Part 22 (2/2)

As, by the gentle zephyr blown, some light mist flees in air, As skiffs that skim adown the tide, when silver waves are fair, So sports the docile footstep to the heave of that sweet measure, As music wafts the form aloft at its melodious pleasure, Now breaking through the woven chain of the entangled dance, From where the ranks the thickest press, a bolder pair advance, The path they leave behind them lost--wide open the path beyond, The way unfolds or closes up as by a magic wand.

See now, they vanish from the gaze in wild confusion blended; All, in sweet chaos whirled again, that gentle world is ended!

No!--disentangled glides the knot, the gay disorder ranges-- The only system ruling here, a grace that ever changes.

For ay destroyed--for ay renewed, whirls on that fair creation; And yet one peaceful law can still pervade in each mutation.

And what can to the reeling maze breathe harmony and vigor, And give an order and repose to every gliding figure?

That each a ruler to himself doth but himself obey, Yet through the hurrying course still keeps his own appointed way.

What, would'st thou know? It is in truth the mighty power of tune, A power that every step obeys, as tides obey the moon; That threadeth with a golden clue the intricate employment, Curbs bounding strength to tranquil grace, and tames the wild enjoyment.

And comes the world's wide harmony in vain upon thine ears?

The stream of music borne aloft from yonder choral spheres?

And feel'st thou not the measure which eternal Nature keeps?

The whirling dance forever held in yonder azure deeps?

The suns that wheel in varying maze?--That music thou discernest?

No! Thou canst honor that in sport which thou forgettest in earnest.

[52]

THE FORTUNE-FAVORED. [53]

Ah! happy he, upon whose birth each G.o.d Looks down in love, whose earliest sleep the bright Idalia cradles, whose young lips the rod Of eloquent Hermes kindles--to whose eyes, Scarce wakened yet, Apollo steals in light, While on imperial brows Jove sets the seal of might!

G.o.dlike the lot ordained for him to share, He wins the garland ere he runs the race; He learns life's wisdom ere he knows life's care, And, without labor vanquished, smiles the grace.

Great is the man, I grant, whose strength of mind, Self-shapes its objects and subdues the fates-- Virtue subdues the fates, but cannot blind The fickle happiness, whose smile awaits Those who scarce seek it; nor can courage earn What the grace showers not from her own free urn!

From aught unworthy, the determined will Can guard the watchful spirit--there it ends The all that's glorious from the heaven descends; As some sweet mistress loves us, freely still Come the spontaneous gifts of heaven!--Above Favor rules Jove, as it below rules love!

The immortals have their bias!--Kindly they See the bright locks of youth enamored play, And where the glad one goes, shed gladness round the way.

It is not they who boast the best to see, Whose eyes the holy apparitions bless; The stately light of their divinity Hath oft but shone the brightest on the blind;-- And their choice spirit found its calm recess In the pure childhood of a simple mind.

Unasked they come delighted to delude The expectation of our baffled pride; No law can call their free steps to our side.

Him whom he loves, the sire of men and G.o.ds (Selected from the marvelling mult.i.tude) Bears on his eagle to his bright abodes; And showers, with partial hand and lavish, down, The minstrel's laurel or the monarch's crown!

Before the fortune-favored son of earth, Apollo walks--and, with his jocund mirth, The heart-enthralling smiler of the skies For him gray Neptune smooths the pliant wave-- Harmless the waters for the s.h.i.+p that bore The Caesar and his fortunes to the sh.o.r.e!

Charmed at his feet the crouching lion lies, To him his back the murmuring dolphin gave; His soul is born a sovereign o'er the strife-- The lord of all the beautiful of life; Where'er his presence in its calm has trod, It charms--it sways as solve diviner G.o.d.

Scorn not the fortune-favored, that to him The light-won victory by the G.o.ds is given, Or that, as Paris, from the strife severe, The Venus draws her darling--Whom the heaven So prospers, love so watches, I revere!

And not the man upon whose eyes, with dim And baleful night, sits fate. Achaia boasts, No less the glory of the Dorian lord [54]

That Vulcan wrought for him the s.h.i.+eld and sword-- That round the mortal hovered all the hosts Of all Olympus--that his wrath to grace, The best and bravest of the Grecian race Untimely slaughtered, with resentful ghosts Awed the pale people of the Stygian coasts!

Scorn not the darlings of the beautiful, If without labor they life's blossoms cull; If, like the stately lilies, they have won A crown for which they neither toiled nor spun;-- If without merit, theirs be beauty, still Thy sense, unenvying, with the beauty fill.

Alike for thee no merit wins the right, To share, by simply seeing, their delight.

Heaven breathes the soul into the minstrel's breast, But with that soul he animates the rest; The G.o.d inspires the mortal--but to G.o.d, In turn, the mortal lifts thee from the sod.

Oh, not in vain to heaven the bard is dear; Holy himself--he hallows those who hear!

The busy mart let justice still control, Weighing the guerdon to the toil!--What then?

A G.o.d alone claims joy--all joy is his, Flus.h.i.+ng with unsought light the cheeks of men.

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