelastecstacyofsatiatelife-
Beyondthatdeathnoimmortality-
Butsleepthatponderethandisnot“tobe“-
Andthere-oh!maymywearyspiritdwell-
*ApartfromHeaven’sEternity-andyethowfarfromHell!
*WiththeArabiansthereisamediumbetweenHeavenandHell,wheremensuffernopunishment,butyetdonotattainthattranquilandevenhappinesswhichtheysupposetobecharacteristicofheavenlyenjoyment。
Unnorompidosueno-
Undiapuro-allegre-libreQuiera-
Libredeamor-dezelo-
Deodio-deesperanza-derezelo-_LuisPoncedeLeon_。
Sorrowisnotexcludedfrom“AlAaraaf。”butitisthatsorrowwhichthelivinglovetocherishforthedead,andwhich,insomeminds,resemblesthedeliriumofopium。ThepassionateexcitementofLoveandthebuoyancyofspiritattendantuponintoxicationareitslessholypleasures-thepriceofwhich,tothosesoulswhomakechoiceof“AlAaraaf“astheirresidenceafterlife,isfinaldeathandannihilation。
Whatguiltyspirit,inwhatshrubberydim,Heardnotthestirringsummonsofthathymn?
Buttwo:theyfell:forHeavennograceimpartsTothosewhohearnotfortheirbeatinghearts。
Amaiden-angelandherseraph-lover-
O!whereandyemayseekthewideskiesover
WasLove,theblind,nearsoberDutyknown?
*UnguidedLovehathfallen-’mid“tearsofperfectmoan。”
Hewasagoodlyspirit-hewhofell:
Awandererbymoss-y-mantledwell-
Agazeronthelightsthatshineabove-
Adreamerinthemoonbeambyhislove:
Whatwonder?Foreachstariseye-likethere,AndlookssosweetlydownonBeauty’shair-
Andthey,andev’rymossyspringwereholyTohislove-hauntedheartandmelancholy。
Thenighthadfoundtohimanightofwo
Uponamountaincrag,youngAngelo-
Beetlingitbendsathwartthesolemnsky,Andscowlsonstarryworldsthatdownbeneathitlie。
Heresatehewithhislove-hisdarkeyebentWitheaglegazealongthefirmament:
Nowturn’dituponher-buteverthenIttrembledtotheorbofEARTHagain。
“Iante,dearest,see!howdimthatray!
Howlovely’tistolooksofaraway!
*TherebetearsofperfectmoanWeptfortheeinHelicon-_Milton。_
Sheseem’dnotthusuponthatautumneveIlefthergorgeoushalls-normourn’dtoleave。
Thateve-thateve-Ishouldrememberwell-
Thesun-raydropp’d,inLemnos,withaspellOnth’ArabesquecarvingofagildedhallWhereinIsate,andonthedraperiedwall-
Andonmyeye-lids-Otheheavylight!
Howdrowsilyitweigh’dthemintonight!
Onflowers,before,andmist,andlovetheyranWithPersianSaadiinhisGulistan:
ButOthatlight!-Islumber’d-Death,thewhile,Stoleo’ermysensesinthatlovelyisleSosoftlythatnosinglesilkenhairAwokethatslept-orknewthatitwasthere。
ThelastspotofEarth’sorbItrodupon*Wasaproudtemplecall’dtheParthenon-
Morebeautyclungaroundhercolumn’dwall員hanev’nthyglowingbosombeatswithal,AndwhenoldTimemywingdiddisenthralThencesprangI-astheeaglefromhistower,AndyearsIleftbehindmeinanhour。
WhattimeuponherairyboundsIhungOnehalfthegardenofherglobewasflungUnrollingasachartuntomyview-
Tenantlesscitiesofthedeserttoo!
Ianthe,beautycrowdedonmethen,AndhalfIwish’dtobeagainofmen。”
“MyAngelo!andwhyofthemtobe?
Abrighterdwelling-placeishereforthee-
*Itwasentirein1687-themostelevatedspotinAthens。?ShadowingmorebeautyintheirairybrowsThanhavethewhitebreastsoftheQueenofLove-_Marlowe。_
Andgreenerfieldsthaninyonworldabove,Andwomen’sloveliness-andpassionatelove。”
“But,list,Ianthe!whentheairsosoft*Fail’d,asmypennon’dspiritleaptaloft,Perhapsmybraingrewdizzy-buttheworldIleftsolatewasintochaoshurl’d-
Sprangfromherstation,onthewindsapart,Androll’d,aflame,thefieryHeavenathwart。
Methought,mysweetone,thenIceasedtosoarAndfell-notswiftlyasIrosebefore,Butwithadownward,tremulousmotionthro’
Light,brazenrays,thisgoldenstarunto!
