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EXLIBRiSjIf III 
 
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MANSOUL 
 
 {Or, THE RIDDLE OF THE WORLD) 
 
 By CHARLES M. DOUGHTY 
 
 LONDON 
 
 SELWYN & Blount 
 
 21 YORK BUILDINGS, ADELPHI, W.C. 2 
 
 1920 
 

 TO THE MUSE OF BRITAIN 
 
 I 
 
 47946 
 
 ii> 
 
Maestro ai canto 
 Aitro io men ebbi che me stesso ; e un Dio 
 Leggiadre istorie sempre al cor m' inspire. 
 
 Odissea xxii., 347. 
 
 Prove all things ; hold fast that which is good. 
 
 Paid the Aged. 
 
 Trad. Ma^pero. 
 
BOOK I 
 
 THE MUSES GARDEN 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 BOOK I 
 
 As chanced I sate on terrace of an house, 
 In summer season, after sickness past ; 
 And fell, surprised my sense, into deep trance : 
 Wherein meseemed, much musing in my thought : 
 I cogitations heard, of many hearts ; 
 That came and went, in mantowns market-place. 
 Whereon I looked. And in my spirit I asked ; 
 What were indeed right paths of a man's feet ; 
 That lacking light, wont stumble in Worlds murk. 
 
 One called and I beheld in looking up, 
 Of divine stature, Britains Foster-Muse ! 
 With eyes of living light, as stars of God. 
 The same was she I saw, which erst me taught, 
 Mongst Colin's crew, to sound a tuneful reed, 
 On Alban's hills, amongst my herding feres. 
 Her blissful Voice, anew me bade to rise, 
 
 3 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 And follow forth. 
 
 O'er uplands wide, o'er hills' 
 Uneven ranks, Her divine footsteps led. 
 Nor tarried She, nor once looked back, nor spake. 
 Last almost spent my spirits, in so long course ; 
 When Sun gan, stooping low, withdraw his light ; 
 And shepherd's star shine out with silver crest ; 
 Her divine Presence faded from my seeing. 
 
 Swart-veiled, approached stern Goddess of the 
 
 Night ; 
 Standing, in gryphon- drawn, swift-wheeled iron 
 
 charet, 
 Erect ; She ebbing Tide o'er-rides of Light ; 
 And shortly war-slain shrouds, neath Earths cold 
 
 breast. 
 Then all waxed dark, save that the Gods have set. 
 To shine eternally, in heavens hollow coast ; 
 Stars' infinite watch, their witness to all wights. 
 
 Mine Islands Muse, had led me to Worlds brinks ; 
 That likewise might receive, recovered health ; 
 My soul new strength. 
 
 Come morning ray at length ; 
 I saw one Minimus walk, in dewless bent ; 
 That bitter only brackish herbs brings forth ; 
 Which stiffened lies, in Summer drought, as bronze : 
 What rests, is drizzling dunes of lifeless sand. 
 
 4 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 In that Sun-stricken inhuman wasteful ground ; 
 Which no man passeth through, nor way is found ; 
 Nor shadow is, in days heat, of any cloud ; 
 He, blackened in the Sun, an anchorite, 
 A son of Peace ; had sometime sought Life's Path ; 
 If haply he might there hear Celestial Voice. 
 Whence purged, from false Illusions, of base flesh ; 
 His spirit might attain before his death. 
 Unto heavenly vision. 
 
 Slow of limb, forwatcht, 
 And dull of sense, forwandered the long night ; 
 He neath mute stars had laid him down at length : 
 And on wild craig-stone, pillows now his head. 
 Methought I heard, whiles Minimus slumbers 
 
 fast. 
 The Muses voice, saying, One henceforth my spirit 
 Should be with his. 
 
 Was later in my trance ; 
 When Suns great eye flamed. Lamp of all the 
 
 Earth, 
 With withering heat, o'er that sered idle dust : 
 I heard, hoarse murmuring tumult as of Sea 
 Deeps long-maned wave-rows, beating boisterous ; 
 And rushing billows like to raging scour 
 Of ravening wolves ; wide whelming on sea-cliff^s. 
 And creaking- winged mews' clamour, cleping loud, 
 
 5 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 O'er long fore-shore : and gazing thitherward 
 
 viewed, 
 The uncouth appearance of Huge Wight, hke- 
 
 shaped ; 
 But passing human nature manifold. 
 Whose substance was not flesh : but thence ascend, 
 Seemed like strange reeling steep infolding cloud. 
 Of human souls such multitude He comprised ; 
 As clustered blebs, some greater and some less ; 
 We see oft in wind-driven floe of foam. 
 In day of storm, on some tempestuous strand. 
 With more than human voice, great Mansoul 
 
 cried : 
 For This was He, and cited Heavenly Powers. 
 Might not winds breath, of all the Earth suffice ; 
 For mortals' sighs, of Worlds long ages past ; 
 And that which now hath course. 
 
 Beat thick my heart, 
 And me misgave, as still I wondering gazed ; 
 When letting down his feet, as sea-fowl doth ; 
 He seemed to light, on brow of yonder cliff : 
 Where standing, whilst spersed wind-gusts his 
 
 great voice ; 
 He impleaded heaven ! 
 
 Days light in wilderness ceased ; 
 Blind Night, without dew-fall, descends anon. 
 
 6 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Then saw I, on last twilight ray, star- wain 
 To Earth down-slide, from mansion of the Gods. 
 Whence toucht to dim now confines of the World : 
 Stept Hertha* forth. Earth-goddess, on Worlds 
 
 mould ; 
 Returned then, from an heavenly See She hath. 
 On mountain top ; where with sky-dwelling GodSj 
 She Earth-Mother useth daily to converse. 
 (Of pearl that chariot seemed, She left on ground.) 
 
 Though Night Earth shrouds, about Her there 
 is light ; 
 Save that veils Her majestic countenance such, 
 Wreathed vapouring mist, as shrouds oft an hills 
 height. 
 
 As Hertha incedes divine ; from distaff presst, 
 Twixt cubit and lithe venerable flank : 
 She outdraweth and spinneth much carded golden 
 
 fleece. 
 And nimble-fingered, multipresent Goddess ; 
 She eachwhere, (though uneath to be understood) ; 
 In so wide World, continually weaves thereof; 
 The seemly raiment, of all living things. 
 
 Immortal words. Her august lips divided. 
 Tongue of the Gods. Methought the sense in 
 
 part 
 As thus, amidst my trance, I understood. 
 
 •Hektha : Earth Mother Goddess, of the Angles. 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 When I bethink me of my former births : 
 Whether they go on ground, or fly amidst 
 The winds of heaven, or in my waters swim ; 
 I endowed them each one in their several kinds, 
 As might serve, to fulfilHng of their hves. 
 
 Last I, child of mine age, brought forth Mans 
 
 kin ; 
 Founded, like framed as theirs, his mortal being ; 
 But more infirm than most : nor clothed his 
 
 flesh, 
 With fur or feathers, from skies' crabbed cold : 
 When winds blow out and Sun forsakes the Earth, 
 And rain beats on wood-leaves. In recompense 
 Whereof; him mind and speech, to his souls health, 
 I gave. 
 
 Whence then Worlds bitter cries, that cease 
 Not in mine ears, of human souls undone. 
 What, and thy days be pain and few, O Man ! 
 Sufficeth thee not, thy mind the Lordship hath ; 
 O'er all that liveth and moveth upon Earths dust } 
 Ceiled with the Glory of Heavens Firmament. 
 
 Come dayspring, I Mansoul saw now to hove ; 
 As cloud before a morrows breath, removes. 
 I rose up, and meseemed impelled my steps ; 
 Towards mountain-cleft, where He before had 
 passed. 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Strait which I presently have reached ; whose 
 
 crooked cHffs, 
 With legends saw I and with names o'erwrit : 
 In whose sand, prints were, of passed thousand 
 
 feet. 
 Great Mansoul multivoiced I heard beyond : 
 Bellowing, From living World, he would descend, 
 As was ordained, to souls beneath the Earth : 
 To enquire wisdom, of Worlds ages past. 
 And Hertha I heard, goddess grave- voiced, 
 
 respond. 
 
 HERTHA. 
 
 Therein hast thou, O Man, my countenance. 
 And entrance thou shalt find, by my Caves mouth 
 Midst rocks, nigh hand ; to them which once were 
 
 flesh ; 
 Whose thousand generations dead, laid up ; 
 In that great House of Darkness, rest beneath. 
 
 And know, before thine hour thou shalt not pass. 
 Fear not : those also in my Bosom sleep. 
 Moreover I, before thy living steps, 
 Amidst those storied deeps, will send my Voice. 
 Guide to thy feet and Guardian of thy life : 
 Till thou, in hour prefixt, from thence revert, 
 
 9 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 The valley above, lies parted in two heads. 
 In that, where led those footprints, Mansoul hoved. 
 My steps, compelled, in this continued forth. 
 I reached ascending, soon, large cliff-crowned garth ; 
 Which smiled embayed, all with greenness glad ; 
 Where sliding water-brooks bubbled from white 
 
 sand. 
 There washed and worshipped Heaven, with 
 
 lifted palms : 
 Discharged was of her sometime weariness, 
 My mortal sense ; old jarrings of blind flesh. 
 And souls ignoble fret ; and healed those harms, 
 Which slay Mans rest, of self-consuming smart. 
 And having slaked thereat mine eager thirst ; 
 I slumbered till a turtles' gentle flock, 
 That feared not yet Mans shape ; folding from 
 
 flight 
 Their rattling wings ; lighted on vermeil feet ; 
 Jetting, with mincing pace, their iris necks ; 
 With crooling throat-bole ; voice of peace and rest ; 
 All round about me, at that their drinking-place. 
 Thence faring upward, towards that waters' 
 
 source ; 
 Which, full of sunbeams, gurgles from hid grot, 
 In ivy-embow'red mossy steep above : 
 And oft sunk up, reneweth as oft her course ; 
 In channels clear ; surging from gilded sand : 
 
 10 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 I stayed, where pleasant grassy holms depart ; 
 Those streaming waters, bordered all along ; 
 With daphne and willow herb, sweet sedge, laughing 
 
 robin ; 
 With woodbind garlanded and sweet eglantine, 
 And azure-hewed in creeky shallows still. 
 Forget-me-nots lift our frail thoughts to heaven. 
 Broods o'er those thy my eyots drowsy hum ; 
 Bourdon of glistering bees, in mails of gold. 
 Labouring from sweet to sweet, in the long hours 
 Of sunny heat ; they sound their shrill small clarions. 
 And hurl by booming dors, gross bee-fly kin ; 
 (Broad girded, diverse hewed, in their long pelts ;) 
 That solitary, whiles there light endureth. 
 In Summer skies, each becking clover- tuft haunt. 
 
 The Sister-Muses' garden hence begins : 
 Which planted for delight have their own hands ; 
 With laurel-rose, the long caved brinks beside. 
 In purple ranks, and midst the pebble streams. 
 
 I ascending forth, came to a deep swart pool, 
 Like liquid flint ; which partly a mirror sheen, 
 Is else a swimming nap of gracious lilies : 
 Whose buds and chalice-blosms, so purely white, 
 Be fairies' drinking-cups : o'er whose broad leaves, 
 Trip dainty water-fowl, on slender feet. 
 
 For faeries' gentle Nation wont to send 
 
 B II 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Thereto, a yearly solemn embassade ; 
 
 Which due obeissnce to the Muses made : 
 
 Do, humbly embraced their divine knees, entreat ; 
 
 If any fay or elf, by foot or voice. 
 
 In the late Moons, unv^itting have trespassed 
 
 Those sacred precincts, pardon. And their vow^s 
 
 Renew, to observe the goddess-Sisters' bests. 
 
 These pluck, and set before the little folk, 
 Of their ambrosial fruit, then blissful meat ; 
 And name them guests : and bid them dwell and 
 eat. 
 
 In bowers of roses wild, of cinnamon smell ; 
 Whose long arms, ment with gentle eglantine ; 
 Wounden with many a withwinds flowering trail ; 
 Their hands have taught, to lend a sprinkled shade : 
 The Muses, with the glad-eyed Graces met ; 
 Dight garlands and weave chaplets for their heads : 
 When those forwearied, with fond worldly wights* 
 Discourse ; resort to this delicious place : 
 Where spring-tide ever smiles, and glad consent 
 Them greets of warbling birds, from all green 
 
 boughs : 
 And naught their sense offends, twixt sand and 
 stars. 
 
 A little apart, whereas those streams run slow ; 
 Are cabans green, shrouded in thicket place ; 
 Of living hazel boughs and branches knit ; 
 
 12 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Wattled with neighbour wooing withy wands. 
 And there a margent is, of whitest sand : 
 Whereas sequestered, and all veiled from view ; 
 They bathe, whenso them lists, their gracious limbs. 
 
 Over the wandering streams, lie open lawns 
 And laurel grove ; and trees there grow beyond. 
 All other than today in World be found. 
 Whose plenteous boughs bear, blessed of the Gods, 
 Immortal fruits and blossoms at one tide : 
 Whence flowry fragrant breath is wafted wide 
 Abroad, with sweetness of the honey-comb. 
 
 The Sisters thither, in Sunsetting hours, 
 Wont to resort, whenas cool rising breath 
 Is whispering wide ; and linked in lovely wise, 
 They by those channels shire, in fere, dispace. 
 
 Where their soles tread, all flowers again unfold 
 As to new Dawn ; and amorous clip about 
 Their divine feet, whereas they hap to pass. 
 Pale asphodel, jacinth, goldilocks, yellow flags ; 
 Perfect in beauty, as gems of trembling clay 
 And living gold. 
 
 And sith, their wont it is, 
 Enranged all sitting on the flowery grass ; 
 (Smiles gather then each moment on their lips ; 
 And blossom as the flowers, and fade in bliss :) 
 That sacred golden-ringed lockt Choir entreat ; 
 
 13 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Of deep sweet secret things of Heaven and Earth, 
 And therein communing with divine insight ; 
 They deathless lofty numbers meditate, 
 And songs weave of the Sun ; which well attuned, 
 To harmony of the spheres, with heavenly voice ; 
 Lifted from Earth, they intone all in one. 
 
 Whereto bass rumour of the waters fall ; 
 Whose cataracts poise shakes misty cliffs above, 
 With bagpipes' drone ; whence seemeth arrayed 
 
 the World 
 In sunny hours, with a celestial veil ; 
 According well, makes ceaseless undersong, 
 And heard to sound is in the Muses' ears 
 An harp divine, unwist of human sense : 
 When pass by, unseen footsteps of the Gods, 
 On height. 
 
 Sisters, that pause a while to rest ; 
 Somewhiles do reach back their w^hite hands, to 
 
 taste ; 
 Of dulcet clusters of the trellised vine ; 
 Which hang down ready at the hollow brinks ; 
 And them refresh. Nor seld, in lighter mood ; 
 They amongst them vie, bathing their twinkling 
 
 feet ; 
 Who best can roundels weave, in the cool wave. 
 
 Yet otherwhiles, playing on silver wires ; 
 Singmg thereto, some mock in quaint accord ; 
 
 H 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Seas hollow surges' fall on sullen strand ; 
 
 And grave receding hum, in pebble-stone: 
 
 Or Dawns shrill medleyed babble of early birds ; 
 
 And Summers breath, in the bleak poplar leaves. 
 
 The Sisters saw I not ; a rainbow path 
 Saw I remained, aloft their sojourning place : 
 Whereby they lately were passed forth, to grace ; 
 (Presence divine !) a shepherds marriage-feast. 
 
 Whilst yet I in that Pleasance roamed and gazed : 
 Cool rumbhng brook, sliding with liquid foot, 
 Twixt flowery banks ; trembling like watery light : 
 I came to a fishpool, mirror of clear skies ; 
 Where wont the Sisters tire their jacinth locks. 
 And wind them in thick tress : where feed their 
 
 hands, 
 A golden scaled voiceless finny drove. 
 There, angry at mine intruded stranger foot ; 
 Knee-deep in water-mints, loose-strife, flowering 
 
 rush ; 
 A ruffling swan, proud warden of that plot ; 
 Plunged from his nest, and vehement breasts 
 
 outforth. 
 Ascending from that streams glad garden-ground ; 
 So fair to look upon, mine eyes discerned ; 
 Neath yonder hanging of the valleys hill ; 
 Seven enranged, thrones shining against the Sun 
 Of marble white. On them the Muses sit ; 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 When tidings to them from the stars, be brought. 
 
 Reached thither, I beheld a sacred wood ; 
 Environed round with unhewn antique stones : 
 Where none might enter, not initiate : 
 In Muses* heaven- derived intimate Art. 
 
 Voice called me ; and hastily a myrtle grove I 
 passed : 
 And under sailing cedars' perfumed boughs ; 
 Wherein were hanging nests of sacred-doves. 
 Soon, in their midst, a Sanctuary I beheld ; 
 Not haughty, nor yet lowly ; whose open front, 
 Embellished was with fretted marble w^ork. 
 
 Nor laid mens hands had courses of these walls : 
 But each stone drawn from craig-stewed mountain- 
 ground ; 
 Was raised in days of the old Golden World ; 
 Into its place, as to us delivered is : 
 By the all-prevailing Sun Gods harmonies. 
 
 Therein a glad-eyed priestess-maiden, clothed 
 In pure white line, on ever-burning hearth ; 
 An hallowed flame betes, that gleaned sheaf ere 
 
 was. 
 Of sunbeams ; whiles yet in Earth-World dwelled 
 
 Gods. 
 Whence fuming incense doth embalm his brain ; 
 Who, a Muses nourseling, can interpret face 
 Of skies, seas aspect, stars' cold influence ; 
 
 i6 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 And wind and woods* and floods' inanimate voice ; 
 Lives creatures cries, in whom is pulse and breath ; 
 And metely endite thereof, in deathless verse ; 
 Thereto the vestals' consecrated hands, 
 In daily service, tine the golden lamps ; 
 Pendent from gilded roof-tree of the House : 
 Figuring, as stars in dark World, vates' Hght. 
 And midst the Sanctuary court, a palm-stem 
 
 rears. 
 Which tree-of life is named, her peerless head. 
 Nor waxeth old, in Suns succeeding years. 
 The sacred plant ; whose golden mammels bears 
 The maidens daily meat, ambrosial fruit. 
 
 And a broad-leaved fig flourisheth fast beside 
 The porch ; whose wild wreathed roots, without 
 
 the walls ; 
 Drink in their season flinty nourishment ; 
 Of seldom trickling torrents droughty bed : 
 Which flows when heavens timely rains descend ; 
 From eaves and dripping shelves of nigh craig- 
 
 cliff. 
 
 Already I ware was of a Power divine, 
 Which hitherto had me led. Then like a dream, 
 Of Dawn with radiance crowned, the Muse of 
 
 Britain ; 
 Revealed was wholly to my pensive vision ; 
 
 17 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 In ivory stall enthroned, immortal bright, 
 Amidst the Temple-House. 
 
 Her pupils shone, 
 Neath twin bent brows, as Lydian bow conjoined ; 
 As I upon them gazed, like living wells ; 
 Of starry undying light and divine gladness : 
 Whose subtle streams look, all-confounding forth, 
 That might in World offend. A fillet binds 
 Her ringed bright locks, with Britains pearls beset. 
 
 Her watchet vesture broidered is, high-girt ; 
 (The bosom sheen upgathered in large lap ; 
 For Virgin-Mother is the foster Muse ;) 
 With silver threads. That precious needle- work. 
 Figuring wind-kisst field flowers of the White 
 
 Isle ; 
 Fell gracious stately-pleated to Her feet ; 
 Hewed as we sea-shells see within appear. 
 Whereon were laced, with curious device 
 Of antique art, in purple leathern work ; 
 Buskins, whose shining knops were Albans gold. 
 
 I Her reverenced, as uplandish wight behoved 
 But lest I might offend, no word I spake. 
 Her lips, like roses budded, I beheld ; 
 Like gate of pearls, the pale-rows of her teeth : 
 When opened She Her gracious lips to speak. 
 
 i8 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 THE MUSE 
 
 Being yet in life, that is so feeble spark, 
 Which hangeth on daily bread and mortal breath: 
 Durst thou, in frailty of that thy clay ling flesh ; 
 Descend with Mansoul, thou, tofore thy death ; 
 Thou an offspring of d^d flesh, in Worlds beneath ; 
 To fearful converse hold, with pulseless spirits : 
 That in dark Realm of souls forgotten, sleep : 
 Touching hid knowledge and more perfect paths ? 
 
 Thereto, must thou all lively cheer forsake, 
 Thy trade of life. Worlds wonted fellowship : 
 To be sad guest of Hells* tremendous House ; 
 Where Time is not : hear rusty adamant doors. 
 Of stone, clapt fearful to, behind thy back ; 
 Bars drawn ; and still thou to continue forth ! 
 
 Know furthermore, is Hells Abysm unlike, 
 Fantastic dream of any groundling wit. 
 There unhewn sunless labyrinthine crypts, 
 And fearful bays, lie ever further forth : 
 Where, in their thousand generations, sleep. 
 From all World's coasts, souls after their deserts ; 
 Laid up, deep under deep ; more than trees' leaves ; 
 Could they be numbered, and Earths blades of grass. 
 
 *Hell : An Anglo-Saxon word, and meaning no more than the 
 hidden or covert place. 
 
 19 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 With bowed head, I responded, in my trance ; 
 Nathless I jeopardy would what few days* Hfe, 
 May yet to me remain, before I pass : 
 And might, even darkly, O Foster, I approach ; 
 To that Chief One, of the eternal mysteries ; 
 Which hidden is from foundation of the Earth. 
 
 MUSE 
 
 Seeing that thy purpose deign and worthy is ; 
 Thou hast my countenance, in thine Enterprise : 
 But what soul hath returned, from Earth beneath ! 
 
 One of the precious gem-set ceiled cups, 
 Laid up with vessel of the Temples service ; 
 The priestess fetcht then, as prescribed the Muse ; 
 And, from a gold-lipped silver ewer, it filled : 
 And to me from the altar. Her hand brought. 
 
 Drink ! quoth the Muse : the sustenance of 
 this cup ; 
 (From whence exhaled ambrosial sprinkling breath) ; 
 Shall save thy soul ahve, in pit of Death. 
 
 The Temple-maiden had aforetime scruzed, 
 Nepenthe and clary and moly ; herb kinds found 
 
 only. 
 In covert place, midst there sequestered rocks ; 
 A sovereign juice, and mingled in the cup. 
 
 When had I tasted of that divine sap ; 
 
 20 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 I, in all my being, felt spring new quickening 
 
 warmth ; 
 Of virtue to redeem Mans soul from death. 
 Seemed lose its former poise this fleshly dross ; 
 And spirit increase, in strength and hardiness : 
 To steadfastly affront, in Worlds beneath ; 
 Whatso there might betide. 
 
 Whilst reverent yet 
 I stood before the Muse, Her further speech 
 Attending with bowed head ; and durst not 
 
 gaze, 
 Too rashly on stature above the human mould, 
 Unveiled ; the vestal from the Treasury brought. 
 To me unwist, and hanged about my neck, 
 A gem-stone bright, which shining of itself. 
 Should light before our steps, in Underworlds 
 
 voyage. 
 Nor least. She lady, in taking further thought. 
 Bestowed on mine unworth, the walking-staff 
 Which in Her hand ; to uphold in dread paths, 
 My steps. 
 
 Moreover, Her voice, melodious ; 
 More dulcet than was ever shepherds reed : 
 A croc of nard, set on an aumbry shelf ; 
 With incense and oil olive, for the wicks ; 
 Me bade uptake ; and to anoint therewith, 
 
 21 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 The thrall, wherein my soul is pent, this flesh ; 
 Come to dark ground of Hell-deeps first descent ; 
 From living light, at door of dread Abyss. 
 And thereto do-on also, Her last gift ; 
 (Which likewise brought the Temple-priestess 
 
 forth) : 
 Shroud-like swart Orphic garment, of Worlds grave. 
 Yet, more than all, (Her divine afterthought ;) 
 From certain inmost secret sealed recess. 
 Made in the marble walHng of the House, 
 Unwist : the Muse committed to my trust, 
 With curious antique diligence, wrapped about. 
 With many silken cloths ; that master-work. 
 Above all worth, which sometime Merlin wrought ; 
 With dwarves which served him, in a bower of 
 
 glass : 
 Strange mirror, which those Earth-folk burnished 
 
 clear. 
 Therein we might, the sacred Muse me taught : 
 It deftly wrying, after certain sort ; 
 Shadowed discern, through mountain-height of 
 
 rocks. 
 Dim image of this Sun-kisst Upper Earth : 
 Our hope in Hell ; to comfort of our hearts. 
 
 But sovereign virtue of that the Muses' cup : 
 Already a vital change I might perceive 
 Within me wrought : whence I the space henceforth, 
 
 22 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Of many days should need no mortal bread. 
 
 The priestess sithence turning golden leaves ; 
 Read from a chapter, as prescribed the Muse ; 
 Words of the Gods, which might not be rehearsed : 
 But past Hells voyage, from mind again should 
 
 fade. 
 Of power to loose even adamantine bands : 
 And evoke forepassed spirits, which swoon in 
 death. 
 
 The Muse yet spake. Remember ye, which seek 
 Hid things, with high intent, in Worlds beneath ; 
 Must warily tread : aye ready, as ye pass forth. 
 To endure, unknown before extremities. 
 Other before you, whom no fear might daunt ; 
 With fervent great desire, the like have sought. 
 Of whom the most deceived of their souls' hope ; 
 Have perished midst blind hazard of Hell-paths ; 
 Seeing hitherto none returned to living Earth. 
 
 From ivory see, that saying, the Muse uprose, 
 Bidding me sue ; and Lady of heavenly birth 
 She issued forth : and hastily thence we trace. 
 
 From that balsamic paradise soon we pass : 
 Of harmonies full and silver trembling streams. 
 Whose sound breeds dreamless sleep whose 
 
 freshing brinks, 
 Be bordered all with amaranthine flowers 
 Of orient hews, so blissful to behold. 
 
 23 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 And there an orchard, whereof who shall taste 
 Shall live eternally : where, (their hearts desire ;) 
 Sounds to few chosen ears, the Muses' voice. 
 
 And there more quick is found a breathing air 
 Than in the world without. A garden set, 
 Midst wilderness of forlorn sHding sand. 
 Which chequered, wreathed and weaved in wild 
 
 cross-paths 
 Of thousand-footed Earth-riding Spirits of Winds. 
 But entered cragged place, towards Valley-of- 
 
 Death ; 
 Cumbered with shapeless quarters of swart rocks ; 
 Where divine footsteps might not further pass ; 
 She stayed and spake : 
 
 To Mansouls Underworlds voyage ; 
 Know, (and hardly I, of the inexorable Fates 
 It yester have obtained, to whom I sought :) 
 A month appointed is of the Suns days. 
 
