Arthur Edward Waite - Israfel: Letters, Visions and Poems, 1886

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I

S

RA FE L

LETTERS VISIONS AND POEMS

ISRAFEL LETTERS VISIONS POEMS ARTHUR EDWARD

"

And

WA.ITE

the Angel Israfel whose heartstrings are a lute and

has the sweetest voice of God's creatures."

"

Me

ludit amabilis

Insania."

London

E.

W.

ALLEN AVE MARIA LANE 1886

(^^''

who

. .

.

..

.

.

CONTENTS. ISRAFEL. LETTERS.

PAGE

Letter

I

9

Letter H. Letter

. .

.

III,

..

..

.

.

.

..

.

.

.

.

..

....

Letter IV.

.

i6 ..

22 28

VISIONS.

The

First Vision

The Second The Third

. .

Vision

.

Vision

. .

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

..

.

.

.

.

.

62

. ,

68

.

67

. .

.

.

69

. .

.

..

..

52 58

. .

.

45

49

THE ASCENT OF ISRAFEL EPILOGUE

.

. .

.

.

.

.

.

.. .

. .

.

The Reaper

.

.

Magna

In Civitatk Dei

.

.. .

.

.

.

..

The Fourth Vision The Fifth Vision

The Magus

.

70 ..

..

86

..

MISCELLANEOUS POEMS. The

Soul's

Windows

95

From Lane to Coast

The Sea-Fowl

97 ..

..

..

Aurelia, the Spiritual Chrysalis

To One

in

Avalon

The Higher Life

.

.

..

.. ..

..

. .

..

gg loi

.. .

.

..

..

105

no

LETTERS.

It

seems necessary

to state that the verses introduced into

the text of these letters are not quotations unless they are marked s

such by inverted commas.

SRAFEL.

I

LETTER TT THEN

a mission

or a

is

given to a man, or a revelation,

new hope, he

above humanity, and he

I.

is

to

is

a certain sense

in

lifted

be judged henceforth by a

higher standard than that which

we

refer to

decide upon the actions of ordinary men.

when we

He

is

still,

indeed, a frail and fallen nature, lapsed from that " pure

land

lying in the pure sky," which the sublime Plato

dreamed for

life,

of,

but he can no longer plead the same excuse

because the seed of a

within him, a light

new

nature has been sown

has been kindled

in his soul,

has come to him, which he must follow

woe be

unto

must reign.

him

He

He

!

is

must

suffer,

the vas insigne

—

if

he

a

call

will not,

he must achieve, he

electionis ;

he

is electus

he prove himself unworthy of this vocation, descend from the illuminated mansion of his own

ex

millibus.

he

will

If

—

;

ISRAFEL.

10

spiritual being- into the perdition of

him may be applied the

to

a degenerate existence

lines

Lucifer, thy star

dimm'd

Is

In solitude

sure

attain

of

it

Desolate and grey

!

lone lands stretch, vast temples open stand

Its

Be

for ever

and

silence.

scourged

an elevation far above that which was

first

it

till

required

I

On an Thy

throne awaits thee

Must reign

And

there,

Beware

With

We

to I

life

lest

if

thine,

and thou will's free

not,

that drives thee to the steps.

on

it

to eternity

tortured soul, to thine

own woe, thou of Israfel,

reignest!

and

it

has

us a mission, a revelation, a high and holy

stand before thee boldly, and declare that having

seen Israfel,

to us.

it is

supreme

whether by thine own

have looked upon the face

become hope.

;

altitude

fair co-operation, or,

By Destiny

the

be

such a nature will

that

that

we are set utterly apart from all the world, and we led in the past is for ever more impossible

An

foot of the

us that

old story

tells

Rainbow

will find

not doubt that this

Now,

there

found

in the

is

the beautiful

whoever reaches the

a golden

chalice,

chalice contains the

a hidden meaning face of Israfel.

and heavenly

in this

Wine

I

is

do

of Life.

fable which

That which

Iris is

and

signified

we by

wonderfully realised in

ISRAFEL.

We

him.

have found

in his

11

modesty and beauty the

ideal grace, the ideal virtue, the perfect pure

maidenhood, which alone can achieve the Holy Graal. So also do we find in him the magic chalice, or that spiritual treasure

which

is

typified thereby

which

is

the source of inspiration, of lucid vision,

;

we

and purposes.

divine plans

drink

As

cup

in spirit of that

the chalice

is

to

and

of

be found

only at the foot of the Rainbow, that which the chalice signifies

be found at the

to

is

feet of Israfel,

an emblematic phrase, meaning his study, and his unselfish love. It is

which

is

also

his imitation,

plain that for us Israfel has passed into a Symbol,

by which these things have alone become true concerning him but he is human also, as we well know. As a ;

symbol he

is

as a

divine,

firmament of eternity

symbol

over the horizon of our two

him

;

but the

beyond our

human

help.

do

the

in

and we aspire towards above us as

to

be

Let us rejoice, indeed, together with

a high vocation has unfolded

;

;

so.

it

It

it

is

We

have seen

his face, in

towards the perfect

like

summits

of

is

permitted us to

its

live for

we are called and the memory of

not only permitted us, but

beauty dwells for ever

me

shines

before me, and by a special privilege thou art

included in Israfel

lives,

Israfel is not so far

pure joy and gladness vistas

he

the symbolic Israfel has soared

;

life

heroism and

in vision that

;

our minds

—

a magnet,

it

sacrifice.

It

it

to its

constrains us

draws us

to the

has been revealed

to

by a voluntary act we may transfer the

!

ISRAFEL.

12

merits of a noble and virtuous existence to the most chaste

and

who

starbrig-ht soul of Israfel,

will shine in the eternal

world with the imputed merit of both our

make

thee to

this

and

world,

good

me

on

I call

the

in

of others in this

and the joy

for the exaltation

of Israfel in the

Every noble and pure thought conceived

world to come.

and cherished

with

join

to

sacrifice,

renunciation of ourselves for the

lives.

our hearts will be a thread of light in

in

the samite robe, spun from moonbeams, against the day

by the blessed angels of the Every noble and heroic deed will

of the assumption of Israfel

heavenly hierarchies.

be a

new

star or

gem

bright diadem forged in the

in that

treasure-house of eternity against the day of the coronation of this is

same pure

the most that

we can do

before both of us there

There

is

a high hope, a firm

is

what

behold,

in

faith,

a resolution which

our hearts by the love of

!

Let our past

moon

for his sake.

And

an immense prospect unfolding

nothing can conquer, kindled Israfel

Consider, therefore,

spirit.

life

of Israfel.

be as a shadow cast behind us by the

Let the future be sown with achieve-

ments as the midnight sky with

stars.

Let us do

all

him without recompense, and then there will us, with no seeking, an unfailing and great Whatever we perform, whatever we renounce,

things for

come

to

reward.

whatever we gain

for Israfel, will

strengthen our

souls, will enlarge,

and

A new prospect

will

more we achieve

for

open before us

in all

light

and each

them ;

the

.

own

;

ISRAFEL.

13

him, the more will that prospect widen, and the greater

be the capacity

will

could die for Israfel, I

Carissime

for achievement.

we

should attain Eternity

we

if

!

see the day wane, the twilight coming, the stars at

hand.

see Israfel raised into the

I

he stands with face transfigured

company of the angels

in

a virgin's robe

There

bound about the waist with white lilies. crown of gold, like fire, upon his head. the

is

Rose

of the Rose,

of

The Light from

Dante.

which

I

he

is

is

a

see him

hands, within the mystic circle

standing, with clasped

which

;

the Lumiere

is

incree,

the centre

the

Splendor

PaierncB Luminis, the burning and shining veil surrounding

on

sides

all

Unapproachable Shrine,

the

on him

Light

and

medium through which

is

it

the

beholds the Eternal.

falls

.

.

is

the future of

Israfel.

Wrapp'd I

in

a magic ecstasy,

see thee, and thy state

is

high

;

Join'd art thou to eternity.

Only the heart that knows decay

Can e'er external joys repay, A dream hath wrapp'd thine own away. Fix'd art thou, chance and change are o'er;

Thoughts,

like steep

Holy

his beatified spirit

This

.

.

in

the

a continual stream,

of Holies, that

paths that rise before.

Exalt thee ever more and more.

ISRAFEL.

14

For ever and

for ever thou,

Thoug-ht-monarch, art uplifted now^,

Thy dreams make

glory round thy brow

Thine ample mind's creative power Is

fed and nourish'd hour

From

And

stores within, thy spirit's dower.

dreams of thine intent, mind true life is lent

to the

Achieving-

From

A

thy

spirit

I

was

people born of thee,

power and

life,

shall be,

sons of immortality.

stood at night within the temple of filled

On an this

of

my own

soul.

It

with emblematic figures variously gprouped.

altar in the centre there

a paten on

strength unspent,

will's fount of

Instinct with

The

by hour

was placed, as

it

mig-ht be,

pure gold, bearing a talismanic inscription, and

paten lay a Ruby, which lighted

was signified the Love of came down out of Heaven, and angels

this stone

all

the place.

By

And

the

Israfel.

tried to extinguish

the light of the Ruby, but they could not do so, for, ever

as they strove,

it

burned brighter, and

They sought

temple were transfigured. it,

that they might bear

it

things in the

all

also to

remove

thence, but the spell of the

consecrated talisman overcame the great

spirits,

and they

ISRAFEL.

15

it away. Then said the angels, desisting-, and with great reverence " This is an immortal and true love, which no power shall destroy." And they

could not take

:

—

returned into Heaven, but the fragrance which they

left

behind them dwelt ever round the Ruby, which

the

Love

of Israfel.

is

LETTER In

a vision

I

have seen

II.

Israfel

" standing motionless

upon the golden

Threshold of the wide open gate of dreams, Gazing, entranced,

The

vision

is

the gorgeous vista."

the Gate of

has a double significance;

sapientia will

adown

threshold of the future

et scientia

Dei,

be the beatitude I

which

it

hxhe altttudo divitiarum

in this life is his study,

tecum, sponsa

ChrisH !

starry light,

Christ

and God,

Enlarge thee, Bright One, and abide

Thy

in

thee

;

chastity surrounds thee as a wall,

Where

angels watch to keep thy soul from

In the Pastor of

mother

and

in the future of his sanctified soul.

saw thy forehead touch'd with

Pax

Dreams, but the

Hermas we

of Intelligence,

by which

fall.

learn that Chastity I

understand that

the

is it

is

a

creative principle, fruitful in the spiritual order, namely, in

the

generations of the undying mind.

typified in the cedar, as

you

Palmeium, where the Virgin

may who

Chastity

read any day

is

in Ccelesie

conceives miraculously,

ISRAFEL. and becomes the mother invoked as Cedrus

of the Logos,

As

Castitatis.

of the Morning', as the

has been revealed

17

palm

allegorically

is

the cedar in the lands

in the East, so stands

to us, strong, stately, full of

he who

grace and

beauty.

Erect and firm he stands, a house of strength,

With gleaming Fiat

pax

and

turrets flank'd with goldl

in virtute iua et ahundaniia in turribus tuts.

The world

him and does not know him, but

sees

chastity of Israfel at least, on

walls

is

whom

write these things,

the ends of the

Age

are come.

have been permitted

to

part the unsearchable mystery of Israfel, unless

it

be, indeed, because

my

and

romances.

named,

has

imagination

The

and

initiates of

not

the

the supreme fact of these days, to us,

without

I

I

know

have cherised

been

I,

who

understand

in

not why,

lofty hopes,

by

nourished

heroic

the Eleusinian Mysteries were

meaning,

Regenerated

the

Moon, and in the esoteric doctrines of children certain dead religions the Moon, and not without meaning, of the

was

called the

Home

of Souls.

.

.

"As

the

moon on

the lost through obscurity dawns," the face of Israfel shines on us in the night and light of time,

Moon

of Israfel

is

here the Soul's Home.

and

to us the

Therefore, do

I hold myself henceforth and for ever the initiate of a new, secret, and supernatural knowledge; my under-

standing joy,

and

is I

illuminated

by a mystery

count myself the

first

among

full of

peace and

the Regenerated

;

ISRAFEL.

18

Hermes and Orpheus

Children of the Spiritual Moon.

may be

are dead, and the tomb of the last Rosicrucian

found in

an ancient Kentish Church with green hop-

gardens round for ever;

it,

but the soul of Israfel

is

alive

and bright

within the Sanctuary of his immortal nature

are deposited the

Keys

of

Solomon, the Secrets of Super-

natural Power, the Stone of the Philosophers,

and Eternal

Youth.* I

rose in the morning early,

streets

of

and walked through the

The

the great city.

was

air

were white and

clouded, the streets

cool,

clean.

It

desire to reach that vast Hall wherein reign the

Kings

of

Thought from the days

the

Zoroaster.

of

sky

was my supreme Their

voices speak through the town's tumult into the earnest

may be said that on earth they reign but "live no more " — they are withdrawn into the Ideal World. Many years have I sat at the feet of these student's ear

;

of these

it

kings to everlasting, and their high teachings

;

my

spirit

has been sustained by

but this day, as

I

pressed forward

with the haste of an eager mind following on the call of grace, there rose suddenly before

me

in its

brightness and

* The Keys of Solomon stand here for those spiritual talismans which repel evil spirits and bind them the Secrets of Supernatural Power are chastity, charity, and the faith which works miracles the Stone of the Philosophers, by which all things are turned into gold, is the wisdom which out of resisted sin the dross of earth extracts the gold of sanctity and soul-strength Eternal Youth is ;

—

;

the consciousness of Immortality.

!

ISRAFEL.

beauty, the face of the most beautiful and bright

in its

The

Israfel.

been calling of

19

which had

voices of the King's of Thought,

ceased suddenly, as the bells

in the distance,

a Temple when

they are drowned

breathings of the organ

;

and

I

in

the

deep

first

followed in his footsteps,

while the stones of the street exhaled the fragrance of violets,

and the

which

cool air,

his passing

form divided,

vibrated with fairy music.

