EPILOGUE. FIRST SPEAKER, as David. 1. On the first of the Feast of Feasts, The Dedication Day, When the Levites joined the Priests 2. When the thousands, rear and van, Swarming with one accord, Became as a single man, (Look, gesture, thought and word) In praising and thanking the Lord, When the singers lift 3. up their voice, And the trumpets made endeavour, Saying, "In Him rejoice Whose mercy endureth for ever!"— 4. Then the Temple filled with a cloud, Porch bent and pillar bowed: For the presence of the Lord, In the glory of His cloud, Had filled the House of the Lord. SECOND SPEAKER, as Renan. Gone now! All gone across the dark so far, Sharpening fast, shuddering ever, shutting still, Dwindling into the distance, dies that star Which came, stood, opened once! We gazed our fill With upturned faces on as real a Face That, stooping from grave music and mild fire, Took in our homage, made a visible place Through many a depth of glory, gyre on gyre, For the dim human tribute. Was this true? Thrill with a heart's red tinge that pure pale bliss? Why did it end? Who failed to beat the breast, And shriek, and throw the arms protesting wide, The music, like a fountain's sickening pulse, Some vestige of a Face no pangs convulse, Of multitudinous points, yet suns, men say— And this leaps ruby, this lurks amethyst, But where may hide what came and loved our clay? How shall the sage detect in yon expanse The star which chose to stoop and stay for us? Unroll the records! Hailed ye such advance Indeed, and did your hope evanish thus? Watchers of twilight, is the worst averred? We shall not look up, know ourselves are seen, Speak, and be sure that we again are heard, Nor doubt that, were mankind inert and numb, Sad sway of sceptre whose mere touch appals, THIRD SPEAKER. 1. Witless alike of will and way divine, How Heaven's high with earth's low should intertwine! Friends, I have seen through your eyes: now use mine. 2. Take the least man of all mankind, as I; Look at his head and heart, find how and why He differs from his fellows utterly: 3. Then, like me, watch when nature by degrees (They said of old) the instinctive water flees 4. Toward some elected point of central rock, 5. With radiance caught for the occasion,-hues Of blackest hell now, now such reds and blues As only heaven could fitly interfuse, 6. The mimic monarch of the whirlpool, king Up by the roots and oversweep the thing, 7. 1 And hasten off, to play again elsewhere 8. When you see what I tell you,-nature dance About each man of us, retire, advance, As though the pageant's end were to enhance |