前奏曲。生命之生命是什么，我还没说话，它就消失了:那是多么欢快，多么强烈的火花，当奇迹在头顶闪耀时，天就暗下来了?我不知道;但我知道，即使这光辉再活一年，我所看到的天象，也不会比现在更清楚了。我也知道这一点:如果凡人的气息能表达当时所激发的激情，邪恶就会自然消亡，不需要稍纵即逝的东西;灵魂的错误也会消失，只留下像阳光一样纯洁而强烈的感觉。但最好的，唉，既没有记忆也没有舌头。一个游手好闲的诗人，四处张望;但是，对于其他的一切，这个世界，美得深不可测，却比一个诙谐的笑话还要乏味。爱情唤醒人，每人一生一次; They lift their heavy lids, and look; And, lo, what one sweet page can teach, They read with joy, then shut the book. And some give thanks, and some blaspheme And most forget; but, either way, That and the Child's unheeded dream Is all the light of all their day. III The Spirit's Epochs Not in the crises of events, Of compass'd hopes, or fears fulfill'd, Or acts of gravest consequence, Are life's delight and depth reveal'd. The day of days was not the day; That went before, or was postponed; The night Death took our lamp away Was not the night on which we groan'd. I drew my bride, beneath the moon, Across my threshold; happy hour! But, ah, the walk that afternoon We saw the water-flags in flower! IV The Prototype Lo, there, whence love, life, light are pour'd, Veil'd with impenetrable rays, Amidst the presence of the Lord Co-equal Wisdom laughs and plays. Female and male God made the man; His image is the whole, not half; And in our love we dimly scan The love which is between Himself. V The Praise of Love Spirit of Knowledge, grant me this: A simple heart and subtle wit To praise the thing whose praise it is That all which can be praised is it. Sarum Plain. I Breakfast enjoy'd, 'mid hush of boughs And perfumes thro' the windows blown; Brief worship done, which still endows The day with beauty not its own; With intervening pause, that paints Each act with honour, life with calm (As old processions of the Saints At every step have wands of palm), We rose; the ladies went to dress, And soon return'd with smiles; and then, Plans fix'd, to which the Dean said `Yes,? Once more we drove to Salisbury Plain. We past my house (observed with praise By Mildred, Mary acquiesced), And left the old and lazy grays Below the hill, and walk'd the rest. II The moods of love are like the wind, And none knows whence or why they rise: I ne'er before felt heart and mind So much affected through mine eyes. How cognate with the flatter'd air, How form'd for earth's familiar zone, She moved; how feeling and how fair For others' pleasure and her own! And, ah, the heaven of her face! How, when she laugh'd, I seem'd to see The gladness of the primal grace, And how, when grave, its dignity! Of all she was, the least not less Delighted the devoted eye; No fold or fashion of her dress Her fairness did not sanctify. I could not else than grieve. What cause? Was I not blest? Was she not there? Likely my own? Ah, that it was: How like seem'd `likely? to despair! III And yet to see her so benign, So honourable and womanly, In every maiden kindness mine, And full of gayest courtesy, Was pleasure so without alloy, Such unreproved, sufficient bliss, I almost wish'd, the while, that joy Might never further go than this. So much it was as now to walk, And humbly by her gentle side Observe her smile and hear her talk, Could it be more to call her Bride? I feign'd her won; the mind finite, Puzzled and fagg'd by stress and strain To comprehend the whole delight, Made bliss more hard to bear than pain. All good, save heart to hold, so summ'd And grasp'd, the thought smote, like a knife, How laps'd mortality had numb'd The feelings to the feast of life; How passing good breathes sweetest breath; And love itself at highest reveals More black than bright, commending death By teaching how much life conceals. IV But happier passions these subdued, When from the close and sultry lane, With eyes made bright by what they view'd, We emerged upon the mounded Plain. As to the breeze a flag unfurls, My spirit expanded, sweetly embraced By those same gusts that shook her curls And vex'd the ribbon at her waist. To the future cast I future cares; Breathed with a heart unfreighted, free, And laugh'd at the presumptuous airs That with her muslin