Imágenes de páginas
PDF
EPUB

Whate'er the wondrous things might be,
That wak'd each new idolatry---

Their cause, aim, source from whence

they sprung,

Their inmost powers, as though for me
Existence on that knowledge hung.

Oh what a vision were the stars,
When first I saw them burn on high,
Rolling along like living cars

Of light, for gods to journey by!
They were my heart's first passion---days
And nights, unwearied, in their rays
Have I hung floating, till each sense
Seem'd full of their bright influence.
Innocent joy! alas, how much

Of misery had I shunn'd below, Could I have still liv'd blest with such; Nor, proud and restless, burn'd to know The knowledge that brings guilt and woe!

Often---so much I lov'd to trace
The secrets of this starry race---
Have I at morn and evening run
Along the lines of radiance spun,
Like webs, between them and the sun,
Untwisting all the tangled ties

Of light into their different dyes--

Then fleetly wing'd I off, in quest
Of those, the farthest, loneliest,
That watch, like winking sentinels,
The void, beyond which Chaos dwells,
And there, with noiseless plume, pursued
Their track through that grand solitude,
Asking intently all and each

What soul within their radiance dwelt, And wishing their sweet light were speech, That they might tell me all they felt.

Nay, oft, so passionate my chace
Of these resplendent heirs of space,
Oft did I follow-lest a ray

Should 'scape me in the farthest night; Some pilgrim Comet, on his way

To visit distant shrines of light, And well remember how I sung Exulting out, when on my sight New worlds of stars, all fresh and young As if just born of darkness, sprung!

Such was my pure ambition then,

My sinless transport, night and morn; Ere this still newer world of men, And that most fair of stars was born Which I, in fatal hour, saw rise Among the flowers of Paradise!

Thenceforth my nature all was chang'd, My heart, soul, senses turn'd below; And he who but so lately rang'd

Yon wonderful expanse, where glow Worlds upon worlds, yet found his mind Ev'n in that luminous range confin'd, Now blest the humblest, meanest sod Of the dark earth where woman trod! In vain my former idols glisten'd

From their far thrones; in vain these ears To the once thrilling music listen'd, That hymn'd around my favorite spheres? To earth, to earth each thought was given That in this half-lost soul had birth; Like some high mount whose head's in heaven

While its whole shadow rests on earth!

Nor was it Love, ev'n yet, that thrall'd
My spirit in his burning ties;

And less, still less could it be call'd
That grosser flame, round which Love
flies

Nearer and nearer, till he dies;

No, it was wonder, such as thrill'd
At all God's works my dazzled sense;
The same rapt wonder, only fill'd

With passion, more profound, intense,

A vehement, but wandering fire,.
Which, though nor love, nor yet desire,
Though, through all womankind it took
Its range, as vague as lightnings run,
Yet wanted but a touch, a look,

To fix it burning upon One.

Then to the ever-restless zeal,
The' insatiate curiosity

To know what shapes, so fair, must feel;
To look, but once, beneath the seal
Of so much loveliness, and see
What souls belong'd to those bright eyes;
Whether as sun-beams find their way
Into the gem that hidden lies,

Those looks could inward turn their ray,
To make the soul as bright as they!
All this impell'd my anxious chace,
And still the more I saw and knew
Of Woman's fond, weak, conquering race,
The' intenser still
my wonder grew.

I had beheld their First, their Eve,
Born in that splendid Paradise,
Which God made solely to receive
The first light of her waking eyes.

I had seen purest angels lean

In worship o'er her from above;

And man-oh yes, had envying seen
Proud man possess'd of all her love.

I saw their happiness, so brief,

So exquisite-her error, too, That easy trust, that prompt belief

In what the warm heart wishes true; That faith in words, when kindly said, By which the whole fond sex is led; Mingled with (what I durst not blame, For 'tis my own) that wish to know; Sad, fatal zeal, so sure of woe;

Which, though from heaven all pure it came,

Yet stain'd, misus'd, brought sin and shame On her, on me, on all below!

I had seen this; had seen Man-arm'd

As his soul is with strength and senseBy her first words to ruin charm'd ; His vaunted reason's cold defence, Like an ice-barrier in the ray Of melting summer, smil'd away! Nay, stranger yet-spite of all this

Though by her counsels taught to err, Though driv'n from Paradise for her, (And with her that, at least, was bliss) Had I not heard him, ere he crost

The threshold of that earthly heaven,

« AnteriorContinuar »