As a man and wonder

awaking beholds with awe

the night

in

the apparition

was my heart when I beheld in so

filled

an angel

of

his

in

room,

with a tremulous astonishment

the busy crowd the manifestation of

the Mystery of Israfel

and

;

I

remarked with indignation

and sorrow that none but myself noticed him, or seemed But thus it is the in any way aware of his existence. ;

messengers of highest Heaven, the Sons of Eternity, are in

our midst, and

we do

of white cloth," say the

not

know

Karens

of

it

;

"a

single thickness

Burmah, alone divides

us from the secret and the sight of God, yet

hands have ever

My

brain

lifted

was

how few

it

filled

with speculation as

the consecrated footsteps of our

I

most dear

followed in Israfel,

our

starry prince, our chaste unicorn, our mild and milk-white dove, " immortal and unchanged."

Why was

our Symbol

open day before the eyes of an indiiferent and While this problem absorbed me, preoccupied world ? revealed

in

giving rise to strange flights of the excursive mind,

came

we

suddenly to the Vale of Avalon, and Israfel passed

;

20

ISRA.FEL.

within.

pausing- on the threshold,

I,

inviolate virgin issue

from the secret,

saw presently our inner circle, where

the Mysteries are prepared, and, robed in dazzling- white,

he slowly entered the Sacrarium, bearing

"book

the

Holy Graal.

the morning sunshine, in the

and

Afterwards,

I

beheld

in

Avalon,

mystic, spiritual

Life-giving Graal, the modest ministry of

before the Israfel,

hands the

and followed by the

of the Everlasting Gospel,"

Pontiff of

in his

Thereby

secret things not to be heard or told.

has been revealed

me

to

his

high lineage

I

;

know

that he

dwells for ever,

" Lofty and passionless as date palm's

High on the upmost summits If

my

aspiration hath exalted

know now

that he

is

truly throned

my

bride,

of his soul."

him above the beyond

all

stars, I

space and

among

the palms of

the spiritual Avalon, in the groves of the

new Dodona,

time.

in the

I

see him always in

new Garden

Avalon

;

his

spirit

of the Hesperides.

He

is

the

swan

of

snow-white breast divides the waters of

whose streams keep green the

eternal

life,

valley.

His silence

is

the swan's silence.

symbolic

We have hewn

out for ourselves broken cisterns which can hold no water

he drinks of the Fount Divine which feeds the ideal.

thirst of the

!

ISRAFEL.

21

" His cycle moves ascending^."

by

divine decree.

.

.

All stars be his,

all

.

It

draws him upward

What more

shall

we

think or

say? heights his soul achieve,

Confirm'd himself in chastity and strength

For ever

O

the peace and joy of Israfel

of Israfel

!

O

!

O

the light and truth

the love of our Father and God,

permitted us to gaze on this gracious, pure

hath frozen beauty

I

all lust

Who hath ideal,

and

within us at the sight of his passionless

;

LETTER The

soul of Israfel

In the spirit

I

is

III.

a garden of immaculate

lilies.

entered there, and a divine, insupportable

my whole nature. which are the beautiful thoughts of

fragrance viviiied

saw bright

I

birds,

Israfel, continually

going and returning, bearing upon their many-coloured wings the seeds of new flowers, which, falling on the fruitful

ground, began to germinate visibly around me.

The

cool

and

all

wind of the

Spirit

blew

softly through the

day long a harp-like music

filled

it.

garden,

This was the

aspiration of the intelligence of Israfel towards the Source of life

and

light

;

it

rose from the incorporeal earth as

the incense from the thuribulum.

morning a dew

fell,

In the evening

and the

and then the music deepened

to

an

organ-tone, as the prayers of Israfel went up to the angel

Sandalphon,

who " gathers the prayers as he stands

And

they change into flowers in his hands.

Into garlands of purple

And

Through the gates Is

and red

past the great arch of the portal. of the City Immortal,

wafted the fragrance they shed."

;

ISRAFEL. "

23

rustle of the eternal reign of love " falls in the

The

garden at

intervals,

and at times out

of

a bright cloud

there dart the swift lightnings of prevision and revelation.

Through

the stillness of

shine,

which are the eyes

Queen

of

the mystical nights the stars

and the moon, the

of angels,

Heaven, the Virgin Mother, passes

in light

and

in majesty. I

say that

in the spirit, in

imaginative mind,

and

since that

for

me

I

the true

— even —have

moment

I

of vision

self, in

the creative,

stood in that garden,

and

inspiration there

is

neither joy nor sorrow, neither pain nor bliss,

neither disappointment nor triumph, neither

life

nor death.

am absorbed in a sublime contemplation, and the universe of illusions has rolled up from around me like a scroll in I

the face of this immortal reality.

When we into the cold

emerge from a heated and unhealthy

and searching

hall

night, the cheek flushes, the

chest expands, the eye glistens, the brain clears, in our steps there

is

the vigour of youth.

In like manner,

when

refreshed

the soul seeks the world of perfect chastity, and enlarged beyond measure. This vigour and capacity it is

are the endowments of Israfel by virtue of that continence which is set like the safeguard and the seal of God on

every avenue of thought.

world

The world

of lucid vision, of revelation,

and

of chastity spiritual

is

the

dream

;

ISRAFEL.

24

Tabor and

the symbolic Israfel dwells, therefore, upon

Parnassus, the prophetic heights are his and the realms of the creative mind. light of the

His face shines

burning wood, and

in the

Moses'

like

in the

darkness of doubt

and uncertainty he stands before us strong and stately, with the stature and the aspect of a god, " wrapped in a wind

of prophecy."

A

recovered

for all initiations,

not

if

it

is

and the narrow path road

to the

an

original chastity

indispensable to true clairvoyance, of perfect self-restraint

knowledge and peace

and mystical maiden, our garden is Lilith,

of

of

Adam, whose youth

white unfallen

was required

is

is

the one

Our modest

God.

immaculate eternal,

lilies,

our

whose bride

the extra-natural, magical principle, has attained

the Clavis absconditorum d constitutiones

Mundi long sought

for by the illuminated William Postel, and he has accom-

plished in his

When

own

person the mysterious Regnum Dei.

perfect purity of act

and thought

same being, he possesses within him a as

we

are taught

in the

co-exist in the

creative principle,

Hermetic philosophy, and by

its

means he has dominion over the universal agent, that " incalculable force," whose direction is the great arcanum of the Rosicrucian Mystery.

Aaron's Stole it is

;

it is

continence of Israfel

is

Almond

the androgyne union of the Cabalists.

For the

chastity of Israfel— ten thousand stars

the sanctity of Israfel in

The

the Branch of the Blossoming

—ten thousand stars

!

!

For the

the eyes of Israfel— ten thousand, thousand stars

!

For soul

And

;

!

ISRAFEL.

may God

25

stand round his neophyte as the

round Jerusalem

When

1

which glow with vestal flame,

e'er his eyes,

Behold the splendours of the

May

stand

hills

sinking- sun,

angel faces thence look forth on him,

And,

like

a sunbeam lighting

all his

days.

Approving smiles bestow Clement hath

sentence

this

is

"

Peedagogus "

The

shall

He

sphered

is

in

Nature who works by simple, universal laws.

naturcz

He

is

et artis simplicitas.

is

united

Sigillum

But he has also another aspect.

the Bird of Paradise which, born in Heaven, comes

down on

earth, but

the earth, that true

of all his

he

;

the

age."

old

and

eternal simplicity

catechistj

—" And

know no

the secret of the youth of Israfel

beauty. to

in

simplicity which

eternity of

Here

and

of Alexandria, the philosopher

home

is

is,

is

he

not of is

it,

and

his feet do not touch

never identified with

in the violet vault of the

unfathomable eyes bear witness

to his origin

His

flesh.

Empyrean

;

his

and lineage.

Those eyes

Have

enter'd into all things

and give

Surpassing beauty, while our dreams

all

in turn.

At noon or night, adorn our Bird of Love With all selected beauties of the sky

New

swept by wind and

Wins from

rain, all

the lingering sunset's

charms which earth

amber

light

!

26

ISRAFEL.

The Of

presence and the buoyancy and joy

the free open ocean in that

Which summer noons make I

was present

in

my

when

spirit

mood

mildest, these are his.

the ang^els made. Israfel.

They wrought his fiesh from flowers with fairest They took the rose-red sunset for his cheeks And poet's lips the stars of God they search'd

spells;

;

For

his eyes' lustre

;

'mid the autumn leaves

They found his tresses crystal and cold snow, With ivory white, of these his limbs were form'd. ;

Kindled with morning light and glowing noon. His voice is kindred to the birds and brooks, Sylphs smooth'd his shape to symmetry, and him

The Dryads

fill'd

Green woods

;

with freshness of their

on his firm mouth three several times

The Salamanders

kiss'd him,

And

and inflamed

These wrought

His heart with love.

But whence

his

mystic Pentagram in spell combine

Our Symbol high was That house

of flesh,

May angels

guard him

Protect his path

I

human

Did the Magi's star

his spirit ?

sent from

and he still

May

is !

God

to

?

.

May

.

,

fill

one therewith

!

every saint

their revolving

Bright flames beyond endurance

Around him

own

make

swords

in rings

form,

;

ISRAFEL.

The

27

consciousness of a depth which has been never

sounded, of a height which has never been scaled, has

grown up suddenly Israfel

within us since the rising

has brightened Poise,

And

all

our

happy moon,

moon

of

lives.

for ever, in the cold

starry spaces, poise thy shining shield

1

Behold, as shadows on the road are cast

Our meaner

selves behind us

Lie in thy light transfigured

And

Which from

is

hopes inspire the heart.

the lonely zenith of the soul

downward as the moon her beams, moon enthroned in heaven of mind mystic

Thou

"

pourest

!

The peace

of

God which

passeth

His

the possession of Israfel.

Avalon; he Graal

is

all

home

understanding " is

the Vale of

nourished with the Holy and Life-giving

the unsullied robe of his baptismal innocence

;

white as the vesture of the glory "

vistas bright

paths that wind for ever tempt us forth

A thousand lofty O

;

Earth and sea

!

was not

This

is

lilies,

clothed as he

and " Solomon

is.

the mystery of Israfel,

For him

in

Avalon be endless

rest,

Cool shade, cool shelter, and a fountain cool

Swan I

of the

see thy

snow-white breast

is

in all his

I

plumage shining white as wool.

—

LETTER beheld

I

the

in

interior

IV.

and a

Above

cold.

it

was a sapphire

spiritual sun illuminated the

there

sky,

translucid,

the

in

state,

diaphanous mind, a world of dazzling- snow

—

still,

clear,

and the beams

white scene.

In this vision

was typified the perpetual virginity of Israfel. I was poised in my spirit over a vast water, and .

Again,

g-azed with the mind's eyes into

There it

;

the

is

no water

stillest

in all

.

I

and starry depths.

the world that can

this

shone with a

the pellucid abysses of Israfel, for in

clear

its

.

compare with

streams are troubled and the purest springs

are clouded, but

in

of

its

my vision his intellectual

a symbolic manner, with

its

and in saw the secret of nature was presented

soft silver light,

beauty

I

chastity,

its

truth,

and

its

light.

I

am

accused in

my conscience

the glory of the Christus. is

the, angel of the

New Age;

the Angel of Eternity.

Avalon ever

!

Absit

of investing Israfel with !

The symbolic

the Christus

The human

Israfel

—God keep that modest flower He

is

Israfel

is

the Logos,

is

the Lily of

in starry

bloom for

a white virgin whose spotless maidenhood

is

!

ISRAFEL. our

common

hood it

is

;

our pious hope, our bond of brother-

in the charity of the

which

New

is

tempt

shall

priest to

wisdom and made known in

He

Israfel ?

come, he

the Logos.

taken

We have not proved

Life.

of us has held speech with Israfel ?

the gold of

Virginity

of

faith,

29

is

His silence

the condition of

the

handmaid

initiation.

Which

temptation.

of

us

of Christus, the

the thyrsis-bearer in the Mysteries

is

That the Angel

of the

New Age

has

way assumed to himself the nature of our dove-eyed child of God is the bright dream whereby we have deceived ourselves towards the perfect life. Me ludit amahilis insania. The foundation of our dream is this, that the human Israfel made flesh, or, rather,

has for us

in

a mystic

manifest before us has evoked the vision of the emblematic

and we cannot separate them now; we identify them, therefore, but in dream, not dogma, and from this spiritual union of symbol and concrete form, of soul and flesh, he issues whom we variously name and angel and

praise

all his

glory,

—the New Eos, Gold

of

Morning, Light-bearer, our

hearts' high hope, our star.

Break, Rose of Morning, break

Thy

fragrance

fills

Thine eyes' smile If it

in bright

the spaces of the

lights the future

!

the question should be asked us, "

might be answered

metaphorical, for "

in several

many

array

air.

What is

ways, but

all,

Israfel ?"

of necessity,

are the thyrsis-bearers, but few

are the mystics," and, though

it is

possible, indeed, for the

—

30

ISRAFEL.

mystery of

Israfel to

and though,

in

be revealed before the whole world,

a certain sense,

it

already manifest and

is

shining- in the full face of day, the unveiled

truth to

would not be understood ; but

you

it is

with the

of lips,

Israfel

and

its

voice has melted

on us the

it,

New

Age.

an arcanum.

contains

this silence is

ruptible gold, the magian's ever,

understand

and

proclaimed by me.

The name silent

I

and naked

dream

;

may be

essence and in his appearance.

it

has invoked

considered in his

In his essence

and the Book

the nature of the angels,

is

but his heart sings for

heaven and earth,

Israfel

He

a precious, incor-

he

of his

is

of

soul's

Revolutions, inscribed In characters of light,

is

shining

still

Among the eternal archives of the sky, And haply some time in the far-off years Made known to man will thrill both heart and mind. But now

is

hidden.

is a moon in the night, " growing silver crescent's charm " increases ever whose

In his manifestation Israfel

towards a perfect light*

The symbolic

angel

* In a moment of rare inspiration, the magic moon of

is

Israfel

a

was

revealed to the soul of Kirke White, when, casting aside the learning of the schools, and raising his eyes to heaven, he cried "

vestal, why art thou so Or why am I so frail ? "

Sad

fair.

