Thatisthedoctrine,simple,ancient,true;
Suchislife’strial,asoldearthsmilesandknows。
Ifyoulovedonlywhatwereworthyourlove,Lovewerecleargain,andwhollywellforyou:
Makethelownaturebetterbyyourthroes!
Giveearthyourself,goupforgainabove!
VIII。BesidetheDrawing-Board。
1。”AslikeasaHandtoanotherHand!”
Whoeversaidthatfoolishthing,CouldnothavestudiedtounderstandThecounselsofGodinfashioning,Outoftheinfiniteloveofhisheart,ThisHand,whosebeautyIpraise,apartFromtheworldofwonderlefttopraise,IfItriedtolearntheotherwaysOflove,initsskill,orlove,initspower。”AslikeasaHandtoanotherHand”:[10]
Whosaidthat,nevertookhisstand,Foundandfollowed,likeme,anhour,Thebeautyinthis,——howfree,howfineTofear,almost,——ofthelimit-line!
AsIlookedatthis,andlearnedanddrew,Drewandlearned,andlookedagain,Whilefastthehappyminutesflew,Itsbeautymountedintomybrain,Andafancyseizedme;IwasfainToeffacemywork,beginanew,[20]
KisswhatbeforeIonlydrew;
Ay,layingtheredchalk’twixtmylips,Withsoultohelpifthemerelipsfailed,Ikissedallrightwherethedrawingailed,KissedfastthegracethatsomehowslipsStillfromone’ssoullessfinger-tips——
*Lines27-87{below——therestofthissectionexceptthelasttwolines}
wereaddedintheeditionof1868;theyclearuptheobscurityofthissectionofthepoem,asitstoodintheoriginaleditionof1864——
2。
’Tisaclaycast,theperfectthing,FromHandliveonce,deadlongago:
Princess-likeitwearstheringTofancy’seye,bywhichweknow[30]
ThathereatlengthamasterfoundHismatch,aproudlonesoulitsmate,AssoaringgeniussanktogroundAndpencilcouldnotemulateThebeautyinthis,——howfree,howfineTofearalmost!——ofthelimit-line。
Longagothegod,likemeTheworm,learned,eachinourdegree:
Lookedandloved,learnedanddrew,Drewandlearnedandlovedagain,[40]
Whilefastthehappyminutesflew,TillbeautymountedintohisbrainAndonthefingerwhichoutviedHisartheplacedtheringthat’sthere,Stillbyfancy’seyedescried,Intokenofamarriagerare:
Forhimonearth,hisart’sdespair,Forhiminheaven,hissoul’sfitbride。
3。
LittlegirlwiththepoorcoarsehandIturnedfromtoacoldclaycast——[50]
Ihavemylesson,understandTheworthoffleshandbloodatlast!
NothingbutbeautyinaHand?
Becausehecouldnotchangethehue,MendthelinesandmakethemtrueTothiswhichmethissoul’sdemand,——
WouldDaVinciturnfromyou?
Ihearhimlaughmywoestoscorn——”ThefoolforsoothisallforlornBecausethebeauty,shethinksbest,[60]
Livedlongagoorwasneverborn,——
BecausenobeautybearsthetestInthisroughpeasantHand!Confessed`Artisnullandstudyvoid!’
Sosayestthou?SosaidnotI,Whothrewthefaultypencilby,Andyearsinsteadofhoursemployed,LearningtheveritableuseOffleshandboneandnervebeneathLinesandhueoftheoutersheath,[70]
IfhaplyImightreproduceOnemotiveofthemechanism,FleshandboneandnervethatmakeThepoorestcoarsesthumanhandAnobjectworthytobescannedAwholelifelongfortheirsolesake。
Shallearthandthecrampedmoment-spaceYieldtheheavenlycrowninggrace?
Nowthepartsandthenthewhole!
Whoartthou,withstintedsoul[80]
Andstuntedbody,thustocry`Ilove,——shallthatbelife’sstraitdole?
Imustlivebelovedordie!’
ThispeasanthandthatspinsthewoolAndbakesthebread,whylivesiton,Poorandcoarsewithbeautygone,——
Whatusesurvivesthebeauty?Fool!”
