Introduction to Robert Browning [146]
Waller.
"Drawing near her death, she sent most pious thoughts as harbingers to heaven; and her soul saw a glimpse of happiness through the chinks of her sickness-broken body." Fuller's `Holy and Profane State', Book I., chap. 2.
203. With me: connect with `share', v. 198.
208-209. See p. 62 of this volume. {In this etext, Part II, Section 3 in the Introduction. It is shortly before an excerpt from `Christmas Eve'.}
221-225. See stanzas 9 and 10 of `Rabbi Ben Ezra'.
227. an optic glass: perhaps anachronistic. --
"For life, with all it yields of joy and woe, And hope and fear, -- believe the aged friend, -- [245] Is just our chance o' the prize of learning love, How love might be, hath been indeed, and is; And that we hold thenceforth to the uttermost Such prize despite the envy of the world, And, having gained truth, keep truth: that is all. [250] But see the double way wherein we are led, How the soul learns diversely from the flesh! With flesh, that hath so little time to stay, And yields mere basement for the soul's emprise, Expect prompt teaching. Helpful was the light, [255] And warmth was cherishing and food was choice To every man's flesh, thousand years ago, As now to yours and mine; the body sprang At once to the height, and staid: but the soul, -- no! Since sages who, this noontide, meditate [260] In Rome or Athens, may descry some point Of the eternal power, hid yestereve; And, as thereby the power's whole mass extends, So much extends the ether floating o'er The love that tops the might, the Christ in God. [265] Then, as new lessons shall be learned in these Till earth's work stop and useless time run out, So duly, daily, needs provision be For keeping the soul's prowess possible, Building new barriers as the old decay, [270] Saving us from evasion of life's proof, Putting the question ever, `Does God love, And will ye hold that truth against the world?' Ye know there needs no second proof with good Gained for our flesh from any earthly source: [275] We might go freezing, ages, -- give us fire, Thereafter we judge fire at its full worth, And guard it safe through every chance, ye know! That fable of Prometheus and his theft, How mortals gained Jove's fiery flower, grows old [280] (I have been used to hear the pagans own) And out of mind; but fire, howe'er its birth, Here is it, precious to the sophist now Who laughs the myth of Aeschylus to scorn, As precious to those satyrs of his play, [285] Who touched it in gay wonder at the thing. While were it so with the soul, -- this gift of truth Once grasped, were this our soul's gain safe, and sure To prosper as the body's gain is wont, -- Why, man's probation would conclude, his earth [290] Crumble; for he both reasons and decides, Weighs first, then chooses: will he give up fire For gold or purple once he knows its worth? Could he give Christ up were His worth as plain? Therefore, I say, to test man, the proofs shift, [295] Nor may he grasp that fact like other fact, And straightway in his life acknowledge it, As, say, the indubitable bliss of fire. Sigh ye, `It had been easier once than now?' To give you answer I am left alive; [300] Look at me who was present from the first! Ye know what things I saw; then came a test, My first, befitting me who so had seen: `Forsake the Christ thou sawest transfigured, Him Who trod the sea and brought the dead to life? [305] What should wring this from thee?' -- ye laugh and ask. What wrung it? Even a torchlight and a noise, The sudden Roman faces, violent hands, And fear of what the Jews might do! Just that, And it is written, `I forsook and fled': [310] There was my trial, and it ended thus. Ay, but my soul had gained its truth, could grow: Another year or two, -- what little child, What tender woman that had seen no least Of all my sights, but barely heard them told, [315] Who did not clasp the cross with a light laugh, Or wrap the burning robe round, thanking
"Drawing near her death, she sent most pious thoughts as harbingers to heaven; and her soul saw a glimpse of happiness through the chinks of her sickness-broken body." Fuller's `Holy and Profane State', Book I., chap. 2.
203. With me: connect with `share', v. 198.
208-209. See p. 62 of this volume. {In this etext, Part II, Section 3 in the Introduction. It is shortly before an excerpt from `Christmas Eve'.}
221-225. See stanzas 9 and 10 of `Rabbi Ben Ezra'.
227. an optic glass: perhaps anachronistic. --
"For life, with all it yields of joy and woe, And hope and fear, -- believe the aged friend, -- [245] Is just our chance o' the prize of learning love, How love might be, hath been indeed, and is; And that we hold thenceforth to the uttermost Such prize despite the envy of the world, And, having gained truth, keep truth: that is all. [250] But see the double way wherein we are led, How the soul learns diversely from the flesh! With flesh, that hath so little time to stay, And yields mere basement for the soul's emprise, Expect prompt teaching. Helpful was the light, [255] And warmth was cherishing and food was choice To every man's flesh, thousand years ago, As now to yours and mine; the body sprang At once to the height, and staid: but the soul, -- no! Since sages who, this noontide, meditate [260] In Rome or Athens, may descry some point Of the eternal power, hid yestereve; And, as thereby the power's whole mass extends, So much extends the ether floating o'er The love that tops the might, the Christ in God. [265] Then, as new lessons shall be learned in these Till earth's work stop and useless time run out, So duly, daily, needs provision be For keeping the soul's prowess possible, Building new barriers as the old decay, [270] Saving us from evasion of life's proof, Putting the question ever, `Does God love, And will ye hold that truth against the world?' Ye know there needs no second proof with good Gained for our flesh from any earthly source: [275] We might go freezing, ages, -- give us fire, Thereafter we judge fire at its full worth, And guard it safe through every chance, ye know! That fable of Prometheus and his theft, How mortals gained Jove's fiery flower, grows old [280] (I have been used to hear the pagans own) And out of mind; but fire, howe'er its birth, Here is it, precious to the sophist now Who laughs the myth of Aeschylus to scorn, As precious to those satyrs of his play, [285] Who touched it in gay wonder at the thing. While were it so with the soul, -- this gift of truth Once grasped, were this our soul's gain safe, and sure To prosper as the body's gain is wont, -- Why, man's probation would conclude, his earth [290] Crumble; for he both reasons and decides, Weighs first, then chooses: will he give up fire For gold or purple once he knows its worth? Could he give Christ up were His worth as plain? Therefore, I say, to test man, the proofs shift, [295] Nor may he grasp that fact like other fact, And straightway in his life acknowledge it, As, say, the indubitable bliss of fire. Sigh ye, `It had been easier once than now?' To give you answer I am left alive; [300] Look at me who was present from the first! Ye know what things I saw; then came a test, My first, befitting me who so had seen: `Forsake the Christ thou sawest transfigured, Him Who trod the sea and brought the dead to life? [305] What should wring this from thee?' -- ye laugh and ask. What wrung it? Even a torchlight and a noise, The sudden Roman faces, violent hands, And fear of what the Jews might do! Just that, And it is written, `I forsook and fled': [310] There was my trial, and it ended thus. Ay, but my soul had gained its truth, could grow: Another year or two, -- what little child, What tender woman that had seen no least Of all my sights, but barely heard them told, [315] Who did not clasp the cross with a light laugh, Or wrap the burning robe round, thanking