Part 15 (2/2)

But he who loves our common Father, hath All men for brothers, and with G.o.d doth joy In whatsoever worketh for their bliss.

Good Francis called the birds upon his path Brethren; to him the fishes were not coy.-- Oh, blest is he who comprehendeth this!

X.

_EARTHLY AND DIVINE LOVE._

_Se Dio ci da la vita._

G.o.d gives us life, and G.o.d our life preserves; Nay, all our happiness on Him doth rest: Why then should love of G.o.d inflame man's breast Less than his lady and the lord he serves?

Through mean and wanton ignorance he swerves, And wors.h.i.+ps a false Good, divinely dressed; Love cannot soar to what it never guessed, But stoops its flight, and the thralled soul unnerves.

Here too is man deceived. He yields his own To spend on others. Yet in vile delight G.o.d's splendour still s.h.i.+nes through love's earthliness.

But we embrace the loss, the lure alone Love fools us with. That glimpse of heavenly light, That foretaste of eternal Good, we miss.

XI.

_THE PHILOSOPHER._

_Gran fortuna e 'l saper._

Wisdom is riches great and great estate, Far above wealth; nor are the wise unblest If born of lineage vile or race oppressed: These by their doom sublime they ill.u.s.trate.

They have their griefs for guerdon, to dilate Their name and glory; nay, the cross, the sword Make them to be like saints or G.o.d adored; And gladness greets them in the frowns of fate:

For joys and sorrows are their dear delight; Even as a lover takes the weal and woe Felt for his lady. Such is wisdom's might.

But wealth still vexes fools; more vile they grow By being n.o.ble; and their luckless light With each new misadventure burns more low.

XII.

_A PARABLE OF WISE MEN AND THE WORLD._

_Gli astrologi antevista._

Once on a time the astronomers foresaw The coming of a star to madden men: Thus warned they fled the land, thinking that when The folk were crazed, they'd hold the reins of law

When they returned the realm to overawe, They prayed those maniacs to quit cave and den, And use their old good customs once again; But these made answer with fist, tooth, and claw:

So that the wise men were obliged to rule Themselves like lunatics to shun grim death, Seeing the biggest maniac now was king.

Stifling their sense, they lived, aping the fool, In public praising act and word and thing Just as the whims of madmen swayed their breath.

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