Go,littlegirlwiththepoorcoarsehand!
Ihavemylesson,shallunderstand。
IX。OnDeck。
1。
Thereisnothingtorememberinme,NothingIeversaidwithagrace,NothingIdidthatyoucaretosee,NothingIwasthatdeservesaplaceInyourmind,nowIleaveyou,setyoufree——
St。1。NothingIdidthatyoucaretosee:referstoherart-work。
2。
Conceded!Inturn,concedetome,Suchthingshavebeenasamutualflame。
Yoursoul’slockedfast;but,loveforakey,Youmightletitloose,tillIgrewthesameInyoureyes,asinmineyoustand:strangeplea!
3。
Forthen,then,whatwoulditmattertomeThatIwastheharsh,ill-favoredone?
Webothshouldbelikeaspeaandpea;
Itwaseversosincetheworldbegun:
So,letmeproceedwithmyreverie——
St。3。Hereitisindicatedthatshehadnotthepersonalcharmswhichwereneededtomaintainherhusband’sinterest。
Aprettyfacewasmoretohimthanadeeplovingsoul。
4。
Howstrangeitwereifyouhadallme,AsIhaveallyouinmyheartandbrain,You,whoseleastwordbroughtgloomorglee,WhoneverliftedthehandinvainWillholdmineyet,fromoverthesea!
5。
Strange,ifaface,whenyouthoughtofme,Roselikeyourownfacepresentnow,Witheyesasdearintheirduedegree,Muchsuchamouth,andasbrightabrow,Tillyousawyourself,whileyoucried”’TisShe!”
6。
Well,youmay,youmust,setdowntomeLovethatwaslife,lifethatwaslove;
Atenureofbreathatyourlips’decree,Apassiontostandasyourthoughtsapprove,Arapturetofallwhereyourfootmightbe——
St。6。vv。3-5expresstheentiredevotionandsubmissivenessofherlove。
7。
ButdidonetouchofsuchloveformeComeinawordoralookofyours,Whosewordsandlookswill,circling,fleeRoundmeandroundwhilelifeendures,——
CouldIfancy”AsIfeel,thusfeelsHe”;
8。
Why,fadeyoumighttoathinglikeme,Andyourhairgrowthesecoarsehanksofhair,Yourskin,thisbarkofagnarledtree,——
Youmightturnmyself!——shouldIknoworcare,WhenIshouldbedeadofjoy,JamesLee?
ATale。
Epilogueto`TheTwoPoetsofCroisic’。
1。
WhataprettytaleyoutoldmeOnceuponatime——Saidyoufounditsomewherescoldme!
Wasitproseorwasitrhyme,GreekorLatin?Greek,yousaid,Whileyourshoulderproppedmyhead。
2。
Anyhowthere’snoforgettingThismuchifnomore,Thatapoetpray,nopetting!
Yes,abard,sir,famedofyore,Wentwheresuchlikeusedtogo,Singingforaprize,youknow。
3。
Well,hehadtosing,normerelySingbutplaythelyre;
PlayingwasimportantclearlyQuiteassinging:Idesire,Sir,youkeepthefactinmindForapurposethat’sbehind。
4。
Therestoodhe,whiledeepattentionHeldthejudgesround,——Judgesable,Ishouldmention,TodetecttheslightestsoundSungorplayedamiss:suchearsHadoldjudges,itappears!
5。
Nonethelesshesangoutboldly,Playedintimeandtune,Tillthejudges,weighingcoldlyEachnote’sworth,seemed,lateorsoon,Suretosmile”InvainonetriesPickingfaultsout:taketheprize!”
6。
When,amischief!WeretheysevenStringsthelyrepossessed?
Oh,andafterwardseleven,Thankyou!Well,sir,——whohadguessedSuchillluckinstore?——ithappedOneofthosesamesevenstringssnapped。
7。
Allwaslost,then!No!acricketWhat”cicada”?Pooh!——
SomemadthingthatleftitsthicketFormereloveofmusic——flewWithitslittleheartonfire,Lightedonthecrippledlyre——
St。7。”Cicada”:doyousay?
