THE DREAM OF GERONTIUS

§1

Gerontius[11]

Jesu, Maria—I am near to death,[12]And Thou art calling me; I know it now—Not by the token of this faltering breath,This chill at heart, this dampness on my brow,(Jesu, have mercy! Mary, pray for me!)—'Tis this new feeling, never felt before,(Be with me, Lord, in my extremity!)That I am going, that I am no more.'Tis this strange innermost abandonment,10(Lover of souls! great God! I look to Thee,)This emptying out of each constituentAnd natural force, by which I come to be.Pray for me, O my friends; a visitantIs knocking his dire summons at my door,The like of whom, to scare me and to daunt,Has never, never come to me before;'Tis death,—O loving friends, your prayers!—'tis he!...As though my very being had given way,As though I was no more a substance now,20And could fall back on nought to be my stay,(Help, loving Lord! Thou my sole Refuge, Thou,)And turn no whither, but must needs decayAnd drop from out the universal frameInto that shapeless, scopeless, blank abyss,That utter nothingness, of which I came:This is it that has come to pass in me;O horror! this it is, my dearest, this;So pray for me, my friends, who have not strength to pray.

Jesu, Maria—I am near to death,[12]

And Thou art calling me; I know it now—

Not by the token of this faltering breath,

This chill at heart, this dampness on my brow,

(Jesu, have mercy! Mary, pray for me!)—

'Tis this new feeling, never felt before,

(Be with me, Lord, in my extremity!)

That I am going, that I am no more.

'Tis this strange innermost abandonment,

10(Lover of souls! great God! I look to Thee,)

This emptying out of each constituent

And natural force, by which I come to be.

Pray for me, O my friends; a visitant

Is knocking his dire summons at my door,

The like of whom, to scare me and to daunt,

Has never, never come to me before;

'Tis death,—O loving friends, your prayers!—'tis he!...

As though my very being had given way,

As though I was no more a substance now,

20And could fall back on nought to be my stay,

(Help, loving Lord! Thou my sole Refuge, Thou,)

And turn no whither, but must needs decay

And drop from out the universal frame

Into that shapeless, scopeless, blank abyss,

That utter nothingness, of which I came:

This is it that has come to pass in me;

O horror! this it is, my dearest, this;

So pray for me, my friends, who have not strength to pray.

Assistants

Kyrie eleïson,[13]Christe eleïson, Kyrie eleïson.30Holy Mary, pray for him.All holy Angels, pray for him.Choirs of the righteous, pray for him.Holy Abraham, pray for him.St. John Baptist, St. Joseph, pray for him.St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Andrew, St. John,All Apostles, all Evangelists, pray for him.All holy Disciples of the Lord, pray for him.All holy Innocents, pray for him.All holy Martyrs, all holy Confessors,40All holy Hermits, all holy Virgins,All ye Saints of God, pray for him.

Kyrie eleïson,[13]Christe eleïson, Kyrie eleïson.

30Holy Mary, pray for him.

All holy Angels, pray for him.

Choirs of the righteous, pray for him.

Holy Abraham, pray for him.

St. John Baptist, St. Joseph, pray for him.

St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Andrew, St. John,

All Apostles, all Evangelists, pray for him.

All holy Disciples of the Lord, pray for him.

All holy Innocents, pray for him.

All holy Martyrs, all holy Confessors,

40All holy Hermits, all holy Virgins,

All ye Saints of God, pray for him.

Gerontius

Rouse thee,[14]my fainting soul, and play the man;And through such waning spanOf life and thought as still has to be trod,Prepare to meet thy God.And while the storm of that bewildermentIs for a season spent,And, ere afresh the ruin on thee fall,Use well the interval.

Rouse thee,[14]my fainting soul, and play the man;

And through such waning span

Of life and thought as still has to be trod,

Prepare to meet thy God.

And while the storm of that bewilderment

Is for a season spent,

And, ere afresh the ruin on thee fall,

Use well the interval.

Assistants

50Be merciful[15], be gracious; spare him, Lord.Be merciful, be gracious; Lord, deliver him.From the sins that are past;From Thy frown and Thine ire;From the perils of dying;From any complyingWith sin, or denyingHis God, or relyingOn self, at the last;From the nethermost fire60From all that is evil;From power of the devil;Thy servant deliver,For once and for ever.By Thy birth, and by Thy Cross,Rescue him from endless loss;By Thy death and burial,Save him from a final fall;By Thy rising from the tomb,By Thy mounting up above,70By the Spirit's gracious love,Save him in the day of doom.

50Be merciful[15], be gracious; spare him, Lord.

Be merciful, be gracious; Lord, deliver him.

From the sins that are past;

From Thy frown and Thine ire;

From the perils of dying;

From any complying

With sin, or denying

His God, or relying

On self, at the last;

From the nethermost fire

60From all that is evil;

From power of the devil;

Thy servant deliver,

For once and for ever.

By Thy birth, and by Thy Cross,Rescue him from endless loss;By Thy death and burial,Save him from a final fall;By Thy rising from the tomb,By Thy mounting up above,70By the Spirit's gracious love,Save him in the day of doom.

By Thy birth, and by Thy Cross,

Rescue him from endless loss;

By Thy death and burial,

Save him from a final fall;

By Thy rising from the tomb,

By Thy mounting up above,

70By the Spirit's gracious love,

Save him in the day of doom.

