Which whole surrounding flats of natural life A tower that crowns a country. But alas, For joy, spread round about us, meant for us, And still the flesh replies, "Take no jot more Increase our power, supply fresh oil to life, Still, no. If care where is the sign? I ask, (Caught somewhat clearer by my eyes than thine) With feeling joy? confound the knowing how And showing how to live (my faculty) With actually living?-Otherwise Where is the artist's vantage o'er the king? How divers men young, strong, fair, wise, can act— Carve the young Phœbus, am I therefore young? The many years of pain that taught me art! I can write love-odes: thy fair slave's an ode. I know the joy of kingship: well, thou art king! When I shall know most, and yet least enjoy— For joy, as this is in desire for joy, --To seek which, the joy-hunger forces us : Who, while a worm still, wants his wings. But no! He must have done so, were it possible! Live long and happy, and in that thought die Glad for what was! Farewell. And for the rest, I cannot tell thy messenger aright Where to deliver what he bears of thine To one called Paulus; we have heard his fame He writeth, doth he? well, and he may write. Oh, the Jew findeth scholars! certain slaves Who touched on this same isle, preached him and Christ ; And (as I gathered from a bystander) Their doctrine could be held by no sane man. INSTANS TYRANNUS. I. OF the million or two, more or less, I rule and possess, One man, for some cause undefined, II. I struck him, he groveled of course For, what was his force? I pinned him to earth with my weight And persistence of hate; And he lay, would not moan, would not curse, As his lot might be worse. III. "Were the object less mean, would he stand For obscurity helps him, and blots So, I set my five wits on the stretch All in vain! Gold and jewels I threw, I tempted his blood and his flesh, Hid in roses my mesh, Choicest cates and the flagon's best spilth: Still he kept to his filth. IV. Had he kith now or kin, were access To his heart, did I press: Just a son or a mother to seize ! No such booty as these. Were it simply a friend to pursue 'Mid my million or two, Who could pay me, in person or pelf, What he owes me himself! No: I could not but smile through my chafe: For the fellow lay safe As his mates do, the midge and the nit, -Through minuteness, to wit. V. Then a humor more great took its place At the thought of his face : The droop, the low cares of the mouth, The trouble uncouth 'Twixt the brows, all that air one is fain To put out of its pain. And, "no!" I admonished myself, 66 Is one mocked by an elf, Is one baffled by toad or by rat? The gravamen's in that! How the lion, who crouches to suit His back to my foot, Would admire that I stand in debate! But the small turns the great If it vexes you,—that is the thing! Toad or rat vex the king? Though I waste half my realm to unearth Toad or rat, 'tis well worth!" VI. So, I soberly laid my last plan Round his creep-hole, with never a break, Overhead, did my thunder combine With my underground mine : Till I looked from my labor content VII. When sudden how think ye, the end? Say rather, from marge to blue marge With the sun's self for visible boss, While an Arm ran across, Which the earth heaved beneath like a breast, Where the wretch was safe prest! Do you see? Just my vengeance complete, The man sprang to his feet, Stood erect, caught at God's skirts, and prayed! AN EPISTLE CONTAINING THE STRANGE MEDICAL EXPERIENCE OF KARSHISH, the picker-up of learning's crumbs, (This man's flesh he hath admirably made, To coop up and keep down on earth a space Breeder in me of what poor skill I boast, Like me inquisitive how pricks and cracks Befall the flesh through too much stress and strain, Whereby the wily vapor fain would slip Back and rejoin its source before the term, And aptest in contrivance (under God) To baffle it by deftly stopping such : The vagrant Scholar to his Sage at home Sends greeting (health and knowledge, fame with peace) Three samples of true snake-stone-rarer still, One of the other sort, the melon-shaped (But fitter, pounded fine, for charms than drugs), And writeth now the twenty-second time. |