^mfiimM::
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 RIVERSIDE
 
 ■U iV-
 
 THE * _ 
 
 eiopinc^ngbb: 
 
 
 wijaM^ 
 
 ighOONtELKlN-lfernEW^-

 
 !/lN'raU.EN''^n 
 
 
 'poem^Knovvir^vffx^''he» vvi Ih 
 
 t not" vvlK)l^''/Tippajnt ^*rvch f ^ 
 
 • ^^'^ can^alone • j vj^h^ntrtiixrcription 

 
 Written in September and October 1S92. 
 
 W W
 
 Faust, on a day, and Mephistopheles, 
 
 In the dead season, were supremely bored. 
 
 ' What shall we do, our jaded souls to please ? ' 
 Said Faust to his Familiar and his lord. 
 
 ' All pleasures have we tasted at our ease, 
 All byways of all sin have we explored. 
 
 What shall we do, our jaded souls to please?' 
 
 'Ah, what indeed?' said Mephistopheles.
 
 To whom thus Faust : ' My Mephisto, thou art 
 A devil of exceeding rich resource ; 
 
 Hast in thy time played every human part, 
 And braved the shafts of archangelic Force ; 
 
 Thou carriest Hghtly in thy brain a chart 
 Of all the worlds, and every planet's course : 
 
 Canst not procure us, by thy wit's rare power, 
 
 Admission into heaven for half-an-hour ?
 
 ' Thou know'st the approaches well ; didst learn to scale 
 The starriest heights, in thy distinguished Past : 
 
 The Seraphim as comrades thou couldst hail, 
 And with Saint Peter an old friendship hast. 
 
 Some private influence surely would avail, 
 
 Joined with the prestige of thy name and caste. 
 
 'Twould mightily amuse me, I declare, 
 
 For once to see how wags the world up there.'
 
 Then Mephisto : ' You vastly underrate 
 The hazards and the dangers, my good Sir. 
 
 Peter is stony as his name ; the gate, 
 Excepting to invited guests, won't stir. 
 
 'Tis long since he and I were intimate : 
 We differed ; — but to bygones why refer ? 
 
 However, there 's no want of windows ; you 
 
 Could get a glimpse of heaven by peeping through.'
 
 So, on the wings of magic power, these twain 
 Ascended through the steep and giddy night ; 
 
 And soon this earth and all it doth contain 
 Shrank to a point of hesitating light, 
 
 Till, as they climbed those altitudes inane, 
 The battlements celestial dawned in sight. 
 
 And domes and turrets made one golden gleam 
 
 Splendid beyond all splendour born of dream.
 
 Unto a window in the heavenly wall, 
 
 A casement open to the night, they came, 
 
 When Mephisto addressed his charge and thrall 
 ' This sort of prank, to me, is rather tame. 
 
 And my concern with Paradise is small : 
 My int'rests lie elsewhere ; but all the same, 
 
 You, as a stranger, might do worse than cast 
 
 A glance inside : most probably, your last.'
 
 ' Soft ! ' answered Faust, ' I hear a voice within, 
 And if it be not some enamoured youth 
 
 Breathing warm words a maiden's heart to win, 
 Like any mortal wooer, in good sooth 
 
 Thou 'rt not the great artificer of sin. 
 Nor I a seeker after hidden truth. 
 
 Nay, sure enough — look ! — what a charming pair ! 
 
 Such eyes she has ! And that auroral hair ! '
 
 Faust had not erred. These angels were indeed 
 Two human lovers, who, by sudden fate, 
 
 Full early from the yoke of life being freed, 
 Renewed their vows in that celestial state. 
 
 Now Faust, although immoral, was, I need 
 Hardly affirm, a gentleman. ' I hate,' 
 
 He said, ' to play the spy at scenes like this.' 
 
 So he coughed loudly on their whispering bliss.
 
 ' Immortal Spirits ! Beatitudes divine ! 
 
 Behold/ he said, ' two wanderers from that star 
 Whence haply ye too hail : whose glories shine 
 
 Lost in deep space, so faint and pale they are. 
 If ye will graciously an ear incline, 
 
 And parley with us travellers from afar, 
 Fain would we learn such news as may be given 
 Of what — in short — is going on in heaven.' 
 
 0^
 
 lO 
 
 ' Friends, for such tidings ye in vain apply 
 To me,' the radiant Youth Angeh'c said. 
 We lead a life withdrawn, this maid and I, 
 Nor love the life by other angels led — 
 
 All idle hymns of praise to the Most High. 
 Our one supreme desire is to be wed, 
 
 And we were even now concerting schemes 
 
 How to escape and realise our dreams.
 
