Thus held he me there with his great eyes that scrutinized mine And oh, all my heart how it loved him! but where was the sign? I yearned-" Could I help thee, my father, inventing a bliss, I would add, to that life of the past, both the future and this;1 I would give thee new life altogether, as good, ages hence, As this moment,-had love but the warrant, love's heart to dispense ! "2 XVI. Then the truth came upon me. more outbroke-1 XVII. No harp more-no song "I have gone the whole round of creation: I saw and I spoke ; I, a work of God's hand for that purpose, received in my brain And pronounced on the rest of his handwork-returned him again His creation's approval or censure: I spoke as I saw : I report, as a man may of God's work-all's love, yet all's law. 1 Refers to bliss. 2 To confer. 8 They have served their purpose. The heart of the singer now goes out to the king in speech. Saul is aroused and there is no longer need of music to influence him. 4 "Outbroke" that is David broke out (in speech.) Now I lay down the judgeship he lent me. Each faculty tasked To perceive him, has gained an abyss, where a dew-drop was asked. [bare. Have I knowledge? confounded it shrivels at Wisdom laid Have I forethought? how purblind, how blank, to the Infinite Care! Do I task any faculty highest, to image success? I but open my eyes,—and perfection, no more and no less, In the kind I imagined, full-fronts me, and God is seen God In the star, in the stone, in the flesh, in the soul and the clod. And thus looking within and around me, I ever renew (With that stoop of the soul which in bending upraises it too) The submission of man's nothing-perfect to God's all-complete, As by each new obeisance in spirit, I climb to his feet. Yet with all this abounding experience, this deity known, But I sink the pretension as fearing a man may o'ertake God's own speed in the one way of love: I abstain for love's sake.1 1 In this passage his soul speaks from the narrow range of human vision. In the passage which follows, the horizon expands and he catches a glimpse of the depth and fulness of God's love, which so far transcends the possibilities of man's love, that no comparison can be instituted between them. —What, my soul? see thus far and no farther? when doors great and small, Nine and ninety flew ope at our touch, should the hundredth appall? [all? In the least things have faith, yet distrust in the greatest of Here, the creature surpass the Creator,-the end, what began? Would I fain in my impotent yearning do all for this man, And dare doubt he alone shall not help him, who yet alone can? Would it ever have entered my mind, the bare will, much less power, To bestow on this Saul what I sang of, the marvellous dower Of the life he was gifted and filled with? to make such a soul, Such a body, and then such an earth for insphering the whole? And doth it not enter my mind (as my warm tears attest) These good things being given, to go on, and give one more, the best? Ay, to save and redeem and restore him, maintain at the height This perfection,-succeed, with life's dayspring, death's minute of night ?1 Interpose at the difficult minute, snatch Saul the mistake, Saul the failure, the ruin he seems now,-and bid him awake 1 Succeed death's minute of night with life's dayspring; that is, cause death to give way to eternal life. From the dream, the probation, the prelude, to find himself set Clear and safe in new light and new life,—a new harmony yet To be run and continued, and ended-who knows?—or endure ! The man taught enough by life's dream, of the rest to make sure; By the pain-throb, triumphantly winning intensified bliss, And the next world's reward and repose, by the struggles in this. XVIII. "I believe it! 'Tis thou, God, that givest, 'tis I who receive : In the first is the last, in thy will is my power to believe. All's one gift thou canst grant it moreover, as prompt to my prayer, As I breathe out this breath, as I open these arms to the air. From thy will, stream the worlds, life and nature, thy dread Sabaoth.1 Why am I not loth I will?-the mere atoms despise me! despair? Why is it I dare What stops my This;-'tis not what man Does which exalts him, but what man Would do !2 See the King-I would help him, but cannot, the wishes fall through. 1 The Greek form of a Hebrew word which means armies or hosts. It refers to " worlds, life and nature." 2 "What I aspired to be and was not comforts me." Rabbi Ben Ezra. Could I wrestle to raise him from sorrow, grow poor to enrich, To fill up his life, starve my own out, I would-knowing which, I know that my service is perfect. Oh, speak through me. now! Would I suffer for him that I love? So wouldst thou-so wilt thou! So shall crown thee the topmost, ineffablest, uttermost crown And thy love fill infinitude wholly, nor leave up nor down One spot for the creature to stand in! It is by no breath, Turn of eye, wave of hand, that salvation joins issue with death! As thy love is discovered almighty, almighty be proved 'Tis the weakness in strength, that I cry for! my flesh, that I seek In the Godhead! I seek and I find it. O Saul, it shall be Shall throw open the gates of new life to thee! See the XIX. I know not too well how I found my way home in the night. There were witnesses, cohorts about me, to left and to right, 1 A prophetic utterance. Jesus Christ was a descendant in direct line from David. |