Gerontius

Sanctus fortis, Sanctus Deus,[16]De profundis oro te,Miserere, Judex meus,Parce mihi, Domine.[17]Firmly I believe and trulyGod is Three, and God is One;And I next acknowledge dulyManhood taken by the Son.And I trust and hope most fully80In that Manhood crucified;And each thought and deed unrulyDo to death, as He has died.Simply to His grace and whollyLight and life and strength belong,And I love, supremely, solely,Him the holy, Him the strong.Sanctus fortis, Sanctus Deus,De profundis oro te,90Miserere, Judex meus,Parce mihi, Domine.And I hold in veneration,For the love of Him alone,Holy Church, as His creation,And her teachings, as His own.And I take with joy whateverNow besets me, pain or fear,And with a strong will I severAll the ties which bind me here.100Adoration aye be givenWith and through the angelic host,To the God of earth and heaven,Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.Sanctus fortis, Sanctus Deus,De profundis oro te,Miserere, Judex meus,Mortis in discrimine.[18]I can no more; for now it comes again,That sense of ruin, which is worse than pain,110That masterful negation and collapseOf all that makes me man; as though I bentOver the dizzy brinkOf some sheer infinite descent;Or worse, as thoughDown, down for ever I was falling throughThe solid framework of created things,And needs must sink and sinkInto the vast abyss. And, crueller still,A fierce and restless fright begins to fill120The mansion of my soul. And, worse and worse,Some bodily form of illFloats on the wind, with many a loathsome curseTainting the hallowed air, and laughs, and flapsIts hideous wings,And makes me wild with horror and dismay.O Jesu, help! pray for me, Mary, pray!Some angel, Jesu! such as came to TheeIn Thine own agony....Mary, pray for me. Joseph, pray for me.130Mary, pray for me.

Sanctus fortis, Sanctus Deus,[16]

De profundis oro te,

Miserere, Judex meus,

Parce mihi, Domine.[17]

Firmly I believe and truly

God is Three, and God is One;

And I next acknowledge duly

Manhood taken by the Son.

And I trust and hope most fully

In that Manhood crucified;

And each thought and deed unruly

Do to death, as He has died.

Simply to His grace and wholly

Light and life and strength belong,

And I love, supremely, solely,

Him the holy, Him the strong.

Sanctus fortis, Sanctus Deus,

De profundis oro te,

90Miserere, Judex meus,

Parce mihi, Domine.

And I hold in veneration,

For the love of Him alone,

Holy Church, as His creation,

And her teachings, as His own.

And I take with joy whatever

Now besets me, pain or fear,

And with a strong will I sever

All the ties which bind me here.

100Adoration aye be given

With and through the angelic host,

To the God of earth and heaven,

Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Sanctus fortis, Sanctus Deus,

De profundis oro te,

Miserere, Judex meus,

Mortis in discrimine.[18]

I can no more; for now it comes again,That sense of ruin, which is worse than pain,110That masterful negation and collapseOf all that makes me man; as though I bentOver the dizzy brinkOf some sheer infinite descent;Or worse, as thoughDown, down for ever I was falling throughThe solid framework of created things,And needs must sink and sinkInto the vast abyss. And, crueller still,A fierce and restless fright begins to fill120The mansion of my soul. And, worse and worse,Some bodily form of illFloats on the wind, with many a loathsome curseTainting the hallowed air, and laughs, and flapsIts hideous wings,And makes me wild with horror and dismay.O Jesu, help! pray for me, Mary, pray!Some angel, Jesu! such as came to TheeIn Thine own agony....Mary, pray for me. Joseph, pray for me.130Mary, pray for me.

I can no more; for now it comes again,

That sense of ruin, which is worse than pain,

110That masterful negation and collapse

Of all that makes me man; as though I bent

Over the dizzy brink

Of some sheer infinite descent;

Or worse, as though

Down, down for ever I was falling through

The solid framework of created things,

And needs must sink and sink

Into the vast abyss. And, crueller still,

A fierce and restless fright begins to fill

120The mansion of my soul. And, worse and worse,

Some bodily form of ill

Floats on the wind, with many a loathsome curse

Tainting the hallowed air, and laughs, and flaps

Its hideous wings,

And makes me wild with horror and dismay.

O Jesu, help! pray for me, Mary, pray!

Some angel, Jesu! such as came to Thee

In Thine own agony....

Mary, pray for me. Joseph, pray for me.

130Mary, pray for me.

Assistants

Rescue him, O Lord, in this his evil hour,As of old so many by Thy gracious power:—(Amen.)Enoch and Elias from the common doom; (Amen.)Noe from the waters in a saving home; (Amen.)[19]Abraham from th' abounding guilt of Heathenesse; (Amen.)Job from all his multiform and fell distress; (Amen.)Isaac, when his father's knife was raised to slay; (Amen.)Lot from burning Sodom on its judgment-day; (Amen.)Moses from the land of bondage and despair; (Amen.)140Daniel from the hungry lions in their lair; (Amen.)And the Children Three amid the furnace-flame; (Amen.)Chaste Susanna from the slander and the shame; (Amen.)David from Golia and the wrath of Saul; (Amen.)And the two Apostles from their prison-thrall; (Amen.)Thecla from her torments; (Amen.)—so, to show Thy power,Rescue this Thy servant in his evil hour.