Pooh!:that’sbringingthemysteriouslittlethingdowntotheplaneofentomology。
8。
SothatwhenAhjoy!oursingerForhistruantstringFeelswithdisconcertedfinger,WhatdoescricketelsebutflingFieryheartforth,soundthenoteWantedbythethrobbingthroat?
9。
Ayand,evertotheending,Cricketchirpsatneed,Executesthehand’sintending,Promptly,perfectly,——indeedSavesthesingerfromdefeatWithherchirruplowandsweet。
10。
Till,atending,allthejudgesCrywithoneassent”Taketheprize——aprizewhogrudgesSuchavoiceandinstrument?
Why,wetookyourlyreforharp,SoitshrilledusforthFsharp!”
11。
Didtheconquerorspurnthecreature,Onceitsservicedone?
That’snosuchuncommonfeatureInthecasewhenMusic’ssonFindshisLotte’spowertoospentForaidingsoul-development——
St。11。whenMusic’sson,etc。:aflingatGoethe。
12。
No!Thisother,onreturningHomeward,prizeinhand,Satisfiedhisbosom’syearning:
Sir,Ihopeyouunderstand!——
Said”SomerecordtheremustbeOfthiscricket’shelptome!”
13。
So,hemadehimselfastatue:
Marblestood,life-size;
Onthelyre,hepointedatyou,Perchedhispartnerintheprize;
NevermoreapartyoufoundHer,hethroned,fromhim,shecrowned。
14。
That’sthetale:itsapplication?
SomebodyIknowHopesonedayforreputationThroughhispoetrythat’s——Oh,AllsolearnedandsowiseAnddeservingofaprize!
15。
Ifhegainsone,willsometicket,Whenhisstatue’sbuilt,Tellthegazer”’TwasacricketHelpedmycrippledlyre,whoseliltSweetandlow,whenstrengthusurpedSoftness’placei’thescale,shechirped?
16。”Forasvictorywasnighest,WhileIsangandplayed,——
Withmylyreatlowest,highest,Rightalike,——onestringthatmade`Love’soundsoftwassnaptintwain,Nevertobeheardagain,——
17。”Hadnotakindcricketfluttered,PerchedupontheplaceVacantleft,anddulyuttered`Love,Love,Love’,whene’erthebassAskedthetrebletoatoneForitssomewhatsombredrone。”
18。
Butyoudon’tknowmusic!WhereforeKeeponcastingpearlsToa——poet?AllIcareforIs——totellhimthatagirl’s”Love”comesaptlyinwhengruffGrowshissinging。There,enough!
Confessions。
1。
Whatishebuzzinginmyears?”NowthatIcometodie,DoIviewtheworldasavaleoftears?”
Ah,reverendsir,notI!
2。
WhatIviewedthereonce,whatIviewagainWherethephysicbottlesstandOnthetable’sedge,——isasuburblane,Withawalltomybedsidehand。
3。
Thatlanesloped,muchasthebottlesdo,FromahouseyoucoulddescryO’erthegarden-wall:isthecurtainblueOrgreentoahealthyeye?
4。
Tomine,itservesfortheoldJuneweatherBlueabovelaneandwall;
Andthatfarthestbottlelabelled”Ether”
Isthehouseo’er-toppingall。
5。
Ataterrace,somewhatnearthestopper,Therewatchedforme,oneJune,Agirl:Iknow,sir,it’simproper,Mypoormind’soutoftune。
6。
Only,therewasaway……youcreptClosebytheside,tododgeEyesinthehouse,twoeyesexcept:
Theystyledtheirhouse”TheLodge”。
7。
Whatrighthadaloungeruptheirlane?
But,bycreepingveryclose,Withthegoodwall’shelp,——theireyesmightstrainAndstretchthemselvestoOes,8。
Yetnevercatchherandmetogether,Asshelefttheattic,there,Bytherimofthebottlelabelled”Ether”,Andstolefromstairtostair,9。
Andstoodbytherose-wreathedgate。Alas,Weloved,sir——usedtomeet:
Howsadandbadandmaditwas——
Butthen,howitwassweet!
Respectability。