 II 
 
 * For here in heaven no marrying is, nor yet 
 Giving in marriage, and we dwell debarred 
 
 From that full tie whereon our hearts are set — 
 An inhibition surely somewhat hard. 
 
 One only hindrance — a most serious let — 
 Doth still the moment of our flight retard : 
 
 To wit, this garb angelic, which on earth 
 
 Would comment cause, and haply move to mirth.'
 
 12 
 
 ' No bar at all ! ' quoth Mephisto the shrewd. 
 
 'You shall change wardrobes with my friend and me. 
 Our earthly vesture when you have endued, — 
 
 'Tis somewhat picturesque, as you may see, — 
 Across the interstellar solitude 
 
 Safely to earth (dear planet !) you shall flee. 
 You have my blessing, both of you. And now 
 We will effect the exchange, if you '11 allow.'
 
 13 
 
 Merely to will, when spirit with spirit deals, 
 Is to perform. The bargain once being made, 
 
 Faust, in a thought, appears from head to heels 
 Clad in the garments of the angel-maid, 
 
 She in his own ; the devil quite pious feels, 
 In garb of heaven becomingly arrayed ; 
 
 While the Bright Lover clothes divine desire 
 
 In most unhallowed and unblest attire.
 
 14 
 
 So Faust and his companion entered, by 
 
 The window, the abodes where seraphs dwell. 
 
 ' Already morning quickens in the sky, 
 
 And soon will sound the heavenly matin-bell ; 
 
 Our time is short,' said Mephisto, 'for I 
 Have an appointment about noon in hell. 
 
 Dear, dear ! why, heaven has hardly changed one bit 
 
 Since the old days before the historic split.'
 
 15 
 
 But leave we now this enterprising pair, 
 Faust the explorer, Mephisto the guide, 
 
 And follow yon bright fugitives in their 
 Ethereal journey whither mortals bide. 
 
 Across the wastes of space and fields of air 
 Tireless they sped, and soon this orb descried, 
 
 Hung like a fairy lamp with timid gleam 
 
 From the great branches of the Solar Scheme.
 
 i6 
 
 She, on the earth, a village girl, and he 
 
 A prince had been. 'Twas pure romance of love, 
 
 Idyllic and ideal as could be. 
 
 All policy and prudence far above. 
 
 And when he fell in glorious battle, she 
 
 Could not survive him, poor, white, mateless dove ! 
 
 And now on earth they stepped once more, and met 
 
 The ghosts of old dead kisses deathless yet.
 
 17 
 
 'Twas morn. The lark was making for the sky 
 The ploughman was returning to his plough. 
 
 ' Unto my father's palace we will fly,' 
 
 Said the angelic Prince. ' Another, now, 
 
 Sits on his throne, but loyally will I 
 
 Serve him, and gladly to his sceptre bow ; 
 
 And us, I doubt not, he will entertain. 
 
 And cheerly bid us welcome home again.'
 
 i8 
 
 So, to the royal palace having flown, 
 
 And in no form or due observance failed, 
 
 With mien of homage they approached the throne ; 
 But the poor craven king in terror quailed, 
 
 Shrieking : ' More spectres ! Out, ye sprites, begone ! 
 Have all my exorcists not yet availed 
 
 To rid mc of these ghostly plagues that make 
 
 Life dreadful, if I sleep or if I wake ? '
 
 19 
 
 Then, with sad eyes compassionate, the twain 
 Faded from out the presence, nothing loth 
 
 The presence of the fields and skies to gain. 
 And she, the queen of his rich love and troth, 
 
 Spake very softly : ' Dearest, wilt thou deign 
 To seek my father's cottage, where for both 
 
 Shall room and welcome be ? for he doth own 
 
 A heart more royal than thy kinsman's throne.'
 
 20 
 
 Unto her father's cot they took their way. 
 
 They found him leaning on his gate, white-haired, 
 Full of the memory of a former day. 
 
 Calmly he greeted them, like one prepared 
 For loftiest visitants, as who should say : 
 
 ' My son and daughter, that so far have fared, 
 I have awaited you this many a year. 
 Enter and rest, my son and daughter dear.'
 
 21 
 
 And entering in, they veiled their heavenly sheen 
 In homely vesture, and themselves resigned 
 
 To homely tasks. A milkmaid or a queen, 
 
 Her had you deemed : an emperor him, or hind. 
 
 Of port majestic, yet of humblest mien — 
 
 Immortals, thrilled with touch of mortal kind — 
 
 To notes of earth they gave a sphery tone, 
 
 And knit the hearts of all things with their own.
 