Rescue him, O Lord, in this his evil hour,

As of old so many by Thy gracious power:—(Amen.)

Enoch and Elias from the common doom; (Amen.)

Noe from the waters in a saving home; (Amen.)[19]

Abraham from th' abounding guilt of Heathenesse; (Amen.)

Job from all his multiform and fell distress; (Amen.)

Isaac, when his father's knife was raised to slay; (Amen.)

Lot from burning Sodom on its judgment-day; (Amen.)

Moses from the land of bondage and despair; (Amen.)

140Daniel from the hungry lions in their lair; (Amen.)

And the Children Three amid the furnace-flame; (Amen.)

Chaste Susanna from the slander and the shame; (Amen.)

David from Golia and the wrath of Saul; (Amen.)

And the two Apostles from their prison-thrall; (Amen.)

Thecla from her torments; (Amen.)

—so, to show Thy power,

Rescue this Thy servant in his evil hour.

Gerontius

Novissima hora est;[20]and I fain would sleep,The pain has wearied me.... Into Thy hands,O Lord, into Thy hands....

Novissima hora est;[20]and I fain would sleep,

The pain has wearied me.... Into Thy hands,

O Lord, into Thy hands....

The Priest

Proficiscere, anima Christiana, de hoc mundo![21]150Go forth upon thy journey, Christian soul!Go from this world! Go, in the name of God,The omnipotent Father, who created thee!Go, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord,Son of the living God, who bled for thee!Go, in the Name of the Holy Spirit, whoHath been poured out on thee! Go, in the nameOf Angels and Archangels; in the nameOf Thrones and Dominations; in the name160Of Princedoms and of Powers; and in the nameOf Cherubim and Seraphim, go forth!Go, in the name of Patriarchs and Prophets;And of Apostles and Evangelists,Of Martyrs and Confessors; in the nameOf holy Monks and Hermits; in the nameOf holy Virgins; and all Saints of God,Both men and women, go! Go on thy course;And may thy place to-day be found in peace,And may thy dwelling be the Holy Mount170Of Sion:—in the Name of Christ, our Lord.

Proficiscere, anima Christiana, de hoc mundo![21]

Go forth upon thy journey, Christian soul!

Go from this world! Go, in the name of God,

The omnipotent Father, who created thee!

Go, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord,

Son of the living God, who bled for thee!

Go, in the Name of the Holy Spirit, who

Hath been poured out on thee! Go, in the name

Of Angels and Archangels; in the name

Of Thrones and Dominations; in the name

160Of Princedoms and of Powers; and in the name

Of Cherubim and Seraphim, go forth!

Go, in the name of Patriarchs and Prophets;

And of Apostles and Evangelists,

Of Martyrs and Confessors; in the name

Of holy Monks and Hermits; in the name

Of holy Virgins; and all Saints of God,

Both men and women, go! Go on thy course;

And may thy place to-day be found in peace,

And may thy dwelling be the Holy Mount

170Of Sion:—in the Name of Christ, our Lord.

§2

Soul of Gerontius

I went to sleep; and now I am refreshed.[22]A strange refreshment: for I feel in meAn inexpressive lightness, and a senseOf freedom, as I were at length myself,

I went to sleep; and now I am refreshed.[22]

A strange refreshment: for I feel in me

An inexpressive lightness, and a sense

Of freedom, as I were at length myself,

And ne'er had been before. How still it is!I hear no more the busy beat of time,No, nor my fluttering breath, nor struggling pulse;Nor does one moment differ from the next.I had a dream; yes:—some one softly said180"He's gone"; and then a sigh went round the room.And then I surely heard a priestly voiceCry "Subvenite"; and they knelt in prayer.I seem to hear him still; but thin and low,And fainter and more faint the accents come,As at an ever-widening interval.Ah! whence is this? What is this severance?This silence pours a solitarinessInto the very essence of my soul;And the deep rest, so soothing and so sweet,190Hath something too of sternness and of pain,For it drives back my thoughts upon their springBy a strange introversion, and perforceI now begin to feed upon myself,Because I have nought else to feed upon.Am I alive or dead? I am not dead,But in the body still; for I possessA sort of confidence which clings to me,That each particular organ holds its placeAs heretofore, combining with the rest200Into one symmetry, that wraps me round,And makes me man; and surely I could move,Did I but will it, every part of me.And yet I cannot to my sense bring home,By very trial, that I have the power.'Tis strange; I cannot stir a hand or foot,I cannot make my fingers or my lipsBy mutual pressure witness each to each,Nor by the eyelid's instantaneous strokeAssure myself I have a body still.210Nor do I know my very attitude,Nor if I stand, or lie, or sit, or kneel.So much I know, not knowing how I know,That the vast universe, where I have dwelt,Is quitting me, or I am quitting it.Or I or it is rushing on the wingsOf light or lightning on an onward course,And we e'en now are million miles apart.Yet ... is this peremptory severanceWrought out in lengthening measurements of space,220Which grow and multiply by speed and time?Or am I traversing infinityBy endless subdivision, hurrying backFrom finite towards infinitesimal,Thus dying out of the expansive world?Another marvel:[23]someone has me fastWithin his ample palm; 'tis not a graspSuch as they use on earth, but all aroundOver the surface of my subtle being,As though I were a sphere, and capable230To be accosted thus, a uniformAnd gentle pressure tells me I am notSelf-moving, but borne forward on my way.And hark! I hear a singing; yet in soothI cannot of that music rightly sayWhether I hear or touch or taste the tones.Oh what a heart-subduing melody!

