Or thronging all one porch of Paradise

A group of Houris bow'd to see
The dying Islamite, with hands and eyes

That said, We wait for thee.

Or mythic Uther's deeply-wounded son

In some fair space of sloping greens Lay, dozing in the vale of Avalon,

Ana watch'd by weeping queens.

Or hollowing one hand against his ear,

To list a foot-fall, ere he saw The wood-nymph, stay'd the Ausonian king to hear

Of wisdom and of law.

Or over hills with peaky tops engraiļd,

And many a tract of palm and rice, The throne of Indian Cama slowly sail'd

A summer fann'd with spice.

Or sweet Europa's mantle blue unclasp d,

From off her shoulder backward borne : From one hand droop'd a crocus : one hand grasp'd

The mild bull's golden horn.

Or else flushed Ganymede, his rosy thigh

Half-buried in the Eagle's down, Sole as a flying star shot thro' the sky

Above the pillar'd town.

Nor these alone : but every legend fair

Which the supreme Caucasian mind Carved out of Nature for itself, was there,

Not less than life, design'd.

Then in the towers I placed great bells that swung:

Mov'd of themselves, with silver sound ; And with choice paintings of wise men I hung

The royal dais round.

For there was Milton like a seraph strong,

Beside him Shakespeare bland and mild ; And there the world-worn Dante grasp'd his song,

And somewhat grimly smiled.

And there the Ionian father of the rest ;

A million wrinkles carved his skin ;
A hundred winters snow'd upon his breast,

From cheek and throat and chin.

Above, the fair hall-ceiling stately-set

Many an arch high up did lift,
And angels rising and descending met

With interchange of gift.

Below was all mosaic choicely plann'd

With cycles of the human tale
Of this wide world, the times of every land

So wrought, they will not fail.

The people here, a beast of burden slow,

Toil'd onward, prick'd with goads and stings ; Here play'd, a tiger, rolling to and fro

The heads and crowns of kings;

Here rose, an athlete, strong to break or bind

All force in bonds that might endure, And here once more like some sick man declined,

And trusted any cure.

But over these she trod : and those great bells

Began to chime. She took her throne : She sat betwixt the shining Oriels,

To sing her songs alone.

And thro’ the topmost Oriels' coloured flame

Two godlike faces gazed below; Plato the wise, and large-brow'd Verulam, Saron

The first of those who know.

omlied

And all those names, that in their motion were

Full-welling fountain-heads of change, Betwixt the slender shafts were blazon'd fair

In diverse raiment strange :

Thro' which the lights, rose, amber, emerald, blue,

Flush'd in her temples and her eyes,
And from her lips, as morn from Memnon, drew

Rivers of melodies.

No nightingale delighteth to prolong

Her low preamble all alone,
More than my soul to hear her echo'd song

Throb thro' the ribbed stone;

Singing and murmuring in her feastful mirth,

Joying to feel herself alive, | Lord over Nature, Lord of the visible earth,

Lord of the senses five;

Communing with herself: “All these are mine,

And let the world have peace or wars, *Tis one to me.” She-when young night divine

Crown'd dying day with stars,

Making sweet close of his delicious toils—

Lit light in wreaths and anadems, And pure quintessences of precious oils

In hollow'd moons of gems,

To mimic heaven ; and clapt her hands and cried,

“I marvel if my still delight In this great house so royal-rich, and wide,

Be flatter'd to the height.

“O all things fair to sate my various eyes !

O shapes and hues that please me well ! silent faces of the Great and Wise,

My Gods, with whom I dwell!

“O God-like isolation which art mine,

I can but count thee perfect gain, What time I watch the darkening droves of swine

That range on yonder plain.

“In filthy sloughs they roll a prurient skin,

They graze and wallow, breed and sleep; And oft some brainless devil enters in,

And drives them to the deep.”

Then of the moral instinct would she prate

And of the rising from the dead,
As hers by right of full-accomplish'd Fate ;

And at the last she said :

“ I take possession of man's mind and deed.

I care not what the sects may brawl. I sit as God holding no form of creed,

But contemplating all.”