Prince Amadis: 61ÔÇô70
LXI.
Alas! I much fear that poetic desire
Had grown in his heart, like a cosmical fire;
He had burned for a change, and had found the change there.
And a dream had been answered as if it were prayer!
LXII.
From the deeps of the Danube there rose right before him
A glorious spirit, with a light-halo o'er him,
Whose heart was transparent, yet visibly heaving,
With the light shining through, and yet real and living.
LXIII.
'Twas the essence of beauty, the spirit of earth,
The Kosmos, that lurked in the marvellous birth
Of the outlying universe, orbs without number,
Nothingness waked from its unmeaning slumber.
LXIV.
O who shall define this strange life of the world,
That for ever unfurls all the things that are furled,
A power unfatigued, and a life ever vernal,
Immaterial matter, and almost eternal.
LXV.
Like angel he seemed, with a look on his features
Of a human sort, dashed with the lowlier creatures,
And he seemed at each winnow to shake from his wings
The splendor of all terrestrial things.
LXVI.
He spoke, — what a voice of most musical sweetness,
Like streams in their flowing, like winds in their fleetness!
It was wildest enchantment, incredible bliss
To the listening heart of the Prince Amadis.
LXVII.
Art thou weary, he cried, of that intricate strife,
Which for lack of a better sad mortals call life;
Then change places with me, and deep shalt thou drink
Of the fountain that springs on eternity's brink.
LXVIII.
I will give thee my powers; thou wilt need to be brave;
My far-reaching subtlety too thou shalt have;
My science infused in thy spirit shall be;
Thou shall beat as the world-soul awhile, 'stead of me.
LXIX.
Thy mind shall be filled with all sweet shapes and shows;
Mute creation shall watch o'er thine equal repose;
And unmoral beauty shall be to thy soul
An incessant delight while the weary worlds roll.
LXX.
Beauty shall feed thee at heaven's own portals,
With an exquisite influx unknown to poor mortals;
Thou shalt drink of the sunstream of light as it flows,
And the sight of fair things be thy spirit's repose.
Alas! I much fear that poetic desire
Had grown in his heart, like a cosmical fire;
He had burned for a change, and had found the change there.
And a dream had been answered as if it were prayer!
LXII.
From the deeps of the Danube there rose right before him
A glorious spirit, with a light-halo o'er him,
Whose heart was transparent, yet visibly heaving,
With the light shining through, and yet real and living.
LXIII.
'Twas the essence of beauty, the spirit of earth,
The Kosmos, that lurked in the marvellous birth
Of the outlying universe, orbs without number,
Nothingness waked from its unmeaning slumber.
LXIV.
O who shall define this strange life of the world,
That for ever unfurls all the things that are furled,
A power unfatigued, and a life ever vernal,
Immaterial matter, and almost eternal.
LXV.
Like angel he seemed, with a look on his features
Of a human sort, dashed with the lowlier creatures,
And he seemed at each winnow to shake from his wings
The splendor of all terrestrial things.
LXVI.
He spoke, — what a voice of most musical sweetness,
Like streams in their flowing, like winds in their fleetness!
It was wildest enchantment, incredible bliss
To the listening heart of the Prince Amadis.
LXVII.
Art thou weary, he cried, of that intricate strife,
Which for lack of a better sad mortals call life;
Then change places with me, and deep shalt thou drink
Of the fountain that springs on eternity's brink.
LXVIII.
I will give thee my powers; thou wilt need to be brave;
My far-reaching subtlety too thou shalt have;
My science infused in thy spirit shall be;
Thou shall beat as the world-soul awhile, 'stead of me.
LXIX.
Thy mind shall be filled with all sweet shapes and shows;
Mute creation shall watch o'er thine equal repose;
And unmoral beauty shall be to thy soul
An incessant delight while the weary worlds roll.
LXX.
Beauty shall feed thee at heaven's own portals,
With an exquisite influx unknown to poor mortals;
Thou shalt drink of the sunstream of light as it flows,
And the sight of fair things be thy spirit's repose.
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