 Whiles yonder New Moon fills Her horns, increase 
 Shall your souls' force beneath. What days She 
 
 wanes ; 
 They promise (so ye fail not in your faiths) ; 
 Home-coming, safe from that dread Enterprise. 
 Thus saying, She deigned breathe on me : and 
 
 in that seemed 
 The deathless Muses divine foster spirit ; 
 Like wafted sunbeams from some primrose bank. 
 
 24 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 With her last words yet sounding in mine ears. 
 Celestial, as voice from the holy stars ; 
 Nourseling, farewell, the Gods thee speed and^save ; 
 Her divine presence faded from my seeing. 
 
 Gan, as enforcedly, then my steps to pace ; 
 Towards mountain-strait, where Mansoul lately 
 
 passed : 
 Walled up to skies, where broods eternal Night, 
 O'er mournful steeps. Swart-leaved wood-shaw 
 
 I pass ; 
 Neath crumpled boughs, aye dripping baleful mist ! 
 On sleep-compelling canker-v/orts beneath, 
 Black hellebore and rank-smelling deadly dwale 
 And br\^ony, and other more, I know not well : 
 The Furies' garden-knots ; whose snaky entrailed 
 Locks, wrapped about my feeble knees and feet. 
 
 And must I, mortal wight, of few days' life ; 
 Thy glory, O Sun, great Father of days light ; 
 Thy benign warm.th, whence kindly life on earth ; 
 For shadow of deadly Underworld, now forsake ! 
 
 Gaunt, hollow-eaved, with overhanging rocks, 
 Is that grim gap ; as stiffened were blown seas 
 Great rampant folding wave to sudden stone. 
 Ray it, of heavens wide cheerful light receives, 
 Uneath, when Worlds clear Summer-day it is ; 
 
 25 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 And night-time only of some malignant star. 
 
 Under that vault, gapes salvage sullen cave, 
 To Hertha dedicate ; who is Goddess both, 
 Of living World, and dread Tartarus, Earth 
 
 beneath. 
 One of whose glooming caves, in Earths West part. 
 Is this den in hid cliff, which far-down leadeth ; 
 To Underworlds. 
 
 Awhile w^ith foot suspent ; 
 I irresolute stood without, at the caves mouth ; 
 Where Mansoul I beheld, already arrived. 
 Not such, indeed, as had I seen him erst : 
 Since thousand souls, too fearful for that Quest, 
 Hath Mansoul shed. Nor few had fleshly death 
 In the mean season, 'spersed. In him the rest, 
 Be flowed together, to one Manlike being. 
 
 Calm is his port, his old complaining ceased ; 
 As boisterous seas assuaged, late-frowning, face : 
 Whereon descended Angel is of Peace. 
 And this day in proud humility hath Hertha 
 
 Goddess ; 
 To parley with Mansoul, Herself abased : 
 Gracing him ; whom She taught, in this grim 
 
 place ; 
 Faith, Measure, Fortitude and Right-mindedness. 
 
 Tangled mongst stinking nettles, wicked herbs ; 
 
 26 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Cumbered 'midst craigs and briars, as serpents' 
 
 teeth, 
 My wounded feet ; I now them wrested forth : 
 And Herthas vault, derne cave of Hving rock ; 
 With Mansoul and with Minimus, have I passed. 
 
 27 
 
BOOK II 
 
 THE DESCENT 
 
BOOK II 
 
 Though lost days gladsome gleam; Worlds 
 
 lingering ray, 
 Shows clustered stony trunks, from floor to roof, 
 Of Herthas cave. Nor were we without light, 
 Before our further steps. 
 
 Had Hertha, a torch 
 Bestowed on Mansoul ; that a gleaned sheaf erst 
 Was of stars' rays shed on Her mountain- top. 
 And it should shine before our halting steps ; 
 In Underworlds dark Voyage, now to begin. 
 Till to first circuit of those Radious Rocks, 
 Where sleep the faithful Dead ; whose dust, men 
 
 laid. 
 Whom comforts yet the Sun, our feet arrive. 
 On me and Minimus, had there charge been 
 
 laid, 
 Unwist of us (one-twain) ; that from henceforth. 
 We on manifold Mansoul should attend ; whereof. 
 We unwitting likewise were least several part. 
 
 31 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Bearing forth Herthas torch, in glooming cave, 
 Mansoul led on before us. I held fast 
 In hand, as we groped forth, the Muses staff : 
 Whiles more and more the trode, towards dread 
 
 Abyss ; 
 Seemed sink and fall away from under us. 
 
 Way of the dead, where all day-labours cease ; 
 Is this we living tread, with troubled hearts. 
 We go down, to be guests of griesly Death ; 
 In Hells tremendous House, before our deaths. 
 Full seemed of whispers, each new horrid place : 
 Phantasms flit forth, before our fearful steps. 
 
 Reached to that gallery's ending, derne and still ; 
 That seemed iron closure of eternal tomb ; 
 Revealed was fateful door of massy stone. 
 There was my weed fell off me of itself. 
 Whence I, recording precept of the Muse ; 
 Anointed with that Temple-chrism my flesh : 
 And did-on Orphic garment of Worlds Grave. 
 
 Thus shrouded, like to clay-cold corse, I knocked ; 
 With that was in mine hand, the Muses staff, 
 (As Mansoul bade,) thrice, on that squalid port : 
 And fearful echoed, living noise in Hell ; 
 And rumbled dread in Region derne, far off. 
 
 Reeled on its pivots, that ports rusty mass : 
 And He who, as had it never been removed, 
 
 32 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Now slowly it revolved, regardeth us ! 
 
 Loath charnel-breath smote, smother of the grave, 
 On our lives' sense : an horror of endless great 
 Darkness of Under-Earth, covered, compassed us. 
 
 A fleshless griesly hand laid on the lock ; 
 That hollow-jo wled dread Portent of a wight, 
 Spake ; Your Intent ? There enters here no flesh ; 
 Herein no lives-way lieth : and narrowly us 
 He viewed. Some Ruler seemed he of Underworld ; 
 And ghostly sounds his voice. 
 
 For hearts constraint, 
 
 Might hardly I utterance frame of faltering lips. 
 
 Responding to that Doorward, then I said : 
 
 We Wisdom seek, whereas it may be sought. 
 
 And might we, in recompense of just Heavens 
 
 best gift ; 
 
 Unto us men. Speech and Understanding Mind, 
 
 As diver, groping neath gross waters' weight 
 
 On seas dark ground, the while with-holding 
 breath ; 
 
 Bring, were it but an emmets burden up. 
 Of very Sooth, to day and living light ! 
 That phantom Porter pronounced ghostly, Pass ! 
 Deaths iron-strong cragged Gate, our feet have 
 passed. 
 We tread in, on grave-dust. Great silent weight 
 Is fallen on us of an Eternal Night ! 
 
 33 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 The footfall made, of our entranced flesh, 
 
 None echoing sound ; as passed beyond Worlds 
 
 Voice. 
 Save for our torches flickering gleam ; (and that 
 Is only fathoms-breath around our steps ;) 
 Lightless lies all dead Underworld from henceforth ! 
 
 Opens vast covert maze of ghostly paths. 
 In hollow rocks, before our fearful pace. 
 In these are gliding multitude of passed spirits ; 
 In grave-clothes wound, descending from their 
 deaths. 
 
 Enforced our steps, for power is come upon us ; 
 Like unto that, which over them prevails : 
 We go down, in great shelve of cragged rock ; 
 To undigged dim vast Gulf, abysmal place ; 
 Under wide West parts, of round-eddying Earth. 
 Whose horrid walls, in grim default of Hght, 
 Reveals our torch uneath. There drooping souls. 
 In langour of late deaths, lo ! in ghostly troops ; 
 Through hundred galleries, which do there 
 
 converge ; 
 Arrive each moment. 
 
 Standing them amidst, 
 Lo, are strong-winged ^i^ons, pride-fallen, before 
 Time was, 
 
 34 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 From starry shore ; which marshal them in flocks : 
 And winnowed from lives' dross, in balances, poise : 
 And assign, after their deserts, in ranks ; 
 Unto their several wards, to sleep in death. 
 
 We as fearful fugitives, with faltering knees ; 
 Where all unknown, before our nightmare steps ; 
 (So dread, so dark !) have hasted thence to pass. 
 In crooked ways we tread, uncertain paths. 
 Have showed our torches fitful gleam at length ; 
 Like some unending dove-cote, in derne cliff : 
 Or to compare together small and great ; 
 Like to the formal treasure-house of the bee : 
 Where innocents sleep, buds of great Tree of 
 
 Life ; 
 Whom Winters spite had withered from the root. 
 Ere might they, to a kindly Sun unfold, 
 Their first frail leaves. Their place of rest beneath, 
 Cradle to cradle, and deep under deep ; 
 In Underworld was this. 
 
 Us seemed traverse. 
 From thence long night beneath of many paths. 
 Bay, then, abode of lunatic spirits, we passed : 
 Some of whom waked. I viewed, with hearts 
 
 dismay, 
 Their sad fond troubled looks ! 
 
 To lower deeps, 
 
 35 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Decline our steps : whose vaulted gloom uneath, 
 Our torches ray might pierce. Was then, we ceased 
 To be urged forth. Stayed thus, in womb of 
 
 Earth ; 
 Not yet being manifest Herthas promised voice ; 
 We feared, as shut in iron unending tomb. 
 Till I bethought me of the Muses staff. 
 It then in darkness dread I poised upright : 
 And as it fell forth, we our face addressed. 
 
 Within a while, continued thus our course ; 
 Our torch show^s new inextricable paths : 
 Dire yammer sounded in our ears, before 
 Our halting steps : mistrust was in our hearts. 
 We would and had we might, have swerved from 
 
 thence. 
 The image presently mirrored in our glass : 
 (We had hastily taken our Merlins mirror forth ;) 
 Showed fearful gleam of Sinners' WaiHng-place. 
 Whose spirits rest not, after their fleshes' deaths ; 
 But wallow and wind, in torment of their minds ; 
 Shut out from bliss. 
 
 Self-love, their only God, 
 Hath them undone. Though severs them from us. 
 Wall-like vast mountain-mass of iron rock. 
 Appeared there souls of wights, in Merlins glass ; 
 Horrific spectacle, midst fire-flashing smoke. 
 In endless pine, where thousand flaming mouths 
 
 36 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Doom-pits, showed in wide Plain. In every abyss, 
 Writhed demon-gotten monsters of mankind. 
 That vainly amidst their torments, upward climb : 
 To fall, to greater bale, back from the brinks. 
 
 Other hell-footed throngs came in view soon, 
 O'er dire champaign : and mongst those last deceased, 
 One crowned, cast lately down unto this place 
 An execration, an astonishment ! 
 Seeing, who flagitious most, mongst all those lost ; 
 Stood midst their torments still, and turned their 
 
 backs ; 
 On him, the World's derision, from henceforth. 
 
 Now a loathly leprosy blots his werewolfs face. 
 Then suddenly on him, strong fiends with flaming 
 
 locks ; 
 Fiends risen from burning powder of Hell -plain ; 
 Have seized : and that Warmonger they hale forth. 
 And to adamant stake him bind, and on his neck, 
 Nithing ! lay load of hell-forged bitter chains : 
 Forged namely of manslayers' blood dripping blades. 
 Is that before like forged, steel-looking glass : 
 Wherein he evermore contemplates himself ; 
 (Whiles of his recreant heathen heart he eats ;) 
 His coxcomb visage and enormous deeds : 
 Till Time shall cease. And aye accusing voice 
 Rings and reverberates, in his beings ears ; 
 Requiring of his impious soul, the breath ; 
 
 37 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Of Europes Human Spring ! 
 
 In that we gazed, 
 
 Trembling exceedingly, in Medins glass ; 
 
 With bereaved thought, dire Earthquake Hell-craigs 
 smote. 
 
 To open seemed and shut all ways about us : 
 
 Stagger, and whelm, and shatter overhead 
 
 Hell-frame ; and floor to crumble underfoot. 
 
 We might not dwell ; nor knew we a refuge-place. 
 Then was, came Herthas foster-spirit upon us ; 
 
 Which seemeth us strongly ; each leading by the 
 hand, 
 
 (Hand closed in hand ;) lift from that peril forth. 
 
 And we, ascending thus, from lower deeps ; 
 
 Whither were we miswent, of Earth beneath : 
 
 Have passed before that benign Well-of-Grace ; 
 
 Which from high heavens long-suffering Mercy- 
 seat, 
 
 Flows even down to the Lost. Some of whose 
 drops 
 
 Fell likewise luminous sprinkling upon us ; 
 
 Like to an healing dew, where our steps passed. 
 Seemed from that point, wax lighter every 
 moment. 
 
 The gross compacture of this corruptible flesh : 
 
 As might I run on air of Upper Earth ; 
 
 Hills overleap, speed o'er a waters face. 
 
 38 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Leagues-way seemed lift me each alternate tread ; 
 Nor more my footfall echoing rumour made. 
 Great Herthas Voice it is, upholds our steps, 
 In Underworld, and guides our forward course. 
 
 We speed in dim main thoroughfare of Worlds 
 Dead, 
 
 And namely of righteous souls ; whose flesh was 
 laid, 
 
 With tears of late, to moulder in sad grave. 
 
 They are many which borne forth ; they ghostly 
 gHde ; 
 
 Like drift of orchard blossoms, falling rife ; 
 
 Wafted of South winds breath ; towards their place 
 
 Appointed them, of Everlasting Rest. 
 Yet dernly aught, in great Underworld, we per- 
 ceive 
 
 Till to that circuit of Hells Radious Rocks, 
 
 Where sleep Worlds Faithful Dead, our steps arrive. 
 And that is now ! . . . Pause hath our 
 giddy race : 
 
 And waning in the same, whiles we approach ; 
 
 Is saving light, of Herthas star-bright torch. 
 L6, a numbed multitude, gathered to Souls' 
 Porch ; 
 
 Which wedded were in World, to righteous life ! 
 
 Where cease our soles to tread, a little aloof ; 
 
 39 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 We a soul viewed, that conflicted with himself : 
 Which finally he, subdued ; trode underfoot : 
 Whom then the rest received to fellowship. 
 
 Threefold stands, in dim light, that solemn Port. 
 Not of one building only, or substance like, 
 The several gates ; but all like-radious. 
 
 Paths of the Just I read engraven on height. 
 
 Conformable to souls-stature, of just spirits : 
 Those give on several Regions, quoth the Voice ; 
 Where their eternal heritage is, of Peace. 
 
 With that was in mine hand, the Muses staff; 
 As Mansoul bade, I knockt on a side-port : 
 Nor feared ; so from withinforth wafted breath 
 Was of hearts' rest, which all constraint dispersed. 
 Peace, the thrice-blessed high warden of that 
 place : 
 (A Chief One He, amongst the Sons of God ; 
 Being multipresent, in the Universe :) 
 Lookt from a lattice. And taken cognizance of 
 
 us ; 
 (White be his brows, as snow ; his eyes star- 
 bright ;) 
 Lifted the hasp : and, Pass with God, Peace 
 quoth. 
 Neath covert of His dove-like wings, outstrctcht, 
 We assurance entering found, in House of Death : 
 
 40 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Nay, an occult parfume seeemd surprise our sense, 
 Of heavenly places ! 
 
 Led by Herthas Voice ; 
 Recomforted now, in Radious Rocks, we course. 
 For all ways shine there dimly luminous ; 
 As some wood-bank is seen, in World above, 
 Which gledeworms haunt. A kosmic light it is 
 Remained, of heavens effulgent radiance ; 
 When Earth was in Her making, midst the stars :' 
 Which evermore they shed forth, by slow degrees. 
 And partly a spiritual light it is. 
 
 A new and happy pang empierced our hearts : 
 Where suffered us the Voice suspend our steps, 
 At first before a lodge in luminous cliff. 
 Embayed ; where slumbering heroes sleep uplayed : 
 Britannias sons renowned, (nor lightly named, 
 Seed of the Gods ; for their prowd warlike deeds :) 
 Which wrought dehverance, both o'er Land and 
 
 Seas. 
 Here then sleep those magnanimous, whose 
 
 names' praise 
 Lives on mens lips, and m our grateful hearts ; 
 War-smiths in their war- weed. Be uphanged bays. 
 O'er each ones generous head. Wounds they 
 
 received : 
 Shine with a sacred light and camphire breathe. 
 
 41 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 On them we gazed, with hngering long regard : 
 Through misty trembhng, on our eyehds, tears. 
 Have they, and Hke defenders of our hearths ; 
 Which beat down the Unright, Gods endless Peace ! 
 Sleep other, from them hardly a shafts-flight 
 
 forth : 
 Nor less, (though strove not those in field,) of 
 
 worth. 
 Were they pre-eminent in all citizens' works ; 
 Upholding the honour of their Nations House. 
 Further, rest certain meek ones of the Earth, 
 Yet militant and great in heavenly sight ; 
 Under io crowns they sleep, of living light. 
 Unmoveable, forcible, upright unto Death ; 
 They little esteeming Worlds brief fleshling life ; 
 Like to lone light-towers, founded on fast rocks ; 
 Witnessed midst storms of malice, for the Right ! 
 And though might we not tarry, in Underworlds 
 
 paths : 
 Yet mongst souls' blessed Dead of the White Isle ; 
 (Where we more softly slow and reverent tread) : 
 Vouchsafed the foster-Voice, whom I besought ; 
 I linger might, before clear shining rock ; 
 At my petition become visible : 
 Wherein appeared a little cubicle. 
 White was it as mine Islands cliffs ; whereo'er 
 A gentle dove stood graven, with wings displayed. 
 
 42 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 (There I alone, a private grief might open.) 
 
 With childhood eyes, I looked upon a tomb : 
 I an alabaster casket gaze upon. 
 Peace I read, (her lives name,) shine graven thereon ; 
 Who numbered with the blessed, here sleeps and 
 
 waits ; 
 That Dawn celestial, which shall not fade : 
 (The eyes of love, even marble-stone may pierce !) 
 
 Like to a lily in a thorny wood ; 
 How beautiful wast thou, in thy few life-days, 
 In forest of the World ; so few alas. 
 Death cannot dim thy vision, in my heart. 
 Dear Lodestar bright ; whereby I daily set, 
 My shallops course, in Lifes sollicitous voyage. 
 
 Long cold be those dead lips ; that word ne'er 
 spake 
 Unworth, unsooth ; those dying lips, that kissed, 
 Once kisst, (thy natures painful travail past ;) 
 This last new-born on thy dear breast, alas. 
 For death, that may not be entreated, set 
 Had early, on thy dear front. His seal, alas ! 
 Mother of my lifes breath, I living lift 
 O'er thee, these prayer-knit hands. I durst not 
 
 weep ; 
 Lest I of Under-Earth, the canon break. 
 
 I heard a Voice saying. Spirits which in their rests, 
 
 D 43 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Behold the Heavenly Vision^ cannot wake, 
 To Wordly speech. Revealed, all in that moment, 
 Was to mine inward vision Herthas Voice ; 
 Mighty, not human-membered, Protean Spirit. 
 
 Through wards and galleries of the Radious 
 
 Rocks, 
 Us Herthas Voice compells, with quickened steps. 
 As startled hare in field scuds from her form : 
 So our alternate feet, speed under us. 
 When first the Voice restrained again our course : 
 Twin antique river-floods, in a wide Plain, 
 Great *Digla and Frat, (amongst the sons of 
 
 men. 
 Of old resounding fame,) we mirrored view : 
 That flow from mountain-fastness of the Gods : 
 Which upholds heavens v;ide firmament, on that 
 
 half. 
 And water Lands, where settlements founded first ; 
 Were of men, gathered in communities ; 
 Amongst whose citizens, were those seers-Chaldeans, 
 Which erst divined stars' occult influences. 
 Had the Ancient-of-Days, midst that fair 
 
 champaign ; 
 Whence doth the sacred-morning radiance spring ; 
 Planted a garden ; where, of the floods' loam : 
 
 *Tigris and Euphrates. 
 
 44 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 He tempered in His hands, His fingers formed 
 
 First fathers of the World ; and breath of Ufe, 
 
 In their clay breasts, He breathed : and charge 
 
 them gave. 
 To keep it, as His divine pleasure was. 
 
 Trembled the Earth, in that She Man brought forth. 
 And came, divided from brute clay, on Man 
 The divine breath ; whence Speech and Mind, 
 
 Whereby 
 Today to Heritage of all the Earth ; 
 Those Adamites have attained. 
 
 Tilth found Mans kind ; 
 In morning of the World, through handiwork : 
 Where each soul hath received his acre-breath. 
 Of the Lords Field, They, an husband-folk, it 
 
 pierce 
 With mattocks ; they it water and subdue. 
 And eat of the increase and have enough. 
 Their plots made plain, they seed-pans of mould 
 fined. 
 Prepare ; and furrows for young sets, wherein 
 They in-let waters from the river streams. 
 Bearing in slime. And sith the dulcet-palm. 
 They plant their w^ater-sluices, all along. 
 
 The crooked plough-share find mens later sons ; 
 And tame under the yoke, stiff-necked wild 
 beves : 
 
 45 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 By whose napes strength, they cleve the ghstening 
 glebe. 
 
 As for their grain, when harvest-moon is seen ; 
 BKthe husbands whet the sickle ; and put in 
 Their teeming corn-stalks billowing wide in wind. 
 Then joy and shouting in each bountiful field : 
 Where maiden companies, dight their virgin locks, 
 With corn-flowers, carol forth from plot to plot ; 
 Treading with timbrels roundels, as they wend. 
 Some, bever bear, in sweating water-skins 
 Unto their thirsting reapers. 
 
 Further forth, 
 The smiles I see, where dance those to an house ; 
 That blossom, full of laughter, on their lips, 
 Like dewy roses ; where on foster Earth, 
 Mild-eyed grave ancients, sunning pensive sit. 
 
 The gentle choirs, returning have I seen. 
 In Merlins glass. They zealous-handed now ; 
 Bind grips of corn-ears, roaming to and fro ; 
 The treasure that reap men : their burdens then. 
 Bear in their bosoms, to the threshing-floors. 
 At the steads' lathes ; where tread slow-footed 
 
 round, 
 The toilful ox-teams. 
 
 Vine-rows men have learned 
 And orchards, in succeeding age, to plant. 
 When Time of Summer fruits is comen in ; 
 
 46 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Now vintage month : they pluck, God giving thanks, 
 Thereof. And there is mirth where bhthe young 
 
 men ; 
 Tread, stived in fats, sweet clusters of ripe grapes 
 Hark to the merry pipes ! And when those 
 cease 
 Men shout, and mongst them loud hand-clapping is. 
 And when run in the urns is all the must ; 
 Glad heydeguyes begin of lads and maids, 
 In Spring-tide of their lives. And who look on, 
 Jests bandy back again. And mumming seen 
 Is at their bonfires, neath vast night of stars. 
 
 At erst, that antique people of Shinars Plain ; 
 Had framed them cabans, of the river-reeds. 
 Sith they of well-trode clay, have walled them 
 
 bowers. 
 And being to multitude grown, God's human kin : 
 Is mongst them traffic ; in well-peopled plain : 
 Where (which were pinfolds,) hundred villages 
 
 rise : 
 And Wrights are in their streets ; and chapmen 
 
 trade : 
 That bear on camels' backs forth diverse wares. 
 And later ; is Mother-city, Babylon named, 
 Of all that march, compassed with walls and 
 
 towers. 
 
 47 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 But ah, vicissitudes of this World of ours ! 
 How, in brief precession of eternal stars ; 
 The glory of all that builded clay of theirs, 
 Returned is to dust, as dream that fades : 
 Where sith wild asses crop the desert herb ; 
 And the Arabians stretch their hair-cloth tents. 
 Nor more is that first Family of the World named. 
 Men of divine descent ; have long forgot 
 Mens lips it to pronounce ! 
 
 Were stayed our steps ; 
 Suspent, before great antique sepulchre. 
 We viewed within, One on his elbow leaned ; 
 (Accustomed guise of men, in those East parts ;) 
 Whose front girds royal gem-dight diadem : 
 Nebo, who instituted righteous laws, 
 Rock of his people, prophet, priest and king. 
 
 Souls ! quoth that venerable sire evoked ; 
 Which have not your mortality yet put off : 
 How came ye in hither ! And entered by what 
 
 Gate ? 
 To ghostly realms, of everlasting sleep. 
 I read, revert ! lest suddenly overtake, 
 You a punishment, that Heavens ordinance trans- 
 gress ; 
 Descended to Worlds Grave, before your deaths. 
 Made reverence, Mansoul hath responded thus. 
 
 48 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 We entered hither by the gates of Peace. 
 
 Know, righteous King of men, mongst living 
 
 wights, 
 Whom comforts yet the Sun, in World above ; 
 We have diligently sought out righteous paths. 
 Nor, without Heavens grace we be descended ; 
 In an excess of spirit, yet living flesh, 
 Beneath the Earth, to enquire of Ages past. 
 Unto whom, as nearer to immortal Gods ; 
 Was more revealed, than vouchsafed is to us : 
 Concerning Wisdom and eternal Light. 
 Nebo. Heaven fulfill right desires of pious hearts ! 
 But what might, where there naught remaineth to 
 
 lis ; 
 Save this Vast Shadow and dust of Silent Death ; 
 My children, I, long dead, to you impart ? 
 
 And lifting his two consecrated hands ; 
 Which wont his Nations prayers and sacrifices ; 
 (He a Prophet, herald of eternal Gods ;) 
 To offer up : he sware his royal oath, 
 By Throne of the Most Highest ; him liever 
 
 were. 
 To be a thrall, one captive led in war ; 
 A tiller of Earths dust, or to keep flocks ; 
 Or shipman trading by the rivers flood : 
 And see rise dewy dayspring on Earths face , 
 And smell that sweetness of a morrows breath ; 
 
 49 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Than crowned and sceptered King, here swoon 
 
 in death. 
 Mansoul. Warden of men, beseech thee ! unfold 
 
 to us ; 
 That Wisdom heavenly, which once Saviour Gods, 
 Time was, infused in thy Hving breast. 
 Nebo. Is not His Eye all-seeing overall ? 
 Contend to please Him : so do to all men ; 
 As thou wouldst be done by of them. Deceased ; 
 So may est thou enter This eternal rest. 
 
 Whiles yet great Nebo spake ; so swiftly under us, 
 Removed our flitting feet, uneath I might 
 Draw vital breath : us seemed wide realms we pass. 
 When little and little ralented was our course. 
 We a mighty Land beheld, in MerHns glass : 
 Of mountain-chines, plains tawny, desolate ; 
 Wherein clay villages, and mens tillage scant ; 
 Few cities walled, of aspect ruinous. 
 We, journeying thus be come, in Worlds beneath : 
 Where lo, the appearance in a radious grot ; 
 Of One of ancient days, of lofty looks : 
 Whom Zarathrustra* names the foster Voice. 
 