 22 
 
 So there they stayed, and to the neighbours few 
 The story of their earthward flight revealed ; 
 
 And more than paradisal bhss they drew 
 From the familiar life of hearth and field. 
 
 Content with pleasures which the lowliest knew, 
 The wealth which all things unto all things yield, 
 
 They vowed that nought should ever them decoy 
 
 Back to their selfish heaven of unearned joy.
 
 Yet theirs were many griefs, for evermore 
 
 They made the pangs of other hearts their own, 
 
 Feeling all pain they saw ; and thus they bore 
 The burden of the universal moan, 
 
 Wept with all tears, and with all wounds were sore. 
 But likewise all the joy by others known 
 
 Became their joy ; and in the world-wide scale. 
 
 Pleasure, they found, o'er pain did still prevail.
 
 24 
 
 So, on the earth, as angels they remained, 
 Yet more than angels, being lovers too ; 
 
 All their celestial loveliness retained, 
 And evermore in earthly sweetness grew. 
 
 Thus lost they nothing of divine, and gained 
 Everything human save what men must rue, 
 
 Uniting all below with all above, 
 
 Linking the stars and flowers in perfect love.
 
 25 
 
 But being deathless, ever 'twas their doom, 
 Loving their fellows, to lament them dead. 
 
 Age after age, they saw the opening tomb, 
 And saw it close upon a comrade's head. 
 
 Yet what the grave took from them, that the womb 
 Gave back ; ' for death is but a form,' they said, 
 
 ' Birth a convention : nought is less or more ; 
 
 And nature but rcclaimeth to restore.' 
 
 D
 
 26 
 
 And still they tarry. I have met them oft, 
 With their pure voices and caressing eyes. 
 
 You hear the rustle of their raiment soft, 
 And, looking up, behold with no surprise 
 
 The coronal they never yet have doffed, 
 The lucid aureole worn in Paradise : 
 
 Nor can you marvel that they never cared 
 
 For joys which only idle angels shared.
 
 27 
 
 ' I think,' said Faust — himself and Mephisto 
 Had just returned from their ethereal jaunt- 
 
 ' This earth is still the nicest place I know. 
 It always teases me when people flaunt 
 
 Their own superior bliss before me, so 
 Aggressively, as in that sinless haunt 
 
 Where we have just been privileged to see 
 
 The dulness of entire felicity.
 
 28 
 
 ' And then, their bHss itself — no objects new 
 Tempting the soul for ever forth to press ! 
 
 One goal attained, another half in view, 
 One riddle solved, another still to guess, 
 
 Something subdued, and something to subdue. 
 Are the conditions of our happiness. 
 
 I know no harsher ordinance of fate 
 
 Than the stagnation of your perfect state.'
 
 29 
 
 ' All which,' said Mephisto, ' I 've heard before. 
 
 Well, you and I no risk need apprehend 
 Of being stranded on that tedious shore. 
 
 From all such perils we are safe, my friend, 
 So make yourself quite easy on that score, 
 
 And your great mind to other matters bend. 
 Meanwhile, old fellow, Earth for you and me ! 
 {Aside.) How he will take to my place, we shall see.'
 
 Edinburgh : T. and A. Constable 
 Printers to Her Majesty
 
 (StLitionsin 
 csyMifisOitn?.
 
 London, Vigo Street, W, 
 1893- 
 
 ELKIN MATHEWS & JOHN LANE'S 
 
 List of New and Forthcoming Books 
 
 WATSON (WILLIAM) The Eloping Angels: a Caprice. 
 Title-page and Cover designed by Warrington Hogg. 
 Square i6mo, 3s. 6d. net, uniform with the Author's volume 
 ' Epigrams. ' 
 
 Also 250 copies L. P., on Dickinson's hand-made paper, Imperial i6mo, 
 7s. 6d. net, and 75 copies on Japanese vellum, 50 of which are for 
 sale, 15s. net. 
 
 WATSON (WILLIAM) Excursions In Criticism : being 
 some Prose Recreations of a Rhymer. Fcap. 8vo, 5s. net. 
 
 Also so copies L. P., on hand-made paper, 12s. 6d. net. [All sold. 
 
 WATSON (WILLIAM) The Prince's Quest, and othrk 
 Poems. Second Edition. Crown 8vo, 4s. 6d. net. 
 ',* Uniform with the Author's ' Poems.' (MacmillaiiN.)
 