And ne'er had been before. How still it is!

I hear no more the busy beat of time,

No, nor my fluttering breath, nor struggling pulse;

Nor does one moment differ from the next.

I had a dream; yes:—some one softly said

180"He's gone"; and then a sigh went round the room.

And then I surely heard a priestly voice

Cry "Subvenite"; and they knelt in prayer.

I seem to hear him still; but thin and low,

And fainter and more faint the accents come,

As at an ever-widening interval.

Ah! whence is this? What is this severance?

This silence pours a solitariness

Into the very essence of my soul;

And the deep rest, so soothing and so sweet,

190Hath something too of sternness and of pain,

For it drives back my thoughts upon their spring

By a strange introversion, and perforce

I now begin to feed upon myself,

Because I have nought else to feed upon.

Am I alive or dead? I am not dead,But in the body still; for I possessA sort of confidence which clings to me,That each particular organ holds its placeAs heretofore, combining with the rest200Into one symmetry, that wraps me round,And makes me man; and surely I could move,Did I but will it, every part of me.And yet I cannot to my sense bring home,By very trial, that I have the power.'Tis strange; I cannot stir a hand or foot,I cannot make my fingers or my lipsBy mutual pressure witness each to each,Nor by the eyelid's instantaneous strokeAssure myself I have a body still.210Nor do I know my very attitude,Nor if I stand, or lie, or sit, or kneel.

Am I alive or dead? I am not dead,

But in the body still; for I possess

A sort of confidence which clings to me,

That each particular organ holds its place

As heretofore, combining with the rest

200Into one symmetry, that wraps me round,

And makes me man; and surely I could move,

Did I but will it, every part of me.

And yet I cannot to my sense bring home,

By very trial, that I have the power.

'Tis strange; I cannot stir a hand or foot,

I cannot make my fingers or my lips

By mutual pressure witness each to each,

Nor by the eyelid's instantaneous stroke

Assure myself I have a body still.

210Nor do I know my very attitude,

Nor if I stand, or lie, or sit, or kneel.

So much I know, not knowing how I know,That the vast universe, where I have dwelt,Is quitting me, or I am quitting it.Or I or it is rushing on the wingsOf light or lightning on an onward course,And we e'en now are million miles apart.Yet ... is this peremptory severanceWrought out in lengthening measurements of space,220Which grow and multiply by speed and time?Or am I traversing infinityBy endless subdivision, hurrying backFrom finite towards infinitesimal,Thus dying out of the expansive world?

So much I know, not knowing how I know,

That the vast universe, where I have dwelt,

Is quitting me, or I am quitting it.

Or I or it is rushing on the wings

Of light or lightning on an onward course,

And we e'en now are million miles apart.

Yet ... is this peremptory severance

Wrought out in lengthening measurements of space,

220Which grow and multiply by speed and time?

Or am I traversing infinity

By endless subdivision, hurrying back

From finite towards infinitesimal,

Thus dying out of the expansive world?

Another marvel:[23]someone has me fastWithin his ample palm; 'tis not a graspSuch as they use on earth, but all aroundOver the surface of my subtle being,As though I were a sphere, and capable230To be accosted thus, a uniformAnd gentle pressure tells me I am notSelf-moving, but borne forward on my way.And hark! I hear a singing; yet in soothI cannot of that music rightly sayWhether I hear or touch or taste the tones.Oh what a heart-subduing melody!

Another marvel:[23]someone has me fast

Within his ample palm; 'tis not a grasp

Such as they use on earth, but all around

Over the surface of my subtle being,

As though I were a sphere, and capable

230To be accosted thus, a uniform

And gentle pressure tells me I am not

Self-moving, but borne forward on my way.

And hark! I hear a singing; yet in sooth

I cannot of that music rightly say

Whether I hear or touch or taste the tones.

Oh what a heart-subduing melody!

Angel

My work is done,[24]My task is o'er,And so I come,240Taking it home,For the crown is won,Alleluia.For evermore.My Father gaveIn charge to meThis child of earthE'en from its birth,To serve and save,Alleluia,250And saved is he.This child of clayTo me was given,To rear and trainBy sorrow and painIn the narrow way,Alleluia,From earth to heaven.

My work is done,[24]

My task is o'er,

And so I come,

240Taking it home,

For the crown is won,

Alleluia.

For evermore.

My Father gave

In charge to me

This child of earth

E'en from its birth,

To serve and save,

Alleluia,

250And saved is he.

This child of clay

To me was given,

To rear and train

By sorrow and pain

In the narrow way,

Alleluia,

From earth to heaven.

Soul

It is a member of that familyOf wondrous beings, who, ere the worlds were made,260Millions of ages back, have stood aroundThe throne of God:—he never has known sin;But through those cycles all but infinite,Has had a strong and pure celestial life,And born to gaze on th' unveiled face of GodAnd drank from the eternal Fount of truth,And served Him with a keen ecstatic love.Hark! he begins again.