 He chants before an everburning hearth ; 
 Whereon are leaping, the undying tongues 
 
 *Zoroast9r. 
 
 5° 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Of hallowed flames : flames figuring in his thought, 
 The invisible Image of the Most High God 
 Of the Whole Earth, The God of Light, he hymns. 
 Opened Mansoul, before the Mage, his mouth : 
 And boldly. All-hail, O Light of Elam ! spake. 
 We adjure thee, O Teacher, open thou to us, 
 Seekers of very Sooth and Living Light : 
 What is that heavenly knowledge, which enshrined 
 Of old was in thy breast 
 
 In that he spake ; 
 We laid fast hold on the infernal rock ; 
 Lest were we suddenly, at unwares, ravisht forth 
 Whilst we with him conversed. And Mansoul 
 
 saith. 
 Who launcht the stars on their eternal Course ? 
 Who established the infinite ordinance of the Earth ? 
 Deemest thou All-Seeing celestial Mind, regardeth, 
 The Great All-Weilder, of the Universe : 
 Continually, all that medley of infinite haps. 
 That Cometh each moment, on World's ground to 
 
 pass ? 
 Where men find hitherto few well-assured paths ! 
 From thousand years' raptures raised, the Seer 
 
 regardeth us : 
 And whiles he seemeth yet bete the sacred flame ; 
 He answered tardily ; Unweaned from fleshly life : 
 What seek ye, ere days prefixt of your own deaths ? 
 
 SI 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 In this, Worlds infinite Deep, of ages past ; 
 
 Realm only of spirits. 
 Mansoul. If an angels voice, 
 
 Hath spoken in thine ear ; teach us, we adjure 
 
 Thee, by this holy hearth ! 
 
 Zarathrustra. Hear ! Souls, not yet 
 
 Purged from blind-born affections of Man's flesh. 
 
 Of nothing nothing can derive. The Light 
 
 And Dark be set before your living steps. 
 
 Mansoul. Can Being, we ask, be Parent of 
 Itself } 
 
 From whence All floweth } 
 
 Zarathrustra. The All, the Was, the Is, 
 
 Founded in Bosom of Eternity, both 
 
 The Visible and Invisible ; when was yet 
 
 No place. And, in that spake the Holy Breath ; 
 
 The Elements were found : (pollute them not !) 
 
 And spread His hands the heavens, and hanged them 
 forth ; 
 
 On hinges, that they evermore might revolve. 
 Be clothed each soul with light ! Seek to All- 
 Light : 
 
 Walk in the ways of Truth, eschew dark paths. 
 
 Thy garden be, O Child of Light, good thoughts. 
 
 Thy deeds, which seeth All-Seeing Eye, good 
 works : 
 
 So shalt thou inherit, in the Paradise. 
 
 52 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Mansoul. Can none unfold Dark Riddle of the 
 
 World ; 
 Which so long time confounds weak human sense ? 
 Zarathrustra. Death cannot sound that secret 
 
 of the Gods. 
 Mansoul. What shall we do ? since more we may 
 
 not know. 
 Zarathrustra. Seek oneness of your souls, with 
 
 the Highest Good, 
 Which all things sways ; Lord of all Might, 
 
 Light, Love. 
 Observe ye in nothing do contaminate 
 Earths sacred Face, the Sun-Gods daily Hearth. 
 
 So may ye inherit with the spirits of Light : 
 And tread the Power of Darkness underfoot. 
 He said, and slept. 
 
 53 
 
BOOK III 
 
 THE RADIOUS ROCKS 
 
BOOK III 
 
 Still urged on our swift course ; 
 Through inextricable Underworlds hundred paths : 
 Toucht hardly to hollow floor of Radious Rocks, 
 Our light removing feet. Our hearts misgave us ; 
 Lest were we all- suddenly dasht, on some derne cliff. 
 
 When first we might refrain our flitting steps ; 
 We shadowed view, in living World above ; 
 Whiles darkly we behold, in Merlins glass ; 
 Great mountain mass, shrouded with snowy fleece. 
 
 That vast sky-shouldering battlement passed 
 beneath, 
 Immane tyned ranks, and Winter- World above ; 
 We forests view beyond, and mighty Land ; 
 Hills, plains and river-floods neath Sun, that shines 
 O'er cities rife, of many-peopled Hind. 
 
 In certain plot, whereon did light our glance. 
 We looked ; and sheltering saw from noontide 
 
 heat, 
 The Enlightened One, of cheerful countenance ; 
 As soul which blessing hath of inward feast. 
 
 57 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Tranquil, mild-eyed, as who sequestered lead, 
 
 Their few days life, in pious abstinence. 
 
 Thus sojourning in his path, the Teacher sate ; 
 
 Under wide bo-trees bowering hermitage : 
 
 Pavilion, which renewed her leafy locks ; 
 
 Sith that thrice-blessed seceded from the Earth ; 
 
 Hath thousand times, venerable tradition sayeth. 
 
 Assembled thither, many to him are : 
 Young men the most, whose souls an-hungered 
 
 seek ; 
 Of the saints lips, their spiritual meat. 
 With whom be found some few of riper years : 
 Which renounced Worlds desires, their former 
 
 selves 
 Forsake, for their souls' health ; and elders, that 
 All else forget, to hve of world's lean almes 
 Following the Master's steps, whereso he goeth ; 
 Preaching in field, in street. Mans perfect life ; 
 From place to place. 
 
 The same wide-spread green boughs, 
 A little company of wife-folk shrouds apart : 
 Which disenamoured of Worlds cares, embrace ; 
 A life, from every fleshly taint released : 
 Widows be they most part. Following far off ; 
 They daily Instruction seek of the Saints speech. 
 
 Is one of them that gentle bride, time was ; 
 
 S8 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Whom he, in days of his ingenuous youth, 
 Espoused, with bHss of heart, as custom was. 
 And dured that joy, betwixt them both, till day ; 
 Whenas him thought, him called, celestial Voice ; 
 And beckoned him divine ray from the Sky. 
 
 Whereto not disobedient, his rapt spirit, 
 Contending long in anguish with himself : 
 Fleeing the joy tumultous and loud Voice. 
 Of pipes and timpans, in his fathers court : 
 He, her new delivered, the same night forsook. 
 Dim were his eyes, whiles he gazed on them 
 
 both ; 
 Mother and babe, in her sweet bosom, sleeping. 
 
 Lifting then the door-curtain to part forth ; 
 He loving, sighed. He, a man ; ah ! would have 
 
 taken. 
 Their new-born, in his fathers arms. Nathless ; 
 Though wrought his heart with force, not looking 
 
 back ; 
 He issued to cold clear night-stars, those eyes 
 Of Gods ; (confused, he wist not what he would !) 
 To wander, as one outcast, in wilful want ; 
 Forgetful of his good and father's house : 
 Thirsting, in agony of his inward spirit ; 
 If haply he might not hear, in field or forest ; 
 Once more that heavenly Voice, to his souls rest ; 
 And see that ray, in Worlds default of Light. 
 
 E 59 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Hath many a dying year brought forth her like. 
 To-day is he the Teacher, the soul-blessed. 
 And she, the cherished of his blameless youth : 
 Grey-headed now, a lowly meek recluse ; 
 (Seceded from the World, to him unwist ;) 
 Follows mongst them, that seek souls Highest 
 Good. 
 
 All gather to the Buddha*, with mild looks ; 
 Preaching, beside Hinds paths, the blameless life. 
 Bare be they, even as he, the-Illumined, is ; 
 Of all Worlds good : they exchange thereof have 
 
 made, 
 For fragrant poverty, and abstinence that he taught ; 
 For freedom, from contagion of birth-flesh. 
 
 Benign of aspect is that pious Light, 
 Of hundred generations of the East ; 
 Whom age and penury hath long-time now 
 
 consumed. 
 But not subdued. 
 
 Naught hath he to his mouth : 
 Save daily pittance of lean rice, that cast 
 Unwilling wordly hands, in his almes dish : 
 And rusty weed, which laps his clay ling corse ; 
 Hewed even as we do see Earths foster-dust. 
 Be eath our feet ; stitcht only of disused clouts. 
 And in his hand, that which his feeble pace 
 
 *i.e., The Enlightened One. 
 60 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Upholds, a staff. 
 
 Constrains so a pity the heart, 
 Of Hinds bhnd folk, which beats in Buddhas 
 
 breast : 
 That eachwhere, albeit he cometh all-weary, he 
 
 teacheth 
 All who will hear, with words of light and peace : 
 How may, through steadfast vertue, a man raze 
 
 out ; 
 Souls stains, ingenerate in his mortal breast. 
 
 We stood anon, to listen to his sooth ; 
 And radiant beams, as of a well-of-light ; 
 Saw issue, from the Buddhas sinless breast : 
 And shone his serene countenance, whiles he spake : 
 When finally y O beloved y shall be quenched ^ 
 All malice y within your faithful hearts , rejoice. 
 Feeling the saint, the hour of his decease 
 Approach, he spake again ; Faint not your hearts^ 
 Which weaned were from the World, This saying, 
 
 soul-glad. 
 But languishing now his venerable flesh. 
 He paused. Lo, and droopeth upon that sacred 
 
 breast, 
 The Buddhas head, and sinks his feeble corse ! 
 His spirit from that frail tenement of Worlds life, 
 Is parted forth. 
 
 Fowls plained, mongst the green boughs, 
 6i 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Shrill chiding in their several kinds. Field beasts 
 Deep-lowing mourned, with sons of men, that 
 
 wept : 
 Winds wailed aloft ; trees shed their crowns of 
 
 leaves : 
 Cast glooming clouds wide darkeness, on Earth. 
 
 Mother of soul-religions Asia, whence 
 Glad day, when night is passed, reverts to us : 
 T'is Thy large Foster-Bosom, lends to us 
 All spiritual light, in Worlds West parts. 
 
 Diviners, in whom dwelleth an heavenly Breath, 
 Above the Wisdom of the World ; (whereas. 
 Their lives'-long, wont mens feet in mire stick fast :) 
 Thy Seers, spake of a Time-to-Come, unborn 
 And witness bare of Heavens hid purposes ; 
 Albe they prophecied oft to the Winds ears. 
 
 Words of their mouths, were like to falling rain- 
 Drops, full of golden light, on a waste sand ; 
 Which issue again as well-springs, hemmed around, 
 With healing herbs ; whereof whoso doth taste, 
 Shall be refreshed. 
 
 And therethrough many hearts, 
 In many diverse lands, be offered up 
 Unto heavenly Throne, and the Great Power 
 
 thereon : 
 Like those wild tears of sacred terebinths ; 
 
 62 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Which gather men adventurous, in occult 
 Worlds far-off solitudes, and stark mountain steeps, 
 Beyond all paths ; where Sun unhymned mounts 
 
 forth : 
 Which fume sith, on all altars of round Earth. 
 
 But in our Vision, hurried ever forth ; 
 Being hidden from our sight the shipmans star : 
 We wiss not, under what Worlds coasts we are. 
 When might we first contain our shifting feet : 
 We inhuman Plain perceive, in Merlins glass ; 
 Of cold and darkness, daughters of the Night. 
 Land trodden down of hoofs, cart- villages ; 
 Of Tatar hordes, milk-nourished of their mares. 
 
 Which passed, upleaning in a calm divine ; 
 We enranged unknown wide mountains under- 
 
 ran. 
 They, our glass shows, confine on and compass 
 
 in. 
 Vast green land-breadths. And lo ! much-peopled 
 
 Region ; 
 Which Seres our sires named, of aspect strange : 
 Full of fields' tilth, rife villages and great towns. 
 
 Much toilful husband-folk, regarding wide. 
 Bent under burdens, like to beasts of charge ; 
 Men clothed in silk ; we behold in large glebe. 
 And presently him, whom mirrored we have sought ; 
 
 63 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 By great good hap, we eyed, in a field path ; 
 KuNG* the wise-hearted, loitering not far off : 
 As was his custom, on a country-side ; 
 Mongst the Lands commons, ancient of mild 
 
 mood. 
 With few in company, his scholars, Kung fares 
 
 thus ; 
 With comely gravity, from State to State : 
 Seeking some Prince, who should reform the Time ; 
 Conformably with what precepts he sets forth ; 
 Of virtue, ingenerate in all human breasts. 
 
 Who him sue, wait on Kungs sayings, observe 
 
 his looks ; 
 Whose gaze demiss, aye fastened is on ground. 
 And oft as Kung wends pensive, he recites. 
 Some old Worlds lays and saws of former sages. 
 And like as child seeks to his fosters arms, 
 In each new hap : so they, as aught befalls ; 
 Of Kung seek an instruction for their lives, 
 In reverent wise. 
 
 Nor seld that Wise-sayer toucheth. 
 The tuneful lute, he alway bare in hand. 
 When, on those dreaming strings, Kung softly 
 
 plays : 
 Them seemeth they hear, celestial harmonies. 
 Whereunto should a man attune his being. 
 
 * Confucius. 
 
 64 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Kung, in his progress, stays ; on us he gazed : 
 And strangers, quoth, of other Land than ours ; 
 What seek ye ? And how, not yet disbodied 
 
 spirits ; 
 Found ye entry unto our Mid-Kingdom here ? 
 Mansoul. We long-time, sought in Hving World, 
 
 Truth- S ay er, 
 Heavens oracles. And entrance having found, 
 To ages of the Earth, laid up beneath : 
 Wisdom and saving Knowledge, in right paths ; 
 We of them likewise enquire. 
 Kung. I enter not, 
 
 In things too high for me. Man was born upright. 
 Obey heavens bests, which written are on all hearts. 
 Whoso hath purged his own and burnished bright, 
 May read them there. In what so Land thou comest ; 
 Observe their customs and that Peoples laws ; 
 Which shadows be of the heavenly, on Worlds 
 
 ground ; 
 
 And testimony of the Gods. 
 
 Watch furthermore. 
 
 To bridle all blind affections of gross flesh ; 
 
 Not kill, for then the human World must cease, 
 
 Two selves war in Mans being : the high Intent ; 
 
 That walketh in Truth ; this sue, souls comliness : 
 
 And that suppress, the Beast beneath the breast. 
 
 Harbour ne'er in thy spirit a baneful thought. 
 
 65 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Measure, benevolence, grace and harmony : 
 These be the fruits, the wares, the ornaments ; 
 Where Reason rules of every righteous breast. 
 Kung said ; and weary in going, his trembling 
 
 rote, 
 Tempered : and to his waked strings, accords, 
 
 quoth ; 
 (Words partly heard, as we drew further forth :) 
 Crumble the hills y each balk at length must break : 
 And who seek after Wisdom , as a plant ; 
 Shall likewise perish. 
 
 We, whom Herthas Voice, 
 Hath hitherto unnumbered leagues conveyed ; 
 Nigh spent our spirits, now wayfare long last stage. 
 Ends then, in vast blind Cirque our outward 
 
 course : 
 Wherein those devious paths, we lately trode ; 
 Returning on themselves, in spires, ascend. 
 
 Great AsiAS shores, Earths triple-Continent, 
 We view in Merlins glass ; and from the plot 
 Where stand our feet, how stoops an only path ; 
 Gallery, of great breath and height, neath Oceans 
 
 Flood. 
 That hundred leagues '-way leads, quoth Herthas 
 Voice, 
 
 66 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Towards Island Kingdom, Pride of Earths Still- 
 Seas ; 
 Over against this, Asias Main-Lands, lies : 
 Green gracious Isles ; whereas from ancient days, 
 (Long unknown to West Nations,) a great-souled 
 Sequestered, urbane, valorous People dwell : 
 In Arts of Peace and War, of passing skill. 
 
 But to us it was not given, so far to pass : 
 Nor to that laterfound New Continent ; 
 So great already in multitude of mankind ; 
 In enterprises and all civil arts : 
 And to be greater still, in Worlds to come. 
 So an aching langour hath possessed each sense. 
 Wherefore now Herthas Voice imposed ; must this 
 BeEastf6rth,our way-bruised feets' last halting-place. 
 From whence, by other paths of Worlds beneath ; 
 We should return upon our homeward voyage. 
 
 I leaned, long lacking sleep, to a luminous cliff; 
 With throbbing heart, and trembling every Hmb : 
 All thought suspended, happy seemed their case ; 
 That sleep, that rest, just spirits, in Underworlds 
 
 rocks : 
 Their Hves' pains ceased, their fleshly sojourn past. 
 
 Till called me to rememberance Herthas Voice : 
 Bidding me rouse, be of good cheer ; and taste. 
 To souls refreshing, of the Muses cup ; 
 Wherein should spring ambrosia, of itself. 
 
 67 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 This bare I in a wallet, with Merlins glass. 
 
 With aspiration then, to Stars of heaven ; 
 I took it forth. When of that sprinkling sap ; 
 Ghostly not earthly, as blood is of the grape, 
 I had tasted : I perceived new vital warmth. 
 To come again, and diffuse through my being : 
 And faded from my limbs, their stony frost. 
 Sith with that chrism, anointed my bruised soles : 
 They too were healed, of long- way weariness. 
 So that when bade the Voice us to remove, 
 I ready also was. 
 
 With troubled hearts : 
 In outer Circuit of those Radious Rocks, 
 Which there less luminous, new ways now we pass. 
 And saw strewed shining adamants under-foot. 
 Tears those be of souls, that wept for righteousness, 
 In ages past, which light lent to our steps. 
 
 Yet further forth, (is Westing now our course ;) 
 We reached dim luminous Mansion, of just spirits : 
 Cliffs vast Recess. Where entering-in our steps, 
 We paused ; for sounded. Daughter of the rock, 
 Strange manifold Echo, from before our pace. 
 
 Nor is that grot unlike, those latomies ; 
 We sometimes find, in Summer-Lands remained : 
 Whence the ancients hewed and drew giant Temple- 
 stones ; 
 
 68 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 To Eternity vowed, which even our days admire. 
 Moreover seemed vocal, cragged walls and floor ; 
 When haply thereto toucht the Muses' staff. 
 Then Mansoul spake, Was not it, divine Voice, 
 Upholder of our steps ; herein the Fates 
 Hanged tables of Destiny ? Ah, and might Thou, 
 
 aiding us 1 
 We find and read the Legend therein writ ! 
 What should those profit Mans disbodied spirits ? 
 
 THE VOICE 
 
 Mans destiny is veiled, with an eternal cloud. 
 The Fates' decrees, not visible are to sight. 
 That occult knowledge to themselves reserve. 
 Aye-living Gods. 
 
 Mansoul fell in discourse ; 
 With certain spirits, whom men deemed Friends- 
 
 of-God : 
 Shepherds of souls, unto whom committed was, 
 Of Heaven, to feed and fold the human flocks. 
 Likewise with some philosophers he discoursed, 
 Of hidden causes ; and with poets old ; 
 Which, in their days, with child went of great 
 
 thoughts : 
 Men of prowd parts ; whom the Ionic rocks 
 
 69 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Brought forth, to solace of mens travaillous breasts. 
 But of their utterance, as nights dream that fades ; 
 I only few words may here call to mind. 
 
 Mansoul. And is there any, amongst the sons of 
 men ; 
 To whose testimony, all humanity might trust ? 
 Were not they as we be, Gropers in thick murk ; 
 Who esteemed were wise and heralds of high Gods : 
 Nor can they reconciled be amongst themselves. 
 
 Voices. Is not the World all guile } Born in 
 Worlds wood. 
 Where life preys upon life ; mens homicide hearts 
 Dissemble sooth, to maintain their own parts. 
 
 Some dreameth, his yesternights begotten wit ; 
 Unfolding tardily, as Spring leaves* bud doth : 
 Third part of whose life-days, night-dotage is. 
 Of dreams ; and childhoods weakness hardly less : 
 Sufficeth to sound illimitable Universe ! 
 Other Voices. The lips of many have spoken 
 
 words of Life. 
 In this, at least, the best agree in one : 
 That in well-doing and righteous human life ; 
 Sure pathway lies unto immortal Gods. 
 
 In all the haps and changes of the Time 
 And of their World, which those have sought to 
 
 purge: 
 Mans Reason is his lamp and only guide. 
 
 70 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Not uniform is that Reason of a man ; 
 
 But warped, with every variance of the World ; 
 
 His time, place, partiality and his brief years. 
 
 We sought, advance to that recesses end ; 
 And shining monuments of forgotten dead : 
 If might we read some name ; on whose grave- 
 stone ; 
 Sing little birds loves hymns, in living World ; 
 And Summer-blossoms strews some kindly wind, 
 Breathed gently from above ; their green earth- 
 mounds. 
 
 But us forbade to tarry Herthas Voice, 
 Which companied with us. Reverent only might 
 We salute them from far ; sighing, Rest in Peace ! 
 
 Hundred and hundred leagues' way, after this, 
 We glide, we speed ; much like those hobbling 
 
 leaves, 
 Which blustering March hurls forth : seemed our 
 
 flit feet, 
 More rathe than swallows' flight. In headlong 
 
 race ; 
 Seemed memory daze, and swoon our feeble sense. 
 Whiles still, as steel to loadstone drawn, we haste. 
 Rise up, to meet our breasts, and neath us 
 
 pass ; 
 One after other, seemed Hells hundred paths. 
 
 71 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Naught know we, save that Westforth lies our 
 course. 
 
 Last stayed ; we a wilderness view in Merlins glass. 
 Bare, sun-bleached, stony, all empty of herbs' life : 
 One of the great waste places, of Earths face. 
 Where is the rain restrained, and falleth by night 
 No dew : which few wild creatures nourisheth ; 
 Save the unicorn,* the wild roe and mountain goat, 
 Which drink not : (marvel is it how those subsist !) 
 
 Aye, and where the scudding Ostrich hath her 
 flight : 
 For whom the patient hunter lieth in wait ; 
 Who spyeth her paths, and watcheth, where she 
 
 turneth. 
 Gainst eve, unmindful all day of her birds ; 
 To find her nest ; that with unerring shaft. 
 He her may pierce. Spoil of her royal plumes. 
 Shall recompense all his pains ; for be those not 
 Wares of great price, for lordlings of the Earth : 
 Whence might an handful his necessitous tent 
 Win, of world's silver, in what day, he them tradeth 
 To the town merchant ; and years raiment buyeth 
 Him, in the villages. 
 
 What see we } A march 
 Lo, of swart tented children of the East ; 
 
 * Thus in our translation : it is by all likelihood the N. Arabian 
 antelope. 
 
 72 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 That wander, each in their circuit, in this waste. 
 Herdsmen of cattle ; few camels and lean sheep : 
 That of Mans hand drink, at delved water-pits, 
 Digged of old time : else sink them their young 
 
 men ; 
 With their staves only, and palms of their hands 
 
 twain ; 
 (Having none other instruments.) Neither is 
 That wilderness-water alway good ; oft is 
 It bitter, and more often fouled it is ; 
 With drifted dung of cattle and desert leaves. 
 
 An austere soil is that, wherein those dwell, 
 Unsown ; whereas the locust is brought forth : 
 Whose bald, sun-bleached, gaunt untrod mountain 
 
 rocks ; 
 Stand, like some bone-work of a former Earth. 
 
 High plain mostwhere is it of stony grit ; 
 Where we, in Merlins glass, see swart booths pitcht ; 
 Of herd-folk, men accounted robber kin : 
 Which wont each other morrow, to remove ; 
 For their beasts' feed. Booths without fence of doors 
 Or walls ; but that stand open to receive ; 
 To surety and peace and human fellowship ; 
 (As they too ben Gods guests,) Gods fugitive : 
 Yea, and aught forwanderd wayfarer, in their 
 wild paths ; 
 
 73 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Heaven sends, to their poor hearths, to try their 
 
 hearts. 
 Wherefore, shall not they alway be forgot ; 
 Of the Everlasting Father of all spirits ! 
 Whose equal Eye is, over all the Earth. 
 
 We, in that desert-side, mirrored in our glass ; 
 Such wights behold now, to new camp arrive. 
 Men to their camels hiss ! then the great beasts 
 Couch under them, and push their great bent knees 
 On the grit-ground. Halted lo, each wife hath 
 In what stead to her now her husband showed : 
 Where wills he, that were builded this days booth ; 
 
 Anon, each loost her packs, their tent-cloth 
 spreads ; 
 With some strewed desert-stone, beats in the pegs : 
 Stakes undersets ; and stayed with cords, uprears 
 Her hair-cloth house : so bears in their poor stuff. 
 
 I a watering see in gazing further forth. 
 From" the pitched tents ; of their faint bleating 
 
 flocks : 
 Come in, gainst midday heat, from sun-sered coast, 
 And the lean herb ; gathered to the wells' mouths. 
 Whither One like Zipporah, (her name sounds Little 
 
 Bird,) 
 Maiden glad-eyed, leading a weanling troop ; 
 I see approach. Upright, her stature is like 
 A palm-tree : as she now stayed : her turn awaits. 
 
 74 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Buckets, of untanned leather, drawing up ; 
 With goats '-hair home-twined cords, with hardy 
 
 foot : 
 Hend herd-lads, at the well-brinks, toil and sweat. 
 Maidens, come forth with water-skins from the 
 tents ; 
 Chant, hark ! in land of thirst, w4th a glad Voice : 
 Cause, Father of Heaven, for the beasts' sustenance ; 
 The herb to spring, and bushes to bud forth : 
 That butter may we eat, and have enough 
 And drink milk ; and may in the villages, 
 Buy grain for bread. 
 
 Be those of gentle mould 
 As the wild roes : are like their raven locks. 
 To a troop of goats, that from the ledges look, 
 Down, from their mountain-refuge of steep rocks : 
 Their eyes be eyes of doves. 
 Maidens Chant. Thou well ! spring up. 
 And water all our stock : diminish not. 
 Give drink abundantly, O Earth, of Thy large Breast. 
 Well-spring, thy foster-water , is our life. 
 Waterers' Refrain. With a heave I so-ho ! Each 
 
 lad think on his lass, 
 The cattle thirst, heave anew lads, with force ! 
 Maidens. We have water-skins brought, that all 
 
 might be refreshed. 
 Oh how goodly is that full-sounding, in our ears ; 
 F 75 
 
MANSOUL 
 Of water poured out in these water-troughs ! 
 
 A new impulsion, our forwearied feet 
 Hath urged, hath rapt forth. Esaus hilly region 
 We see anon ; now, and Midian in our glass. 
 Lo, a Valley-of-Tombs* hewn in these sandstone 
 
 cliffs. 
 Were those the eternal sumptuous sepulchres ; 
 Of old forgotten tradeful merchant-wights ; 
 That gold and frank-incense fetched, from far 
 
 South parts : 
 Dwellers themselves, in villages of clay walls. 
 Whereof to-day there hardly a trace is found, 
 
 Those their eternal mansions, stand defaced, 
 In ruinous ranks, in remote solitude ; 
 Where passeth none any more of his free-will. 
 Their rotten carcases, long ago have poured out ; 
 Seekers of treasures. Wild men of the waste ; 
 Their cere-cloths rent, with laughter, on blown sand. 
 Loathe foul hyenas, which there lope by night ; 
 Their strewed now pithless bones, t and them defile. 
 