 2 ELKIN MATHEWS &' JOHN LANE'S LIST— Continited. 
 
 WEDMORE (FREDERICK) Renunciations. (A Chemist 
 in the Suburbs — A Confidence at the Savile — The North 
 Coast and Eleanor.) Post 8vo, 3s. 6d. net. 
 
 Also 50 copies L. P., los. 6cl. net. 
 
 WILDE (OSCAR) Salomi^ : Drame en UN Acte. First 
 Edition limited to 600 copies (500 of which are for Sale) 
 for Paris and London, 8vo, 5s. net. 
 
 *»* 'Salom6' has been accepted by Madame Bernhardt, but, as is well 
 known, the Lord Chamberlain refused the licence. 
 
 NOBLE (J. ASHCROFT) The Sonnet in England, and 
 OTHER Essays. Title-page and Cover designed by 
 Austin Young. Small 8vo, 5s. net. 
 
 Also so copies L. P., Dickinson hand-made, 12s. 6d. net. 
 
 DAVIDSON (JOHN) Fleet Street Eclogues, 
 
 [/n preparation. 
 
 SYMONDS (JOHN ADDINGTON) In the Key of Blue, 
 and other Prose Essays. With Cover (blue-bells and 
 laurel) specially designed by C, S, Ricketts, Crown 8vo, 
 8s. 6d. net. 
 
 Also so copies on Dickinson hand-made paper, £1, is. net. [All sold.
 
 ELKIN MATHEWS Sf JOHN LANE'S LIST— Cont/tnie-/. 3 
 
 NETTLESHIP (J. T.) Robert Browning: Essays and 
 Thoughts. Second Edition. Crown 8vo, 7s. 6d. 
 
 SCOTT {WILLIAM BELL) A Poet's Harvest Home, 
 with an Aftermath. Post i2mo, Ss. net. 
 
 Also 50 copies on Japanese vellum, 12s. 6d. net. 
 
 HAZLITT (WILLIAM) Liber Amoris ; or, The New 
 Pygmalion. With an Introduction by Richard Le 
 Gallienne. i2mo, 5s. net. 
 
 Also 50 copies L. P., on Arnold hand-made paper, 12s. 6d. net. 
 
 LE GALLIENNE (RICHARD) English Poems. Second 
 Edition, i2mo, 5s. net. [Large Paper copies all sold. 
 
 LE GALLIENNE (RICHARD) George Meredith : Some 
 Characteristics. With a Bibliography by John Lane. 
 Third Edition, Crown 8vo, Ss. 6d. net. 
 
 LE GALLIENNE (RICHARD) The Religion of a Liter- 
 ary Man. i2mo, 3s. 6d. net, and a limited edition on 
 hand-made pajjcr, los. 6<1. net. [In preparation.
 
 4 ELKIN MATHEWS 6^ JOHN LANE'S LIST— Continued. 
 
 HALLAM (ARTHUR) Poems of. Reprinted from the scarce 
 ' Remains in Verse and Prose,' 1834. Also his critique 
 from the ' Enghshman's Magazine,' 1831, 'On some of the 
 Characteristics of Modern Poetry and on the Lyrical Poems 
 of Alfred Tennyson.' With an Introductory Note by 
 Richard Le Gallienne. Small 8vo, 5s. net. 
 
 Also 50 copies on hand-made paper, 12s. 6d. net. 
 
 DE GRUCHY (AUGUSTA) Under the Hawthorn, and 
 other Verses. With Frontispiece by Walter Crane. 
 Crown 8vo, 5s. net. 
 Also 30 copies on Japanese vellum, 15s. net. 
 
 GRAY (JOHN) SiLVERPOiNTS (Poems). Printed in Italics. 
 With Ornaments by C. S. Ricketts. Long i2mo, 7s. 6d. net. 
 
 Also 25 copies L. P., on hand-made paper. Bound in English vellum, 
 £1, IS. net. 
 
 VAN DYKE (HENRY) The Poetry of Tennyson. Third 
 Edition, enlarged and revised. Crown 8vo, 5s. 6d. net. 
 
 The additions consist of a portrait, two extra chapters, and the Chrono- 
 logy expanded. The Laureate himself gave valuable aid in the 
 correction of various details. 
 
 IMAGE (SELWYN) Poems. With decorations by Herbert 
 Percy Horne. i2mo, 5s. net.
 
 ELKIN MATHEWS &> JOHN LANE'S \AST-Continued. 5 
 
 DE TABLEY (LORD) Poems Dramatic and Lyrical. 
 By John Leicester Warren, Lord DeTabley, M.A., 
 F.S.A. With 5 Illustrations, and Cover (Rose-petals) 
 designed by C. S. Ricketts, and Book-plate by W\ Bell 
 Scott. Crown 8vo, 7s. 6d. net. A limited number on 
 Japanese paper. 
 