It is a member of that family

Of wondrous beings, who, ere the worlds were made,

260Millions of ages back, have stood around

The throne of God:—he never has known sin;

But through those cycles all but infinite,

Has had a strong and pure celestial life,

And born to gaze on th' unveiled face of God

And drank from the eternal Fount of truth,

And served Him with a keen ecstatic love.

Hark! he begins again.

Angel

O Lord, how wonderful in depth and height,But most in man, how wonderful Thou art!270With what a love, what soft persuasive mightVictorious o'er the stubborn fleshly heartThy tale complete of saints Thou dost provideTo fill the thrones which angels lost through pride!

O Lord, how wonderful in depth and height,

But most in man, how wonderful Thou art!

270With what a love, what soft persuasive might

Victorious o'er the stubborn fleshly heart

Thy tale complete of saints Thou dost provide

To fill the thrones which angels lost through pride!

He lay a grovelling babe upon the ground,Polluted in the blood of his first sire,With his whole essence shattered and unsound,And, coiled around his heart, a demon dire,Which was not of his nature, but had skillTo bind and form his opening mind to ill.280Then was I sent from heaven to set rightThe balance in his soul of truth and sin,And I have waged a long relentless fight,Resolved that death-environed spirit to win,Which from its fallen state, when all was lost,Had been repurchased at so dread a cost.Oh what a shifting parti-coloured sceneOf hope and fear, of triumph and dismay,Of recklessness and penitence, has beenThe history of that dreary, lifelong fray!290And oh the grace to nerve him and to lead,How patient, prompt, and lavish at his need!O man, strange composite of heaven and earth![25]Majesty dwarfed to baseness! fragrant flowerRunning to poisonous seed! and seeming worthCloking corruption! weakness mastering power!Who never art so near to crime and shame,As when thou hast achieved some deed of name;—

He lay a grovelling babe upon the ground,

Polluted in the blood of his first sire,

With his whole essence shattered and unsound,

And, coiled around his heart, a demon dire,

Which was not of his nature, but had skill

To bind and form his opening mind to ill.

280Then was I sent from heaven to set rightThe balance in his soul of truth and sin,And I have waged a long relentless fight,Resolved that death-environed spirit to win,Which from its fallen state, when all was lost,Had been repurchased at so dread a cost.

280Then was I sent from heaven to set right

The balance in his soul of truth and sin,

And I have waged a long relentless fight,

Resolved that death-environed spirit to win,

Which from its fallen state, when all was lost,

Had been repurchased at so dread a cost.

Oh what a shifting parti-coloured sceneOf hope and fear, of triumph and dismay,Of recklessness and penitence, has beenThe history of that dreary, lifelong fray!290And oh the grace to nerve him and to lead,How patient, prompt, and lavish at his need!

Oh what a shifting parti-coloured scene

Of hope and fear, of triumph and dismay,

Of recklessness and penitence, has been

The history of that dreary, lifelong fray!

290And oh the grace to nerve him and to lead,

How patient, prompt, and lavish at his need!

O man, strange composite of heaven and earth![25]Majesty dwarfed to baseness! fragrant flowerRunning to poisonous seed! and seeming worthCloking corruption! weakness mastering power!Who never art so near to crime and shame,As when thou hast achieved some deed of name;—

O man, strange composite of heaven and earth![25]

Majesty dwarfed to baseness! fragrant flower

Running to poisonous seed! and seeming worth

Cloking corruption! weakness mastering power!

Who never art so near to crime and shame,

As when thou hast achieved some deed of name;—

How should ethereal natures comprehendA thing made up of spirit and of clay,300Were we not tasked to nurse it and to tend,Linked one to one throughout its mortal day?More than the Seraph in his height of place,The Angel-guardian knows and loves the ransomed race.

How should ethereal natures comprehend

A thing made up of spirit and of clay,

300Were we not tasked to nurse it and to tend,

Linked one to one throughout its mortal day?

More than the Seraph in his height of place,

The Angel-guardian knows and loves the ransomed race.

Soul

Now know I surely that I am at lengthOut of the body: had I part with earth,I never could have drunk those accents in,And not have worshipped as a god the voiceThat was so musical; but now I amSo whole of heart, so calm, so self-possessed,310With such a full content, and with a senseSo apprehensive and discriminant,As no temptation can intoxicate.Nor have I even terror at the thoughtThat I am clasped by such a saintliness.

Now know I surely that I am at length

Out of the body: had I part with earth,

I never could have drunk those accents in,

And not have worshipped as a god the voice

That was so musical; but now I am

So whole of heart, so calm, so self-possessed,

310With such a full content, and with a sense

So apprehensive and discriminant,

As no temptation can intoxicate.

Nor have I even terror at the thought

That I am clasped by such a saintliness.

Angel

All praise to Him, at whose sublime decreeThe last are first, the first become the last;By whom the suppliant prisoner is set free,By whom proud first-borns from their thrones are cast,Who raises Mary to be Queen of heaven,320While Lucifer is left, condemned and unforgiven.

All praise to Him, at whose sublime decree

The last are first, the first become the last;

By whom the suppliant prisoner is set free,

By whom proud first-borns from their thrones are cast,

Who raises Mary to be Queen of heaven,

320While Lucifer is left, condemned and unforgiven.

§3

Soul

I will address him. Mighty one, my Lord,My Guardian Spirit, all hail!

I will address him. Mighty one, my Lord,

My Guardian Spirit, all hail!