 Soon, neath new extreme region shows our glass. 
 Have reached our steps. What horror of bergs 
 aloft ! 
 
 *Petra. 
 
 f All of whicli may now be better seen, in that site of like Nabatean 
 hewn rock-tombs, with Aramaic inscriptions, and former clay villages; 
 at el-Hi^ir in N. Arabia. 
 
 76 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Whose clefts, dry gravel-beds be of Winter streams. 
 Where sounds no living voice ; nor shaketh leaf, 
 Nor blade, of any green thing, there is seen. 
 Dire craigs o*er all, mute sand-ground of strewed 
 
 stones ! 
 Rocks and stones polished, of sand-whirHng winds : 
 Where midst, great mystic Horeb towers to heaven. 
 Which passed ; we, with our eyes, see shipcraft 
 
 strange : 
 SaiHng our glass shows, as o'er more waste sand ! 
 
 When next we look, is Nilus antique flood 
 Lies imaged there ; which long-twinned Mizraims 
 
 Sand ; 
 Makes fat more than is othen\^here in Earth found. 
 
 Our wondering eyes behold now, in sand-cliff, 
 Laid up in grave-shelves, many as martins nests ; 
 Mens carcases, yet whole and incorrupt. 
 That River-Lands old-times' embalmers' art. 
 Painted, all varnisht shining and encased ; 
 Whence even today, they exhale strange noisome 
 
 breath ; 
 Of balsamum, cassia, cinnamon, oHbane, pitch ! 
 
 Cited, one wakened, in his cerements ; 
 And seemed unfold his iron-stiff wounden corse. 
 So made response, we might perceive uneath. 
 A priest he sometime was in Pharaohs house : 
 
 77 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Whilst Pharoahs ruled, seed of their first King- 
 Gods. 
 
 PRIEST 
 
 What souls be ye, that of yourselves remove. 
 As living flesh, in ghostly Underworld : 
 Which neither wafted were, o'er sacred flood ; 
 Nor laid to sleep, with pompous funerals ! 
 How demon-guarded precincts might ye pass ; 
 And seven strong circuits, of swart Gods of Death ? 
 
 What tidings bruited were, in World above, 
 When ye descended ? Shineth yet there the Sun, 
 And wayward Moon, in firmament of Heaven ? 
 I do record me, in what night I slept forth : 
 Invading impious arms had dispossessed 
 Kings* divine seed : and was the Throne down- 
 cast ; 
 Whereon, sith thousand years, had Pharoah sate. 
 I also, at Ons high altar, fell down slain. 
 
 MANSOUL 
 
 In Mizraims river-lands, thy People dwell, 
 Secure. O'er all, the Right and Just prevail. 
 The harvests of their fields more plenteous are. 
 Than ever ere. 
 
 But as for us, descended ; 
 
 78 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Souls living, to this Under -Earths dim floor : 
 We Seekers are, if so were we might more 
 Souls understanding have, of long nightmare 
 Of doubt ; which hitherto holds suspent mens 
 
 hearts : 
 How erst was Aught ; and of the Divine Power. 
 
 This of thee we require ; Pronounce to us, 
 Those words of Life, which entering once a year 
 With fasting lips, 0ns adyt ; the Kings Seer 
 Recited ; touching Riddle of the Universe. 
 Priest. Unborn Eternity ! Souls ! in your fond 
 
 quest ; 
 Is Time grown oft- while old upon Earths dust: 
 But ye be alway children, which it seek. 
 
 Shall boast itself, the water of a croc ; 
 Gainst mighty eternal Nilus, divine flood ; 
 Which fills sea-Deep, and waters wide the Earth. 
 Twixt Man and heavenly knowledge, know, lies 
 
 Gulf, 
 Mind cannot overferry : nor which pass. 
 Can even the lesser Gods. 
 
 Who walketh in Truth, 
 And giveth almes ; for the only recompense, 
 Which Cometh of Heaven : him will Osiris save ; 
 When to his Hall of Judgment, he arrives. 
 Mansoul. Is such your wisdom ? 
 Priest. More than this is vain. 
 
 79 
 
BOOK IV 
 
 GREAT UNDERWORLD'S VOYAGE 
 
BOOK IV 
 
 We are speeding under seas ; now shows our 
 glass 
 Tumultuous wind-tosst watery wilderness, 
 Above ; and soon we pass not far from where, 
 Long-ranged white cliffs of Island Crete appear ; 
 Isle hundred-citied, in Old World renowned : 
 Where Minos ruled, esteemed son of a God ; 
 For his great wisdom both and worthy deeds. 
 Who his People, statutes taught and ordinances. 
 Wherefore to him eternally have the Gods 
 A judgment-seat assigned in Underworld. 
 
 Him saw we not, but ravished further forth. 
 Continued ; till with joy of heart, we raught, 
 Europas shore, hem of Home Continent. 
 Is that neath Suniums foreland ; whose proud 
 
 rock 
 Crowns pillared temple of the blue-eyed Goddess ; 
 Which guards the Attic coast. 
 
 Eftsoon, new hap ! 
 There shone a strange ray, o'er our covert path : 
 
 83 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 We seemed towards gleam ascend, from some well- 
 mouth, 
 Of Overworld. Come to ourselves, from less 
 Abysmal place, lifting up living looks : 
 We beheld stand famed statua of Phidias ; 
 Athena, on age-renowned Acropolis-cliff ! 
 Helm-clad, with spear advanced, protending shield : 
 And the aegis, wherein bears the warHke Goddess, 
 Medusa embossed, shine on Her maiden breast. 
 
 One Cometh this way, from Cecrops city forth ; 
 Through the dgora and busy traffic of Greeks' street: 
 A man whom many observe, where he doth pass. 
 Who is there in Athens, knows not those quaint 
 
 looks, 
 Of Sophroniscos son, who goeth barefoot ; 
 Wise-wayward thus, his weed a blanket-cloth } 
 
 Dwells oft-time lofty heart, in lowly cot ; 
 So Socrates doth : nor seld is, vile wight rotteth. 
 Entombed already, in mansion of the great. 
 Poor of Worlds good, (he lightly esteemeth thereof ;) 
 A divine Spirit abideth, in Socrates breast. 
 Who come now to late evening of his years, 
 By age is not subdued : but aye he seeketh. 
 If so be he, through Reasons reach, might 'scape 
 From ^rror ; and attain to tread the path, 
 From now henceforth, of Everlasting Truth. 
 
 Erewhile of masons' craft ; in marble blocks, 
 
 84 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Hewn in Pentelic cliffs, drawn tardily forth, 
 On creaking ox- wains, o*er that thymy plain ; 
 Young Socrates, with his father, images wrought ; 
 Of the alleged company, of Greeks' Olympic Gods. 
 Now, leaving his old art, with chisel sharp 
 And mallet of grave speech ; he fashioneth out 
 The forms of vertue, in young mens minds unripe. 
 
 Is Socrates nighing in their Potters' Street : 
 Approach two young men from the contrary part, 
 Criton and Cebes friends, his hearers both. 
 They anon with Socrates meet, in powdrous place 
 Where two ways come together ; and gone apart, 
 Stand those now, a little company, as their wont is ; 
 In homely-wise discourse. Is that town street, 
 Their street of sumptuous citizens' sepulchres ; 
 This other is Athens' sacred-way, whereby 
 To-day, the Elevsis Pilgrimage shall pass. 
 
 Are presently many on-lookers gathering here. 
 Begin first mysta? already by to fare. 
 In bands those march : and from a fellowship, 
 A young man steps forth, one of upright looks. 
 Stranger of Elis, hearer of the sage : 
 Phaedon by name. Though clad in purple weed ; 
 As longeth unto this high-days pilgrimage ; 
 Is he of those whom Socrates most esteems ; 
 
 85 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Constant in vertue, and of life unstained. 
 He joineth himself to them, which talk with Socrates. 
 Hark ! how from vanward of the sacred train ; 
 lacche ! lacche ! Theseus citizens shout : 
 With whom march companies, from Greeks' several 
 
 States. 
 To ELEVSis-ward is set of all the face. 
 PHi^DON. What cry is this from midst the 
 
 pilgrimage } 
 Cebes. Who foremost ; pass now bourne-stone on 
 
 the bridge, 
 Which over-rides Kephissos droughty brook. 
 Ph^^don. I a retinue see, of priests and novices ; 
 And maidens, bearing canisters on their heads. 
 Cebes. Offerings those bring, of Atticas summer 
 
 fruits : 
 These other, instruments bear of sacrifices. 
 Criton. All wend up purified, having yestre'en 
 
 washed 
 Their bodies in Phalerian waves. All trust, 
 Come morrow ; on Image of that greatest Goddess, 
 And well and dolorous stone, shall their eyes gaze. 
 Cebes. And mystery of the Great Mothers 
 
 burning torch, 
 Behold, that token of saving Light in death ; 
 Kindled at rising star, amidst the signs ; 
 (Which known to only few of Her chief priests :) 
 
 86 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 When suddenly of the Arch-mystagogue shall 
 
 proclaimed ; 
 Be to all her worshippers, from the Temple-porch : 
 Who is purified, whoso is undefiled, approach ; 
 To enter in the Sanctuary s inner court, 
 Criton. Arcana they behold there, but may not 
 In any wise, save to the Initiate 
 Commemorate : wherein high covenant is 
 Established, for each soul, with Hells swart 
 
 Goddess : 
 Ensuring aid and favour in dark tomb. 
 Cebes. Unto whom the hierophants unsealed lips 
 
 pronounce. 
 That occult holy Name : Which countersign given, 
 Of disembodied soul, shall mitigate 
 The brow severe, of swart Infernal Power : 
 Whereunto is shown that mystery of the seed-corn ; 
 Which though it dieth, shall revive again. 
 PHi^DON. What new thing doth this many-tongued 
 
 multitude shout } 
 Criton. They who go by Athenas olive-trunk, 
 
 it salute : 
 Tree that once sprang full-grown up, from the root ; 
 What time, contending with Poseidon, God ; 
 Her gift to men, Pallas, yond high rock ! smote. 
 Cebes. That the ancients hold, was on the Acropolis 
 
 cliff : 
 
 87 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Nor other than some venerable slip ; 
 
 Is this (remained, of that same parent stock ;) 
 
 Which stands now, all cavernous old, by the way 
 
 side : 
 Her rind behanged with glittering offerings ; 
 Likewise her great-grown scions, her round about. 
 PHi^DON. New shout, chant, rising from ten 
 
 thousand throats ; 
 Mingled with Bacchic cries, and dancing foot ! 
 Now who pass by, all trip with ecstatic looks ! 
 Cedes. They a World transfigured see, hymning 
 
 the Goddess. 
 Criton. Sign is, that the first pilgrims nigh now 
 
 strait ; 
 Wherein heroon stands of Orpheus ; 
 Who went down quick to gates of Tartarus. 
 That with his gilded lyres soul-ravishing sound, 
 Tamed beasts and birds. Even rocks and rooted 
 
 trees ; 
 Followed, as had they ears, his wavering steps. 
 Where Orpheus stayed, stood those him ranged 
 
 around. 
 And do so even unto this day, remain. 
 Reported is, that even swift tumbHng floods. 
 Their liquid foot sustained ; whose rumbling 
 
 streams. 
 Had lulled the measured melodies of his verse ; 
 
 88 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Who in the vaward of this Pilgrimage, march. 
 
 Wont in that place them, twixt twin cliffs, disperse ; 
 
 Each after their devotion and intent ; 
 
 Chanting some Orphic canticle as they wend 
 
 Forth, seeking hallows mongst the sacred rocks ; 
 
 Friends, and companionships, visiting oratories ; 
 
 Which, each fraternity best reputeth of. 
 
 Socrates, {returning himself) ; As many Gods, so 
 many sanctuaries ! 
 
 Criton. Following the more part on, from shrine 
 to shrine ; 
 
 They linger this day out. Other make haste. 
 
 To pluck them herbs, meet for the bodys health ; 
 
 So were those gathered as Demeters priests 
 
 Allege, with dew-drops hoary on their leaves. 
 
 Cebes . Figuring wan tears , that divine Mother shed ; 
 
 Suing far £cho, of sad Persephones voice. 
 
 Criton. All having thus duly accomplished and 
 performed ; 
 
 And left their several shrines bedecked with flowers : 
 
 Will all this mingled multitude, at third morrow ; 
 
 With merry jest and song, and garlands crowned. 
 
 Return initiate. 
 
 PHi^DON. Men, wives, thralls and strangers ; 
 
 What is it these all look for, that flow by us } 
 
 Criton. Holiday, brave garments, human fellow- 
 ship : 
 
 89 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 *T is better than a fair. Whereto put this 
 Pilgrims return, with honour, to their hearths ; 
 Their estimation, in the market-place, 
 
 Increased. 
 Cebes. With bodies sanctified and gained merit ; 
 Gainst their lives' ending and dread day of Death. 
 Socrates. Can aught the beasts conceive, of human 
 
 thought } 
 No more can fleshling wight, of few days* life ; 
 Reach unto, imagine, reason of aright, 
 The hidden counsel, of immortal Gods. 
 As soon a potters amphora might contain ; 
 All billows of yond sea-plains glistering flood. 
 PHi^DON. How can Mans soul, that labours sore 
 
 for meat ; 
 Conversing daily in guileful market-place ; 
 Attain to righteous life ? 
 Socrates. Reach heaven our spirits. 
 May with each breath ; and with high Gods 
 
 converse. 
 PHi^DON. Dark is thy speech ! 
 Criton. Speak plainly, O Socrates, to us. 
 Cebes. Divinest thou aught of death ? 
 Criton. T is that we ask ! 
 Declare once openly thou, thy very thought. 
 Socrates. Flesh born of flesh, must turn again 
 
 to dust. 
 
 90 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Criton. Shall, quencht that lively spark, the S6l{ 
 was in us : . . . 
 
 Cebes. We revert thither, whence we issued forth ? 
 
 Ph^don. Or purged thereby, the mist of mortal 
 sense ; 
 
 And memory of Lifes disease, in Worlds unrest . . . ? 
 
 Cebes. Exhale mongst echoes of Gods Universe ? 
 
 Criton. When daweth a day, wherein we our- 
 selves are not ; 
 
 But as one of late Winters fallen leaves : 
 
 Remaineth there aught, we dream not of, for us ? 
 
 Cebes. Can any interpret chant Demeters priests 
 
 Recite in their dark mood } 
 
 PHi^DON. Shall ferry, on wings of Light, 
 
 Our spirits and tower to some celestial coast ? 
 
 Stands Socrates silent ! 
 
 Cebes. Fallen in some new trance. 
 
 Criton. Stands on one sole. 
 
 Ph^don. Like column, that bears up. 
 
 Some noble architrave ! 
 
 Cebes. A way he hath ; 
 
 An ecstasis him taketh, whenso the Voice, 
 
 Which harbours in his breast, speaks with his 
 spirit. 
 
 Criton. Thus stands wise owl of great Athena 
 Herself; 
 
 When mantleth she her wing. As merrily mocks, 
 G 91 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 In that late c6medy of his ; (who heard it not ? 
 
 When on-lookers all in the wide theatre laughed ?) 
 
 Our Aristophanes. 
 
 Phaedon. Ph ! foolish verse ! 
 
 Each watchman of the night, whom I have asked ; 
 
 Saith, Great Athenas fowl, stands seldwise thus. 
 
 But Socrates no more minds our trivial talk. 
 
 Cebes. I heard him yesterday cite that Orphic 
 
 Verse ; 
 Soul to the body is, wherein it doth lodge : 
 As dream of lyre is to the chords and wood. 
 Should both consenting sound of one accord. 
 Socrates {returning to himself.) . . . And live 
 
 in Faith of The Eternal Good. 
 Who dares impeach His Justice ! No man knoweth ; 
 To what intent Gods made and marred the World. 
 Nor whether Gods made men, or Man made Gods. 
 
 Now at mine entreaty, hath suffered us the Voice, 
 Revert ; retrace awhile our homeward steps. 
 Have from our vision Athens' city and rock. 
 And Socrates faded in the Muses' glass. 
 As weary and faint, we hold again East-course. 
 
 Once more neath flint-grey justling waves, we 
 haste. 
 Nor long was, ere on our left hand we viewed 
 The Cyprian Isle above. Came plainly in view 
 
 92 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Then Canaans coast, and Carmels fruitful brow, 
 And the Sidonian shore. Soon seemed us was, 
 Neath Sharons Plain, in Underworld we trace. 
 
 Now and dimly is Hermon in our mirror shown. 
 That seems, aloof, to slumber in the sky ; 
 To-day white-headed, with his sacred snow. 
 Neath valley and hill and olive yards soon we pass ; 
 Green in deep places, with scant trickling brooks. 
 Pillars and arcs, stand mirrored in our glass, 
 Lo ! of Somerons* site ; then Sychars fruitful plots. 
 
 Is Libanus sith reflected, but far off : 
 The sighing of whose sacred perfumed boughs ; 
 Attuned seems, to our souls' inquietudes. 
 
 Land-breadth lo, of roHing-stones and squaHd 
 rocks ! 
 Wherein our sires had neither part nor lot : 
 Where deeds recorded are, to have been wrought ; 
 Which eversith have perplexed Mans restless 
 
 thought : 
 And too much, ah ! divideth heart from heart. 
 
 A soil, which, ere tent-dwelling, shepherd folk, 
 Come up from South waste-places of the Earth ; 
 Had reaved of old, from who before them dwelt ; 
 With violent hand, commanded of their God. 
 
 Mongst whom, there certain rose, named men-of- 
 GoD, 
 
 * Samaria. 
 
 93 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Tradition saith, which with that GoD conversed. 
 By whom His Spirit spake to their Nations ears ; 
 He had chosen, out of all Peoples of the Earth. 
 
 Of whom some foretold, of a day unborn ; 
 How long that lieth, in dark Womb of Time : 
 Wherein a divine Kingdom should descend ; 
 And dwell for ever on Jehovahs Land. 
 
 With heavy feet is it, and panting hearts ; 
 That we hold slowly this new Eastward course : 
 With ruinous craig-strewn mountain-ground above ; 
 In Underworlds' hollow paths. It is not much ; 
 (Since little is Davids Land, in length and breadth.) 
 Ere that, that Son-of- Jesses City-hill ; 
 We see, of Jews' solemnities, in our glass: 
 Captived of enemies oft ; rebuilt as oft. 
 
 Dream we wan dreams, in Valley of Vision ? 
 Do not 
 Our eyes behold a City's platform-mount ; 
 Lacking all comeliness, mirrored thus ; whose rocks, 
 (Once a salt sea-waves' putrid sediments ;) 
 Lie deep-piled as a sabbath days journey, thus ; 
 In countless ferine ages, ere Man was : 
 Exalted then, in Stars' years, aloft thus ? 
 Wherein fast-sealed be prints of claws and teeth, 
 Witnessing unto Mans minds eyes, that Earths 
 Beginning, full as now of cruelty was. 
 
 94 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 City of the Jebusite, which David took ; 
 And 'stablished there his Kingdom, in their blood. 
 A tribesman he, descended of the veins 
 Of Rahab and the Moabitess Ruth. 
 We see it this day, wrapped in wretchedness : 
 Her streets a laystall. And not much unlike, 
 To compare small with great, is it in sight ; 
 To bee-flys nest, on some rude walHng fixt. 
 
 Nor mind can doubt, as every builded work 
 Decayeth : so this shall likewise wholly perish ; 
 And pass, as had it never been : when those 
 Sea-born bald rocks, the same shall yet be seen, 
 Under the Sun, as they to-day remain. 
 
 Beneath, without the city walls, we pass ; 
 Before some ruinous rock-hewn sepulchres. 
 Of prophets and Jews' Kings. And many thoughts. 
 Be rising and conflicting in our hearts. 
 
 And more than all, where be upheld our steps ; 
 Before tomb, radious above the rest : 
 Hewn lowly, under sculptured eaves of rock. 
 Wherein three-score now generations past ; 
 Men laid the King of Glory, a Scripture saith, 
 Who died on Roman Cross. Angels Him warding, 
 Of Light, till third days break : when having put 
 On Immortality, Jeshua issued forth. 
 
 Have testified this, companions of the Christ. 
 And further, that yet forty days was seen 
 
 9S 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 J&hua of them alive : in Jewry both, 
 
 And Galilea. Till He received up 
 
 Was into Heaven : whereas, ere Worlds, He was. 
 
 Words which He taught, which those deliver to 
 us ; 
 Were Words of Truth, Life, Peace, Eternal Light : 
 They being such as before Him no man spake. 
 His words, sown in mens hearts, souls, ever sith ; 
 Lift from Earths dust, to Heavenly Fatherhood. 
 
 And suddenly, as we worshipped in that Place : 
 His adorable Vision stood, us seemed, before us ; 
 Like as we had conceived it, in our thought : 
 As He appeared transfigured in the mount. 
 Whom Jews had pierced on a pagan cross : 
 
 Save that His temples wreathed a thorny fret ; 
 Whence sprang divine transcendent radiance forth ; 
 Unto healing of all Nations of round Earth. 
 In that He inwardly seemed to gaze upon us : 
 The hearts, like wax, were molten in our breasts. 
 
 When we no longer, on that lightning countenance, 
 In Vision seen, durst fasten wordly gaze ; 
 
 There wakened one nigh hand, mongst Strangers* 
 
 tombs : 
 Stephen, an Hebrew Greek, and he not least 
 One, in first faithful household of Christs saints : 
 Who brought before Jews' Council, hath confessed : 
 That He, whom had they ignorantly done to death ; 
 
 96 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Was He, in whom fulfilled the Promises were 
 Which made unto their fathers. 
 
 Jews, heard this ; 
 Gnashed on him with their teeth. At their rebukes, 
 Kindled the Martyrs face ; that seemed the face 
 Then of an Angel, whiles he cried aloud : 
 That he beheld Gods Glory, in the Highest. 
 And standing by the Throne, the Son of Man, 
 Whom they had crucified. 
 
 Blasphemy ! Jews loud cried : 
 And stopped their formal ears. Uprose young 
 
 men ; 
 Swelled in whose hearts hot fury. In fell disdain. 
 Grinning like wolves, all those on Stephen ran : 
 Him hurled without the Bloody Citys walls : 
 And with snatcht stones, there slew his mortal 
 
 part. 
 He meekly kneeling, whilst endured his breath, 
 Prayed for his murderers. Hounds, tradition saith 
 Licked his gore-blood shed, in that sinister place. 
 He, first thus, of the followers of the Christ ; 
 Received the Crown, of saints' immortal life. 
 
 Looking on us, he Maran-atha* quoth ; 
 Peace be unto you, and to as many as wait, 
 
 * Aramaic : (Jews' that times ordinary speech.) the meaning is, 
 The Lord He cometh. 
 
 97 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 His new appearing, with the heavenly host ; 
 When all shall be accomplished. 
 Mansoul. We have sought, 
 
 In darkness of our souls, on living Earth, 
 Right paths : and, (Mercy of Heaven,) we in our 
 
 flesh. 
 Descended to Abysm of Worlds' Death ; 
 (With power to evoke spirits of former ages ;) 
 We of them enquire likewise the ways of peace. 
 Stephen. The Master ; he who to the heavens 
 
 ascended : 
 Ensign of Nations ; hath revealed to us, 
 A living path ; which, though all else shall perish. 
 Shall never pass. He, living great High Priest, 
 Of our Salvation, at the Throne of Grace, 
 With groans unutterable, to the Father prayeth : 
 That in the end of all things, now at hand ; 
 Might all men be partakers of His Rest. 
 
 He healed the sick, the whiles He dwelled among 
 
 us. 
 The lepers cleansed, the three-days' dead, He raised, 
 He comforted the sad. The birds of air, 
 The beasts of field, the Hlies of the Land, 
 Were likewise comprehended in his Love. 
 The wild roes fled not forth at His approach. 
 Dear Lord, make no long tarrying ! (Stephen 
 
 sighedj) 
 
 98 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Return soon ! when the Dead, which in Thee sleep ; 
 Sheep of Thy fold, shall hear Thy Voice, and live : 
 Calling each sheep, by name. Whence being 
 
 raised. 
 As the glad flowers, which Spring-time lift their 
 
 heads 
 From Winters sod, towards Suns returning warmth : 
 They issuing, from deep shadow of Worlds Grave ; 
 Shall, incorruptible, be to Thee caught up ; 
 To meet Thee, in that Thy Kingdom, in the skies. 
 He said ; and, turning him, (as those that sleep ;) 
 Laid down in Underworld, again his head, 
 Mongst souls that rest in silent death. 
 
 We stood 
 In our unworthiness, the while, dismayed. 
 In our dark breasts there remained little breath. 
 And that, in speechless utterance, we breathed 
 
 towards 
 The Infinite Ear, that hears above the stars. 
 To Whom ascend all prayers. 
 
 We, dazing thus ; 
 Withdrew apart then reverently to a place, 
 Prepared in Bosom of the Earth : where us. 
 Was given to rest our feet ; and meditate 
 Awhile ; of all things lately happened to us. 
 
 In Nazara, a village-town of Galilca ; 
 
 99 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Dwelled in of Jews and mingled alien kin, 
 The most, from Over-Jordan : little as then, 
 (As beyond Jewry,) of Jewrys Jews, esteemed : 
 Grew up from his womb-birth, the child Jeshiia : 
 Reputed Son of one who wrought in wood ; 
 A devout man, of Davids royal line. 
 
 Unlettered, in meticulous discipHne, 
 Tradition saith, of priests and scribes, he was. 
 Little we, of his pensive years of youth, 
 In our new Greekish scriptures, find recorded. 
 And of his early manhood even less. 
 
 His brethren, dwelling under Josephs roof ; 
 And daily dipping with him, in one dish ; 
 According to the custom of those parts : 
 On Miriams son, the Book saith, beHeved not ; 
 What day, come to full age, Jeshua rose up, 
 (A spirit is come upon him !) and from midst 
 Them all : to preach glad-tidings, to the House 
 Of Jacob, (the Jews' former prophets' wont ;) 
 From Upland Nazaras streets, went Jeshua forth. 
 
 Nathless he preached not openly, as yet ; 
 Fearful of Rulers and to be cut off, 
 Before his time. Witnessed the signs he wrought, 
 In all mens sight ; that He The-Anointed was. 
 
 Hunger and thirst, wayfaring ; doing good 
 To all men ; he endured, watch, weariness : 
 Nor seldom lackt night-lodging, where he passed. 
 