ISRAFEL. " Hierophant ablaze with Deity."

31

He

is

sphered

natural knowledge as his earthly counterpart

in

is

super-

fixed in

and trust his magic art forecasts the future. He is Temple of the Mysteries on his breast is the dedica-

faith

the

;

;

nature— To God and Christus He sees " the broken circle of life " made whole. His chief emblem tion of his

is

!

the Unicorn, in which inviolate chastity

Heaven

sign in tells

is

a symbol of virginity

us, is also

agnus castus

— which

Mysteries of Ceres

banner

is

sacrifice creating joy

To

on earth

it

is

the

with the

lily

and

lotus- flower.

His

is

it

the Rose-Cross, which signifies

and joy renewing

face

sacrifice.

at times presented as a

is

sometimes as an eagle soaring, sometimes as a

where the

by the patience to us as

;

preserves purity, and was used in the

us the symbolic Israfel

flying,

human

His

typified.

the banner of the Everlasting Graal, and the

emblazonment upon

dove

is

the celestial serpent, which, as Plutarch

and pain

pity

of the stars

a strong, planetary

And we

behold him

;

in

of love are

tempered

rare moments he comes

spirit.

in the

still,

cold air.

Beneath the starry arches or the moon,

There

is

no sadness in the face of Israfel which is the visible evidence

gentle light,

;

it is

of an

informed with a abundant super-

man invests exterior objects with its thus the lonely brightness and exaltation of Israfel were presented to the poet under a semblance of natural joy, but the

own

mind

particular disposition

sadness which, in

reality,

of

;

surrounded his own mind.

ISRAFEL.

32

His wide wing^s spreading-, past the moon and stars

Soar

Unapproach'd

to his native reg"ion.

The

path

That

his brother spirits seek in vain

;

In storms

altitude precipitous.

The same About him, and the driving rain

he seems - his wings disperse the clouds

Encircles, never touching

The

;

his

form

at his feet

lightnings play, the thunders peal around

But harm him

The

not.

him

battles of the air

Strengthen his mighty nature, as the deep

March-music Pour out

his

fires

the soldier

;

the star-hymns

welcome.

The second is a mild and gentle human face which we have known and loved and because of the Hermetic maxim Quod superius sicut quod inferius, I believe that the human Israfel This

Israfel in his first manifestation.

is

;

is

essentially one with

ceived a

re-

Name

Whose

chrism of sweet melody anoints.

Whene'er

voice calls him, as a peerless prince

His radiant

We

whence he has

the symbolic,

soul.

have a mission

in

speed us both, but whether

regard

to

we speed

him wherein God

or not.

The treasures of eternity are turn'd By careful angels over day by day, Yet never gems befitting him are found. For every time the heaps

selected

last,

ISRAFEL.

33

For some unnoticed blemish do they Aside.

them take the

I'd

bid

To

beautify their jewels.

;

Stars'

there

is

no flaw

cast

should see them at their task, light of his soft eyes

speak here with the weakness

I

tion

If I

in the

of

human exaggera-

jewels of Eternity, nor in the

Language is there a shadow of imperfection our gems alone have blemishes, and only mortal speech ;

earthly is

subject to the errors of enthusiasm.

Let us consider

Israfel in his relation to ourselves.

He glides before us with the torch of Christ, "Lux Chrtsft !" crying in the night of time

;

My I

heart

is

set to follow, to his face

turn for light, because that face

For ever upward

;

is

turn'd

there the light of

God

Falls visibly in shafts of burning sunshine

;

His beauty chaste and passionless becomes

To

A

us that love him an Apocalypse,

crystal glass of vision, in

We read this

life

Has

its

Of

fallen

on

anew

;

whose depths

a sunset-light

pages, every line

that close-written volume takes a

Unlook'd for meaning.

new

Evermore, between

The lines of life's enigmas do we read The message of his beauty.

We have dwelt in an atmosphere of passion and feverish hope, as on a low tropical plain, and

now

there

is

re-

ISRAFEL.

34

vealed to us the super-eminent sanctity of our g-racious

and

beautiful

Symbol.

a high mountain whose

It is like

summit clad with snow soars are no long-er dust and ashes

We

into the searching- air. ;

we have a love within us

which has a claim on immortality, which conquers space

and

We

time.

mysticism. in the

.

past

is,

are the

The

.

.

that

of a

initiates

gigantic error of

has sought God

it

new and higher

in the

all

mysticism

Self,

instead

of in the Not-Self, the Divine within us, instead of the

Divine without us seeing in

it

— the Ideal

way— in

humanity around Israfel

we have

all

In

us.

our

own minds

us— faintly,

revealed before

a progressive

in

that

instead of

imperfectly, but

pure and fair

is

in

is

the

the modesty and beauty of

found at once the extent of this error,

and the Ideal which mysticism has sought vainly Self; this

still

in the

the philosophic side of the romance of Israfel,

whose simple narration

is

found in this book, but which

is

painfully struggling towards a practical expression in both

our

lives.

We

end be inadequate

;

true for us because faith too fair,

that this expression will not in the

trust all

things beautiful in conception are

we have known

no hope too high, no love of

great for him who, by his aspiration,

and height

of Israfel, our sea-girt

Bower, a sacramental of

gift to

There is no God or man too

Israfel.

is

uplifted to the light

House

of God, our

Eden

thee and me, an outward sign

inward grace from the divine and adorable Christus, of our symbolic angel at the altitude of his power and

whom

his glory

is

a dim and

faint reflection,

"a show that shows."

—

ISRAFEL.

35

My heart is purer with my love for him, My life is brighten'd by his love most true

!

Let those whose penetrating- glance can read

Man's most inmost nature read

mine

this nig-ht in

—

bare it now before them all my thoughts Are open to the ang-els. Witness these,

I

What lights have What aspirations

led

me

since

I

look'd on him,

what holy hopes,

high,

Have kindled in me, how my soul her wings Hath strengthen'd ever for a starry flight, The secret light, the bright arcane seeks out Be then the change within With eagle gaze !

My

chief excuse

if

having

Above our human

nature,

Before his beauty

lost in

O

wondrous

lustre of the

lifted I

him

am now

trance aeterne

!

mountain snow,

By sacred morning's light of gold inform'd. By golden morning's holy light illumed. By magian light on all its airless peaks. Whatever storms may vex the world below, Whatever clouds may darken earth and sea, On those proud peaks beneath the ebon sky Through

On

all

and

all

illumed

!

the summits of the sanctity of Israfel

translated in the ecstasy of mystic dream,

the

night of

East, the

Rose

time, faintly

blossoming

of Everlasting

Day.

we

stand

and see through in

the

farthest

By an image,

there-

;

!

ISRAFEL.

36

fore, Israfel

is

New

of the

himself the Rose of Morning-, the Herald

He

Age.

•wilderness " of nig-ht

Higher

Life,

exaltation the

him on lips

" the voice of one crying-

is

and change and death,

is

the the

prophesying by the silence of his supreme

end of meanness, misery, and

the mountain pausing with uplifted

there

in

calling- to

sin.

arm

;

I

see

on his

the heaven's eternal smile, on his forehead

there

is

the star of God, the mystic Pentagram, in his eye

there

is

the light of a strong undying soul

God and I

conscious of

its

bent

Search'd

this

my

me

;

his

His virgin

Through

lips

all

me from

a moment

my

nature

Sent potent virtue

By

this

deep eyes

being, and immortal love

Within those shrines of sanctity and Look'd forth on

from

angel came to me.

brightness o'er

in all

forth

origin.

dream'd one day

And

come

light

their aionian

press'd on

in electric

circling.

I

home

mine

flame

henceforth.

thy virtue strengthen'd, rise to thee.

Star of the time approaching

This

is

Israfel in his relation to us.

have applied sense,

to

and yet he

him are is

Israfel is the mystic

all

true, at least in

from

distinct

Lebanon

;

;

it

all.

a certain

The mountain

of

moon of Israfel is the The star of Israfel is a

the

torch or reed of Prometheus.

pantacle of great power

The emblems we

has the single horn

ascendant because the Soul rules.

in

the

!

ISRAFEL. But

Israfel

in

Sr

mankind

his relation to

Our

supreme importance.

love has

may

set

it

like

New Age and a jewel

in his

us to

the

We are pledged

Regnum

the

a point of

called

regeneration of the world for his sake. to achieve the

is

Dei, that

we

crown.

And I beseech you by this dream so bright, By all the tender thoughts it breeds in us, By all the purpose high it nourishes, Remember this, through all remember it I

saw my

saint's

redemption as a thing

Accomplish'd, saw

in spirit

on his brows

That crown resplendenc, saw in robes of light Those limbs invested, saw the achieving soul

To

star-outreaching altitude, a

On

gem-set throne,

King

What remains?

uplifted.

This weeping world we love for love of him To lift by love of him to him we love.

The

vision

which has saved us from ourselves, which

has illuminated our light,

spirits

which has exalted and

sanctified

our whole nature,

us — no longer can we gaze on

withdrawn from The Vale of Avalon is

with a pure and imperishable

is

empty;

Israfel has set in the visionary sky

the spiritual :

Israfel.

moon

of

the prophetic oracles

Yet we are within us have predicted no certain return. desol ation. of sense oppressive not sad, nor have we any

One thought makes

glory round us, one high thought.-

!

!

ISRAFEL.

38

A bright, triumphant smile lightens on our faces, whenever it

recurs to us

a secret more precious than pearls

;

—we know the destiny know

the

joy, the

we

With

What

beauty

;

we

peace and exaltation, of

cry to his ascending planet.

Which

Israfel

all its

ours

Intende, prospere procede, el

the divine destiny of Israfel. regna,

and

of Israfel,

wonder and the

is

house of

floods the

life

for

evermore

spiritual lustre.

us in his absence ?

is left

— there

is

through

perfect love of Israfel,

all

which

There

is

the love of

things the pure, immortal,

always with us

is

;

there

is

the image of the beauty of Israfel, which goes before us like

a light

;

there

from eternity there

the

is

is

the

still,

and there

;

Crown

of

mortal and increasing

small voice of Israfel, which calls is

the mission of our

lives,

Life— th« true high crown life,

towards which the

and

of im-

will within

us directs our natures as a persuading destiny, and the Destiny without us directs our will as an overpowering

God. Immortal Will, for aye the

man compel

Rule, Holy Fate, the awful force of will

Dread God, reveal'd in both, Thy high decrees. With wisdom shaped, fulfil by fate and will

O

secret Symbol, seen

To none

by bad and good,

made known, thy depths and ever, may we know thee more.

but us

Unfold for

And more expanding may

thy meaning high

heights

!

!

—

!

ISRAFEL. Increase for ever,

may

lead and

it

things dark before

Pass

all

And

on the pure, regenerated,

Ascending mind

39

lig'ht

1

pass and die

it,

!

free,

New

man, on the

Age, Shine mellow moon unwaning, shed thy beams

Of

of

mildness, mercy,

and

intelligence

may God

Symbolic Moon,

light

man

in

thee

!

.

.

All earthly lights have fail'd us, thine illumes

.

;

All earthly loves have perish'd, that remains

Wherewith we

love thee

and are led

to thee.

And By which thy spirit is to God led up, O human nature of our Emblem high, With whom may God remain in light and that, imperishable, perfect, strong.

In

Pax

life

tecum

"

immortal, and the Crown

love,

of Life

!

Remember Israfel and his violet eyes The light that never was on land or sea," Shall then thy

life

illumine, flood thy path,

Rich hopes reveal, through

The

all

matter of achievement.

And,

No

height

is

Nothing's too

Thy And

of him,

may

teach.

whate'er thy fears

lo,

Resolve

thy days create

Think

!

out of thy nature's reach lofty,

nothing too far

and on the furthest

star

throne, thy vast hall dighted are. spirit

peoples waiting thee

Shall welcome in thy majesty

!

;

!

ISRAFEL.

40

Remember and

of Israfel,

Remember

!

when we

wh en

of Life,

we have vowed

the crown which

all its lustre

he

shall place

upon

his

temples the Crown

be seated on the throne of his

shall

sanctity amidst the acclamations of the

and the transcendent

God I

g-ave

stole

My

gold that crown to forge

sun went questing forth

sped through space triumphant

Inform'd myself through

all

my

;

became

I

nature's depths,

Through

all

My

shone therewith, so bright, so

spirit

stars

!

the stars essential light,

all

spirit to the

And

companion

intellig-ences of Eternity

me gems and

from

to Israfel,

the day of the coronation

her heights, with lustre

;

visibly fair

The gifts I gain'd for him, this change they wrought By contact with them. Now his soul is clad, His stately Is clad

He

sits

soul, his

wrapt, aspiring soul,

with these, and over stars and seas exalted in his Crown's pure light,

In his seraphic nature's blinding light,

Amongst

his

kindred angels hid from

all.

Yea, hid with burning nimbus.

Voice that blesses, eyes that

Hands

light.

that help to heaven's far height,

Bright one,

White one. Lead aright

! !

ISRAFEL.

Chaste as

lily,

mild as dove,

Brave as eagle,

fair as love.

Move

us,

Prove

us,

Lead above Mystic mountains

all

untrod

We shall pass, with patience shod. Take Break

Lead

to

us. us,

God

41

VISIONS.

;

THE

It is

my

FIRST VISION.

privilege to stand again

Beside the sea, and from the steep I

Many

scan the world of waters.

Have I thank'd God for Wherewith the still sky For passing

For

edge

times

that most perfect line

rings the restless deep

ships, for tides

cultivated fields

cliff's

which

which come and go. to the shore

Slope with an ample curve, for the sun's glare

On For

rough white chalk, shelter'd coves

for

many a

silent cave,

and shallows known

to few.