 JOHNSON (LIONEL) The Art of Thomas Hardy : Six 
 Essays. With Etched Portrait from Life by William 
 Strang, and a Bibliography by John Lane. Crown 8vo, 
 5s. net. 
 Also a limited number on Large Paper, £1, is. net. 
 
 MEYNELL (MRS.) The Rhythm of Life, and other 
 Essays. Fcap. 8vo, 5s. net. 
 Also so copies L. P., on hand-made paper, i2S. 6d. net. 
 
 MEYNELL (MRS.) Poems. Fcap. 8vo, 5s. net. 
 
 Also 50 copies L. P. , on hand-made paper. 
 
 WICKSTEED (P. H.) Dante: Six Sermons. Third 
 Edition, much improved. Crown 8vo, 2s. net. 
 
 FIELD (MICHAEL) Stephania : a Triai.ogue, in Three 
 Acts. Frontispiece, Colophon, and Ornament for binding 
 designed by Selwyn Image. Pott 410, 6s. net.
 
 6 ELKIN MATHEWS 6^ JOHN LANE'S LIST— C<7«('/>»«/'rt. 
 
 FIELD (MICHAEL) Sight and Song. (Poems on Pictures.) 
 121110, 5s. net. (Very few remain.) 
 
 HAMILTON (COL. IAN, V.C.) The Ballad of Hadji, 
 AND OTHER PoEMs. Etched Frontispiece by William 
 Strang. i2mo, 3s. net. 
 
 BROTHERS IN SONG. (Poems.) By Richard Le 
 Gallienne, Norman Gale, and A. Hayes. Printed 
 at the Rugby Press on hand-made paper. Small 8vo, 
 300 copies, los. 6d. net ; 50 Large paper, ;^i, los. net.
 
 ELKIN MATHEWS <&» JOHN LANE'S LIST-Ccntinued. 
 
 The Hobby Horse 
 
 A new series of this illustrated mngazine will be published 
 quarterly by subscription, commencing January 1893, u'lder 
 the Editorship of Herbert P. Home. Subscription £1 per 
 annum, post free, for the four numbers, beginning with the 
 January number of each year. Quarto, printed on hand-made 
 paper, and issued in a limited edition to subscribers only. 
 The Magazine will contain articles upon Literature, Music, 
 Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, and the Decorative Arts; 
 Poems ; Essays ; Fiction; original Designs; with reproduc- 
 tions of pictures and drawings by the old masters and 
 contemporary artists. There will be a new title- 
 page and ornaments designed by the Editor. 
 Among the contributors to the 
 Hobby Horse are : 
 
 Thp. late Matthew Arnold. 
 
 Lawkencf. Binvon. 
 
 WiLKKiD Blunt. 
 
 FoKD Mauox Bkown. 
 
 The late Akthur Burgess. 
 
 e. boknk-jones, a.r.a. 
 
 Austin Dohson. 
 
 Richard (Jarnktt, I.L.D. 
 
 A. J. Hn'RiN";, K.S.A. 
 
 Selwvn Image. 
 
 Lionel Johnson. 
 
 Richard Le Gallienne. 
 
 Sir K. Lfighton, Bart., P.R.A. 
 
 T. )ioi'E .McLachlan. 
 
 Mav Morris. 
 
 C. Hui'.KHT H. Parry, Mus. Doc. 
 
 A. W. I'ollard. 
 
 F. York Powell. 
 Christina G. Rossetti. 
 W. M. Rossetti. 
 
 John Ruskin, D.C.L., LL.D. 
 Fkkdekick .Sandys. 
 W. Bkll Scott. 
 Frederick J. Shields. 
 
 J. H. ShORI HOUSE. 
 
 Jami;s .Smetham. 
 Simeon Solomon. 
 a. somervkll. 
 J. Addington Svmonds. 
 Katharine 1 vnan. 
 
 G. F. Watts, R.A. 
 Frhderick Wedmore. 
 Oscar Wiluk. 
 
 Etc Etc. 
 
 THE BODLEY HEAD, VIGO STREET, LONDON, W.
 
 WVs
 
 UC SOUTHERN Rf r.^'N'". ' iBRARY F'^CIUTY 
 
 AA 000 606 838 i 
 
 I NIVCn'"ITY OF CA., PIVEHSIDELIBRAI 
 
 3 121001179 0316