 100 
 
MANSOVL 
 
 The poor, the merciful, the pure in heart, 
 
 And peacemakers, his lips blessed. The words 
 
 he preached ; 
 Were full of more than prophets' light and force. 
 Men, in whose being, was an indwelling spirit : 
 Which the unrighteousness of this World wounds ; 
 Of soul-empiercing lofty eloquence ; 
 Words of whose mouths, were oft, as rushing 
 
 wheels, 
 Of a devouring flame ; from Throne of Heaven ! 
 Such as not found before or after, in 
 The hearts of men of any other Nation. 
 
 Till day when priests and elders, him arraigned. 
 Of blasphemy ; and charged to be an Evil-doer : 
 And Him delivered to the Roman Power ; 
 
 In eve of the Jews' Passover, sergeants sent, 
 Jews' elders him to take. They found, Jeshiia, 
 After the sacred Supper, with the Twelve ; 
 In certain olive-yard ; where their wont was ; 
 Withdraw them, with the Master, from Worlds 
 
 noise. 
 He bowed Himself, (whilst slumbered those,) in 
 
 prayer ; 
 Three times unto the ground. They Jeshua 
 
 approached ; 
 And apprehended. 
 
 lOI 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Night-long then endured 
 Jeshiia of Nazareth ; spit upon, scourged and 
 
 scorned : 
 Buffeted, smitten with rods, and with mens 
 
 palms ; 
 Mockt of lewd soldiers' in the common hall ; 
 And Him deriding, for His Kingship claimed 
 Of Israel ; they have crowned, with wreathed sharp 
 
 thorns : 
 And men have cast on Him a scarlet robe. 
 And put a reed, for sceptre, in His right hand ; 
 And bending knees before Him, they cried. Hail ! 
 And, with a reed, they smote Him on the head. 
 
 But day being come ; into the Citys street ; 
 Jeshua, from soldiers' guard-house, is led forth : 
 To suiTer the last ignominy of Gentile death : 
 Death, that wont be, ah ! of slaves and 
 
 murderers. 
 Lent month is in : rime lay on Zions hill. 
 Is scab of ice, in all Her ways unclean. 
 Chill, ere yet fully dawn, is morrows breath. 
 Charge Caesars soldiers on that meek bowed neck : 
 Cross-tree, was framed, an old tradition saith, 
 (Tree of that soil,) of weighty olive wood. 
 
 Bearing Jeshua his cross, is he led forth ; 
 With the accustomed guard, four legionaries ; 
 To that polluted place, without the gates ; 
 
 102 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Where men, condemned for crimes, were put to 
 death. 
 Follow Jeshiia, the prophet of Nazareth, forth; 
 A fleering rabble rout. From them apart ; 
 Come, shrouded women, wailing. For all men 
 Have, even his own ; the while their Lord forsaken : 
 Fearing to be accused, to have been with him. 
 
 The way is slipper, and past now Zions port ; 
 Fainted Jeshuas knees, forspent, forwatched. 
 And he sank down, long lacking kindly rest, 
 And sustenance ; neath burden of pagan cross. 
 On one that way returning towards Zions gate, 
 Lay hands Romes soldiers. They that man enforce. 
 To bear the Condemneds load. 
 
 Midst wife-folk, walk 
 Lo Martha and Miriam ; and in company with 
 
 them. 
 Come certain Galilean widows, sorrowing : 
 Which of their slender substance, ministered to 
 
 him : 
 In those long weary uneven stony paths ; 
 In his late journeying thence up to the Feast. 
 
 They wend by, piteously beating their lean breasts : 
 Which, with their tears. His blessed feet have 
 
 washed. 
 Sore mourn they for that Master, which had raised 
 Their dead to life ; in Whom all healing was : 
 
 103 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Unto Whom they lookt, that Israei should be saved. 
 Reached to that accursed, abhorred, corrupt 
 
 place ; 
 Of strewed skulls named, (men ween,) of sinners' 
 
 deaths : 
 The air, come tardy light, a thrilling frost : 
 Wan, goeth, with misty vapour, days Sun up : 
 And looketh askance, on guilty Israels coast. 
 
 Those holy limbs, Romes carnifex hath despoiled 
 Of raiment ; with then mallet in his hand ; 
 His palms he, as lay Jeshiia, splayd on ground ; 
 Hath nailed upon, (intollerable smart !) 
 The rood-beam, and feet twain. Him aiding then 
 Romes soldiers ; he, (blood trickling on the 
 
 wood,) 
 Up-rears the accursed tree ! They heave it then. 
 Into its mortais. Hang twain malefactors, 
 Jews crucified, with him, one on either part. 
 
 Days tardy hours draw on ; and now is noon. 
 And is now afternoon : whiles swoons that Just 
 One, in long passion, of His sinless flesh ; 
 Born of a woman. Jews which that way pass. 
 Stand to upbraid the so-named Prophet of 
 
 Nazareth : 
 Ribalds revile Him from nigh Zions walls. 
 
 With weeping, shrinking women, that regarded 
 
 104 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Afar off : stood, the saints* tradition saith, 
 
 His Mothers sisters. Looking up from death ; 
 
 When, mongst them, saw Jeshua his mother 
 
 Miriam : 
 He, her son, her comforted with last words of Love. 
 
 Sith, darkened in infirmity of human flesh ; 
 Seemed Jeshuas divine spirit ; when gazing up 
 Towards heaven, he cried aloud. My God, my God ! 
 Ah ! why hast Thou passed by me ! In that 
 
 saying, 
 He bowed the head ; and gave the sinless ghost. 
 To prove if were He dead, one of Romes soldiers ; 
 Jeshuas side pierced, with his pagan lance. 
 Thus ended He in young years, adjudged to 
 
 death ; 
 By his own Peoples Rulers and chief priests : 
 Shepherd in Israel ; and the lively Hope, 
 Of them, whom He had chosen out of the World. 
 
 Of dismayed loving hands, being lifted down 
 The Masters corse : they it washed from bloody 
 
 stains : 
 And weeping, having swathed in linen bands ; 
 (Being preparation of Jews* Sabbath eve :) 
 Before set of that Sun, bare forth : and laid ; 
 Nigh to the place, in Josephs garden-grave ; 
 (He, who erewhile to Jeshua sought by night ;) 
 
 105 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Hewn in the rock, and was that newly made : 
 And went each sorrowing down, to his own house. 
 
 But sabbath past, come morrow of Jews' new 
 
 week ; 
 That holy Temple, of Jeshuas virgin flesh, 
 Revived. And venerable Tradition saith ; 
 Light of the World, o'er Whom prevail could not 
 The Power of Death ; who testified of Himself, 
 That He, Son of the Ever Blessed, was : 
 Rose and went forth. 
 
 And certain days conversed 
 He with the Twelve, unto whom His wounds He 
 
 showed. 
 And, though the same tradition saith. He passed 
 Through even shut doors ; He brake, in Jewry, 
 
 again 
 And GaHlee both, with them, the bread of men. 
 Which dured till morn when last He led them 
 
 forth ; 
 From the Holy City, on Olivet's cragged mount. 
 And thence, in their eyes' seeing, ascending up : 
 He that was pierced. His arms outstretcht, to 
 
 bless 
 Those few, obedient to His Word, He left ; 
 As sheep mongst wolves, on this Worlds trustless 
 
 ground. 
 
 1 06 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Such then have we propounded unto us ; 
 For our instruction, and our souls' High Trust ; 
 In this Worlds dark uneasy dwelling-place ; 
 In brief life of our flesh, midst daily Press. 
 
 We as men, to human reason, must hold fast. 
 If aught there be beyond Mans reasons reach : 
 We thereto accede by Faith, and not by sight. 
 
 The Testimony of a venerable Book, 
 Is that which we possess ; which not soon writ. 
 But in next generation after this ; 
 With certain letters, handed down to us ; 
 Of the first saints, prophetic sectaries ; 
 Through pious ages, whole and incorrupt ; 
 Not in Jews' sacred, but in Greeks' World-speech. 
 
 Reaching those godly spirits up from Earths 
 dust ; 
 And things corruptible of this slough of flesh ; 
 To an inheritance, which fadeth not ; 
 A crown of glory in heaven ; for them laid up : 
 They as new-begotten in their minds, raught not ; 
 Of Kings and Rulers to be disesteemed : 
 Nor even to give their bodies to be burned. 
 For His names sake. 
 
 And seekers of right paths ; 
 Great multitude, mongst all nations of the Earth ; 
 To that their faithful testimony ; which they left, 
 For our souls health, and Hope of Life in Death ; 
 
 H 107 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 To-day, in travail of their souls, resort : 
 As moths unto a taper in the dark. 
 
 What mind may, from Abysm of vast Deep, 
 Of unremembrance ; (Ocean-ground, where lieth 
 It 'spersed ;) the human sooth of long-dead age. 
 Retrieve ; or question powder in lost grave ? 
 
 What may a soul, in days wherein we live ; 
 When knowledge, is by so much more, increased ; 
 As semblable to right Image of the Sooth ; 
 Which Heaven, at first, implanted in Mans breast : 
 Receive ? Where is that touchstone, whereby might 
 It be examined, and once throughly tried ! 
 
 If we hold only to our fantasies ; 
 Shall we not haply sin against the Light ? 
 
 Who is there that familiarly hath conversed, 
 With People of Israels soil, in their own speech : 
 (Of customs like, like tongue and kindred blood, 
 With old-times Jews ;) hath not continually marked ; 
 Their marvel-talk, (such springs in minds untaught;) 
 Which groweth, and groweth, and passeth saner 
 thought. 
 
 And Thou great Mother Asia ; which our feet. 
 In Thy great length and breath traverse beneath : 
 Great Womb of Nations, and of many Faiths ; 
 From ancient days, with many sacred books : 
 (Whereas is Israel little in Time and Place :) 
 Remainest without, most part, in unbelief ; 
 
 io8 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Though twice nigh thousand more Suns years bepast ! 
 Help, Father of Heaven ! Lord God of the 
 
 whole Earth ; 
 Hear our soul's lowing at Thy Throne of Grace ! 
 Searcher of hearts ! To Thee, we in Worlds dark ; 
 Stretch forth continually our adoring hands ! 
 Help Thou, A11-Father ! Help Thou them that 
 
 seek ; 
 In their few life-days, Way of Light and Truth : 
 Nor, if blind we stumble, impute guilt to us ! 
 Can it be, that that we orphUins, Reason call ; 
 A parcel is only of Infinite Divine Truth : 
 Like spot, which dims all-brightness of Suns Face ? 
 Be then we founding on Realities ? 
 In nonage of the World, seemed unto Man 
 The Universe human. We, of riper age ; 
 May nothing such, in Natures Work perceive. 
 
 Mansoul still cavelling thus : there fell upon us 
 (Whiles yet we stood, in our empassioned mood. 
 Amazed, confused ;) new impulse and increased. 
 Yet once, our glass showed wind-scourged wallowing 
 
 flood, 
 Where billows ride on billows. Mid-seas Deep 
 Is, that we we view above. 
 
 In Underworld, 
 
 Be fewer here dim galleries of the Dead. 
 
 109 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Wherein glide spirits, from wide-round compassing 
 
 coasts. 
 Mongst whom, drown'd souls passed, dripping 
 
 from sea-deaths. 
 (Alas, their strangle-deaths, in foundered ships ! 
 That with them lie to rot, on seas salt ground.) 
 
 Before us, whither now w^e haste ; above 
 This great repositorium of Worlds Dead : 
 Mirrored we, in our glass, see Golden Region. 
 Is that of Westing Sun ; where at days end. 
 In living World, He droopeth below salt Main. 
 Is that the Outer Sea, which girds the World. 
 
 We sea-gates wide do presently pass beneath ; 
 Twixt opposed Africs and Europas coasts : 
 And towards Bootes and Arcturus mount. 
 
 We anew view swart waves' flowing wilderness ! 
 O'er brow of following tumult of salt flood ; 
 Go gallant ships, that know their liquid paths 
 Towards haven of land; and white-winged 
 
 clamorous 
 Sea-mews, in their sharp ledges of sea rocks. 
 
 On each hand, dry lands shores loom, in our 
 glass. 
 Of warlike Nations, and who in World best ; 
 Can handle the machinal arts. Nathless, 
 Is their part less of spiritual Light ! 
 Than that of dwellers, in Worlds vast East parts. 
 
 no 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Where, over-against the Muses' Isles, we pass : 
 We a rumbling seabord hear to sound above, 
 And to resound. Hark ! long-reared wave-rows 
 
 break, 
 And race o'er some wide strand. 
 
 Which passed beyond : 
 Huge fearful Thunder- voice, of homicide War, 
 Bellows ! Our glass shows cloud, o'erhangs the 
 
 World, 
 That rains down gore ! 
 Mansoul. What home-coming is here ? 
 Must thus we turn, to live again on ground ; 
 That, (Voice divine !) we longed in Underworld ; 
 Yet once to see, and see the Sun, so sore ? 
 The Voice. I do to-day perceive is all West World, 
 One horrid fold, of many Nations' War ! 
 Mansoul. Say furthermore. 
 The Voice. I do discern, is this 
 War-guilt of homicide Rulers, whose lewd life. 
 Is Nations' death. Was known. Kings of the World, 
 Of late conspired, malgre all covenants ; 
 For lordship of the Earth ; which being achieved 
 By scelerate arms ; should all men be their thralls : 
 And the heritage of the ages, should be theirs. 
 Mansoul. High Heavens ! beat down the 
 
 barbarous insolence, 
 
 III 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Of those false kings : and their fond bauble crowns, 
 
 Cast in the draught-pit ! Or what rests to us, 
 
 Of Hope on Earth ? 
 
 The Voice. They dunghills shall embrace, 
 
 And become all mens curse : their evil names 
 
 Abhor shall generations to be born. 
 
 Mansoul. What ravaged blighted Country-side 
 is this, 
 
 Our mirror shows ? 
 
 The Voice. Beiges' War-wasted march : 
 
 Well-peopled late, now ploughed with iron shot. 
 
 Her fruitful fields lie soaked, with massacre-blood. 
 
 See smouldering villages, past repair, unroofed ! 
 
 Leap to heaven, wide flames of crofts and granges 
 fired. 
 
 Are famous cities burning, like a wood. 
 
 Mansoul. Who hath done this ? 
 
 The Voice. Invading Hunnish hordes. 
 
 World's impious enemies, this Hell-horror made. 
 
 Havoc ! yell their churls throats : that from brute- 
 beasts ; 
 
 Can only be distinguished by Mans voice. 
 
 By their outrageous deeds, those willed to make 
 
 A sty, a sink, a stink, West human World. 
 
 There, like to locusts' swarm, in the Element ; 
 Flies deadly leaden sleet, o'er field of blood. 
 
 112 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Hundred leagues long, enrdnged, lie dpposed annies, 
 In their war-trenches digged. Their raging strife, 
 Ceaseth not day nor night upon Earths face. 
 Men, madding ; give and receive wounds and death. 
 A thousand fall, each moment, without life. 
 
 Rend shrieking iron bolts the emp6isoned element; 
 Dip from miles height : and shattering where 
 
 they light ; 
 With din trememdous, above thunder-clap : 
 Slings each one widewhere, hundred wounds and 
 
 death : 
 That widows long, and orphans shall lament. 
 
 Blind hazard is abroad, of infinite deaths. 
 Fates, wavering- winged, flit to and fro, betwixt 
 Their parts. Are five times thousand-thousand, 
 
 told ; 
 War-carcases huddled already, in strange ground ; 
 Of young men soldiers. Every rood of land, 
 With squalid crusts lies blotted of gore-blood. 
 Perished in their dead loins ; (on your false 
 pates, 
 Inhuman mad cursed begetters of this War !) 
 The children, which of them should have been 
 
 born : 
 For the continuance of Mans World to come. 
 Mongst souls, of battle-bleeding multitude ; 
 
 113 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Which this day untimely, have their generous 
 
 spirits 
 Breathed forth on living ground : lo, companies 
 
 pass ; 
 Known, by their comely looks, pale now in death : 
 To be of those, our Island Empire sends 
 Forth, of her valorous youth, to fight for life. 
 Of the whole Earth ; gainst criminal enemies. 
 Hail Britains sons, which seen have glorious 
 
 deaths ; 
 Your memories dwell aye in our Island hearts, 
 (Fallen lifelorn, in your ranks, on your prowd 
 
 faces !) 
 And shall in centuries yet to come. With Christ, 
 Descend, with honour, to eternal rest ! 
 
 Beloved young men : (A fire is in our hearts ; 
 Hot swelling tide of wrath, for your young deaths !) 
 That did not only your forefathers' worth. 
 Match to the full ; opposing your young breasts ; 
 To the foul tyrants venom, steel and shot ; 
 And saviours of the World were in your flesh. 
 In a strange Land ; but added have new wealth, 
 Of honour incorruptible unto us. 
 The Voice. They gave their all, with joy, for 
 
 Countrys sake. 
 Loud Echo. Death seemed ihe?n joy, for Mother- 
 
 Countrys sake ! 
 
 114 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 They arrive hither from Main Continent 
 Where those nefarious cattle in guise of wights ; 
 Brute beasts, defiled Gods ground. They, human 
 
 kind ; 
 (Naught reverencing their mothers' womanhood ;) 
 Fearing no God, unspeakably prophaned. 
 
 They poisoned wells, sowed germs of Pestilence ; 
 Cut fruit-trees down, and burned the harvest 
 
 fields ; 
 Gave all to pillage, rapine, razed all walls, 
 Of human habitation. As rend hounds 
 A stone ; the very soil, in feral ra^^e ; 
 They utterly have subverted and defaced. 
 Mansoul. Say, O divine Foster Voice, who set 
 
 them on. 
 The Voice. A mountebank felon, crowned, was 
 
 their High Captain ; 
 Worm ! arrogating style, to his mad self ; 
 Of Deputy Ruler of Gods Universe. 
 Frown of whose Tamerlanish countenance ; 
 He deemed, as he struts forth, should quell the 
 
 World. 
 Worlds crime, this long had cherished, he 
 
 hugged close. 
 While-ere, fond childhoods whisper, in false breast ; 
 Dark fantasy inflaming his presumptuous youth ; 
 And working 6ver since, in his recreant thought. 
 
 115 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 To out- Caesar Caesar, his self-pleasing thought. 
 But Caesars was a soul magnanimous, 
 Clement ; and as it longeth to noble worth ; 
 Midst greatest deeds, full alway of knightly parts. 
 Csesar waged war, with honour ; this fellow hath, 
 It dastardized. 
 
 He, who at no time rebuked ; 
 The inhuman, the Satanic outrages ; 
 Of those brute kerel-herds whom he commanded : 
 Chief Patron is, of all their infamies. 
 
 What dismayed confused voice is that we hear ? 
 Lo, a drooping fugitive multitude, rich and 
 
 poor ; 
 Our glass shows, thronged together, a thick Press. 
 All midst salt bitter reek, of homesteads burned : 
 Fathers, wives, maidens, babes, old broken wights ; 
 With desolate looks of Winter, in their hearts. 
 Bearing at back, in hand-carts, hound-carts, sacks ; 
 What little might they save of household stuff. 
 
 Sighs of wives outraged, wailful choking sobs. 
 Of maidens wronged, undone ; bereaved souls' 
 
 cries ; 
 Lifting to heaven lean hands, with hunger-bleak 
 looks ! 
 Hark ! dying muffled groans of murdered folk ; 
 Issue from ruinous streets, whereby those pass. 
 
 ii6 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Brained were they, aye, and mauled to death, at 
 
 their own hearths ! 
 Fencing their womens honour, from Hell-force, 
 Of outlaws from Gods Covenant of mankind. 
 
 When we regard again, in M6rlins glass : 
 On upper path, within that breach of Earth ; 
 Our happier gaze is fixt. Beat thick our hearts ; 
 That leap up in our throats and utterance choke ; 
 Whilst gather to our eyelids scalding drops. 
 
 Descend there singly, lion-hearted spirits ! 
 A token beams, on each magnanimous breast ! 
 *T is that which Britains sovereign, (Gods true 
 
 knight. 
 Beloved of his People,) with the applause. 
 Of Five free generous Nations, under arms ; 
 Confers, for singular valour, in war-field. 
 How comely is their souls stature, amongst the 
 rest ; 
 Where all wrought mainly, and strove in sacred 
 
 arms ; 
 To uphold the honour of their Nations House : 
 Opposing their instincted patriot breasts ; 
 To elemental iron machinal force. 
 Are they, their grateful Countrys Praise, hence- 
 forth ; 
 On whom we stare, we gaze, in part abasht ; 
 
 117 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 That we, which elder rest, might bear no part ; 
 
 In hazards, aches, death-horror of slaughter-field ; 
 
 With those, (late, children !) thus before us passed. 
 The supreme smile, yet blossoms on their lips : 
 
 Wherewith those gave, great-hearts their best, lifes 
 breath. 
 
 In a Strange Land ; with God, the World to save. 
 Who in golden sacred dream, go by aloft. 
 
 Hold way towards Heroes' Hall, of Worlds West 
 parts : 
 
 That riseth, before unseen, now in our view ; 
 
 As we ourselves advance, in Merlins glass. 
 
 With thresholds many, and walls of burnished 
 bronze ; 
 
 That to all quarters face. Who foremost pass. 
 
 Even as we gaze, to rune-graven porch approach. 
 House of great hero-spirits lent to Earth ; 
 
 From age to age, souls nurtured of the Gods ; 
 
 Is that proud Hall : where hanged be, by the 
 walls, 
 
 Lo, war-bruised shields, glaives, mails, victorious 
 spears : 
 
 Which wrought dehverance, both by land and seas ; 
 
 In many a glorious world-renowned emprise. 
 Who therein wait lo, issue ! Stern glad looks 
 
 Are theirs, that God-like champions, stand mag- 
 nanimous, 
 
 - ii8 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Enranged ; all crowned with oak-leaves their 
 prowd heads. 
 
 They, with that Flower of Britains youth, converse. 
 And, adjudged brethren, worthy of that proud 
 
 Place ; 
 That from Suns Western shores, to them approach 
 From glorious deaths ; they unto them right hands, 
 Extend, lo of fellowship ; and now welcome in : 
 Where purged all enmity is from human breasts. 
 
 Lo, enter all together ; and seemed stream forth 
 A divine radiance, from that gilded porch ; 
 Which opened of itself ; and in the same ; 
 Thence solemn dream of Music to ascend. 
 
 119 
 
\ 
 
 BOOK V 
 
 FROM UNDERWORLD RETURNED 
 A DAY OF THE SUN 
 
BOOK V 
 
 Meseemed I waked from heavy dream of sleep ; 
 In Grave-pit of dead ages of the Earth : 
 And viewing Lands ruin, Wars massacres, in our 
 glass. 
 What booteth it then, methought to living Earth, 
 Revert ; to see Worlds light, but bleeding 
 
 hearts ? 
 Is not this Rest of souls, already passed ; 
 Better than lifes-day, as mirrored in our glass ? 
 
 Take comfort ! seemed then whisper in my 
 
 breast. 
 That divine Voice : Not yet the World is lost. 
 Whence gazing up, in sides of that Earth-breach ; 
 As from long Winters murk, and desolate Night ; 
 Like that which whelms on dwellers, in North 
 
 Parts ; 
 Whose frost-bound season sees no Sun in heaven : 
 I ware was of new freshing breath, like that^ 
 Which flows at dayspring, o'er Earths hills and 
 
 heath : 
 And gleam, with fearful joy, of heavens light. 
 I 123 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Then, in mine heart, I thought, might I live yet ; 
 To once more that glad gracious smile behold, 
 Of Suns uprising, all with roses crowned ! 
 When, unsealed, springs great fountain of Earths life. 
 
 Meseemed, come to myself, a quarry it was : 
 Wherein, with these numbed joints and sapless 
 
 flanks ; 
 And pupils* still dark and uncertain seeing ; 
 O'er ledges and sharp shelves, I upward groped, 
 Of cliffs rock-face. 
 
 Reached, stumbling, to cliffs brink : 
 Uneasy it seemed to rise up thence. The stars 
 Be fading in their courses. Hour is when 
 Night-Mother, in secret Chamber of the East ; 
 Travailleth and dieth, to once more Day bring 
 
 forth. 
 Again, I dimly see wide Foster Earth ! 
 And lo, me awaiteth an arm, like crudded milk ; 
 And, strong to save, lo an hand like the snow flake ; 
 Stretcht forth, that deigns uplift me on Earths 
 
 sod : 
 With budded whin beset, and hassock grass. 
 
 (7^ this Worlds field ! Rouse ! zvaken Mininitts !) 
 It is Her Voice, as music in mine ears : 
 Mine Albans goddess-Muse, me succoureth. 
 
 124 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 The Muse. Up now ! Is this thy Foster Land 
 
 thou seest. 
 Is hence but little now to thine own hearth. 
 Nathless thy destiny is determined thus. 
 Mansouls Dream-City , thou must erewhile tread. 
 And knowy is that suspent twixt Mother-Earth 
 And Father-Sky. Whither, from all Worlds 
 
 coasts^ 
 Dream-spirits ascend, in slumber of their flesh : 
 Short fit of Lifes sweet rest ; which recreates, 
 Both men and Gods. Moreover, I shall thee 
 
 teach, 
 {Take of this all-heal herb, on thy tongue erst !) 
 A deathless chant thertof. There blameless spirits 
 Seek, that were them revealed, before their deaths, 
 Some token sure, touching sotds' last dark Hope ; 
 Which hidden is, from foundation of the Earth. 
 
 Sun lifts now, uprising in His mighty strength, 
 From sleep ; Lion-like, His great-maned glorious 
 
 head ; 
 Crowned with first rays, o'er Threshold of the 
 
 World. 
 A moment pau?ed, He seemeth to stretch Himself ; 
 And take upon Him, purple royal weed. 
 
 Like eagle then, on golden wings. He soars, 
 In heavens crystal Steep ; His golden beams, 
 
 125 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Kindling the aery skies aloft so wide ; 
 And Earth, with kindly warmth. 
 
 Is Britains Muse, 
 This blessed morn, arrayed in homespun w^eed ; 
 Which, in our uplands, glad-eyed maidens use. 
 Save that her shining kirtle of lambs* fleece ; 
 Such is, as hardly might in hundred folds ; 
 Being of rare golden hew, the like be found. 
 Is broidered Her bright camis with Spring-flowers, 
 Of hill and mead ; which in Isle Britain blow. 
 
 Like to an ivor\^ tower. Her gracious neck ; 
 Is girt with pearls, upon sheen golden lace : 
 Treasure of restless waves, on Albans shore. 
 Gold tire, Her forehead wreathes and amber locks ; 
 A wim.ple veils, She holds before her face ; 
 Of samite, subtle as is gossamer- weft : 
 As dreading taint, of dead great Underworld ; 
 And corrupt darkness, whence now I arrived. 
 