For waste and lonely places unenclosed

Which ocean For

all

peoples with a thousand voices.

the sounds and sights of shore and sea,

Have I thank'd Godi But now my soul is moved By deeper thoughts than these can kindle there, The dream review'd which since I last beheld thee. Grey ocean, hath enlarged

it

;

I

recall

One face transmuted with the light of mind. Which shining softly as the autumn moon. When, from the mists of mead and marsh escaping, It

soars into the zenith, has above

46

VISIONS.

My

horizon risen.

life's

That face

thine

is

My thoughts In white

Thy The Thy

I

I

Israfel,

stand and think of thee,

evoke thine image

poised

it is

;

above the waters, to the sky

face

is

light

turn'd, thy listless

wind gently

vesture likewise

lifts

hands are

and

by the wind

A yard behind thee, a

clasp'd,

floats thy hair, is trail'd

subtle mist of light

Surrounds thy body, and thy waist

With white and fragrant

girdled

is

lilies.

Israfel,

greet thee, God be with thee I have clothed Thy human form in dreams with angel-hood. And evermore a spirit to my thought I

I

Art thou

;

transfigured thou hast pass'd for

Into the world of

The

emblems, and therein

stature of immortal

There

is

life is

thine

;

thy nature perfect, there supreme

Exempt from Dost thou

live

me

passion, weakness, pain,

;

and cha nge,

ever a reserved, remote,

Unmundane life. And having lifted Above thine earthly being, I believe

thee

That this idealised, diviner part My dreams have fashion'd, is most truly thine. It was thy human nature prompted it, The meekness, modesty, and peace thereof Have nourish'd and enlarged it thou alone Didst prompt the vision, and the same, I hold. ;

;

VISIONS.

Is

Thy

therefore thou.

Before

An

my mind

4T

gentle form of flesh.

presented, has reveal'd

more than

inner self which

Is thine, is thou.

Thou

fleshly

form

art not yet perchance

In full fruition of that nobler part,

That part exalted the deific spark Holds often from the human self aloof ;

Its light

shines o'er

it,

and

in

warmth

its

love

Descends thereon, thine own augoeides. But perfect union

in this life

Is rarely

compass'd

He

towards

rises

Sinks

;

it,

down subdued, and the immortal mind

In conquest towers

above

Are both

illumined

by the

For

when

flesh

Thou

therewith

when the man achieves when the life of sense it,

mind and

flesh

light thereof.

vanquish'd most, then most doth shine.

in that light art dwelling,

Has, like a mirror, to

Reveal'd thy nobler

my

and thy face

gifted sight

self, I

see thy

god

!

This proves thee stately, stedfast, clean of heart, Since earthly natures with the meaner man And mundane things contented have so far

Lapsed from

To

their

god that no

beautify their being,

Can

light falls therefrom

and the same

never, therefore, to the lucid sight

Reveal the

Undying

brilliant

part.

spectrum of that high,

! ;; ;

!

;;

;

VISIONS.

48

I

Stand beside the sea,

Waves swell, wind rises, falls the autumn night And as the moon doth, when the darkness deepens. Her own face brighten more, thy face grows brighter Amid the moral darkness of the world Thy soul doth brighten towards its self divine Ascending daily, and mine own shines also, With thy great Undying

love suffused, with the

fair,

strong.

love of thee suffused, inform'd.

look to see thee in the World Beyond With God made one for ever in thy god May I with God be one in love for thee I

May this May this May this

me strengthen me full moon above me cheer and lead dark night descending hide from me wide sea before

All paths but those which to the heights of

Lead upward

;

may

it

hide

all

human

love.

But mine immortal, perfect love for thee

May that my And,

spirit sanctify

for thy love,

may

I

and cleanse,

the world

itself

By mine own labours cleanse and sanctify, And make the merit of that Titan task One new star shining in thy Crown of Life,

My

saint,

my

star,

my

symbol, Israfel

life

!

THE SECOND Too If I

well

from

love thee for thy love to seek

I

my

slumber

found refulgence

More

And

in the night

fill

my

awaking-

lonely room,

bright than moonlight, mellow as the moon,

soft as that

Is shining

ever

;

which round thy gentle face if

Within that sacred

And And

VISION.

an angel stood circle of

held, with venerating

pure flame,

head bent low,

drooping ringlets bright as burning wool,

In his

two hands thy purged and holy heart.

Whose measured motions visibly reveal'd Made music round him if he bade me press ;

With open palm

that flesh with

life instinct.

And swore

the heart whose music thus was hush'd,

As harp by

hand, should

thrill

through

Should by that momentary contact

Through

all

thy

life,

thrill

thine after-life with love for me,

This arm should wither ere

Thy

all

I

thus would search

sober nature with the pain of love.

—

;

VISIONS.

50

But, prostrate then before that heart of thine, I'd

hear entranced the music breathing thence

Through angel

fingers,

and the

high speech,

stars'

The mystic hymn by none but virgins sung, Would there with supermundane wisdom light

My

doubtful mind.

hear

I

Though

this

even now,

it

The

be dream.

And

in the silence of the

The

church-bell

opal twilight

summons

to the

me

Vesper-hymn

Is that

thy voice which

Is that

the music of thy heart most clean

Which

in the

Sends forth I

calls

I

also forth ?

pauses of the whirl of thought

its

summons

will not stay to

Nor count

falls,

wind and sea

take up

the things

I

like

a

staff

me

bell to

and

?

scrip.

leave, nor bid farewells.

Behold, I come Mine empty hands can bear Whatever burdens may seem well to thee And now my soul uplifted sees afar The heights of life it sought in vain so long, !

!

And

faintly limn'd against the furthest

Acclivities Is calling

;

undream'd nothing

I

of.

Which I

come no

and

less

Ascend, bright

My

heart

is

!

calls

!

I will

spirit,

.

.

sky voice

behold of thee

A voice alone upon the calls

Thence thy

.

mountain heights

The road

is

steep

and wild-

not pause nor faint.

with the speech of God

strong to follow and achieve

!

—

VISIONS.

And when Return

And

the furthest heights of

life I

win,

into the altitude above,

lead

me

thus for ever

—

still

A voice alone on the eternal hills Which

51

calls

and

calls

!

remote

—

THE THIRD What

voice

In ancient

is

that

VISION.

which from

Avalon thy

this mystic

home

soul hath call'd ?

Speak, vestal, ever at the shrine of Christ In modest ministry

by

nig'ht

and day

To vi^ait elected, to adore allow'd, And in those mystic rites to man unknown Permitted to participate and serve

O

!

.

.

.

saffron Light of Morning-, on the hills

By weeping

angels watch'd with straining eyes,

Who

wait for Christus from the dead to rise

Thou

rose and

lily in

Set on a single stem

the morning sun

—thou virgin youth,

most awful sanctity of soul

In thy

As in white samite, as in light of As in the sun's intolerable light, As with the angels' nature, as in Bright smile beatified

Which Of

all

its

God's

— thou Symbol high,

dost the scope of all symbolic forms,

bright images,

all

words,

Exhaust, whose beauty to

To

stars,

true, native,

its

all

thoughts

native heights,

unascended heights.

—

VISIONS.

My

53

nature drew, which lights, which leads, which

draws (Unseen henceforward;,

The bard whose Becomes

his fate for ever

Speak once

To its pure

What

voice

!

star,

.

.

'tis

It is

!

pause no more

;

in the past retain its

of the rose o'erblown.

I

is

faded leaves too

am call'd

that which doth from

morn

What

lighted torch upholds ?

The world before the early

me

.

.

fervid .

The

.

to eve,

through dreams as much from eve

Invite in dulcet tones ?

Is that

well - proceed,

arcades, the cool and sacred air,

voice

Its

of Life,

!

stronger fragrance than

What And still

?

Declare what

Crown

the

which leads thee

Of thy sweet presence Hold

?

.

I

No

this day,

stream, the milk-white swan return

In peace proceed and reign

The dark

thee

form

to its native vale,

voice at least hath call'd

'Tis Christus calling,

Thy

—speak

Will never

!

God through

thy

to

vision of thy vanish 'd

till

dawn.

hope start

is

made,

spreads with cloud involved

moon

within the mist

see southward like a phantom light

Which I Hang in the rainy sky ? Chirps one weak bird. From wold and woodland like a dream the day. The sickly day, withdraws. The wind is bleak, It stirs

the naked trees

;

night comes and storm,

! ,

!

U

VISIONS. But

I

go

forth

leave thy sacred shrine,

I

;

Thou verdant valley, in the storm I start With stalwart heart. Far winds the path I take, With autumn leaves 'tis strown. One star leads on, one voice

It is

leads through

My feet shall

pause

Thou lodge of

refuge.

Lo,

all

one star which

invites,

One hope which

among .

the west behind

How

thy haunted groves,

Lo, the meads stretch-wide

.

.

me

suddenly

Has

lighted

It is

not night,

The The

heart of youth through

!

lights.

So now no more

all.

the blue sky clears o'erhead

!

not evening yet.

it is

spring sun shines, and like a tocsin beats

Sing on, thou lark

O'er

!

all

all

the smiling land.

the open field

The long grass glitters in the light and wind. Thou wind, sing on Thou clear and rippling streaxn Make merry music Neither storm nor night Are round me now. Fair winds the path I take. !

!

Spring buds of bushes upon both

Are bursting

its

sides

lorth.

'Tis Christus calls this day.

Light, beauty lead, Call earth

and sky,

Life calls

and death

And

My

and

lead, thou

calls 1

hand

of

The

shining

Crown

thine uplifted nature's frozen heights,

strengthened

Saint Israfel

God

I

mystic sea profound,

spirit to

achieve sets out.

of Life,

——

VISIONS.

55

The early sun descends With brooding vapours veil'd it casts pale light On miles of meadows to the west immersed In winter floods. The hedges and the trees Which from the waters rise cast deep'ning shade ;

Along the gleaming I

of little streams,

hear the gentle lapse

While

The

To

not

more

All around

surface.

And though

south's soft air.

speak of sparrows on the old

Perch'd chirping

These

trifles

No common The

seems

cool than fragrant

the

this

eve

theme be

trite

inn's eaves

or of the lark's last song,

still,

prompt full

oft in

musing minds.

But now the waters catch

thoughts.

gold of sunset, and yon brood of ducks,

Ere night descends, Betake themselves.

.

to land in .

My

.

one long

line

soul hath sought this

A refuge here, that thus with nature round She might

herself set free

from burning thoughts.

Ye naked elms which loom so gaunt and tall, Ye clouds whose darkness doth by stealth involve The fading sky, with solemn sense impress. Spirits of the wind, the trees Subdue me !

Descending night

—ye

Genii of solitude, of

My

confidants

!

fields forlorn

and dim

space— be ye

This day

From age-long travels Quest for the Crown of

my

feet

have turn'd

both in thought and Life, Truth's

high

flesh,

pursuit,

day

VISIONS.

56

To those green groves, to that most cool retreat, The vale of refuge, saintly Avalon And though my hair is white, though years have pass'd, Though westward sinks the failing star of Time, And on the wide horizon of the soul I look to see that awful moon arise. !

Eternity

To mete

though time and space are vain

!

the distance the immortal mind

Hath journey'd forward since in youth it left That haunted place, within those groves unchanged In mien or mood (attest it, earth and sky !) These eyes of flesh have look'd in deed and truth On Israfel, have seen him serving there In modest ministry of prayer and praise

To wait elected, to adore allow'd. And in those mystic rites froni men Permitted

to participate

O

zephyr

conceal'd

aid.

in the

noon-day heat

pontiff's buffet to the

kneeling youth

light as

Or

and

In grace confirm' d, or knightly accolade.

Time's touch that crumbles granite

falls

on him

!

On

his fair head is set the Crown of Life, The crown of endless, ever-increasing life. Which I sought vainly, I in vain sought long,

And

stand this day with seam'd and naked brows, While his with beauty, with eternal joy. With light— with light—are wreath'd The !

search

is

done.

.

.

.

— ;

!

VISIONS.

My

hopes were

And now It

fix'd

upon that

shining-

If all

I

won

it

after

the path that led,

Could show Could

I

my

and

toil

my

burns

it

!

pain,

lord, thereto

mark'd

footprints

in tears

andlblood,

do less than on that virgin brow

The gem-set crown rings thy head,

'Tis well,

And Whose

crown,

to-day mine eyes have look'd thereon

rings thy head, above thy face

Ah, had

It

57

'tis

well

resplendent set to shine

above !

thine unending-

thine eyes

.My crown life,

in

it

!

burns

thine

is

won,

thy youth aeterne,

soul for ever doth

its

flesh

renew,

Dispel henceforth from the illumined mind

The

impossible

dream

of death.

In night's keen stars with

silent

Reveal the secret of eternal Lo,

all

I

see thine eyes

speech divine

life.

bright hopes are true, the end

is

plain

All men triumphant over grief and sin From strife and darkness into light emerge. And thy bright spirit to its star attain'd Is

throned adoring there

!

!

;

THE FOURTH

My

heart had sicken'd of

its

VISION.

dreams

of thee,

Their varied beauty cloy'd enfeebled sense

Then I

I

fared forth in thought o'er

paused on mountains

summer

the morningf

in

seas,

lig'ht,

And out from forests in the night and wind On lonely coasts I issued, or at eve

When

stormy clouds involved the splendid West,

But up the sky the sun, departing, drove

One blazing With angry The thin far Till

In

it

path

smote dispersing

phantoms

scatt'ring

in the zenith.

mine own mind, as

The I

and where

of the storm,

glancing onward to the blue serene

melted

It

shaft, suffusing all its

red,

in

I

spectacle of Nature.

cried, " Sufficient

But light

I

seek

my

!

!

beheld

a magic "

There

Achieve,

It is is

O

glass. "

well

!

rest in this. soul, the light

" !