Norlongthemeasureofmyfallinghours,Fornearestofallstarswasthinetoours-
Dreadstar!thatcame,amidanightofmirth,AredD鎑aliononthetimidEarth。
“Wecame-andtothyEarth-butnottousBegivenourlady’sbiddingtodiscuss:
Wecame,mylove;around,above,below,Gayfire-flyofthenightwecomeandgo,Noraskareasonsavetheangel-nod_She_grantstous,asgrantedbyherGod-
But,Angelo,thanthinegreyTimeunfurl’dNeverhisfairywingo’erfairierworld!
Dimwasitslittledisk,andangeleyesAlonecouldseethephantomintheskies,WhenfirstAlAaraafknewhercoursetobeHeadlongthitherwardo’erthestarrysea-
Butwhenitsgloryswell’duponthesky,AsglowingBeauty’sbustbeneathman’seye,*Pennon-forpinion-_Milton_。
Wepaus’dbeforetheheritageofmen,Andthystartrembled-asdothBeautythen!”
Thus,indiscourse,theloverswhiledawayThenightthatwanedandwanedandbroughtnoday。
Theyfell:forHeaventothemnohopeimpartsWhohearnotforthebeatingoftheirhearts。
KINDsolaceinadyinghour!
Such,father,isnotnowmytheme-
IwillnotmadlydeemthatpowerOfEarthmayshrivemeofthesinUnearthlypridehathrevell’din-
Ihavenotimetodoteordream:
Youcallithope-thatfireoffire!
Itisbutagonyofdesire:
IfI_can_hope-OhGod!Ican-
Itsfountisholier-moredivine-
Iwouldnotcalltheefool,oldman,Butsuchisnotagiftofthine。
KnowthouthesecretofaspiritBow’dfromitswildprideintoshame。
O!yearningheart!IdidinheritThywitheringportionwiththefame,ThesearingglorywhichhathshoneAmidthejewelsofmythrone,HaloofHell!andwithapainNotHellshallmakemefearagain-
O!cravingheart,forthelostflowersAndsunshineofmysummerhours!
Th’undyingvoiceofthatdeadtime,Withitsinterminablechime,Rings,inthespiritofaspell,Uponthyemptiness-aknell。
Ihavenotalwaysbeenasnow:
Thefever’ddiademonmybrowIclaim’dandwonusurpingly-
HathnotthesamefierceheirdomgivenRometotheCaesar-thistome?
Theheritageofakinglymind,AndaproudspiritwhichhathstrivenTriumphantlywithhumankind。
OnmountainsoilIfirstdrewlife:
ThemistsoftheTaglayhaveshedNightlytheirdewsuponmyhead,And,Ibelieve,thewingedstrifeAndtumultoftheheadlongairHavenestledinmyveryhair。
SolatefromHeaven-thatdew-itfellMiddreamsofanunholynight
Uponme-withthetouchofHell,WhiletheredflashingofthelightFromcloudsthathung,likebanners,o’er,Appearedtomyhalf-closingeyeThepageantryofmonarchy,Andthedeeptrumpet-thunder’sroarCamehurriedlyuponme,tellingOfhumanbattle,wheremyvoice,Myownvoice,sillychild!-wasswellingO!howmyspiritwouldrejoice,Andleapwithinmeatthecry
Thebattle-cryofVictory!
TheraincamedownuponmyheadUnshelter’d-andtheheavywindWasgiantlike-sothou,mymind!-
Itwasbutman,Ithought,whoshedLaurelsuponme:andtherush-
ThetorrentofthechillyairGurgledwithinmyearthecrushOfempires-withthecaptive’sprayer-
Thehumofsuiters-andthetoneOfflattery’roundasovereign’sthrone。
Mypassions,fromthathaplesshour,Usurp’datyrannywhichmenHavedeem’d,sinceIhavereach’dtopower;
Myinnatenature-beitso:
But,father,thereliv’donewho,then,Then-inmyboyhood-whentheirfireBurn’dwithastillintenserglow,Forpassionmust,withyouth,expire
E’en_then_whoknewthisironheartInwoman’sweaknesshadapart。
Ihavenowords-alas!-totellThelovelinessoflovingwell!
NorwouldInowattempttotraceThemorethanbeautyofafaceWhoselineaments,uponmymind,Areshadowsonth’unstablewind:
ThusIrememberhavingdweltSomepageofearlyloreupon,Withloiteringeye,tillIhavefeltTheletters-withtheirmeaning-meltTofantasies-withnone。