 The Muses hand, as She before me went : 
 Beckoned, I should in field Her follow forth. 
 Well as I might, I sued, with tottering pace ; 
 Stifi" yet ; risen from iron pit, of Worlds Great Death. 
 
 Lap of her kerchief, lifting the Winds breath ; 
 Revealed locks sheen, as is the harvest-sheaf. 
 Mingled with sunbeams ; falling on Her nape. 
 Her twin bent brows, in that She turned a moment, 
 
 126 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Her countenance; were like to that bow, conjoined, 
 
 Of Amaltheas horns ; set midst the stars : 
 
 Her eyes seemed crystal wells ; and their glance 
 
 was 
 Full of undying light and deathless gladness. 
 
 And yet therein a looking lurked, not all 
 Of solace, that befits the divine state : 
 (Immortals, may not sigh, for mortals dead, 
 Though they be sad ;) of Virgin Mothers grief. 
 Methought I, on Her habit, lately shed. 
 Had seen drops pearling, for Her Islands slain ; 
 In the Great War, which no more may return. 
 
 In what days, it may please the gentle Muse ; 
 To walk unwist, on Albans breathing hills ; 
 Her wont is, to affect the herding trade : 
 As more than most, devoid of human fraud ; 
 Her soul abhors. 
 
 And was, for Colins sake ; 
 Erewhile most tuneful shepherd in these fields ; 
 (Whose heaven-breathed chants, whose lays 
 
 empassionate. 
 Aspiring raptures, like pure lovers' flames ; 
 First the rude ore refined of Britains verse :) 
 To me, least mongst his heirs, She favour showed. 
 
 Colin is dead, lies Hobbinol lapt in lead, 
 And Cuddy is no more ; and long ago 
 
 127 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Was Rosalind laid in grave. So shall be we, 
 (And who in Time to come shall emule us ;) 
 Which yet live, late survivors of his crew. 
 But shall his, heaven-derived, sweet chivalrous 
 
 measures : 
 Still breathing grace and happy influence ; 
 Continue through Worlds ages, unforgot. 
 
 Nor seld is, leaving Her august estate ; 
 The Muse repairs, in days of shearing feast ; 
 To some blithe herding cote ; w^hence heard is 
 
 sound 
 Of merry-make, and tuneful shepherds pipe. 
 Or else where blows proud goat-herd, with crisp 
 
 lip; 
 On shrill row of bright reeds, his warbeling note : 
 And hinds and lasses, there together met ; 
 All glad and fain, dance madrigals with deft foot. 
 
 Or Winter nights, come days of snow and frost ; 
 Where folk, to some nigh cattle-stead, resort : 
 To tidings tellen, of their Country-side ; 
 At bountiful w^arm hearth ; where cheer is both 
 Among the guests, of flickering embers round ; 
 And fear of dancing shadows on the wall : 
 
 Or where some handfast maiden shall be wed. 
 To her true love : (she Pride of all the stead.) 
 And gathered joyous to a lordlings hall ; 
 
 I 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Where newly sanded neat is all the floor ; 
 
 With thyme strewed, and sweet-smelling juniper : 
 
 Be neighbour folk, from all the cantred^ round ; 
 
 All in their best array, with holiday looks ; 
 
 That juncates bring and gifts of clotted cream, 
 
 And honey-combs. And when the bride is crowned, 
 
 Begins the bag pipes' merry mynstrelsy 
 
 And often chanted is the rustic rhyme ; 
 
 And who look-on, with oft clapped hands 
 
 applaud : 
 Our beldames, I have heard, opinion hold ; 
 Mongst maidens fresh, as May ; their bright crisp 
 
 locks, 
 As flow^er of broom, with kerchiefs on their heads ; 
 All simple as primroses ; that heavenly Maid, 
 Is very uneath, when would She not be kenned ; 
 To be discerned : save for derne starry light 
 Streams from Her eyes. Wherein shine beauty and 
 
 grace, 
 Above all saying. 
 
 Soon She, aspect mild. 
 Turned ; and me seeing follow, languishing thus ; — 
 Withheld her divine steps : till when I might 
 Again draw nigh. 
 
 Beckoned her gracious hand 
 Then ; Yond hill-flanks, to brow, I should ascend : 
 
 * Or Hundred. 
 
 129 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Whereo'er white drift-away of cattle, I discerned. 
 (Dimly as yet, dawn light was in the sky.) 
 
 And in that seemed me, spake the Muses voice ; 
 Melodious more than any shepherds reed : 
 (All words of Her ripe lips, meseemed to sound ; 
 That Golden World, when Gods with men 
 
 conversed ; 
 Elect and true, weighed in just balances : 
 But tongue should fail me, would I them rehearse:) 
 
 She said, to comfort of my weariness ; 
 This day should I taste bread, and be refreshed. 
 With wand in Her right hand. She Goddess bright. 
 Then toucht me ; in me, sore bruised and lacking 
 
 breath ; 
 Reviving kindly force and hardiness. 
 
 Again She passed before me, with new steps ; 
 Of ever-springing youth, grace, heavenly gladness. 
 Reached to that going-up, in grassy plot, 
 Again she stayed. And, Fosterling speed thee Gods ! 
 She quoth : and faded, lady immortal bright ; 
 From my dim eyes' dull seeing, as morrows mist. 
 The footprints of her divine feet, I kissed. 
 
 Alone I stand, twixt dawning skies and grass. 
 No more dread Night of Underworld, I tread : 
 Dim covert galleries, wanting living breath ; 
 Full all of ghostly terrors. Well-nigh made, 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 New day is of the World. Yet cold night- drops 
 Hang on this teeming herb. 
 
 Hark ! What is that ? 
 A Spring-tide nightingales last blissful note, 
 Under clear stars : that waked the dew-steeped 
 
 night ; 
 With his empassioned lauds' and nocturnes' chant ; 
 Embayed amidst sheen thicket flickering leaves : 
 Where shrouds and cherisheth his plain-song 
 
 mate, 
 Their fledgling birds. Hark ! late lewd cuckoo 
 
 calls. 
 Breaks forth small medleyed babble, of feathered 
 throats ! 
 New day unfoldeth as a bud : each plot. 
 Where Shadows lurked, with tears steeped of the 
 
 night ; 
 Where gin new wandering airs to gently breathe ; 
 Gilds Suns uprising streams, with cheerful warmth. 
 
 Neatherds I hear, else shepherds shrilling pipe, 
 And yonder, a loud hallo ! from hill paths. 
 Now and nigheth One hitherward, fluting in his 
 fist. 
 Out of this misty drift, which gins disperse ; 
 I herdgrooms see, with hounds and flocks, approach. 
 'T is Saxon C^dmon, warden of the folds ; 
 That goeth before them, hipping on his staff: 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Bond-servant to an Abbey of holy women ; 
 Whose belfry and red tile-stones, timbered amidst 
 Thick oaken wald, that lards the Minsters 
 
 swine ; 
 Now partly in yonder slade, from hence be seen. 
 
 Bowed with old rheums, this guardian of the 
 folds ; 
 With hoary beard, low hanging on his breast : 
 Likens those old saints' effigied images : 
 Whose portraitures, even unto our days, remain ; 
 Blackened with eld and smoke and grossly limned ; 
 On venerable cloisters' pargetted walls. 
 
 Caedmon, for all he goeth in servile weed. 
 Rough wadmel coat and sark of unbleached line ; 
 With galages on his feet ; is he whom men. 
 Master-song-smith, esteemed on English tongue, 
 In his life-time. He untaught, save of heaven ; 
 Makes canticles of the Lamb and Holy Faith ; 
 Which daily are sungen, in their Minster Church. 
 
 Pass forth that herding crew and woolly flocks. 
 Today the weanling lambs wend with their 
 
 dams : 
 That bleating, o'er hill-bent of new-sprung grass ; 
 Browse tardily forth. They butt, they under- 
 
 push 
 The foster-dugs ; and wanton, with new life. 
 Which tingles in their blood. 
 
 132 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Is Caedmon left ; 
 His sheep and herds dispersed : he seeth me not. 
 The sire attends, upleaning on his bat ; 
 The ewes' returning, t6 noons couching-place. 
 And meditates some new hymn, in devout thought ; 
 For Hilda his venerable aged abbess. 
 Spring-halt is he on Earth, whose spirit so fast, 
 To heavenward hieth. 
 
 As climbing lavrock soars. 
 With hardy flickering wings, gainst the Sun-streams ; 
 And fills with his birds raptures skys wide height : 
 So Caedmon lifting, with transported looks. 
 His soul from sod ; attunes his devout notes : 
 To that celestial choir, he him seemeth in spirit, 
 To hear of angels, in the holy height. 
 
 As for me I, on that bent, found nigh a bush 
 Of broom : where sheltering might I lodge beneath. 
 Pillowed on soft sweet herb and drowse a space. 
 Hungered I was, my bones were full of aches. 
 Nor might as yet sustain my feeble sight ; 
 Bright living ray, of Suns uprising light. 
 
 And ever, in my thought, I sought insight, 
 In glee-craft, of eld-fathers of the Art, 
 In this our Land ; which mongst folk, heathen 
 
 late ; 
 (As time then was,) sufficed to light mens hearts. 
 
 133 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 When I awaked, ascended in his strength, 
 Is this days blessed Sun to undern height. 
 And o'er hill-brow, with golden knops bedight, 
 And daisies as the stars ; that herding fellowship, 
 And hounds and flocks again behold approach ! 
 Their loitering ewes troop hither with full cuds. 
 
 That bold herd-crew, lads tawny in wind and 
 wet, 
 Go girt in long say coats and pilches rough. 
 And each hind bears, his sinewed bow at back ; 
 And sheaf of w^ell-fledged arrows in a case ; 
 And bag of ready sling-stones at his belt : 
 Their flocks to ward, against the prowler wolf. 
 
 The woolly trains, come to noons couching- 
 place : 
 The herdgrooms stand, to number o'er their 
 
 stock : 
 That gathered with drooped craigs, sheep behind 
 
 sheep ; 
 Stand shadowing, each one in anothers breach. 
 They tell them o'er, none lacketh. 
 
 Gathers, gone forth 
 A lad, his arms '-full, stover ; and kindles, cast 
 Down in the winds eye, lo, the climbing flame : 
 Which all-embracing, licketh up the turf. 
 Anon. That herd-folk deem this bitter reek ; 
 Should drive away the brieze. 
 
 134 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Their barking curs, 
 Left then, to mind the Abbeys drowsing stock ; 
 (Those course out oft, whiles these together stoop :) 
 Tall grooms, with unkempt glibs, all reverent 
 
 dofft 
 Their hoods, now 'sembled round the shepherds* 
 
 sire ; 
 Attend their fathers giving-thanks to hear ; 
 Before noon meat. 
 
 Lo, full of holy thought, 
 Thrall Casdmon lifteth up anew his looks 
 And horny palms to Heavenward, whither mounts 
 His lowly spirit ; where dwelleth All-Father 
 
 God. 
 Take on those rude-limned looks of his, new 
 
 grace ; 
 Whiles, after Saxon sort, lay-wright, his lips 
 Quoth : 
 
 Herry* we the Worlds Lord, 
 In His wonder-works : 
 With the Everliving Word ; 
 Which dwelleth with Him on height. 
 He All-Father shaped green Earth ; 
 All birds therein and beasts ; 
 The Sea also and fish : 
 And Man made Lord thereof. 
 
 * Praise. 
 
 13s 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 One-fold in Three, unseen, 
 As is winds-breath unseen : 
 He eternally doth remain ; 
 Above the Sun, All-Might : 
 Who giveth meat to all Breath. 
 
 Store have they of barley-cakes, baked on the 
 hearth. 
 
 For their noon-meat, and cheese in their hide- 
 scrips ; 
 
 And for their bever wig, in goat skins tough ; 
 
 And some have sallets pluckt, by the field paths. 
 
 Those seen me, a stranger, go-by not far off ; 
 
 There, one from the herd-crew, ran, shouting forth: 
 
 Which bade me, in Caedmons name, (their Abbeys 
 use ;) 
 
 To turn and eat, of such cheer as they have. 
 We sit at meat, on sweet green Foster Earth ; 
 
 Our table this spread web, of freshing grass. 
 
 All cheerful chat ; and grows their most discourse, 
 
 As herdfolk use, of feed, of wool, of flocks : 
 
 Of ewes mi went, and last years eanlings lost ; 
 
 Wolves rent. They tell then o'er the Minsters 
 stock ; 
 
 Brake-lands, this foreyears tilth ; last harvest-dearth. 
 
 What freke runs hitherward, and now coast eth to 
 us ; 
 
 136 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Ill-favoured wight, loud shouting o*er wide walks ? 
 Nor tiding glad bears This, who now arrives ; 
 Breathless from running ; smirched with sweat 
 
 and dust. 
 'T is shock-haired goat-herd Cuth ; who found 
 
 new breath. 
 Cries Inrode ! Word now lured ^ from craig to craig ; 
 Came long-keels yestre'en, under Stromnoes in : 
 Rovers those ! Ester lings, from North seas far parts. 
 Their ship -carles be gone up ; they harry and burn 
 All steddingSy as wont is of heathen folk ; 
 And slay all life, they meet with^ in their paths. 
 Their fires were seen to glow inland last night. 
 Confusedly thus, quoth he, twixt his heaved 
 
 breaths ; 
 And hied, without leave-taking, further forth. 
 
 C^DMON. Men of the friths. Three times, I 
 
 in the fyrd^ 
 Have fought, with men, from the North Way their 
 
 likes : 
 Nigh this ; tall steel-helmed wights, with long-hair 
 
 locks. 
 Last time was that, in field Graveholm now 
 
 hight ; 
 Day when our hosting brake their proud shield- wall : 
 Then great sword-swathe! On Bloodaxe their tall yarl ; 
 
 * .1 Saxon Levy-in-Arms. 
 
 137 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Girt in his over-slop and shirt of mail, 
 
 On whose broad shield, stood heathen rune-staves 
 graved ; 
 
 Fighting him nigh, I ran, under his targe ; 
 
 Calling on God my Helper ; and smote him down. 
 
 His twibill hangs now on our Abbey wall ; 
 
 Which in his fall had hurt me in this foot : 
 
 Whereof I halt thus yet. 
 
 A pagan kin. 
 
 With hearts of wolves ; in many-banked snake- 
 keels, 
 
 With painted prows, their shields hanged longs the 
 bords. 
 
 Those row and sail ; and mostly on Christen coasts. 
 
 Next Stromnces is a stathe, where those put in. 
 
 Is that where Deiras cliffs stoop to salt waves ? 
 
 ('T was then as now, in days of the new leaf.) 
 We intending our eyes thither, behold mount 
 
 Reek of their pagan fires ; and aye the more, 
 
 To increase, whiles we gaze ! 
 
 Leap on their feet, 
 
 Caedmons stout sons, with burning hearts, to 
 arms. 
 
 They make bare soon their ewen trusty bows : 
 
 Spend them and string, with stern and steady 
 force. 
 
 Their azure pupils flame. Each seeth in thought ; 
 
 138 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Stripe of his wind-tosst arrow, on foemans crest. 
 As Caedmon would, they dwell yet, some brief 
 space : 
 The whiles that godly father, went apart ; 
 Wrestleth with heaven. Kneeling, he supplicates, 
 For Land and hearth. They briefly in noonday 
 
 heat. 
 So rest : ready each, howbeit splayed on green 
 
 grass ; 
 On elbow leaned, his chin stayed on his hand. 
 Nor long they wait. 
 
 The ancient come anon, 
 Rise that bold brood. One blows on his reed- 
 pipe. 
 Shrill war-like note. Each hind, his trooping 
 
 flock, 
 He hath hastily gathered, drives to shelter forth. 
 They hill-brow pass ; descending now with speed, 
 To Abbey walls. 
 
 Runners, warned by Cuths voice ; 
 Already are hieing through the Wapentake. 
 Assemble you in arms, drive in your beasts I 
 Those cry, they yell. Hark ! solemn 'larum- 
 
 note ; 
 Of the Lands Cloister-bells bronze hollow throat ; 
 From yonder lap resounding, of green hills ; 
 Warning all Cristen folk. 
 K 139 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 As I rose up : 
 Glad Venerable Caedmon to have seen ; 
 Lay-smith, as in old life-days of his flesh : 
 I saw no man. My steps amidst my dream, 
 Translated were to wide West- Saxon march. 
 Lay Spring-times golden smile, all gracious 
 
 mild. 
 On dunes and denes there Hkewise, of Gods ground. 
 After long Winters teen, is sweet this breath. 
 Of blossomed boughs and mantle of tender green, 
 In field and heath ; whereon now softly blows, 
 Whitening each spire of grass, attempered wind. 
 And heavens loft rings, with ditty of lavrocks 
 
 voice. 
 In a new excess of spirit, methought I walked. 
 Where only curlews cried and swallows stoopt ; 
 Quartering wild field, and hares played without 
 
 dread. 
 
 Of human paths. 
 
 As for me, one of late 
 
 Returned from Shadow of former Ages' Death ; 
 
 To Suns glad eye and Warmth, on Earths green 
 
 breast : 
 Fulfilled with bliss of heart, I all day went ; 
 In sweet-breathed bent ; and gathered in mine 
 
 hand ; 
 Flowers' gentle living gems, of every kind ; 
 
 140 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Which there, fair daughters of the Sun and dew, 
 Did blissful blow. Were wind-flowers, party red 
 And white, with blue-bells rife, in dim wood-side : 
 Pale ladies' smocks ; demurely all arrayed. 
 With bowed down head, as each had been a bride. 
 
 Pied daisies, crowned each with a silver fret ; 
 Starring, mongst cups of gold, in thicket grass ; 
 With speedwell gentle, under woodbine bush. 
 And meadow-sweet, whose gracious plumes aloft. 
 So nobly meek, our every sense doth greet ; 
 And milk-worts triple hewed in open lay : 
 Where, o*er the close-cropt-herb, wafts honied 
 
 breath, 
 In Siin-streams ; of bee-nodding thyme and whin. 
 And o'er all this, in still sequestered place ; 
 Where I a moment tarried, to take breath ; 
 I purple pasque flowers found, in Sun-kisst heath, 
 With bliss of heart ; which blossomed from the sod. 
 Whereof I record find, in Chronike old ; 
 How winged spirits, of Angels' heavenly race ; 
 Stoop from these vaulted skies, what day they pass, 
 In Ember tide ; as their wont each year is ; 
 To pluck them ; and bear in their bosoms forth. 
 That lowly, in royal raiment, those prefigure ; 
 His coming, in heavens glory, with His saints. 
 
 Know further, that Culdees of holy life, 
 Which walk apart, and dwell in desert place ; 
 
 141 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Nourished of only herbs, their mortal part : 
 This, with pure eyes, have diverse times beheld. 
 
 Thus putting flower to flower, my langour late 
 Dispersed, and come again my lively spirits : 
 (What joy, in this quick air, is sally forth ; 
 In vast Pavilion of Sky-bent and Earth ! 
 Gilt, full of silent Harmony, of the Sun-God :) 
 I day-long went, in strength of Caedmons bread ; 
 Murmuring, as bee-fly doth, in Britain's heath ; 
 Souls inarticulate thanksgiving to High Heaven. 
 And that, till Suns late going down : when seemed 
 Skies, hanged with arras and bright cloth of gold. 
 
 Only late hernsew, flagging her wide wings ; 
 O'erflies lo ! and training after long lank shanks ; 
 From rushy mere, or reedy fen, to nest. 
 All wind is laid, which spired o'er the warm heath. 
 
 ' T is eve now ; and I, on these life-breathing 
 wolds. 
 Approach huge antique marvel of hanging stones.* 
 That giants once reared, in soHtary march ; 
 Immane unwrought, save that them Titans beat ; 
 And brayed, to those rude salvage weathered shapes : 
 With hammer-stones ; (thus an hoar-tradition saith !) 
 Ere Man was yet. 
 
 Long shadows lie out-stretcht, 
 Of stone-old giants' choired pillar and transom-work ; 
 
 * Stonelwnge. 
 
 142 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Are far-fctcht whinstones. Come now hour to rest ; 
 I leaned to a mighty pillarcraig in their midst : 
 A covert, from nights wayward wind and wet. 
 So laid me down ; till day-spring should shine 
 forth. 
 
 There came yet into mine unquiet thought ; 
 A little tale of Galfred, ere I slept : 
 How held once Titan-brood this upland march ; 
 Before the World was civil. Were these stones, 
 Immane, their landmarks. 
 
 Titans Mother-Earth, 
 In former age, engendered without Sire ; 
 And might, in members huge, to them derived ; 
 Whence shortly grown to an exceeding power 
 And pride ; those durst defy, in truculent mood, 
 The very Gods ; and were there any such. 
 
 Long, who should lead them, in tremendous 
 strife ; 
 For lordship of this Isle, assembled brethren. 
 They question and consult. Such fond intent. 
 Was cause of envy, in their enfeloned breasts. 
 Gainst the elders birthright consult all the 
 
 rest. 
 How covertly ; in Summer day when he lay sick ; 
 Grim Gorgot t6 supplant and dispossess. 
 The whiles he slept. 
 
 H3 
 
MANSOl^L 
 
 But he their fell intent, 
 (So he was subtle and sly,) wist of Winds breath ; 
 And divination made, by ravens* flight ; 
 Awaited their onset. Now was third night. 
 When gathered giants immane, iniquitous : 
 (Without habiliments, without en sex ; 
 Huge-memberd, and on height, as oaks :) with mauls 
 And hurlbats w^eaponed their rude hands. 
 
 Of stars, 
 Shone little covert light. With one consent, 
 All, at Moon-rising, rose up, from hill-seats. 
 Wild is that night, with rushing weird wind-gusts. 
 They silent, as they might, hurl headlong forth. 
 In vain their footfall, whose vast poise seemed 
 
 shake ; 
 (As they from hill-brow unto hill brow, strode ;) 
 The centred Earth ; mufiled thick twilight sod. 
 Waked by his hounds, the Monster ready was : 
 Who issued from dim threshold of his lodge. 
 And as smites thresher on his barn-floor, halm ; 
 He beat them small, he felled them, one by one ; 
 In fierce debate, with flail of iron-stone. 
 
 Though greatly incensed, the Titan granted life, 
 To Mothers sons, whereas slain, o'erthrown. 
 (They each lay fifty cubits stretcht on land ;) 
 When those, in next Suns warmth, revived from 
 swoon : 
 
 144 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 He taking of th^m, risen, infrangible oath ; 
 Given each their hands, twixt his victorious palms ; 
 That they should be his liegemen, from henceforth ; 
 And hold of him, their several fiefs of land. 
 In token whereof, he bound each one to fetch 
 His merestone, and it set up in this place ; 
 As he should give commandment. 
 
 When had brought 
 Each giant labourer, on grim boisterous nape, 
 Trussed ; to great Gorgots delve, v^here he abode, 
 His ponderous block, and cast the poise to earth, 
 With sullen sob : he caused them to compile, 
 In guise we see, this everlasting monument ; 
 Figuring Nights wheeling mystic giant firmament. 
 
 When giants, and though long-aged, deceased 
 
 at length, 
 (Which not immortal were :) I find it writ. 
 Succeeded in their room a faery-folk. 
 
 'T was in a night ; affrighted by Moons murk, 
 Men call Eclipse, by Fayfolks' Seer long sith 
 Forecast ; who had predicted thereof thus. 
 In Faery Land ; (which then was on the Main.) 
 Last night of Earths life should be on the green ; 
 When should great fire-faxed star wide blaze, in 
 
 Heaven : 
 Under whose light- sheaf, in the same, were seen ; 
 
 H5 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Conjunction rare, of wandering planets twain. 
 Should then, in fierce pursuit, the lucid Moon ; 
 By great grim Sky-Wolf Het, be overthrown ; 
 And swallowed, in last Twilight of the Gods. 
 
 Much clamour rose and outcry mongst elves then. 
 All who, of fay-folk, could them hie and run ; 
 Caught up their budgets, busked them over the 
 Foam. 
 Some on snatcht broad leaves, some ones on 
 branches green ; 
 Which, when they had put on their wishing-caps ; 
 Turned under them to flying quilts and mats. 
 Ravisht from Earth ; they over seas speed West ; 
 Those sail the Sky ; under dim stars they pass. 
 Yet some unlucky wights, unlookt for gusts 
 Beat awry ; and lost their ways, were such blown 
 
 forth 
 To other shores. On Albans Plain the most, 
 Alight. Though some unsoft ; their crooked shanks 
 Mistiding bruised ; few even have crazed their 
 crowns. 
 From riding clouds and wind, come safe to land ; 
 Goodfellows and Hearties seizin took thereof. 
 Each no more with him hath, of household stuff ; 
 Than what stived in the wallet on his back. 
 
 The Plain, when day is made, for bonnets red 
 And mantles blue, gay field seemed, many-hewd ; 
 
 146 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Of ruffling flowers and wavering butterflies. 
 The birds are singing, the wild woods are ringing ; 
 'T is Time of the new-leaf, when those arrive : 
 In Land, wherein they hope again to live. 
 
 They day rest out. Come set at length of Sun ; 
 When evening star is seen ; and flitter-mice 
 Wing devious forth : sally elves* chief estates, 
 To Council. High-born wights, on Albans turf, 
 They in circuit sit, under fair linden, sweet. 
 
 The horned Moon in sight appearing soon : 
 All Her, midst laughing tears, with hearts and lips, 
 Again salute ! Sith, without let or lin ; 
 They choose, with one consent, Dan Oberon, 
 Of royal kin, to be new Faerie King. 
 
 Word-wise, great-hearted, and alert as bird ; 
 A Prince is he mongst elf-kin, of mild mood. 
 His memory of lore likewise, a treasury was ; 
 Of many generations, of Earth-folk. 
 Moreover, by Moonshine in a water-pool, 
 Stirred by a weird night-wind ; he could divine. 
 
 Helmbright, great duke of dwarves and hammer- 
 men ; 
 (Whose stithy is sith in chine of the South rocks ; 
 For workmanship renowned of gilded bronze ;) 
 His sisters son ; first, troth plights to King Oberon. 
 The like done all the rest. Concluded was 
 
 147 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Also, that henceforth should be this in Alban ; 
 New Faery Plain and fayfolks* trysting-place. 
 Princes strike hands, consenting all to this. 
 Fay People it ratify, with thousand throats. 
 
 Elf-king and councillors, after that appoint 
 Wakerobin, reve ; and Misselden, magistrate ; 
 Both of much worship, both of blameless life. 
 With Hazel WOOD herald ; gruff- voiced elf, of weight. 
 And great estate. 
 