And

then

Her

refuge sought, and dwelt and ponder'd there

spirit in the

waste alone

;

;

!

VISIONS.

was the hoarse

It

59

voice of the far off

main

Which on my refuge in the sandy rock, And on my solitude, my silence there,

My

mental conquest, on the problem solved,

On

life and death reveal'd, did break at length. drew me forth I cross'd the meads and mounts, I roved by woods and waters, till I reach'd The sea once more ? I saw the vast sky stretch Above the vast sea to unearthly height, It

;

And

A

in

the West, beyond

Her

flight

all

dream remote,

Thither

saffron sunset died.

my

soul

pursued, with eagle wings essay'd

That stormy path, dared winds, dared ocean deep, Dared lightnings there. The solemn night profound,

A thousand voices speaking in the night. Did strengthen

her, the searching cold inform'd,

And more

all

Till, lo,

than

the flight achieved, the further shore

Lo, land, green

I

the mystic hope upheld

plains, bright

saw before me loom an

!

morning breaking round

ancient house

One

portal there, with magic words inscribed,

Had

in

the centre graved, with single horn

Ascending (sign

of the

immortal mind

"Which rules for ever and

Because united 'Tis

made

Thy

burning

to the

is

Law

ruled by none.

Divine

for ever to itself a law). star,

dread, potent Pentagram

!

;

!

;

VISIONS.

60

Before that threshold In I

wonder

stood

lost, in

Thou

:

in

the morn's

first ligfht,

ecstacy of joy,

spirit to

the end attain'd,

Thou crown'd

adept, thy long- probation done.

Was

Temple

that the

Rose and Cross

of the

?

Speak, hierophant

Who Who

leads

me

With comely

in ?

stands in starry white ?

Smooth gleams

features mortified

and

his

golden hair,

mild,

Cheeks tinged with flower-pale pink

What

!

eyes

are those

Which

in

the sunshine seem like golden grey,

Elsewhere as

He

violets

deep

His mien

?

is

high,

bears the fragrance of the morning rose

Round all his form, his hand is raised to bless. Whene'er his eyes look up all heaven looks down About his path the snowdrop sprouts in spring, Burst buds in blossom upon thorn and tree

His voice

all solitudes, all silent

And

all

Fills

with melodious souls.

the spacious, cool, translucent air.

His name

is

His

in

is

Spring,

one contain'd

(Of some high quality the sign all

name

Eos, born of dews and light.

His are a thousand names

Of

peaks.

high qualities

is

is

each,

one the sign).

Before the Threshold of the Mysteries, Before the Temple of the Rose and Cross, Before the secret, sacred, inmost shrine.

!

VISIONS.

61

In white refulg-ent, as he wont, array'd,

'Twixt burning tripods on the right and

(The Light

of Christus to

He He welcomes stands in

His priest vouchsafed\

beauty and with open hands in

" Eternal Truth I

left

!

:

—" The Light

"

and ranged

of Christus

!

" cries,

in lines behind,

see the sages and the seers of old,

A thousand

pontiffs

and a thousand kings

!

Shines Moses there, and Plato brightly shines,

And I see Hermes of the Burning Belt, The "thrice great Hermes," stand with Enoch

there

;

THE FIFTH

VISION.

THE DESTINY OF ISRAFEL. My

dreams have fashioned many

Because thy destiny

May I

all

fates for thee

dream transcends

that most worthy thee be nearest thine

see thy soul upon the

Unfolding slowly,

Of Hermic

lore,

Mount

like the

of

!

God

mystic Rose

which issues bright and

fair

(Strange virtues circling with the sap therein)

Beneath the universal

From

breath

the mercurial stone.

Behold

in

Starland stood a vacant throne,

None found 'Twas

Who

spirit's

set,

to

fill it

the world

!

On

a lonely height

commanding

;

he beheld

reign'd thereon, the plane of time

Outstretch'd below him.

and change

Passion and anguish there

Play parts, and the illuminated soul

From

that far height with steadfast eyes

unmoved and the end the worth and meaning known,

In silence watch' d, the issues

To him reveal'd, To whose sublime

magnificence of mind

—

!

; !

VISIONS.

6S

The fleeting hopes and fears could ne'er return Which vex the vastness of those depths profound. Thus was it but to distant heights undream'd ;

The Its

abstracted soul forth-issuing

ancient seat, and

He

behind

left

with anxious mind

Who o'er those spheres spreads wide

his rule eeterne,

The Great Star King, did solemn council hold With messengers and heralds from afar But not from out his own divine estate, Nor realms beyond, was suppliant known whose eyes Unflinching view'd the vast and varied charge,

The

lonely

Behold

None

in

life,

the splendour, view'd unchill'd ....

Star-Land stood that vacant throne

found to

fill it

But the Central Sun, Intelligence

Supreme, Eternity's

Tremendous King, by angels bright at length Sent tidings down to Star-Land, and the Great Star

King

rose joyful from his throne sublime,

His prayer was answer'd

To Not

fill

all

that

empty seat

unconscious of

1

its

—found a It

^soul

unstain'd

dwelt on earth

destiny.

But, dedicate to ministries most high. In hopes but half defined, in yearnings vague,

By sacred impulse prompted aye to seek The Source of Light, at least to gifted eyes Made evident its origin divine 'Twas

thine,

O

Rose

of Morning, Israfel

.

VISIONS.

64

Thy shining soul, my white one, my dear, my dove The Star-King- paused at hearing, thought a space, Then passed in silence through his lonely hall, !

. .

pavement vast as ocean, and its dome As heaven remote. Upon the gleaming wall Its

Of

A

that most awful temple there

was hung

magic mirror, wherein the gifted

By power Into

There the King,

holy crystal.

its

sight.

of will, the wish'd-for soul could call

Did on that

lucid

convex

fix

awhile

His eyes illuminated, clear, profound.

And

soon a thin flame started, light and pure.

In brilliance, beauty waxing,

till

thyself

In semblance perfect shone reflected there.

The mighty

presence that inform'd the place

Breathed once thereon, then answer'd :— "

The phantom shows no

earth the hour of sunset

Behind a bank

Whence

A

;

Among I

of black, foreboding cloud.

droop'd long tendrils

down

of

into

groves.

angry light

wind

the leaves and grass had call'd

went musing

Dark cypress

I

sank day's god

stealthy secret whisper of the

And

well

was now

It

On

It is

blemish."

me

forth.

meads and down Therein

my

thoughts were

wrapp'd

Beyond the sphere

When

of time.

One Voice of Brightness was pass'd

this creation's furthest star

VISIONS.

me onward,

Still call'd

Of radiant

And

65

through unnumber'd ranks

intelligences, priests

princes of eternity

Before that

veil

;

I

paused

which doth from sight created

The light unbearable in mercy hide. The veil was moved by agency within

A stream of flame and scorching heat Was

it

shrivell'd like

Till the voice

My

my

pour'd in shafts upon me, and

Beneath

sounding

failing nature,

its

an autumn

in the light

;

intense soul

leaf,

made strong

intelligence

Informing with the mission unto which

My

days were

to

be dedicate.

One word

Of power divine was spoken and the whole Lay clear before me, for the perfect speech Reveal'd it, a life's work was in that word,

Thy destiny surpassing strange, Thy star ascending in the house

supreme, of

With light and glory through the

Upon my Lives in

brain that mystic word impress'd

my

sense of mission and divine

Election, but the awful sound

is lost,

flesh-confined intelligence no

The Can form Express

Of

it

it,

to itself, nor

more

human speech

nor this element too gross

earthly air to that most subtle sound

Give It

life,

infinite.

life in its

vibrations.

passes through

my

Bui in dreams

being

like

a flash

.

!

VISIONS.

66

Of

vivid lightning,

Is lifted into

Thy

and

my

dreams

soul in

Star-Land, where

I

see

vacant throne await thee on that height

Remote and unimagined Of earth to ^ther

thine,

pure

gift

!

Like the hand of God

About the man

The And

A

it

leads in spite of

sense of mission circles drives

me

all

self,

my

life.

onward to achieve for thee.

herald of the stern, primeval, strong

Star-King,

I

gather for thy crowning day

All gentle souls together, all pure souls,

The

To

silent

spaces round thy lonely throne

people with intelligence and love.

Behold, in thought that chosen band

By

sanctity

and

.

I

.

see

sacrifice of self

Above the world exalted, vow'd to thee, Son of the Morning, Star of light and joy My spirit, borne upon the wings of dream Transcendent,

And

most vast,

in eternity's

God-haunted regions

loses life

sinks in dizzy circles,

and thought,

while thine own,

Uplifted ever with expanding powers,

There

finds

its

eyrie, there

Translucent, tranquil.

Thy I

A

its

native air.

Mount, mine eagle, mount

light supreme, thy lone, uplifted state,

see reveal'd

;

starry prince

infinity receives

—ascend, achieve, and reign

!

!

;

!

IN CIVITATE DEI

!

MAGNA.

The city is dusty, the streets are long, And the sky overhead looks dim ;

But,

ah

As

it is fill'd

!

the church with the chanted

the spirit with grace divine

a sunbeam

If

I

know

Comes Thy

'tis

fall

a smile of thine.

there a pause in the whirl around. heartstrings there

know

thy voice

is

hear

I

is

near

Gleams there a face that

I

;

upon path or wall

Sounds there a voice that I

hymn.

with the memories bright of thee

It is fill'd

As

with the thought of thee,

sweet and low,

;

is

fair to see,

Wherever thy flesh may dwell, know it is thou by the white, white brow, Thou spirit of Israfel

O,

I

moment more

shall stand in a

Where oft thy feet have trod. Which now go over the steep incline That leads Âť

As

to the

Mount

of

God

ever they press on their forward

There

A beam

falls

way

on the pilgrim's face

more bright

That shines

in

of the

wond'rous light

the Holy Place.

;

!

THE MAGUS. There dwells

in

a land that

is

distant,

There dwells by the stream and the sea, In rites thaumaturgic assistant,

Spell-weaver for thee and for me,

A

wizard, whose magpie shall dight thee

With wealth that the world cannot vaunt, With wisdom, the long-ed-for, to light thee, High purpose, and visions that haunt.

O name me

thy dream that

Best hope

in this

is

dearest,

world or beyond,

knows the path that is nearest. To him the star-prophets respond

'Tis he

!

Where the secrets of Isis are hidden, Where Aden lies shrouded in dream^ There

rang'es uncheck'd

and unchidden,

This virginal lord of Irem.

He

stands far in front, he

Light bursts

O

see

where

The crown But, like

!

stately

is

was

his foot's print

of thy

Memnon

His charms can

Where he now

;

'Tis his smile leads thee

hope

!

.

.

.

on

—

lately

He

is

gone

invoking the morning all

favours compel.

stands a

Lead, magic of Israfel

new hope

is

dawning-

— ;

THE REAPER. In simple dreams,

Upraised

see thy shy blue eyes

I

thy sphere of earthly work,

to scan

Which spreads like fields all ripe with corn and wheat; The harvest waits, be thou the reaper there, The barns of God stand empty, fill them thou !

There

Reap

No

a sickle on thy strong- right thigh

single grain

I'the I

is

well, reap

autumn

all,

that

may

lie

rain

see the mellow

and

when

moon

without

to rot

cold. in

.

the sheaves are bound

.

The days go by

.

;

the starless south

Her magic disc increase. ... Is thy work done ? Hard hast thou toil'd, thou hast not thought of self, The priest of labour thou, by toil made priest. Thy work accomplish'd is thy sacrifice.

The wind begins about the naked fields To breathe and stir, around a thousand sheaves lo, the moon hath set It laps and lingers

—

I

A faint uncertain light about the Spreads slowly

out,

east

on thy pale face

it

falls.

And on thy prostrate form shines keen and The well-used sickle, at thy side it lies, And thy right arm about the latest sheaf ;

I'the night

has

Thy

Now, the morning breaks.

stiffen'd.

They bear the harvest The grain is reckon'd, spirit voice

in

;

the barns are closed.

there

is

none

repeats the festal

In the endless harvest

blue.

home

!

left

hymn

out

;

!

THE ASCENT OF

ISRAFEL.

I.

The Soul of Israfel There

is

aspires

towards the Perfect Life.

no need for haste

we

;

have,

my soul,

The whole day through to roam in e'en should night In fields surprise us, when the clouds clear off ;

A thousand stars will shine And

to light

though 'twere long to wait

till

our path thou dost

rise,

Thou bright March moon, what thoughts would haunt the night.

With stars above us, in the searching wind. Thy ghostly light invoking We have paused !

Where The

O

youth,

oft in

old, the deathless, in the

We dream'd and roved It is

mine

still,

That youth

Unheard

My

is

.

.

!

It

youth of

flesh.

has not long gone by.

hours of strength like this

in

mine

;

but

what

of then,

now what sacred aims

lights,

what impulse lead

nature forth as thou art led this day.

To gaze The

.

pre-existent soul,

abroad, thou royal Israfel

earth

is

round thee, and the gleaming sea

Spreads far before, as Its silver

surface

;

light

and bright as youth

on the beach

it

lies

THE

A.SCENT OF ISRAFEL.

71

Like a child breathing on the breast asleep.

There

is

no

limit to the g-olden

hopes

Which light, like lamps, the future's flowery paths, The earth and ocean call, their wealth they spread, There

is

no path too long, no goal too

far,

No height beyond thee thou art strong for And all in turn renouncest— land and sea. ;

all.

Youth's kingship, youth's inheritance therein

And

towards the

perfect, pure,

immortal

;

life

Directest only thy desiring eyes.

The Angels help thee, on thy breast One fragrant lily of supernal bloom.

May Be

they bind

thy bright soul be throned o'er space and time,

thine the Secret

quam pulchra

Name,

the

Morning Star

est casta generatio

cum

!

claritate.

II.

The Soul

of Israfel achieves the Conquest of the FLEiH.