Angel

All hail, my child!My child and brother, hail! what wouldest thou?

All hail, my child!

My child and brother, hail! what wouldest thou?

Soul

I would have nothing but to speak with theeFor speaking's sake. I wish to hold with theeConscious communion; though I fain would knowA maze of things, were it but meet to ask,And not a curiousness.

I would have nothing but to speak with thee

For speaking's sake. I wish to hold with thee

Conscious communion; though I fain would know

A maze of things, were it but meet to ask,

And not a curiousness.

Angel

330You cannot nowCherish a wish which ought not to be wished.

330You cannot now

Cherish a wish which ought not to be wished.

Soul

Then I will speak. I ever had believedThat on the moment when the struggling soulQuitted its mortal case, forthwith it fellUnder the awful Presence of its God,There to be judged and sent to its own place.What lets me now from going to my Lord?

Then I will speak. I ever had believed

That on the moment when the struggling soul

Quitted its mortal case, forthwith it fell

Under the awful Presence of its God,

There to be judged and sent to its own place.

What lets me now from going to my Lord?

Angel

Thou art not let; but with extremest speedArt hurrying to the Just and Holy Judge:340For scarcely art thou disembodied yet.Divide a moment, as men measure time,Into its million-million-millionth part,Yet even less than that the intervalSince thou didst leave the body; and the priestCried "Subvenite,"[26]and they fell to prayer;Nay, scarcely yet have they begun to pray.For spirits and men by different standards meteThe less and greater in the flow of time.By sun and moon, primeval ordinances—350By stars which rise and set harmoniously—By the recurring seasons, and the swing,This way and that, of the suspended rodPrecise and punctual, men divide the hours,Equal, continuous, for their common use.Not so with us in the immaterial world;But intervals in their successionAre measured by the living thought alone,And grow or wane with its intensity.And time is not a common property;360But what is long is short, and swift is slow,And near is distant, as received and graspedBy this mind and by that, and every oneIs standard of his own chronology.And memory lacks its natural resting-pointsOf years, and centuries, and periods.It is thy very energy of thoughtWhich keeps thee from thy God.

Thou art not let; but with extremest speed

Art hurrying to the Just and Holy Judge:

340For scarcely art thou disembodied yet.

Divide a moment, as men measure time,

Into its million-million-millionth part,

Yet even less than that the interval

Since thou didst leave the body; and the priest

Cried "Subvenite,"[26]and they fell to prayer;

Nay, scarcely yet have they begun to pray.

For spirits and men by different standards meteThe less and greater in the flow of time.By sun and moon, primeval ordinances—350By stars which rise and set harmoniously—By the recurring seasons, and the swing,This way and that, of the suspended rodPrecise and punctual, men divide the hours,Equal, continuous, for their common use.Not so with us in the immaterial world;But intervals in their successionAre measured by the living thought alone,And grow or wane with its intensity.And time is not a common property;360But what is long is short, and swift is slow,And near is distant, as received and graspedBy this mind and by that, and every oneIs standard of his own chronology.And memory lacks its natural resting-pointsOf years, and centuries, and periods.It is thy very energy of thoughtWhich keeps thee from thy God.

For spirits and men by different standards mete

The less and greater in the flow of time.

By sun and moon, primeval ordinances—

350By stars which rise and set harmoniously—

By the recurring seasons, and the swing,

This way and that, of the suspended rod

Precise and punctual, men divide the hours,

Equal, continuous, for their common use.

Not so with us in the immaterial world;

But intervals in their succession

Are measured by the living thought alone,

And grow or wane with its intensity.

And time is not a common property;

360But what is long is short, and swift is slow,

And near is distant, as received and grasped

By this mind and by that, and every one

Is standard of his own chronology.

And memory lacks its natural resting-points

Of years, and centuries, and periods.

It is thy very energy of thought

Which keeps thee from thy God.

Soul

Dear Angel, say,Why have I now no fear at meeting Him?370Along my earthly life, the thought of deathAnd judgment was to me most terrible.I had it aye before me, and I sawThe Judge severe e'en in the crucifix.Now that the hour is come, my fear is fled;And at this balance of my destiny,Now close upon me, I can forward lookWith a serenest joy.

Dear Angel, say,

Why have I now no fear at meeting Him?

370Along my earthly life, the thought of death

And judgment was to me most terrible.

I had it aye before me, and I saw

The Judge severe e'en in the crucifix.

Now that the hour is come, my fear is fled;

And at this balance of my destiny,

Now close upon me, I can forward look

With a serenest joy.

Angel

It is becauseThen thou didst fear, that now thou dost not fear.380Thou hast forestalled the agony, and soFor thee the bitterness of death is past.Also, because already in thy soulThe judgment is begun. That day of doom,One and the same for the collected world—That solemn consummation for all flesh,Is, in the case of each, anticipateUpon his death; and, as the last great dayIn the particular judgment is rehearsed,So now too, ere thou comest to the Throne,390A presage falls upon thee, as a rayStraight from the Judge, expressive of thy lot.That calm and joy uprising in thy soulIs first-fruit to thee of thy recompense,And heaven begun.

It is because

Then thou didst fear, that now thou dost not fear.

380Thou hast forestalled the agony, and so

For thee the bitterness of death is past.