 Their Session ended thus : 
 When they rise up, cries Hazelwood, People of 
 
 Sprites ! 
 All, heed! as he with lords, leads the King forth : 
 And faeries all drop curtseys on the grass. 
 
 Turn elves to celebrate then first joyous feast. 
 Lodges fay-households have already made ; 
 Of branches and green turves, on Albans heath : 
 Where having smit from firestones, sparks ; and 
 
 sticks 
 Kindled : all go about to break their fasts. 
 
 Some call for pulse and some for mulse : is 
 
 pulse. 
 Of fitches cropt, soon simmering, in their pots. 
 And sops in honey, elves eftsoon eat thereof. 
 And housewife neighbours, vie ; which best can 
 
 toss 
 
 Pancakes, over live embers of their hearths : 
 
 148 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Which seem shine merrj" as lately stars on loft. 
 
 Wood wives, thralls, bear to all round new- 
 brewed mead. 
 Girt ben those only, in long smocks of grey moss ; 
 With garlands blue of pervinks on their heads : 
 And dight, with golden collars, be their necks, 
 Of butter-cups : and mails, for bracelets bright, 
 Have they, of lady-birds wings. 
 
 To gather meat ; 
 Did those prevent the Dawn, in field and grove : 
 And ranging sith amongst the bees ; which named 
 Be in Faery land, the Muses' little birds : 
 They sought the flowery sweet, and filled their crocs; 
 Mingled with dewdrops. And 't is this they skink, 
 To all fay companies, in treen goblets ; 
 Carved, like wild woods diapered acorn-cups. 
 And every laughter-loving goblin fellowship. 
 Drink deep : until, in fine, their heads go round. 
 
 Twixt mirth and ruth ; elves, for late Country 
 
 lost : 
 
 (No sorrow long endures in faery-breasts !) 
 
 Whose knolls grown totty already are of the must ; 
 
 Gin to nod fast. Yet once, who wake, lift that 
 
 Sweet metheglyn to lips. Ere come again 
 
 Of Sun, elves drowse all and sleep fast : they rout, 
 
 Whose heads mislay, so weary is every fay. 
 
 After night flight. 
 
 149 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 And sith, past after-dawn : 
 They slumber out, on small soft flowery grass ; 
 Long hours till lateward, in new Faery Alban. 
 Elves yawn, when erst is Star of even seen. 
 They stretch them, in their leafy bowers, awake. 
 So jocund rise refreshed, to merry-make. 
 Bold elf-swains, spurn some the flit football 
 
 forth. 
 Some glowberds set, for tapers, in their caps, 
 To them, trip faerie-maidens out anon ; 
 With snooded locks. All on their tinkling feet : 
 They seem to glide, so is their footing light, 
 Over the daisy turf. 
 
 Wooers blow up ; 
 Wide-wandering, in new Faer}^ Lands twilight ; 
 Shawms some, of wheezing sound, of hemlock 
 
 stalks ; 
 Some, grave pipes, fashioned of pilled hazel-rods ; 
 Some trumps, of booming sound, of wentle-traps ; 
 For to help the labouring Moon. 
 
 Nor few be seen. 
 Wend on the dance ; with leaping kneebows bent. 
 And lifting flanks. Who can the changeful measure 
 Best weave, beating heath-sod with shuttle-feet ; 
 Elves worthy adjudge, to cheese him a bright make. 
 Fay lads and maidens then take hands ; and with 
 Quaint footcasts forth, in their new frolic mood ; 
 
 ISO 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 And many a beck, towards starry choir aloft : 
 They tread those faery rings, around around ; 
 Which yet remain in sight, on heaths of Alban. 
 
 Nay, and yet is said, to Hnger in the place ; 
 Quaint melody of faerie-ditties and elves voice. 
 Can some ears hear them chanting, on still nights ; 
 And Helmbrights anvil smitten in West parts. 
 And pity it is, that truchman found is none, 
 Today mongst men ; to whom elf -tongue is known. 
 
 Much yet remaineth, if any man had wit, 
 (Which I have not,) to tell of Oberon. 
 You might him, mongst ten- thousand elves have 
 
 known. 
 For his high looks, and his great side-long beard. 
 Sign of grave wisdom : which hanged, (as I 
 
 heard ;) 
 Below his knee-bow, linto faerie-lands ground. 
 
 Two spans, his royal person was on height, 
 After the measure of a man : and add 
 Thereunto a full thumb-breadth, if you list ; 
 Under his scarlet cap, for his piked shoen. 
 But see, great-heart in little corse, ye him 
 
 Esteem. 
 
 In much prosperity hath elves' State 
 Endured, under wise Oberons regiment. 
 'T was merry all moonshine nights, in Faery Alban, 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 When fays held revels, in each holt and heath ; 
 And under each hearthstone, some Puck did lodge : 
 Each bush an Inn, of some light or swart elf. 
 Dame Holda* paced the land, with Mothers steps ; 
 Causing Her divine breath, wild fruits to bud. 
 Of faerie households, none knew want or lack. 
 
 Horn oft of the Wild Hunt was heard then sound ; 
 In chace of some swart elf, forshaped unhold, 
 Into the ferly form, of forest beast ; 
 Gold-bristled boar, or hart of mickle tyne : 
 Weird hounds him hent ; and would their teeth 
 
 have rent, 
 On wild wood-mould. He sloughed his borrowed 
 
 hide ; 
 (Some withered leaf then seemed, or birchen rind !) 
 Puck lightly on forest bough upskips ; from whence. 
 He laughs him double ; and his yelling foes. 
 Derides. 
 
 But sith ordained is all must pass ; 
 Which, neath the inconstant Moon, hath breath 
 
 and being : 
 And cease from Life, as that had never been : 
 Come is the day at length, when royal Oberon ; 
 Long-aged sire of Faery Albans Night ; 
 On his bedstead breathed forth his noble spirit : 
 And no more was, in gentle faeries' sight. 
 
 * Dctiign MutJier Ci)ihlcss. 
 
 152 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Amidst his sleep, he passed : content he was, 
 To go down thus, to his eld-fathers' Rest : 
 Having then overlived all, of like age, 
 Friends and familiars. Bountiful he was. 
 Right gracious royal host, to come-in guests ; 
 That to his Court, brought tidings, from all parts. 
 Well loved he see them, sit at board and hearth ; 
 And hear their sayings, blithe lays and lips' wise 
 talk. 
 
 Grief is in Faery Land ! From nigh and far : 
 Drooping along the Kings highway, in rime-dight 
 Tall Autumn grass, unto his bearing forth ; 
 Pass elves, in sad moonlight. O'er all waiment. 
 And choking cries be heard of faerie hearts : 
 Like to fowls, chiding, shrill, in leafy thicks ; 
 That kestrel hath bereaved, of kindly brood. 
 
 Standing in their red eyes, tears' bitter drops ; 
 Weavers, elf-maidens, wrought that long death- 
 night : 
 To weave sad coats of grey, of wild wool-flocs : 
 Gainst morrows break, for all high magistrates : 
 That those, which their worn watchet weed have 
 
 dofft ; 
 Did on at day. 
 
 Who hath a gentle heart : 
 And would not rue, with them that bring him forth ! 
 
 ^53 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 The Princes of the Kingdom underset, 
 By turns their zealous shoulders to the bier. 
 That lately royal Life, they bear to Earth ; 
 Which never more may wake, now breathless corse ! 
 
 With steadfast and slow pace, they Murkwood 
 pass : 
 Where sighing heard in boughs, of winds sad breath : 
 Trees bow their heads. They enter now an hurst 
 Of sacred oaks, and glistering hulver-scrogs : 
 And loam, deep-strewed with leaves of Winters 
 
 past. 
 There they, (soothsayers thus rede,) will lay him in 
 Cold clay ; w^here only worms and mold-warps 
 lodge. 
 
 Elves open earth. Princes stand round, (midst 
 whom, 
 Stands Gobhn Hazelwood, with his old chin-cough.) 
 
 They who groaning, say last office for the dead : 
 Their faces held awry, in extreme grief ; 
 Bent twixt their knees, and under their arm-pits ! 
 So sorrow WTings them in their heaviness. 
 
 Silent lies Faery Land, of former mirth, 
 King Oberon dead. The Moon hangs overcast, 
 Mongst weeping skies ; and so remained longwhile. 
 Decays the faeries' former happy State : 
 Being in the ascendant risen, with a wanion. 
 Their evil Star. 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 And chiefly is cause of this ; 
 New many-minded strifeful alien kin ; 
 Of weaponed-men ; these later days come in ; 
 In hollow shipboards, from the Eastlands Main, 
 Stronger than elves and contumelious ; 
 Those, the earthfolk pass, though less than giants 
 of stature. 
 
 Succeeding in elves* room, they dwell in Alban. 
 Builders of thatched walls, bane of each fair plain ; 
 Plough-folk, tree-hewers, in elves' leafy woods ; 
 Trees, oft-time habitations of lives'-spirits, 
 Woodwoses named, which perish in their fall. 
 
 The uncouth voices, which in mens rude mouths : 
 Full of fierce oaths, of horrible import ; 
 Effray the elves and gentle faeries' Nation. 
 
 And o'er all this, new cockcrows, gainst days 
 dawn : 
 And much night-ringing of mens steeple-bells ; 
 Have vext their ears. Which fays sometime 
 
 endured : 
 But found, they in no wise might away with such : 
 They have mostly sith forsaken Albans heaths. 
 
 After them there remained pale ghostly train ; 
 Kindred of giants, which without bodies were ; 
 Schrats, bogles, sleepmares: phantoms, in dim 
 
 wood 
 And rocks those dwell ; Confusion of Mans kin ! 
 
 L 15=? 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Seeing, is their trade of life, to afflict men. 
 
 But of the wemless Faerie Queen to Oberon ; 
 Not yet find I recorded, her Hef name ; 
 Howbeit some boldly affirm it was Whitefoot : 
 Seeing in a ditty of olden time, we read ; 
 Eachwhere she trode there sprang, up a white 
 
 root ; 
 Sith called the daisy flower. 
 
 If any enquire 
 Would more of this ; I little can relate. 
 Save that a certain fond, unlucky wight : 
 Who was so hardy that he durst avaunt 
 Him ; he could, for a pening, it pronounce : 
 Had been elf-shot. Colin wist what She hight, 
 But left untold. All ladies of her Court ; 
 Had long combed out, like water-flags, elf-sheen 
 
 locks. 
 Nor of the great rejoicing find I said : 
 Was made, when beauty-peerless, she was wed : 
 New Moons night, mid-time then of hay thorn 
 
 bloom ; 
 (Auspicious night, by sortilege, acertained :) 
 With many gifts ; but it were only this : 
 That she descended was of royal line ; 
 Being, through one belsire, sib to noble Oberon. 
 
 Moreover is sungen, how in faeries flight ; 
 She borne was, riding over seas alone : 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 On stoop t neck, of white swan, to Faerie Alban. 
 Her woning was a delve, neath white-eaved 
 cliff. 
 In hill-steep ; where a royal manor was, 
 Far, in West rocks. There long she held her court : 
 And that was warm and dry, in wind and wet. 
 Her chamber of paraments, wherein this Queen 
 sate, 
 On the high settle, blissful like a bride ; 
 With Sun-sheen golden diadem on her head, 
 Which Helm-bright forged ; mongst elves, was 
 
 named Moonsheen ; 
 In wonder of its radiant four white walls ; 
 Glittering with pearly stars : the carven squames, 
 Each over other laid, of oyster-shells. 
 And flower was she of wifehood, to lifes end ; 
 And sovereign was her skill, wherein she excelled 
 All hitherto, in remedies of healing herbs. 
 
 Was chiefest of her maidens Goldilocks hight, 
 (This find I in story ;) for great prudence praised. 
 Of the queens spense, had Goldilocks oversight : 
 Wherein was store laid up of the Kings mead ; 
 With acorn meal, honey-combs, wood-mast and 
 
 wild nuts : 
 And querns, work-instruments, looms and house- 
 hood stuff. 
 Nor less than she, dame Eglantine was set 
 
 157 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Over the vessel and great cypress chests, 
 Of royal apparel : and her daughter bright, 
 Dewdrop, stood in attendance 6n the queen ; 
 from seven Winters old. 
 
 Recorded is ; 
 When three nights' babe in cradle, murmuring bees ; 
 Brought of their treasure to her infant lips. 
 She the office held of Teller of blithe tales. 
 In the queens household. And those new and old ; 
 Were so glad never-ending, that forgate 
 Elves, which them heard, whiles drank their 
 
 thirsting ears ; 
 To eat and sleep. 
 
 And was the queen a glass, 
 To all the well-born ladies of her Court ; 
 And daughters in all Faery Land of Alban : 
 Of nurture and in all honest handiworks. 
 As to dress sod and bake meats ; and most was, 
 That of elves garnered mast in field and wood : 
 With right conserving, of all Summer fruits : 
 Prunes wild and apple-thorn ripe, and bullaces. 
 And, of their spinning, weave that subtlest weft ; 
 Fays use, of wool- worts gathered in wet moss. 
 
 And to sing, whiles their gentle fingers wrought, 
 Quaint lays they learned, of the Queens own white 
 
 throat ; 
 As mavis sweet, in woods, delicious. 
 
 158 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Elf-sheen fay-maidens, when they ben at home, 
 Them chant in their sires halls ; when wights have 
 
 supped : 
 And from stern heroes brows, well tears of bliss. 
 For elf-kin long had war, with sundry kinds 
 Of birds and tree and even with great ground beasts. 
 Some they, in snares, gins, pitfalls, springes, took : 
 Other, with flint-head shafts and darts, they pierce. 
 
 This lastly I find recorded of the Queen. 
 One morrow, issuing from her widows bower ; 
 To gather, as her wont was, the daisy-flower : 
 The self same swan, with golden gorget dight, 
 With gurgling voice, alighted at her feet. 
 
 Known then, her destiny it was, from ground to 
 pass ; 
 Though ever-young, she seated her as erst. 
 On his stoopt neck. The swan her presently aloft, 
 Bare from elves' sight ; and to that blissful lake. 
 In sunset hills, opinion is, conveyed : 
 Whereas forth-faren King Oberon her awaits. 
 And they, in meadows warm with thymy breath ; 
 Being joined their spirits, in peace eternally rest. 
 
 Fay maidens sith, in reverence all of her ; 
 Be weavers named of Peace, at elves' home hearths : 
 Power of their lays to still soon kindled hearts. 
 
 From merry dream, amidst nights solitude, 
 
 159 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 I waked, of Oberon and his Faery Nation ; 
 Unhewd huge scantling of great craig beneath. 
 Crickets chirped at my feet. I, looking up, 
 Beheld the Waggoner now much wheeled down forth , 
 Amidst the Signs. Hoar shines wide Watling 
 
 Street ; 
 That girds (great starry frost,) heavens' bournless 
 
 coast, 
 Yet might I now perceive, in still star-light, 
 Dews silver drops, on tappet of wild grass. 
 
 Not Cynthias is this light. She casts to Earth ; 
 Sailing through holt of heaven, whiles mortals 
 
 sleep. 
 All-other radiance, lies on Earths cold Breast ; 
 Sheep-walks, where never ploughman clave the clod : 
 Where the wild bustard timbers, her rude nest ; 
 From World apart, in the heaths solitude. 
 
 Being risen all suddenly I was impelled forth ; 
 And shortly stayed, upon a wind-kisst bank : 
 Where a Man-loving ruddock warbled soft. 
 From sweet briar bush ; and twittered in his '^leep. 
 
 And I, (I know not how,) being lifted up : 
 Under that starry march, from the Worlds night. 
 Beheld-dream-City established, on white cloud : 
 Nay and all Skys Phantom Plain seemed build ed 
 
 thus. 
 For great astonishment, almost failed my breath ! 
 
 i6o 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 And sounded in mine ears the Muses Voice ; 
 
 Saying it that City was, whereof She spake ; 
 
 Hid from Worlds sight, above the mountain tops. 
 
 I a City saw of twice ten thousand roofs ! 
 Great fenced City encompassed wide, with walls : 
 As I beheld ; and on my fingers told, 
 Twice-twelve tower-gates, with lofty battlements 
 
 crowned : 
 Conformable to round Earths succeeding hours. 
 And light Dream City, of pearly o'er-shining cloud ; 
 And not of radiance of the Sun, received. 
 
 To one of those tower-gates, approached my feet. 
 And thronged great ghostly multitude thereat. 
 Within soul-wardens many-eyed, I saw sit. 
 Immortal keepers are they of that port. 
 Which revolved mighty Registers in their hands ; 
 Nor suffered any souls therein to pass : 
 Whose names not therein writ, as spirits of 
 worth. 
 
 Those busied thus, seemed not to mind my 
 course. 
 I entered then, in Dream-Towns liberties. 
 But somewhile stood, where parted several streets. 
 In doubt which way, to hold : not daring yet ; 
 Where rumour none of wains, or echoing tread. 
 Of man or beast ; of any soul to ask. 
 
 i6i 
 
mansoul 
 
 Where I perceived some concourse, I held forth 
 Supposing this should be a master-street : 
 And house-rows, thresholds, open doors have passed 
 Unlike of age, of building- wise and height, 
 After each peoples wont. Where halls and bowers 
 Souls enter, and souls continually issue forth. 
 
 A common thoroughfare, it continued thus, 
 Large sky-illumined street : (I pass unmarked.) 
 Which gave on Main Dream- Citys traffic place ; 
 Great, like some antique stadiutriy marble flagged • 
 Three sides were cloistered round, the fourth side 
 
 flanked ; 
 A marble Guildhalls stately mullioned front ; 
 Whose ground- walls were great sills of costly stones. 
 
 Dream-souls, of all the Families of the World 
 To common profit, congregate there to trade ; 
 And make a daily exchange of their minds' wares. 
 
 Like to a fair, lo booths and tables set ; 
 Whereon great store of merchandise displayed. 
 And running up and down, publish loud criers ; 
 That each might take of all, whatso he would. 
 And give as good again. 
 
 I, only in sooth. 
 Might partly survey so thronged and large space : 
 Where merchants handsel'd, with much-confused 
 
 voice : 
 But drew nigh where, made judgment by their looks ; 
 
 162 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Chapmen, regardful citizens, now conversed. 
 Hoping hear somewhat, unto mine intent. 
 Seeing later Time, hath made already void ; 
 Much that erewhile contented human thought. 
 And many old saws, (as some men hold,) be found ; 
 Being newly weighed, to be of less account ; 
 Or else past use, as orchard boughs bemossed ; 
 Whereon may no man any more seek fruit. 
 Or walls once steadfast ; whereon hanged wights 
 
 hopes. 
 For days to come, which lean now to their fall. 
 
 And presently I chanced with one to fall in talk ; 
 Who traded had to countries East and West : 
 And knew the Mind of Nations, of unlike 
 Both hew and hearts ; and more than gold in purse, 
 Had gotten knowledge. 
 
 Lay a mouldered heap. 
 In corner of those porches, where we walked. 
 Of leaves of books ; engrossed with antique art ; 
 And pride, of scriveners crooked characters ; 
 The initials royal purple and broad gilt : 
 The vellum page, with portraitures fair adorned. 
 
 But the inward, showed us a well learned clerk, 
 Who happed then pass ; and some, at our request, 
 Read forth : to be, for all its outward glance ; 
 Old gropers' still-horn labours, in Worlds murk ; 
 Yielding, to Mans now hungry and thirsting spirit ; 
 
 163 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Scant more than should lean diet of flinty dust, 
 To living flesh. My Friend, me seemed, well spake 
 Saying, more than all such lorCy were Human 
 Worth ! 
 
 To that place nigh, I saw a stall set forth : 
 Whereat there solemn long-gowned hoar-beards 
 
 sate; 
 Wan-visaged, that seemed murmur from shut lips : 
 And vent of far-fet drugs, upon the baize ; 
 In labelled baskets, trays and bowls, there made. 
 The cryptic signs, my tongue-taught friend thus read : 
 Opinions diverse^ Premises, Conclusions ; 
 And other like. 
 
 To them such made resort ; 
 As balsams for souls griefs and maladies sought. 
 But little was to buy, to souls behoof ; 
 Or that could allay, any little part ; 
 Mans gnawing inward hearts' sollicitudes. 
 
 When rose then rumour, ferment, stir of spirits : 
 Thick thronging from nigh streets, tumultuous 
 
 Press : 
 Their table it was of word-wise merchandise; 
 Mongst justling souls, I saw then first o'erset. 
 
 Of that commotion cause, and eddying feet ; 
 Great Mansoul himself was ; to living ground. 
 Last night, repaired from deadly Underw^orld. 
 
 164 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Great statured, but now plainly of human mould ; 
 He entered thus, midst his dream citizens ; 
 That busily do Him round for place contend. 
 
 Mounted then 6n staged scaffold, He made sign, 
 That would he speak. Disquietly he dispaced, 
 A little while. Anon souls* concourse husht : 
 Opened Mansoul his mouth. Praised be the Gods ! 
 (Quoth he,) /, O citizens, unto living light, 
 Am now returned, from sunless Underworld 
 And dust of death : I in s6 deep dread great Voyage, 
 Have in much trembling traversed hundred paths. 
 
 Wisdom and Knowledge of Worlds ages past : 
 Sooth I enquired throughout, in mine unrest. 
 But all spake darkness : prisoned had been each, 
 In blind compacture of corruptible flesh : 
 Whence, one and all, they little might unfold. 
 Each from eyehole, of his small tenement 
 Of clay, gazed forth. The Rest, past reasons reach, 
 Man taketh, (whereas naught better is,) most on 
 Trust. 
 
 I again, since I returned above, have sought ; 
 With fervent supplication, to be taught : 
 Seeing lurks, in every atomy of this Worlds dross ; 
 Though void of sensible life, an intimate force : 
 Attractions and repulsions, not unlike 
 To perturbations, in Mans jelly-flesh : 
 But vainly. 
 
 165 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 And diligently I gave ear ; 
 If hdply I, in Rhythm, of the Universe ; 
 Might hear some super-elemental Voice. 
 But to no purpose ! Far as eye may reach ; 
 All-that-is, ever hangs in a vast flux : 
 Wherein there seemeth to sound, aye manifest note. 
 Of Imperfection ! Though mine every sense, 
 I bent to the uttermost, and continued thus : 
 I naught at all perceived of human import. 
 Yet those be the Dumb Powers, from whence 
 
 derive, 
 Unto this day, the activities of our lives. 
 
 What though I tread continually lives paths : 
 The murmur of all waters cannot teach ; 
 Nor the Winds breath, which substance of all 
 
 speech. 
 Instruct my spirit. Yet furthermore I besought. 
 The Intelligencies of the lofty air. 
 But none inclined, (and be there any such,) 
 Unto mine instant prayer, with singleness 
 Of heart, breathed forth ; a favourable Ear. 
 Too slender, brief, mens lives, too fugitive are 
 We mostly apply, to things of mean account : 
 Where daily Opinion veereth as a vane : 
 The whiles w^e toy, on an abysmal brink. 
 
 Child of the Sky and Earth, and featured thus ; 
 Even he who most is happy and fortunate : 
 
 i66 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Fleets, like some garish bubble, in trembling-stream ; 
 To be to nothingness, resolved anon. 
 
 Answered some souls, methought, from certain 
 housetops : 
 Bove busy hum of Citys market-place. 
 
 (Voices Heard From Housetops) 
 Purgeth each new found Knowledge, by degrees, 
 The Vision of our minds. In time to come. 
 When these days shall be old, more shall light 
 
 shine ; 
 On tardy generations of new men. 
 
 Our soul is as a bird, which lights on spray : 
 We know not whence it comet h to our sight. 
 Rockt by the wind ; uneasily it dwelleth 
 Not long, afraid of every flickering leaf. 
 Nor wot we whither it presently flitted forth. 
 
 Are each-where, the same sighs of human hearts : 
 Shine everywhere the same stars. O'er all our 
 
 heads. 
 There hangs one fate, the whiles we change and 
 
 pass. 
 Little by little. Knowledge shall our minds 
 Unweaned, unwind out of their swaddling- 
 bands. 
 Knowledge is unattainable, in Mans State. 
 
 167 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 We at best may only see some little part ; 
 After short purblind vision of Mans thought. 
 Wisdom ; our heritage, lies within our might. 
 Time past, our fathers' was : this day that is, 
 Is ours : the Future, we ourselves beget. 
 
 The Sum of all is : there be many paths 
 Of human goodness, and the blameless life ; 
 Wherein a man may walk, towards the Gods. 
 
 Till some be found new aspect of Mans mind ; 
 Until a candle light exceed the Sun : 
 Can none read Riddle of the Universe. 
 It passeth Mans understanding ; and shall pass. 
 
 168 
 
BOOK VI 
 
 MAN SOULS DREAM CITY 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 BOOK VI 
 
 I borne was forth then in much mingled Press, 
 Of citizen dream-souls, from their traffic-place : 
 Which sued with Mansoul, towards the Parliament 
 House. 
 
 Founded was that, on great white marble rock ; 
 With majesty, of more than craftsmens handiwork. 
 A stately twofold flight of sculptured steps ; 
 To that Basilica-like proud edifice. 
 Ascended : where appeared great golden porch. 
 
 With bays and balconies, that High House was 
 wrought. 
 Whereunto, many-chambered colonnades ; 
 Were joined, as marble wings, on either part. 
 And whiles I gazed, I Mansoul saw mount up, 
 Alone by the degrees. And on the height ; 
 There stood to meet him, councillors' purpled 
 
 Senate. 
 Worship and dignity was in their looks. 
 
 Then those all entered in their Council Hall : 
 M 171 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Whose two-leaved gilded graven doors were shut. 
 I waited ; but Mansoul came no more forth. 
 
 The entablature and pediment, were adorned ; 
 With Images of Worlds former righteous spirits : 
 And crystal were the pillars underset : 
 Their gilded chapiters, were of copper-smiths work. 
 And Hall of Audience, read I over writ. 
 
 Of all this, gone there-up, I took account ; 
 Dedale, emailed, deviseful, gem-dight work : 
 And thence surviewed Mansouls Dream- City of 
 
 Light. 
 Whose hundred hollow streets, twixt clustered 
 
 roofs ; 
 With towers and pinnacles, lay far-stretcht, beneath. 
 
 Meseemed then, to right hand upon the terrace, 
 Impelled my steps. My hap was, to come first, 
 Where some, men named Philosophers, conversed. 
 Of aspect grave ; their rugged foreheads told 
 Of self-consuming, with self-pleasing thought : 
 As they that handle great affairs of State. 
 
 Yet presently it, in my dream, became a masque 
 
 Of souls which pursued after twilight moths. 
 
 Or fireflies chaced and roving butterflies. 
 
 And each his solemn remedy straight professed. 
 
 When he had caught a fly ; of human ills : 
 
 Not subject to decay ; cocksure he was. 
 