Like Michael soaring from celestial strife. When Satan smote was plunged in Hades' gulf. O'er ruined natures and aionian death,

Himself a ruin and

in death, to reign,

(O mournful Morning Star still rings thy cry !) surging mist and cloud I saw thee rise, through Thy strong right arm put forth, thy shapely head With. striving face upturn'd and streaming hair, All light

itself,

into the light

ascend

!

;

THE ASCENT OF

72

Thy gleaming

ISRAFEL.

breasts appear, thy starry limbs

The rainbow splendour

of unspotted

Invests thee now, the bitter strife

is

;

mind

done.

Like Ahriman, at length the flesh subdued Sinks trembling down, the while, like Ormuz, thou

Dost pause triumphant, sphered

Descend

in

in

strength and peace.

majesty and might sublime

From Heaven's arcane

the bright Archangels

About thy waist they clasp the burning Of mystic Hermes, sire of Magian lore.

Dilexisti justitiam et odisti iniquitatem, propterea

Deus, Deus iuus, oho

down

belt

unxit

te

latiticB.

III.

The Soul

of Israfel obtains intellectual Illumination.

And now

the

A starry

lustre, all

lily

With searching Thine eyes

on thy breast assumes thy waist

is

ring'd

flame, about thy heart

uplifted

it

glows

meet the noon-day sun,

Thou dost not flinch, the belt has strengthen'd Through all thy frame creative force infusing. Thine earnest lips the light of mind invoke, The secret Light which sees and searches all.

O

!

thee,

bird of knowledge, on the wings of thought

Through starry space and time uncheck'd thou speedest And,

lo,

when

next mine eyes are fix'd on thee.

Thou art erect, with modest eyelids dropp'd, With even pulse, with cool, collected mien !

I

;

;

THE ASCENT OF

ISRAFEL.

73

Thy hands are clasp'd, thou dost not move nor The night descends, and in the furthest east The early moon "begins her horn to fill," But

all

the space about thy form

Who

Peopled with eyes.

Who The The Is

sets the

I

sets the

Pentagram, the Star

light thereof about thy face

—the third

speak

see

Star of God, of

brow

Star of God, on thy white

pour'd in streams

;

Mind,

to shine ?

and head

celestial choir.

The Principalities endow thee thus. They lift the veil which hides the Land of Soul, Whose lustrous vistas daze thy splendid eyes !

Specie tua et pulchritudine' tua, intende, prospere procede, et

regna

I

IV.

The Soul I

of Israfel receives the Spiritual Illumination.

see this eve o'er these familiar fields

The sky grow I

blue, thy transient opal shines

see thine amethyst and opal deep.

Thou sky

of God,

and

all

thy west aflame

1

Ensanguined clouds across that gleaming vault Sail in the

wind of evening

Above me now ye But one

With

for ever

fade,

Ye

will pale,

splendours bright.

by achievement high

youth, with beauty shines

His pinions pluming Assist

O

!

still

him earth and

!

Remark him now

for starry flight

sea, cold, crystal air,

—

!

74

THE ASCENT

'

Breathe

softly

winds about him

To mark his path He seeks the awful ;

The

soul's

Where

OF" ISRAFEL.

Is

altitudes of life,

grace of vision and revealment

W here

join

our eagle flown

love could shield him,

to

guard

we have

answer, earth and sea

his path,

loved him well

Your

!

?

brightest child

absent long, where hath our eagle flown

He

none

he seeks the sphere of Soul,

With is Our earnest prayers went up

Make

is

Parnassus on the timeless plane,

Deity.

If

There

!

?

.

.

.

stands once more in simple white array'd,

His mouth

is

firm, his

mien

is

calm and high.

The fourth celestial choir is round him now, The powers Transcendent on his head they Of mystic Roses twined, a garland bright. Because that most pure spirit of its own ;

Free

will the generations of the

place.

mind

Pre-sanctified, divinest, to the gross

And

failing generations of the flesh

Preferr'd

—for ever be the world enrich'd,

O virgin mind, Elegit

eum Deus

with thine unfailing

et prcB elegit

fruit

eum, in tabernaculo suo habitore eum.

fecit

V.

The soul of Israfel

When Thy

receives the seal of the eternal priesthood.

from thy solitude of

silent thought.

long probation, to the world once more

!;

THE ASCENT OF Thou

What

—

ISRA.FEL.

shalt return, thy nature's depths

Inform'd with Mission,

!

75

and heights

adjure thee, say

I

logos set within thy sinless mouth

men with love divine ? The heart is cold to-day, the heart is faint Though Reason reigns indeed in regal state, The senses only round her throne of light Are set to serve. The Soul in vain invoked Shall fire the hearts of

No If

voice sends

down from her supernal

up the path precipitous and hard

Which

leads thereto, a voice should cry

Love descend

!

" a broken

heights.

—"Descend

!

murmur comes.

Confused by echo and the distance vast, " Ascend " it breathes. Thy heart and soul are join'd, !

Thy

reason ever on thy soul's far heights

In truth

and

By

and grace

faith

What 1

and there

light abides, ;

to thee the soul

wilt thou bring to

see the cold

is

served

responds

man, what word divine

and shrouded sun descend,

But on the wide horizon of the age

The

thy rising star

first faint lustre of

Begins to kindle

;

it is

mark'd by few,

Yet brighten, brighten,

Lead on the light Be that the logos

To

fire

star,

with lustre soft

of mind, the soul reveal'd in

the hearts of

thy virgin mouth

men

with love divine

?

!

THE ASCENT OF

76

ISRAFEL.

The strife is done, achieved the end sublime Thou hast, triumphant by the strength of will, Thine own creation compass'd. There is none To teach thee now it is the voice of God !

;

Instructeth thee, the light of Christ illumes,

And

thou dost issue from thy house of thought

A priest for ever The

on thy soul there shines

;

mystic chrism, and a golden cross

Beneath the

lily

on thy breast unstain'd

The Virtues bind they give thee Aaron's rod. The reed which John received, to mete therewith The breadth and height, with all that dwell therein, ;

Of

the universal Temple.

O gentle spirit,

Shrink not thou,

with a bounteous hand

Let now thy wand describe round Its

No

magic life

circle,

be there none

rejected as unclean

When God

and

all

the earth

left out.

lost

through thee shall make

those walls

complete Scce sacerdos magnus qui in diebus suis placuit Deo. jurejurando fecit ilium Dominus

crescere in

Ideo

plehem suam.

VI.

The soul

of Israfel devotes itself to the cause of humanity, and offers the priestly sacrifice, his proper self.

God knows, my saint, I might have held with The human intercourse of friend arid friend ;

thee

;

THE ASCENT OF

clasp'd

;

ISRAFEL.

Speech mig-ht have pass'd between

Have

;

us,

77

pur two hands

we might have met and walk'd together

;

(The moon has

above the eastern

risen

hills

Behind a small farm-villag^e and humble church) I

mig'ht

The

have done

for thee in health

kindly services which brighten

(Seas

The

roll their tides

between us

and sickness

life.

? Are thine eyes and mine Does thy heart swell like mine ?

His broaden'd waters

Both

thereon

fix'd

Soars

all

?

thy nature upward, gazing there,

The

privileges high

Pure

soul, bright soul ?)

And

precious of such gracious intercourse,

When With Its

I

recall

them now, would search

pain intense, did not

strength abundant

No

—

of

The pure vocation (by To brighten life about Might

in

my

heart

one thought vouchsafe

my own

outward force compelling,

Thy

watch

dost thou

;

bright queen rising where old Tagus pours

I

free will.

renounced

unselfish love

thee), that

my

soul

the mirror of the mind preserve

sacred semblance free from slightest stain

Till, like

a

spirit

from the

In light ascending,

And draws me

My human

lo,

on for

sea's

white spume

Symbol rose Thou hast ever thy

!

lost

service, mystic flower of faith,

Mild saint of Christus, but that potent sign My spells evoked pours down its light on thee It is

no dream,

it

draws thy human

self,

—

;

THE ASCENT OF

78

It

;

ISRAFEL.

takes thee starward, thou art daily raised,

Till, like

the cold and shifting sea, far

Thine eyes behold the mortal

of

life

down

man,

A restless waste below thee toss perturb'd

.

.

.

The burning seraphs on their thrones abide

My

dreams, ambitious of their place supreme.

Depict for thee co-equal state and reign

(Grow, potent

Thy

star, the

end achieve

in

lambent flame,

Set high for ever before the Veil of

So hast thou now come

Thou hast

!)

see thy vestal lamp.

I

manifest

spirit

grow,

spell,

Lo, on that height

!

forth

;

God

!

white array'd

in

return'd, thy flesh with

grace suffused,

Thy hands uplifted thou art priest and king, From thine anointed fingers pour in streams The healing aura. Thou art nobler now, Thy human nature holds at length itself ;

In

full

possession

Holds too the

;

and the mind

flesh in

A

thy soul well-poised

— are ruled and

mystic ternary

The

dost thou seek

led.

amongst thy weaker kind

priestly sacrifice of thine

For man

day

a complete control

And mind and body by

What

this

to offer in the

name

own

?

self

of God,

Thine earnest heart, thine ample brain inform'd.

Thy

perfect

All, all

body and the strength

devoted

now

to

thereof,

man's great cause.

THE ASCENT OF

ISRAFEL.

79

From your sixth heaven The cause of God Ye Dominations, to the chosen priest The mystic Blossom of the Almond bear, The signum pads. Bear it, priest of God

descend,

!

!

It

blooms for ever,

And he Sacerdos

et

in

thy hand

it

blooms,

that holds, like Enoch, walks with God. pontifex

virtutum opifex, pastor bone in populo,

et

ora pro nobis

Deum !

VII.

Israfel cures the diseases of the physical LIFE OF MAN WITH THE BrEAD OF LiFE, WHICH IS THE

The soul of

Universal Medicine. I see,

There There It

my

God, thy scarlet sun descend

is

no shadow on

is

no mist about

gives no rays,

it

There

it is

;

vast,

sinks in silence slowly

Behold the burning is

it

!

blazing^ orb.

its

circle

broken now

.

.

!

no wind on land, no wave at sea

Behind the meadow with the

.

!

;

mill beside

The The day-god's head devolves High in' the lavender and opal sky. !

lark's last song,

To grey refined, in the summer silence rings, And night is held thereby with folded wings Send up, sweet mother I'the West she waits. Thy gifted messenger, defer it still ;

1

Ascend, thou voice, ring on, thy parent doth

The

aspiration of her evening fragrance

Earth,

——

THE ASCENT OF

80

After thy

flight direct

And

I

!

ISRAFEL.

too, stand,

I,

stand a humble image-haunted man,

I

Who

thy melody and madness loses

in

The dreamy

ripples of the dim, faint sea,

Who

loses earth

And,

like

a fragrance from the earth exhaled,

In aspiration

Where I set

and sea, whose soul ascends,

and

in

ecstacy

thy wings beat the

air,

wild bird,

dies

it

mine eyes on yonder sunset-clouds, all my thoughts I set this eve on thee

And Thy tale creating. (Shrill, thou lark, on high !) The pure, the gentle, generous youth goes forth. Awhile s lost among the crowds of men. i

.

What light breaks now ?

Nay, ask what earnest man In whose eyes shine the

.

.

What angels dwell with men ? of

liglit

mien

erect.

of other worlds,

Sets with no flourish of pretentious words

His broad and nervous hands on

And And

weakness, anguish, death leave their victims free

men

itself

depart

Who

?

diseased,

now

reveals

The perfect Rule of Life, that bread divine, Whereby the body of the man is made

A

temple healthy, consecrated, sound.

Meet

for the

House

of

God?

Thou, youth develop'd into

Is

man

it

thou, child

of strength

into God for men ? The Thrones descend from their unheard-of

Thou, man expanded

heights

—

THE ASCENT OF

ISRAFEL.

!

81

To circle thee they bear the " four-square " Stone, The corner-stone, the rock which Moses smote, The Schemhamphoras, graved with secret words And Names Divine, the synthesis of God. ;

Diffusa

est

gratia in lahiis tuis, propterea henedixit

ie

Deus

in cBternum.

VIII. Israfel completes its mission on earth by curing the diseases of the spiritual life of man with wine drawn from the unfailing fountain of the ideal.

The soul of

Along the grey and saturated shore The grey sea creeps. There is no wave

With

The

gentle ripple

and with

evening tide flows

in.

in sight,

sad, faint sound

The wind from

shore

dark clouds about the west Take angry colours, and the blue looks dim

Blows cool by

When

fits

;

o'er the sea the pale blue sky peers forth.

Will not one star above the wave

this night

Look out on wave and coast ? and see the moon The moon new-born a slender line of light Shows faintly in the south 'twixt stormy clouds.

—

Because thy praise hath rung through earth and sky

Thy bard is proud, but thou thyself art calm. The earnest face, the placid smile of old, The broad and thoughtful brow. My lord, all Thou

priest

and pontifex

of years to come,

hail

;.

THE ASCENT OF

82

Thou

ISRAFEL.

bold bridg-e- builder, span the breathless height

man and

'Twixt

No

!

God, the mystic yEsir show,

longer narrow as a sword's sharp edge,

Steep

still,

but broad, that

may

all

tread thereon.

Set up the mystic Stone thou bearest

And

strike with

Aaron's rod

!

now

What

stream flows

forth ?

The Bid

fount unfailing of the

men

all

And,

lo,

Wine

of Life

:

drink thereof, both small and great

the

Descend and

Cherubim with circle thee

!

flaming-

That

fire

swords they bear

Which cleansed the prophet's lips, with life endow'd The Titan's man of clay. Thy rod take up, Light from those flaming swords, now rise and fly. The awful summits of the soul seek out, There

set that

Its light

beacon light to burn for aye

unwaning drives from human minds

The darkness mother At length thy work is

A

voice

Put

The

off

The

is

calling

of disease

and

done, thy hair

sin. is

.

.

white,

from the World Unseen

thy garments now, strong soul, bright soul

lapse

Ring

!

in

and wash

of the eternal sea

the twilight hush.