Also, because already in thy soul

The judgment is begun. That day of doom,

One and the same for the collected world—

That solemn consummation for all flesh,

Is, in the case of each, anticipate

Upon his death; and, as the last great day

In the particular judgment is rehearsed,

So now too, ere thou comest to the Throne,

390A presage falls upon thee, as a ray

Straight from the Judge, expressive of thy lot.

That calm and joy uprising in thy soul

Is first-fruit to thee of thy recompense,

And heaven begun.

§4

Soul

But hark! upon my senseComes a fierce hubbub, which would make me fear,Could I be frighted.

But hark! upon my sense

Comes a fierce hubbub, which would make me fear,

Could I be frighted.

Angel

We are now arrivedClose on the judgment court; that sullen howl400Is from the demons who assemble there.It is the middle region, where of oldSatan appeared among the sons of God,To cast his jibes and scoffs at holy Job.So now his legions throng the vestibule,Hungry and wild, to claim their property,And gather souls for hell. Hist to their cry.

We are now arrived

Close on the judgment court; that sullen howl

400Is from the demons who assemble there.

It is the middle region, where of old

Satan appeared among the sons of God,

To cast his jibes and scoffs at holy Job.

So now his legions throng the vestibule,

Hungry and wild, to claim their property,

And gather souls for hell. Hist to their cry.

Soul

How sour and how uncouth a dissonance!

Demons

Low-born clods[27]Of brute earth,410They aspireTo become gods,By a new birth,And an extra grace,And a score of merits.As if aughtCould stand in placeOf the high thought,And the glance of fireOf the great spirits,420The powers blest,The lords by right,The primal owners,Of the proud dwellingAnd realm of light,—Dispossessed,Aside thrust,Chucked down,By the sheer mightOf a despot's will,430Of a tyrant's frown.Who after expellingTheir hosts, gave,Triumphant still,And still unjust,Each forfeit crownTo psalm-droners,And canting groaners,To every slave,And pious cheat,440And crawling knave,Who licked the dustUnder his feet.

Low-born clods[27]

Of brute earth,

410They aspire

To become gods,

By a new birth,

And an extra grace,

And a score of merits.

As if aught

Could stand in place

Of the high thought,

And the glance of fire

Of the great spirits,

420The powers blest,

The lords by right,

The primal owners,

Of the proud dwelling

And realm of light,—

Dispossessed,

Aside thrust,

Chucked down,

By the sheer might

Of a despot's will,

430Of a tyrant's frown.

Who after expelling

Their hosts, gave,

Triumphant still,

And still unjust,

Each forfeit crown

To psalm-droners,

And canting groaners,

To every slave,

And pious cheat,

440And crawling knave,

Who licked the dust

Under his feet.

Angel

It is the restless panting of their being;Like beasts of prey, who, caged within their bars,In a deep hideous purring have their life,And an incessant pacing to and fro.

It is the restless panting of their being;

Like beasts of prey, who, caged within their bars,

In a deep hideous purring have their life,

And an incessant pacing to and fro.

Demons

The mind boldAnd independent,The purpose free,450So we are told,Must not thinkTo have the ascendant.What's a saint?

The mind bold

And independent,

The purpose free,

450So we are told,

Must not think

To have the ascendant.

What's a saint?

One whose breathDoth the air taintBefore his death;A bundle of bones,Which fools adore,Ha! ha!460When life is o'er,Which rattle and stink,E'en in the flesh.We cry his pardon!No flesh hath he;Ha! ha!For it hath died,'Tis crucifiedDay by day,Afresh, afresh,470Ha! ha!That holy clay,Ha! ha!This gains guerdon,So priestlings prate,Ha! ha!Before the Judge,And pleads and atonesFor spite and grudge,And bigot mood,480And envy and hate,And greed of blood.

One whose breath

Doth the air taint

Before his death;

A bundle of bones,

Which fools adore,

Ha! ha!

460When life is o'er,

Which rattle and stink,

E'en in the flesh.

We cry his pardon!

No flesh hath he;

Ha! ha!

For it hath died,

'Tis crucified

Day by day,

Afresh, afresh,

470Ha! ha!

That holy clay,

Ha! ha!

This gains guerdon,

So priestlings prate,

Ha! ha!

Before the Judge,

And pleads and atones

For spite and grudge,

And bigot mood,

480And envy and hate,

And greed of blood.

Soul

How impotent they are! and yet on earthThey have repute for wondrous power and skill;And books describe, how that the very faceOf the Evil One, if seen, would have a forceEven to freeze the blood, and choke the lifeOf him who saw it.

How impotent they are! and yet on earth

They have repute for wondrous power and skill;

And books describe, how that the very face

Of the Evil One, if seen, would have a force

Even to freeze the blood, and choke the life

Of him who saw it.

Angel

In thy trial-stateThou hadst a traitor nestling close at home,490Connatural, who with the powers of hellWas leagued, and of thy senses kept the keys,And to that deadliest foe unlocked thy heart.And therefore is it, in respect to man,Those fallen ones show so majestical.But, when some child of grace, angel or saint,Pure and upright in his integrityOf nature, meets the demons on their raid,They scud away as cowards from the fight.Nay, oft hath holy hermit in his cell,500Not yet disburdened of mortality,Mocked at their threats and warlike overtures;Or, dying, when they swarmed, like flies, around,Defied them, and departed to his Judge.