 172 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 And daily, I hear*^, the endeavour is of such ; 
 (Whose idle hands will naught of Wordly tasks ;) 
 To arrest the Shadow of Truth Fugitive. 
 Standing and running, some on copwebs stretcht, 
 Continually upleapt into the wind. 
 Some, climbed on ladders, would rake Stars to 
 
 Earth ; 
 In their frail butterfly nets. Some even devised, 
 With their thumb-nail, to span, the Universe. 
 
 I marvelled, seeing those wise-sayers, in siich 
 place. 
 'T was, (I heard say,) because they debited dreams ; 
 Not wholly unworthy of Mans purblind state. 
 Amongst them, some disputed, as I passed ; 
 Whether or no, the Universe confines hath : 
 
 Blowing, (sith cannot Reason help a wight) ; 
 Some covertly on an halm or fluff of grass ; 
 Enquired thereof : and they determined thus 
 The Illimitable Loft. And were there Being, 
 Before beginning c seeing such far asking passeth, 
 Power of conceiving of poor human hearts. 
 
 A chamber then I entered, next in row, 
 With peace of spirit ; as on whose azure walls. 
 And bowed roof, effigied were the heavenly signs. 
 Wherein lies plainly charactered, in Skys height ; 
 Above dark storms and Winter of our Time ; 
 (Could we them read. The Riddle of the World,) 
 
 173 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Therein large-browed Nights faithful Watchers 
 sate ; 
 Sons of Urania, that bright heavenly Muse : 
 Whose part it is, beholding from far-off 
 The sovereign Majesty of the Firmament : 
 The Supreme Works to Chronicle, of the Sire 
 Of men and Gods. 
 
 Whilst World self-shadov^ed sleeps, 
 Till tardy day awake ; save the lone voice, 
 Of elemental winds, waves, water-brooks : 
 Gazing through their perspective tubes, they pierce. 
 Of heavens watch-hill ; the inscrutable starry 
 frost. 
 And being their discipline, that which only doth, 
 Of mens school-doctrines, stand, without reproach 
 Of tongues ; they can the eternal ordinance 
 Predict of times ; even poise in balances 
 Earths mighty mass : compute celestial powers, 
 And numbers supputate ; which exceeding thought ; 
 Can, only in cyphers, be to mind expressed. 
 
 I in next chamber dream-souls found assembled. 
 How laid were first foundations of the Earth ; 
 And rocks compiled on Her round rusty Breast ; 
 And mountains lifted up ; and Ocean depths, 
 Ponded at erst, were gathered to one place : 
 They meditate and continually ensearch. 
 
 I in their doorway leaned : and heard discussed : 
 
 ^74 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 From whence derived, was metal of Earths mass. 
 Opinion held ; chance-medley mist at erst, 
 Of elements, filled the Infinite Universe ; 
 Was Earth amongst the stars, concreted thus : 
 Stars many, as there be pebble-stones, on sea 
 
 strand, 
 In Heavenly Loft. 
 
 Severed had been Earths clot^ 
 From Sun ; as clay from running wheel, whirled 
 
 forth. 
 Like peel on plum ; on molten iron flood. 
 
 Film formed ; and drossy shard was Earths first 
 
 rind. 
 
 Great rains descended ; which, in clefts, pits, chaps, 
 
 Of those iron cragged rocks, to lower place, 
 
 Ran down ; and ponded in Her hollow parts. 
 
 Became vast seas ; which flowed, prevailing sith . 
 
 O^er Earths first crabbed elemental cliffs : 
 
 Undwelled-in elemental solitude, 
 
 Whose restless wind-hurled fret of sand-toothed 
 
 billows. 
 
 Lifting up mighty waves of salvage sound ; 
 
 Falling, in cataracts, on Her glowing rocks : 
 
 Gnawed much warp forth ; in morning of the world. 
 
 That aye increased was from Earths rough-cast face ; 
 
 By rushing w^ater-courses' dregs of Land : 
 
 Whence ooze wide settled, on vast Ocean-ground. 
 
 175 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Where layer by layer, in cycles of the stars, 
 Miles*-deep were layed. Of such sith broken up, 
 By uplifting vehement vapours' mastering force ; 
 Shouldered on high, uprent, were mountain-heaps : 
 And Isles, and jagged long-ranging Continents. 
 
 Who search, may read, as in a paged book ; 
 In those spread, squalid, layer by layer, couched rocks; 
 (Offscouring of this old terrestrial mass : 
 
 An infinite Tomb :) wherein is found set forth ; 
 Lifes Story, which of none may be gainsayed ! 
 New threshold passed, their cheerful looks I 
 
 marked ; 
 Which in much-throbbing chamber sate. Full that 
 Was of swift running wheels and cranks : which 
 
 wrought 
 More than mens hands, for welfare of the World. 
 Were Teachers those, mongst men, of a New 
 
 Earth. 
 
 Though lamps themselves of little-enduring clay, 
 
 They ply their busy tasks ; bending their minds. 
 
 To guide the skilful purpose of their hands. 
 
 They examine, ponder, blow to flame and cherish ; 
 
 Each elect spark, which kindles in their breasts : 
 
 Some cometh, some come not fully to the birth : 
 
 Of thousand thoughts, that whisper in their hearts. 
 
 (Whence further Light.) They bridle, and even 
 
 compel, 
 
 176 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 The elements, t6 yield their Titanic force ; 
 Obey their list ; and execute all their hests. 
 
 By that same doorway, passed few sighing spirits 
 Whose hope had died, in Winter of their hearts. 
 I heard some of the harms, which they professed. 
 
 Voices That Pass 
 
 What-though we grope and agonise, in Worlds 
 
 dust : 
 Seemeth ever some malignant influence ; 
 Frail expectation of Mans mortal wit, 
 To disappoint. Our days' brief season spent, 
 We in World of Darkness wither as a plant. 
 Other Voices. A reverent expectation best befits 
 
 us ; 
 And live in Faith of the Eternal Good. 
 Unto even the sacred Muses rest unwist ; 
 The highest and everlasting Ocean-mysteries. 
 Unto whom : were once made known the least 
 
 of such ; 
 Would not that sacred Sisterhoods' golden Band ; 
 (Whose power divine upholds the hearts of men ; 
 And comforts in rude hubbubs of the World ;) 
 Pluck from their crystal foreheads, the proud bays ; 
 Wherewith mens twilight ages have them crowned. 
 
 177 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 And, meekly adoring the Eternal Verities ; 
 Prostrate them lowly on ground, before the Throne : 
 And with hymn, worship, the All-High alone ; 
 Who inhabiteth the Harmonies of Heaven ? 
 
 At which new saying, I turned me to hear more : 
 And following on, a little Company I saw : 
 Known by rapt looks, of soaring high desire ; 
 For Sectaries, of that celestial Skill. 
 
 Such aye be few, that from Earths mould durst 
 tower, 
 Towards Living Light, as lavrock 'gainst the Sun : 
 Whence oft they lanterns, of mens ages are : 
 Which them, in their lean bitter-sweet life-days, 
 More oft reprove. Which past, too late those 
 
 crown ; 
 Their silent hearse, with blossoms of vain flowers. 
 
 Two young men stayed, of cheer magnanimous ; 
 Of that small passing fellowship, on the terrace. 
 I gave ear unto words which they professed. 
 
 They likened souls, that sounding hear aloft ; 
 Some Harp of Heaven, whose chords be beams of 
 
 light. 
 Like aged, and each to other sworn those were : 
 Both White-cliffed Albions sons, the Muses Isle. 
 Quaint antique tome lay open, in this ones hand ; 
 The scripture azure, with vermilion limned. 
 
 178 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 The Title charactered was, in Sun-bright gold ; 
 Dan Chaucers Merry Tales : in Temple of Fame, 
 Most worthy name, for aye to be enrolled : 
 For the right-wise humanity of his verse. 
 
 Yet sooth to say, not all commendable is. 
 That Geoffrey writ : too oft he speaketh full large ; 
 When that sets forth churls' borel talk, his page. 
 But he, in his high sentence, in the rest ; 
 Yet beckoneth to us, in his well-knit measures : 
 From the homely infancy of right English verse. 
 
 Of Custance, cast away in Sea-deeps' waves ; 
 Long buffeted, far from land and human kind, 
 The noble legend was ; for whom with sighs. 
 Surprised be, and suspent that read, our hearts. 
 
 Chanted his fere an hymn, when this had ceased, 
 Of Heavenly Beauty : with soft warbling voice. 
 (How I admired the turning of each verse !) 
 Of Edmund, my lodestar, the ditty was : 
 (Whose Art is mine endeavour to restore.) 
 He who descant sang, among his shepherd peers ; 
 As lavrock doth, which lifted up of Love ; 
 In spires exulteth in the Element ; 
 Devoid of all offence of groundling flesh. 
 
 Went other by; but somewhat;, in their steps, 
 
 Halting, behind that gentle fellowship. 
 
 The transports of whose breasts, wherein a sense 
 
 Of Music lurks ; Eolian^harmonies 
 
 179 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Might haply sound ; but that their dccords lack 
 Fulness of Vision, and diviners' art : 
 Being semblable thus to shimmering gossamer weft ; 
 Wafted from uplands, on late Summers breath ; 
 Whereof no Webster can weave a coats cloth. 
 
 But of that former twain, remained in place. 
 Quoth Friend to Friend ; mongst human masteries : 
 To what might we compare the skill of such, 
 As travail to bring forth immortal verse : 
 Whose every chord resoundeth human life ; 
 With new Maeonian lofty hardihood. 
 Their mistery it far and subtil artifice 
 Excelleth that precious gem-stones cleave and set. 
 In daedale-wise in goldsmiths* refined work. 
 For poets fledged words, big with orient light ; 
 Of golden, heaven-derived beams, shed to Earth : 
 Be as threaded pearls of price, on living lace. 
 
 Whereto his fellow musing, made response : 
 Must Poet, priest of the Muses, eyewasht, dipt : 
 His soul in well of life ; his mortal part, 
 In pure white lawn arrayed, and consecrate : 
 Hill-steep ascend alone, with painful steps : 
 And fr6m celestial height, draw vital breath. 
 
 And in the Muses' garden walking sith, 
 (As they vouchsafe ;) gather of flowers that blow 
 All months ; with kindly fruits of every hew, 
 
 i8q 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 And simples, for souls health. And having drunk, 
 Of springing Helicon, their learned well, 
 Whence memory flows : slumber there fast beside, 
 And dream as babe, all in the ambrosial arms, 
 Of Nature Mother : who his souls high seeing ; 
 (Revealed some moment, to his pensive vision ; 
 As Daughter of the air, is bow in heaven ;) 
 Would pourtray and body forth, with the gross 
 
 substance. 
 Of mortal speech ; broidering his web of song ; 
 With buds and blossoms, of Euterpe taught. 
 His Friend. Who is he, who rightly endites melo- 
 dious measures ? 
 (Who in his brother-man, perceives himself ?) 
 He, in whose breast Love dwelleth, and Hope is left 
 Ingenuous. Whose spirit lifted up ; 
 Above cloud of unworthy mortal sense : 
 Drinks of pure springs, and proffers of his cup. 
 To all that thirst. The same profaneth not, 
 A virgin Muses gift, in his access. 
 First Friend. His soul should be as dreaming 
 
 instrument : 
 Whose wind-weaved chords respond to every breath : 
 Able, to modulate them to human thought. 
 Second Friend. Wherefore be those too much 
 
 to blame, that pinch ; 
 Of malice, rankling in ungenerous breast ; 
 
 i8i 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 (Which might themselves a cattle-crib uneath 
 
 Devise ;) at master-artificers work ; 
 
 And with the venom of crude Hps, deface : 
 
 Who, moved of hearts devotion, vows to Heavens 
 High service a Cathedral. And, of World 
 Unwist ; up-builds, in his few mortal years ; 
 Of goodly stones, where naught before there was ; 
 Save thistles, docks, rough briars, in wasteful ground. 
 
 The site considered well, and all made plain ; 
 And plotted out the pattern of the Place. 
 His strong foundations truly laid, thereon : 
 He rears, well-dressed to reed, lead, line and square, 
 Up stately walls, which age-long may endure. 
 Under Gods Sun and Stars. His nave, his aisles, 
 His lofty transepts, and his sacred choir ; 
 Be rightly all addressed, towards morning star. 
 His rampant gracious buttresses, upbear ; 
 (Each one a master- work of masons craft. 
 Pleasant to look upon ;) his Fanes long flanks. 
 
 The great Cathedral-structure, within rests, 
 On alligned clustered columns' striding arcs. 
 The chapiters graced with palms and lily flowers. 
 And the fair-laid above steep walling-work ; 
 Gem-like lo, storied antique windows pierce ; 
 Radiant, with purple joy of heavens light. 
 His ndves bowed intricate vault of chiselled stone ; 
 Ribbed all in metric wise, adorned on height, 
 
 182 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 With gracious palm-leaves branches' rare device : 
 Passeth the skill of pargetters' plaster work. 
 
 His Vow, with patient zeal, accomplished thus ; 
 (Like as he had conceived it in his thought :) 
 And furnished with all necessary gifts ; 
 To Service of the Eternal dedicate : 
 Trembles from floor to roof, the hallowed House ; 
 With pealing organ-tones and anthems' chant. 
 Whiles the aspirations rise, of worshippers' hearts ; 
 Which therein list, sequester them a space ; 
 From troublous traffic of the World without : 
 And bow their knees, unto the God of Peace. 
 
 The Western porch, for brevity, I overpass. 
 Which builded is, on old strong rudiments, 
 Of Roman occupation in this Isle : 
 The Galilee, and cypress-pannelled chapter-house. 
 
 And there be contrived chantries, in the walls : 
 And sepulchres of saints, in crypts beneath : 
 And chapels hanged with banners ; whereas sleep ; 
 Knights champions, in ring-kirtles laid to rest. 
 
 Without lies well-designed, fair cloister-garth ; 
 For meditation and for quietness ; 
 Of who those silent ambulatories pace. 
 With tile-stones paved ; them bordering whole- 
 some herbs, 
 And cheerfulness of glad flowers. In midst whereof ; 
 
 1S3 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 A fount of living waters wells, days haunt 
 Of ever-thirsting, over-flittering doves. 
 And there be summer leafy arbours made ; 
 Cool havens of green boughs, with well-entrailed, 
 Fresh clambering woodbind sweet, and roses blithe. 
 Where seats for who, past years of Worldly tasks ; 
 Must now needs rest. 
 
 Pass other on the terrace : 
 Of like aspiring looks : wont like hill steeps 
 Essay to climb, which hitherto seldom trod ; 
 With hardy foot. On them some kindred Muse 
 Hath likewise gracious breathed : unto whom is 
 
 given, 
 With harmony and form, grace, passion, in their 
 
 hearts ; 
 To paint with hews on tables ; shadowing forth, 
 Visions, of their souls seeing, in Natures glass. 
 Nathless should many faint, amidst their tasks : 
 Were not when fails them breath, they wont refresh 
 Them at clear well-spring of the Poets verse. 
 
 Again I was borne forth, mongst spirits' press. 
 And fell mongst some, from Worlds sunsetting 
 
 parts : 
 Whose thicker air breathes strenuous vital blood ; 
 With hardy understanding of mens minds ; 
 
 184 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 To essay and bring to pass main enterprises. 
 Mongst whom some ones debated, whiles they 
 
 walked : 
 Whether Mans Reason were, his only guide, 
 (Being that the measure of each Human mind ;) 
 Sufficient to right governance of our lives. 
 How might we attain, midst so much murk and 
 
 smart ; 
 To right discernment, with a clay-born mind ! 
 
 Responded one, now in his years' first force ; 
 Whom in magnanimous mould had Nature cast : 
 We, (a mote, ah ! in infinite darkness,) waked 
 
 from naught ; 
 Till in Eternity, whence we issued forth ; 
 We sleep again, resolved our fleshly being : 
 Should bear such constant mind, in steadfast 
 
 breast ; 
 As may in all vicissitudes, resist ; 
 Blind buffets of the World and froward Fortune : 
 Forsaking not the while, heart-easing mirth ; 
 Nor looking for Worlds griefs. 
 
 Anew went forth ; 
 A company assembled, in a further room : 
 I found, consulting for the Public Weal : 
 Being some of those, whose faculty it is ; 
 To know by proof the virtues of all saps, 
 Of herbs and roots ; and with deft practic touch ; 
 
 185 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Distinguish from the whole, each unsound part ; 
 And to every sore apply meet remedies. 
 
 And whoso doth most worthily exercise 
 That humane art, being therein thoroughly taught ; 
 A comforter is, in chamber of the sick ; 
 Ready of his skill : one who, with urbane speech, 
 Giveth hope for sighs and sad infirmities. 
 
 And when descend contagions on the Earth ; 
 Sword of an angry Heaven and a great Death : 
 Those stand betwixt the Living and the Dead ; 
 At peril of their own, to heal, to save. 
 But of the event of souls released from flesh : 
 Can none of all physicians certify aught. 
 
 Nay and all dream-spirits, whitherwhere happed 
 my steps ; 
 Of whatso occupation they were of ; 
 Were in like case : even such as seemed best versed ; 
 In Doctrines, Faiths and Disciplines of the schools : 
 Whose aspect grave and learn 'd habiliments ; 
 Seemed venerable in the Multitudes sight. 
 That secret sighing heard I of their hearts : 
 Which each day drew more nigh to their own 
 deaths. 
 
 More diverse chambers past, I went apart : 
 
 Where an hanging balcony of marble lattice-work ; 
 
 Me a rest-place seemed, with pleasant Prospect forth. 
 
 1 86 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 There in an oriel, sate men of the East, 
 Gathered. Some elders seemed they by their looks : 
 With comely turbants wounden on their heads ; 
 And clad in silken raiment of those parts : 
 Whereo'er Sun shineth, in His meridian strength. 
 Deign were and worshipful those of countenance ! 
 That on fringed purple precious tappets, sate ; 
 Their countrys custom, on their kimbowed knees : 
 And were of them, whom in their Eastern speech ; 
 Hanifs or Seekers-after- Sooth, were named. 
 
 Mild greybeard, he to whom gave heed the rest ; 
 As one of chief regard, in their discourse ; 
 Sighed, as he musing spake, with Voice demiss : 
 Whoso, in his integrity, lifteth up 
 Pure hands towards Heaven, the same accepted is. 
 All made response together, with bowed heads ; 
 In Heaven, in Heaven alone, our Refuge is ! 
 
 So rose they ; and of the humanity of their hearts, 
 (Their East Lands' piety,) in that they by me passed ; 
 Each blessed me : all saying, Updn thy soul, 
 he Peace ! 
 
 Midst much new company of dr6am-spirits, 
 I walked : 
 Towards (nigh now), ending of that Colonnade. 
 And many assembled saw I to a place ; 
 
 Where a bright Arc, (made of some substance rare, 
 
 N 187 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 As none on Earth,) spans the large marble terrace. 
 The gate so lowly, it hardly souls might pass 
 Upon their bended knees. Those thenceforth walk, 
 (Left there their former fleshly seeing ; that cloak, 
 Was on their inward sight ;) by Light of Faith. 
 
 Engraven upon that Pylon, I read Faith : 
 (Therethrough I, also have crept upon my breast :) 
 And came mongst some, in one poor livery clad ; 
 Which worshipped meekly, as they devoutly went ; 
 Folding their hands towards heaven, to Him ; in 
 
 Whom 
 They live, they move and have their humble being : 
 Intoning their Lands pious litanies. 
 Whom, by that noble tongue, which they 
 
 pronounced : 
 I guessed, to be of Worlds Italic parts ; 
 Brothers of humble Francis, Saint of God. 
 
 They in now waste Syrian Country, of the Christ ; 
 Receivers of poor pilgrims are to lodge. 
 Whom they, with bread and wine refresh ; and wash, 
 (Full of the Love of Christ,) their way-beat feet. 
 Exalted were their looks ; that had put off 
 All Worlds desires, and malice of Mans heart. 
 Whose only part of this Worlds goods, was that 
 Poor worsted frock ; which should be their grave- 
 cloth. 
 
 i88 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Lastly, I bethought me, of the Great Parliament- 
 House ; 
 With shut-to gates, which had I left unviewed ; 
 And terrace-chambers, on that further part. 
 But the Inner-voice forbade, which in my breast, 
 Me to range thither : saying, Elect dream-spirits 
 Inhabited there ; which absent from their flesh : 
 Converse with Shining-Ones, which descend from 
 
 God. 
 Nor might it be revealed, what that Light is. 
 Which on them shines ; nor could in speech be 
 
 taught ; 
 Nor such might comprehend my simple thought. 
 
 The aspirations, in their several Faiths, 
 Of the dream-spirits, those Shining Ones receive, 
 In fiery censers ; which borne forth aloft : 
 They seven times purge, in celestial flame ; 
 From blind Worlds several darknesses ; of all dross. 
 What little rests, acceptable in Heavens sight ; 
 They, in their celestial courses, offer up ; 
 Before the Throne Divine. 
 
 Thus said the Voice. 
 And I, being come to end now of the terrace : 
 My feet trod many thence descending steps ; 
 To Dreamsoul-Citys league-large lower Court ; 
 Which ceiled steep Gulf, of heavens azure firma- 
 ment. 
 
 189 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Whose pavement all with gem-stones was inset ; 
 Laid like musaic-work. Figuring Worlds wide face : 
 Lands of mens sons, Plains, Hills, Floods, Ocean- 
 streams : 
 In H6II0W h61den of Almighty Hand 
 Amidst the Illimitable Universe. 
 
 There great resort was ; ebb and flow of spirits. 
 On every part. Whiles I admired ; disperse 
 I saw a fleecy shining cloud, anon. 
 And stood revealed, amidst, a Temple-House, 
 High lifted up ! Not by Mans handiwork ; 
 Builded ; but growen from ground up, as tree 
 
 doth. 
 That in its symmetry, of crystal walls and pinnacles : 
 Of things on Earth, most likeneth, in Mans sight, 
 Some clear frostwork. 
 
 Environed on each part, 
 
 The Sanctuary, great ground-sills of jasper rock ; 
 
 On whose stepped banks, dream citizens* Nations 
 
 sate, 
 
 In their degrees : awaiting, with eyes fixt ; 
 
 The opening of the Temple-gates. 
 
 I marked 
 
 The Temples dedication on the frieze. 
 
 And read there, lightning-bright, with awe of 
 
 heart ; 
 
 190 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 Large written, it seemed me by the Finger of 
 
 Heaven. 
 To THE Thrice-Holy All-only Eternal Father- 
 hood 
 Which hath revealed Himself in all the Earth. 
 
 And suddenly, from a pinnacle, which toucht 
 heaven : 
 Proclaimed a Seraph ; Was come Hour to cast 
 Up the Fanes gates : where entering all in one. 
 Might souls adore the Father of all spirits. 
 
 Albe unworthy ; I with that sudden surge 
 Of spirits inwent. Souls out of every Nation ; 
 (Seeing all their Pieties, and their several Faiths ; 
 Seek cleansing of Mans soul, towards Hope in Death.) 
 Diverse lo, of habit, feature, guise, hew, stature ! 
 
 Amidst the Sanctuary, shone an altar-stone ; 
 (Which navel of the living World esteemed,) 
 Self-luminous : whose springing beams sufficed. 
 Dream-spirits, which bowed them, in each hallowed 
 
 place. 
 It crystal seemed : and whoso therein gazed ; 
 Might his resemblance see ; how clear his soul, 
 Or dim yet were through Sin. 
 
 I supplications. 
 From hundred oratories, beheld ascend ; 
 Visibly embodied, amidst fume of incense : 
 
 191 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 As little golden tongues, on flaming wings. 
 
 Venerable was he of aspect, who Chief-priest, 
 And habited in long albe of shining line ; 
 Kneeled on his prayer- worn knees ; and lifting up 
 Pure hands, presented living sacrifice. 
 Of all those souls. And shone his countenance ; 
 As who seeth Brightness of the Invisible. 
 
 I, amazed, of one a door-keeper asked anon, 
 Of all these things. Who answered ; This it was, 
 Who Friend of all, of unknown parentage ; 
 Bearing a censer, from his childhood up ; 
 Had in these holy precincts served devout ; 
 Unwitting ill, in innocency of life. 
 Girded in spotless raiment. And no meat. 
 Unmeet for priests, at any time, had passed 
 His consecrated lips : nor uttered aught 
 Had they, that might oflfend, unsooth, unworth. 
 
 Unto him, in hoary age, the People went. 
 As to their Father. Him they show their griefs : 
 And he, in taking pious thought. High Priest ; 
 Determines soon, and sets their several parts : 
 Through comfort of mild righteous words, at one. 
 
 I further, of that doorward, understood : 
 How, in twilight of the stars, him little babe ; 
 At a dawns opening, of the Temple doors ; 
 The Sacristan had found, which that time was. 
 Fast sleeping ; laid beside the altar-stone. 
 
 192 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 The watchmen, called before the magistrates ; 
 Had testified, being examined, with one breath : 
 That mid of night, with mist was overcast ; 
 They a rushing heard, of niighty wings aloft : 
 As tired some erne to Earth, tumukuous. 
 
 An aureole shone around the infants head. 
 Shaped like a mitre. Whence the aged Priest-sire ; 
 Him taking up, and lulling in his arms ; 
 To the heaven-sent foundling, in his swaddling 
 
 bands ; 
 Gave name, Gift'of-the-HiGUEsr ; and nourished up : 
 And consecrated sith, his acolyte. 
 
 As he, now stooped in heavy age, uprose, 
 From his bowed knees ; all spirits within the 
 
 House, 
 Assembled, breathlings of immortal Gods ; 
 Sang, in their tongues, one harmony high divine : 
 To The ALL-I-AM, The ALL-IN-ALL, ALL- 
 ONE, 
 The UNSEARCHABLE WHO, All- Where ; 
 
 THE ALL sustains : 
 The outpouring, 'bove all words articulate ; 
 Of brief-lived souls, that seek as flowers to light : 
 Towards Heavens high hid, albe aye-shining Hope. 
 Beseeching the remission of past guilts. 
 
 193 
 
MANSOUL 
 
 But I admonished inwardly of the Voice ; 
 To a curtained door withdrew me, unseen ere : 
 And souls saw issuing there forth, one by one : 
 But none, might I perceive, return again. 
 
 I following soon without ; have nighed to place : 
 Where drooping shivering souls ; (as who unclothed 
 In cold,) stood on dark brink. Were deceased spirits, 
 This night-time in Dream-City, amidst their sleep. 
 I feared, till on a lintel which those passed : 
 I read, large-writ, in Everlasting Light ; 
 Fear ye not Little Flock : and underneath. 
 Hath not Jeshua said that God is Love. 
 ' Words, which abide, a Perfume, in our hearts.) 
 
 Caliill cjr Co., Ltd., London, Diihlin and Drogheda. 
 
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