Plunge bravely

waters once above thy form

in

!

will close,

But when thy head their surface calm divides

The

light

and warmth

Will pour on thee

of the eternal

day

!

Prctiosa in conspeciu

Domini mors sancturum

ejus.

I

—

;;

THE ASCENT OF

ISRAFEL.

83

IX.

The Soul of Israfel achieves Immortality. He enters BEHIND THE VeIL, AND LEARNS THE FIRST SECRET OF ETERNITY. He bears it into a new Universe, and recommences thus the cycle of existence which

Speak

Not

boldly, poet

renewed for

Say that man has

vainly nor unpleasantly

Yes, once alone

lived

who once

of a rural road

seen through elms and oaks one English

Look

forth, the

About

And

their

ever.

—hath seen a green hedge bend

About the winding

Has

!

is

land commanding

windy nests

in circles

;

home

has seen rooks wheel.

by the symmetry of motion shame

Their own discordant voices

;

has seen once

The lovely contrast of a green oak grove With ancient, sombre, solitary iirs Has seen a white horse in a green mead g-razing, With one black foal beside with one white star head ; has subtle scent inhaled, Some evening early in the month of June, From hawthorn hedges and from clover fields

That decks

its

Just after rain ascending

;

who has

cross'd

A country stile and suddenly beheld Above the

The

Who

lifting

stretch of level pasture-land

mist leave bare the

downs beyond;

once has stood, while closed the twilight round.

Beneath the shadow

of

an old church porch.

With old tombs round him, and has heard afar

;

THE ASCENT OF

84

;

;

ISRAFEL.

The solemn washing- of the open sea, As if eternity to time had sent Some voice with tidings from the Home of Souls. Declare that man, who out of all these things Attains one only, gains a boon in

Which makes

a claim

life

on. the retentive

That whosoe'er the grace

of youth or

Dwells with pure eyes

who

A

on,

hath kiss'd once only

modest, fond, and friendly mouth

Makes

worth

life

living

while the

;

mind maid

— thereby man who

dares

Achieve some end heroic and sublime Shall

I

wear

it

as a

crown

for evermore.

ask you, stars of night, thee wind, thee sea,

Have

not gain'd a crown and end in life. was permitted for so long to gaze On one mild face and find a world within it I

Who

me

my

It

prompts

It

gave the dream whose

And though

ever in

?

brightest dreams, tale this night

the air which once

we

is

closed.

breathed together

Gives up no more, except at Fancy's

call,

The form I loved, it does not live the less. The world shall know thereof, this day perchance If not,

to-morrow

;

in

a year at most

Yet, should an age elapse, the hope deferr'd

Ensures

it

more and more.

Thy Thou

tale

is

done.

dost forsake the sinking house of flesh,

THE ASCENT OF

ISRAFEL.

85

In silence glide behind the mystic veil,

And Is

Of I

The Crown

there thy youth renew.

of Life

brought by Seraphim, themselves the crown angel-life,

it

gleams henceforth on thee.

ask no inspiration now from night,

human words

Nor

ocean's voice, to paint in

Thy

soul transfigured with immortal being.

I

see thy former nature magnified,

The strength, nobility, and grace thereof With virtue kindled from eternity, Whose primal secret revelated makes Another mission

On

in

a world unknown

which thou farest

forth,

commencing thus

The second cycle of a life renew'd By saintly missions of revealments Of God's deep

And now Be

to

born.

secrets born, for evermore.

Him Who

gives us space to

dream

praise for ever from our dreams and us

May

noble acts be food for thoughts

And The

these ascending in the scale divine

scope of action and of

Till life

Gloria

ei

life

still

in

!

nobler,

enlarge

with dream be one.

honore coronasti

eum Domin'.

PusuisH Domine

super caput ejus coronam de lapide pretioso.

;

;

EPILOGUE. I.

I

set

my Symbol

filled

with meaning;s deep

To shine before thee, in thy face, O man, To shine in beauty It is mine no more The cold invigorating sea this eve !

Breaks at

No

sea-gull

Take If

my

it,

feet, it

flies,

O man

!

;

bounds the scene before

no bark

is

sailing there.

beside the main

something prompted once of

I

stand

selfish

mood

To hold it mine alone, the open sea, The strong, free, generous sea, hath broken Its

stormy music surging

in

me

my

that

soul

Hath broken self, as rocks that gird the beach Are strewn in tempest with titanic waves There is no creature nigh me I, indeed. !

.

.

.

;

Have seen this day from o'er the shifting waste Some wearied swallows pass, some stately ships Above the magic circle rise and then Sink down once more. But now the lilac sky. The grey, grand sea, whose white and crumbling Take phantom lights from sunset, form alone

The empire

of the eyes,

As here

this eve,

crests

—

!

EPILOGUE. So

my

in

Wide

mind

stand with mighty thoughts

I

as the world before

(This night the

may upon

Begins to blow,

its

The

My

lark's last

soul

Hear me, world

the hawthorn bush

song rings

in the violet air.)

has shaped from dreams a Symbol bright,

But from the

To which

lofty

with the light thereof

eminence

the former prompted thought at

my

sunk down.

soul

I

rise

stronger wings supported, (God

But of

my

Can man Shall

;

of life first,

raised thereto, as drops the lark from heaven,

So has

On

me

graceful sprays unfold,

Has draped one being

Then

87

it

again

make

strong

dream-born emblem nevermore or angel count

remain a

me worthy now.

fair but

faded rose

Betwixt thy secret leaves, close-written book

Of memory ?

count

I

To set my Symbol in To shine in beauty I make my lapse and i

Like

this green,

it

wiser far

thy face, I

fair

renounce

loss

it

world. wholly,

a gain for thee

winding lane, the end thereof

Can none behold. Accept it, gentle world, Be worthy thou, fulfil what wants in me So as the moon new-born this month of May Doth wax each night, this star of thine and mine !

Will amplify

That

in far

in

meaning; should

years

its

lustrous

it

prove

beam matured

Shall shine on thee, the daylight of the mind.

!)

!

EPILOGUE.

88

Remember him who

On

flaming torch

set that

his soul's heights to burn, but fell therefrom,

And greaten, greaten, more Peace fill thy And be thou pure for me, for me be strong,

heart,

!

My falls retrieve, while With none

My

part to act, the

If I

should set

Thou

And If

I

go

Crown

of Life to find.

on the brows

it

too wilt reign beneath

so farewell.

—O,

from the apex

Believe the

news

My

my

friends,

faring forth,

on a bolder quest.

to follow,

all

love,

thou in him.

things great be Thine

of the soul I

I

it,

I

send of realms unknown

lovers,

judge

!

cry, ;

me worthy you,

And seek in Avalon the Rose thereof, Which blooms conceal'd, and think me worthy

that

II.

If

one that loved thee once renounce thee now.

Thou Saint and Seraph, do I love thee less ? Fair moon that soar'd above the heaven of youth. Betwixt dark clouds of passion and pride look'd forth,

And

all

clouds faded round thee, all fires died.

But thy pure flame, thy torch of shining light Increased for ever as the

moon

My soul hath lapsed In night

By

I

dwelt,

till

!

I

in air

!

bade thy beam withdraw

strove the

god

within.

stronger spells than even thou can'st

weave

I

;

!

—

EPILOGUE.

The

89

Abide with me,

Invoking help once more.

New

!

strength divine, and Thou, the Source thereof,

Word

awful

forgive

My

!

heart

In worship towards Thee, until death

is

set

'tis

set

Because Thy hand hath spared, which might have smote

Ah, I

me

raise

rather, unto

ask not wealth,

The

Light

I

seek.

I

ask not I

And there is To stay me now.

Thee lead on

Fame

in life

stand with staff

in

!

;

hand,

nothing on the earth or sea

How

Thou

thy white waves

lurest,

roll in

ocean grey,

Dim, clouded sky,

!

Break over me, eternal blue come forth Dame Nature calls and ballad voice of Spring Sweet mistress, mother of the life of man. !

And

Behold

The The Its

who

gentle maid I

come

dost the world renew,

A hundred

!

stars unveil,

clouds have vanish'd, the supernal vault,

glass of vision

and

of ecstasy,

concave surface spreads.

Doth

like

a

off,

therein

from a crystal pure

spirit

In light pass

The moon

and here

like angels'

wings,

The winds of night among the ancient trees. Thy trees, O God— pass in a storm of sound

!

Behold, as brilliant as that Queen of Night

Departing now,

I

mark two moons

Distinct henceforth, to light the It is

the double

moon

of Israfel

ascend.

heaven

of life-

EPILOGUE.

90

the

It is

Emblem from

Which prompted I

the

human

soul

Bright they shine

that divided.

I

see the individual light of each

Eclipse their mingled

The emblem grows The hearts of men, It is

Its

it

its

qualities

;

I

see them

it

compels

lights the

the spirit of the age

In all

An

beam

for ever,

age

grow

come,

to

new-born

and strength resumed,

awful pantacle

!

Thy

graces shine for ever.

face shines too,

Thou

art pale,

And pure, and saintly, of demeanour high, And on that bright baptismal robe of thine There

is

no spot

— the maid of Christus thou,

A silent spirit in the haunted halls Of Avalon.

And

so the tale

is

done,

The strange, divine romance is ended now, Though in the heart its music rings alway The strength of mind upon thy beauty wrought. In brooding dream, the sacred work of light. The magnum opus, in the sage's gold !

Resulting

From That

;

it

has brought thy Symbol forth

out the mystic crucible of thought, brilliant vision

with a mien like thee

Which is not thou. The heart confused them The brain divided next, and now they shine With individual lustre. Yea, 'tis done !

long,

;

91

EPILOGUE. Now,

And

I

go

forth to find the

Truth

of

God,

with thy Symbol high this star renew Be all the merit of the world's new birth By free gift thine —thy Crown of Life and Light And thus the sign which out of thee came forth, O virgin-prince, shall merge once more in thee ;

!

MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.

—

!

THE Thou

SOUL'S WINDOWS. spiritual light

Which,

human eyes

In

Fair

like the stars at night,

dost burn

light,

and burn alway

bright light.

By whose translucent, emblematic ray The solemn mystery of soul in sight shown in earthly day Most beautiful, all hail Is

The Of holy

vesture

life,

of

life

and the

—

veil

intense, immortal,

Light hiding Light Divine, grace hiding Grace, Veil of the Secret Shrine, the Holy Place Hail, Veil of

Isis, hail

—

the Temple's starry portal

1

The morning darkness whitens. The mist of twilight lightens, All the low sky brightens

When

;

the great day-star soars upward,

O

the blaze

the gold

On

the streams and rolling seas

And, how

On

fairer far than these

the gentle eyes, the

!

!

human eyes whose

lids

unfold

!

and

—

;

!

THE SOUL'S WINDOWS.

96

Dark eyes and

How How the

bright eyes passing all the day.

how their lightnings play bright thoughts make them sparkle, how the deep thoughts make them burn.

How

they shine round us,

makes the fond eyes

the love, the love within them,

yearn

O

!

!

mystery of shining eyes, each one a world around me.

When

e'er our casual glances meet,

found

The

know

the Soul hath

me

Soul herself

Mind unto mind

I

is

shining forth, the spirit speaketh there,

gives answer

and the Inmost Shrine is bare.

lo, the eyes round all the face a burning nimbus make The body from the light within doth grace and lustre take; The spirit strips its vestures off, it lifts the fleshly veil, And in the Secret Shrine, the Holy Place, Immortal Truth of Love, we see thy face The presence which informs, the god within, we hail

For,

!

FROM LANE TO Whene'er

I

pause

in

COAST.

verdant summer lane,

Perchance, as now, at evening, nothing more I

ask or seek.

I

see the pale blue sky

dreamy melody of larks, transfigured in the waning light

Suffused with

And

all

Far winds the path before me. If an elm Above the hedge should rise, in the soft warm air Its lightest branches scarcely seem to move, And on the soothing green of either bank The sight rests thankful. There the starwort shines

The

rabbit-parsley spreads

Wild musk Its

its

graceful sprays.

so modest in the grass conceals

golden head.

When

in

some mead

I

stand

All rich with scent of clover, while a stream

Winds

by, with willows on the banks thereof.

And may-trees Amidst

its

all in

blossom, while

ancient elms

I

see

some ancient church

Facing the bright west with embattled tower

And I

red-tiled roof all glowing

lean and watch the dancing

And

hear far

off

;

o'er the

swarm

stream

of gnats,

upon the broad high-road

—

—

FROM LANE TO COAST.

98

The

beat of horses' hoofs, or sounding- horn

Before some thatch'd old-fashion'd wayside

And One

inn,

then so long- as any ]ark will sing sings all

day

— no more

But when from some

strait

ask than

I

road

—as

this.

this to night

Forth on the lonely sea with eager steps

Alone

And

I

issue,

when

feel the gentle

I

stand thereby.

winnowing

of

wings

About me

—the

When

the wide expanse of crinkled sea

all

soft south wind's dove-like

wings

Expands before me, there no sail in sight, (With faces ruddy in the light of evening Forth come the shrimpers with their shoulder'd nets

To dredge Can I

my

the shallows) then

rest contented

;

suddenly reveal'd,

see the vastness of the world

The ample

scope of

heart no more

life

For some broad sphere

;

my

and man,

nature longs

of action, speech,

and

thought.

To

seek for which the sea's voice urges forth.

;

THE

SEA-FOWL.

Across the wide and high

Vault of the evening; sky

One

sea-fowl wing-s his solitary

Seekest thou, Bird, thy

Or

What

descends and clouds burn bright ?

can compare with thee,

Thou rover So valiant-hearted

of the sea, ?

Lo, thy breast

brow the sea and

thine undaunted

Darest the dangers of

The mellow sunbeams As

air

!

shine

those white wings of thine

thou dost voyage o'er the In port for

The Thou

bare

is

the wild wind, and thou

With

On

nest,

wilt thou journey west,

Where yonder sun

To

flight,

wind and

salt

sea -foam

tide

anchor'd ships abide,

only can'st uncheck'd, untiring roam.