In thy trial-state

Thou hadst a traitor nestling close at home,

490Connatural, who with the powers of hell

Was leagued, and of thy senses kept the keys,

And to that deadliest foe unlocked thy heart.

And therefore is it, in respect to man,

Those fallen ones show so majestical.

But, when some child of grace, angel or saint,

Pure and upright in his integrity

Of nature, meets the demons on their raid,

They scud away as cowards from the fight.

Nay, oft hath holy hermit in his cell,

500Not yet disburdened of mortality,

Mocked at their threats and warlike overtures;

Or, dying, when they swarmed, like flies, around,

Defied them, and departed to his Judge.

Demons

Virtue and vice,A knave's pretence.'Tis all the same;Ha! ha!Dread of hell-fire,Of the venomous flame,510A coward's plea.Give him his price,Saint though he be,Ha! ha!From shrewd good senseHe'll slave for hire;Ha! ha!And does but aspireTo the heaven aboveWith sordid aim,520And not from love.Ha! ha!

Virtue and vice,

A knave's pretence.

'Tis all the same;

Ha! ha!

Dread of hell-fire,

Of the venomous flame,

510A coward's plea.

Give him his price,

Saint though he be,

Ha! ha!

From shrewd good sense

He'll slave for hire;

Ha! ha!

And does but aspire

To the heaven above

With sordid aim,

520And not from love.

Ha! ha!

Soul

I see not those false spirits; shall I seeMy dearest Master, when I reach His throne;Or hear, at least, His awful judgment-wordWith personal intonation, as I nowHear thee, not see thee, Angel? HithertoAll has been darkness since I left the earth;Shall I remain thus sight bereft all throughMy penance time? If so, how comes it then530That I have hearing still, and taste, and touch,Yet not a glimmer of that princely senseWhich binds ideas in one, and makes them live?

I see not those false spirits; shall I see

My dearest Master, when I reach His throne;

Or hear, at least, His awful judgment-word

With personal intonation, as I now

Hear thee, not see thee, Angel? Hitherto

All has been darkness since I left the earth;

Shall I remain thus sight bereft all through

My penance time? If so, how comes it then

530That I have hearing still, and taste, and touch,

Yet not a glimmer of that princely sense

Which binds ideas in one, and makes them live?

Angel

Nor touch, nor taste, nor hearing hast thou now;Thou livest in a world of signs and types,The presentations of most holy truths,Living and strong, which now encompass thee.A disembodied soul, thou hast by rightNo converse with aught else beside thyself;But, lest so stern a solitude should load540And break thy being, in mercy are vouchsafedSome lower measures of perception,Which seem to thee, as though through channels brought,Through ear, or nerves, or palate, which are gone.And thou art wrapped and swathed around in dreams,Dreams that are true, yet enigmatical;For the belongings of thy present state,Save through such symbols, come not home to thee.And thus thou tell'st of space, and time, and size,Of fragrant, solid, bitter, musical,550Of fire, and of refreshment after fire;As (let me use similitude of earth,To aid thee in the knowledge thou dost ask)—As ice which blisters may be said to burn.Nor hast thou now extension,[28]with its partsCorrelative,—long habit cozens thee,—Nor power to move thyself, nor limbs to move.Hast thou not heard of those, who, after lossOf hand or foot, still cried that they had painsIn hand or foot, as though they had it still?560So is it now with thee, who hast not lostThy hand or foot, but all which made up man;So will it be, until the joyous dayOf resurrection, when thou wilt regainAll thou hast lost, new-made and glorified.How, even now, the consummated SaintsSee God in heaven, I may not explicate.Meanwhile let it suffice thee to possessSuch means of converse as are granted thee,Though, till that Beatific Vision thou art blind;570For e'en thy purgatory, which comes like fire,Is fire without its light.

Nor touch, nor taste, nor hearing hast thou now;

Thou livest in a world of signs and types,

The presentations of most holy truths,

Living and strong, which now encompass thee.

A disembodied soul, thou hast by right

No converse with aught else beside thyself;

But, lest so stern a solitude should load

540And break thy being, in mercy are vouchsafed

Some lower measures of perception,

Which seem to thee, as though through channels brought,

Through ear, or nerves, or palate, which are gone.

And thou art wrapped and swathed around in dreams,

Dreams that are true, yet enigmatical;

For the belongings of thy present state,

Save through such symbols, come not home to thee.

And thus thou tell'st of space, and time, and size,

Of fragrant, solid, bitter, musical,

550Of fire, and of refreshment after fire;

As (let me use similitude of earth,

To aid thee in the knowledge thou dost ask)—

As ice which blisters may be said to burn.

Nor hast thou now extension,[28]with its parts

Correlative,—long habit cozens thee,—

Nor power to move thyself, nor limbs to move.

Hast thou not heard of those, who, after loss

Of hand or foot, still cried that they had pains

In hand or foot, as though they had it still?

560So is it now with thee, who hast not lost

Thy hand or foot, but all which made up man;

So will it be, until the joyous day

Of resurrection, when thou wilt regain

All thou hast lost, new-made and glorified.

How, even now, the consummated Saints

See God in heaven, I may not explicate.

Meanwhile let it suffice thee to possess

Such means of converse as are granted thee,

Though, till that Beatific Vision thou art blind;

570For e'en thy purgatory, which comes like fire,

Is fire without its light.

Soul

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