!

!

THE SEA-FOWL.

100

Soul-strength which will not

Though wind and storm This, this supports thee

On

!

fail,

assail,

one purpose true

energies unspent

Its

Are ever kept intent, And so thou soarest onward through

Thou

A Is

dost not pause nor

the blue.

tire,

subtle inward fire

burning

in

thy heart and in thy brain

;

While mine eyes droop and ache,

Which

My

follow in thy

wake.

thoughts pursue thee vainly o'er the main.

Now

art thou lost at length,

God

give thy pinions strength

!

Fair flight be thine, sweet rest on distant shore

Thou cam'st I know not whence. Thou hast departed hence. In

life

and time

I

may

not see thee more.

But souls which dare

like

thee

The sea winds and the sea Have depths and heights unknown to things that die; They change but still must be,

And And

being

will

be

free.

they are kindred to eternity

—

;

;

AURELIA THE SPIRITUAL CHRYSALIS. "Men and "

The worm

of ages,

As

beasts wilt thou preserve,

become

I sail'd

that

Lord."

we crush beneath our

a supreme

feet

Ps. xxxv.

may, in the course

Buddha." SpENCE Hardy's Manual

idly o'er the sea this

The land-wind

O

of Buddhism.

day

bore a butterfly far out

Above my head, its frail wings beating vainly I had borne Could my stretch'd hand have reach'd ;

it,

The It

blithesome insect gladly back to shore

pass'd,

And

blown onward,

distance.

in the sunlight lost

Like a death-trap gleam'd the sea

it, and the dancing waves drew down draw) those drooping, wearied wings. magnets (As I will not say the creature sank indeed.

Beneath

For anchor'd boats rock'd idly out at sea, "Where the poor, pitiful, bewilder'd thing Might I

rest in truth,

though not return

think the sea received

Were

it,

to shore

the light wings

bruised and buffeted and broken

God knows And sacred

I

love the

life

hold for this

He

there.

grants to me,

the meanest

life

.-

;

;

AURELIA.

102

Which

not harmful, so a

is

pang

pass'd through

My heart for this sea-drifted butterfly My soul in fancy to herself assumed

!

That feeble shape and beat in fancy there every wind dependent watch'd in fright

On

The And And

;

swirling tide beneath her, felt the salt cold sea-spray her tiny wings

Leap up

to

meet her

saw and the death therein

;

Because so foreign to a field-born

For that seem'd dreadful.

With all my spirit by And I see eastward a Of awful blackness

benumb,

those shining waves

sinking, shrinking,

life

But to-night

the wind

made

I

stand

strong,

gigantic cloud

fill

the midnight sky

The high grey sea beats sullenly, its crests Of seething foam a white, weird light give As now that sea

My The

swells,

out

on the wide beach chafing,

nature swells within me, and therein night makes light, the cold makes warmth, the noise

Of breakers surging on the sand and

stones

Makes in my soul a silence, where the voice Of inspiration speaketh clear and loud.

A

sorrow

suffer'd

is

a progress made,

Pain magnifies the nature which endures,

And

believe, beyond all pain and grief, Death greatens life. Friends, if the martyr's pangs Exalt beyond all measure and enthrone I

AURELIA.

The

stedfast spirit through

May we In

Do

some

103

tortures true,

its

not hold that hard, untimely deaths, peculiar, undetermined

way,

compensate the nature wrung thereby

Who

proves

Is scorch'd

it

error

about her

?

in

Yet who'll not leave the

Win

five

white eggs within,

forth inform'd

The

?

No new

?

sense

and splendid scene

that new, terrible,

Unfolding round her

Goes

a burning wood,

nothing from endurance

BVom

?

Does the bird whose nest

bird's soul (believe

from those singed plumes

With some new sense indelibly endow'd And greaten'd by it. The drown'd insect

it 1)

of hers

too,

Did that win nothing from the shining waste

Of waves about

it

?

It is

plain thereon

The sun-born insect faced immensity, The visage of the vast and awful truth Of solemn

life

intense this wind's light toy

Faced once and perish'd.

From

The animating principle thereof Hath now gone forth intensified, I

thank thee, Lord,

Who

life dies,

But multiplies

And

How

its

enlarged.

in the soul hast

Imperishable seeds of perfect

That no

the sea-drench'd shell

sown

life.

howe'er minute or mean, nature in the flesh

individual strength

by death renews

every crevice of the earth

is fill'd

!

AURELIA.

104

With

May

plenitude of being, which indeed strive

and

suffer but

And every germ and Of

it

grows through

point the centre

circles wid'ning to iniinity

The end

Want

of

life is,

therefore,

all,

is

!

still

more

life,

widens, loss increases, torture crowns,

Grief strengthens, renovating death reclaims..

Face death then calmly, be

Look onward, upward, both

Aye even

it

thine or mine.

for beast

this sea-drifted butterfly

and man.

;

TO ONE I

saw thee

When And One

all

serving-

AVALON.

IN

on a winter morn,

within the church

in the

pauses of the

voice divine o'er

all

was dark and dim,

priest's

deep chant

the choir behind

Rang out like Michael's voice. And when the mist began to lift without And all the windows whiten'd, thy pure face, Thy saintly face, through clouds of incense shone, And as that voice rose o'er the rest supreme, And hush'd the hearers' hearts, till no foot moved, Nor bead was told, nor leaf of missal turn'd, So shone thy virgin beauty there supreme. One form divine o'er all adoring there Erect as Michael stood .... Then dream'd I thus.

The Plague had Its

And

all

stricken in the stifling

thousands down

day long the Burn'd

There was no wind

The

town

;

sun, with blazing eye, in the

in

brazen sky

any lane or

fervid heat

street.

—

;;

—

;

TO ONE IN AVALON.

106

Of flints and flagstones scorch'd the passer's And in the daytime pallid, in the night Baleful

The ghastly comet At length

Was

it

sank

and bright,

circled in the height.

the spell which held the breeze

;

broken then

a shiver through the trees

;

As though a dreamer pass'd

The

feet

;

storm's wild spirit o'er the panting town

Through welcome clouds, long pray'd for, now And,

in

The

and danced on high

steel-blue lightning through the

Through

And

down

sultry rain fell fast

In vivid flashes leap'd

The

look'd

the pauses of the rising blast,

all

the

week the

then the vapours

broken

and tempest

rain

sky.

reign'd,

lifting left unstain'd

Heaven's shining height

The cold, clear air restored by slow degrees Man's vanish'd vigour, and the dread disease Ceased

And

I

in

a single night

went forth one morning

Through cleansed and shining

A bracing wind was

in the sun,

streets

The Plague was

My The

steps

were

again went forth,

blowing from the North, done.

turn'd to seek the

scatter'd worshippers, in

House

of

Prayer,

twos and threes

Assembled there,

;

;

;

;

TO ONE IN AVALON. Thank'd God But

for

life, still

lOT

trembling- on their knees

in the chancel, serving-, there -wast thou,

With the same light upon thy pale, broad brow, The same calm face, the same collected mien, All in thy white array'd

;

There was no trouble in thy face, thine eyes, Still on thy book directed, neither turn'd To left nor right there was no motion seen ;

In thy mild lips— the soul adoring pray'd

Alone

Of

thee

in

;

thee no fever burn'd

in

fear or grief.

.

.

The

.

stricken victim's cries.

The sudden illness in the open road, The dreadful silence where the pest abode. The desolation and the reign of death, Pass'd like a horror of the night alone Before thy modest mien reserved and stately

The

incense rose, no

more

the Plague's foul breath,

Mass-Bell sweetly ringing,

I

heard the

I

heard the Credo that the choir was

silver

No more No more

the voice of

singing.

the death-bell's tone.

mourning heard so

And for the spotted, drawn, and fever'd The shrunken body as an infant's weak, Erect

A

I

youth

saw thee in

in

lately

cheek.

thy wonted place,

vigour and a maid

in grace,

With smooth and

shining face.

With auburn hair, with visage smooth and fair, And faintly bloom'd the Rose of Beauty there.

;

;

TO ONE IN AVALON.

108

My soul I

;

say

was kindled

my

in this

breast of mine,

soul rose at the sight of thee

Inform'd with

And spoke

in secret thus

:

fire divine.

—The pure of heart.

Alike in deed unstain'd, Insure their nature's immortality

Because thy

spirit is so

Thou

!

pure and high

didst not

change nor die

Because thy body from the world apart Is set for

And

Thy And

in

thy veins dost keep the pulses cool.

Beneath thy f

The

thou dost daily school

youthful nature's impulses.

Thou Of

sacred services,

hast true

feet the passion

3ver pass,

and thou

say thou

And

life

I

and the

flush

art poised o'er

livest in

soul's

high

all,

call

thy peace unceasing,

is

pure

know is wedded to Eternity know such spirits through the

like

1

thee

starry spaces

Subsist for ever with increasing graces

O

I

expanding makes that peace increasing

Immortal Nature, what

I

attain'd

tumult spared, the battle and the crush.

Art free to follow on the I

life

!

ever thus do thou reserved apart

Thy chaste thoughts cherish in thine inmost heart, May they, though stain'd, who love to see thee pure

TO ONE IN AVALON. For that be pardon'd and

May he

109

in that endure,

that sought betimes the

House

of

Prayer

And found thee serving when the Plague was Thy gentle picture ever keep within To save his spirit from the Plague of Sin !

there,

—

THE HIGHER

Where

would'st thou seek

That

life

it

?

In

LIFE.

what spheres

afar,

unlike to thine ?

Say, hast thou dream'd of some more perfect star. Bright, beautiful, divine,

Some

star wherein thy soul shall find

Those hopes

so proud

and high.

Whose blooms unfolding in thy youthful mind By some sad chance did early fade and die ? If

such thy thought,

Some That end

God grant thy

painful path

whereby

that end to reach

of act, of aspiration vast,

And

strength

and scope

But, ah, too oft thine earthly

To some And

soul at last

dreams

for each. incline

luxurious state of idle ease.

things of sense debasing things divine,

Thou dreamest dimly

of enchanted seas,

Of amaranthine bowers.

Of

pleasant sunlight and of shady trees,

And

soft

repose on flowers

!

THE HIGHER Thou

thinkest at the best

Are labour

LIFE.

—My years all in

of toil

vain,

Since tempests rend and

Or on a barren in that

Crude

fruits

And

will

;

land invisible, unknown, transplanted

may

to

prime have grown,

All blighted flowers

Rest

spoil,

soil

Rotteth mine early grain

But

Ill

have blown

;

be mine, more craved as years increase

that best boon, long sought, eternal Peace

!

Ah, we must seek some loftier goal to gain. must not shrink from pain.

We

Nor

Who

cry for peace and rest.

would that higher

The

To

all true

A Which

beautiful, the blest

Voice of Majesty, a

I

Word

of Splendour,

bids us rise, forsake our former

doth not

tell

all

way,

ourselves surrender.

us in the eternal years

The

place to us assign' d.

Nor whisper — "God

To calm It

attain,

seekers comes a voice to-day,

And It

life

will

wipe away thy tears

the anxious mind

holds not out the hope of bliss to

;

com e,

Throne, crown, or starry home.

Nor blessing- on our deed, Nor help in sorest need,

" !

,

;

!

THE HIGHER

112

Man's

soul alone supports

him

LIFE.

such service high.

in

It

shows the Perfect Way,

It

shows the path to-day,

The path from

:

night, the path to light.

Sole refuge in the Soul's distress

From

vanity and

littleness.

It shows the method of the

The It is

life

divine,

unlike to ours.

the Spirit of that steep incline

Which But

life

leads the hero not to languid bowers,

where he renews

to the source of strength

his

powers.

The The

soul

The

tired alike of loss

is

sense

is

and gain.

deaden'd to delight and pain

heart alone

What

can

Thou mystic Voice,

aches with dull desire

still

new

life

inspire ?

ring out through earth

and

sky.

Proclaim the holy end

Bid

man to self by self-devotion And so to life ascend.

—" O

Cry out Strong

human

And The

spirit of

soul, for

die.

a lineage high.

man

thy

life

so achieve Eternity

expend, "

I

stars in silence shed their tranquil light.

While slowly seaward

sinks the

And dream-like

moon from

creeping nigher

sight.

!

THE HIGHER On

LIFE,

113

watchful eyes long gazing far away,

The

rising

day

(The dawn symbolic, the Breaks

in

bright, the perfect day)

the east a tide of scarlet

fire

(A cleansing, sacred, vivifying flame

To purge the world from shame, The world's desire) In silence sweeping o'er the shores of night.

And,

lo,

the soul from out the

life

of sense

Ascends with starry head

To

self

indeed the soul

Yet

thrills

is

with

life

climbs the rocky

It

breathes the mountain

More Till

feels,

it

more

stair, air.

brightens grows, loves,

more knows,

with gigantic powers

Humanity

The

intense.

It

Ascending brightens, as

!

dead

for

—

thee—

perfect spirit like a titan towers

King

The The

of the earth

!

vision fades, the light recedes,

mystic voice remains and pleads In every

Let

and sea

it

human

breast

be heard, the heart Is

not

its

is stirr'd.

teaching best

?

——

THE HIGHER

114

It tells

To Not

US on this earthly sphere

for ourselves,

And all

LIFE.

labour hard, to labour here

O

friends,

But because tears

And

;

faith

bids us go.

it

fall fast.

and hope have

around our path

pass'd,

man wastes in want and woe

!

And

since beyond must be Realms which no eye can see, There may we find the soul Free from all flesh control,

Free from the bonds

of flesh,

Free

!

to

begin afresh

Use cannot

blind

it

then

No, nor the words of

men

But some large sphere of action, not of

rest.

Will bring new aims and higher.

Thoughts that

While

in

will

a nobler mission

still

aspire,

will the nobler

man

be

blest.

THE END.

Burt & Sons,

Printers, 58, Porchester

Road, Bayswater, London, W.

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