But diverse. Could we make her as the man, Sweet Love were slain; his dearest bond is this, Not like to like, but like in difference. Yet in the long years liker must they grow; He gain in sweetness and in moral height, Nor lose the childlike in the larger mind; Like perfect music unto noble words; And so these twain, upon the skirts of Time, Distinct in individualities, But like each other even as those who love. Then comes the statelier Eden back to men; Then reign the world's great bridals, chaste and calm; Then springs the crowning race of human-kind. May these things be!' They will not.' Sighing she spoke: 'I fear 'Dear, but let us type them now In our own lives, and this proud watchword rest Of equal; seeing either sex alone Is half itself, and in true marriage lies Nor equal, nor unequal. Each fulfils Defect in each, and always thought in thought, Purpose in purpose, will in will, they grow, The two-cell'd heart beating, with one full stroke, Life.' And again sighing she spoke: A dream That once was mine! what woman taught you this?' 'Alone,' I said, from earlier than I know, Immersed in rich foreshadowings of the world, I loved the woman. He, that doth not, lives A drowning life, besotted in sweet self, Or pines in sad experience worse than death, Or keeps his wing'd affections clipt with crime. Yet was there one thro' whom I loved her, one Not learned, save in gracious household ways, Not perfect, nay, but full of tender wants, No angel, but a dearer being, all dipt In angel instincts, breathing Paradise, Interpreter between the gods and men, Who look'd all native to her place, and yet On tiptoe seem'd to touch upon a sphere Too gross to tread, and all male minds perforce Sway'd to her from their orbits as they moved, And girdled her with music. Happy he With such a mother! faith in womankind Beats with his blood, and trust in all things high Comes easy to him, and tho' he trip and fall He shall not blind his soul with clay.' 'But I,' Said Ida, tremulously, so all unlike— It seems you love to cheat yourself with words; Of your strange doubts; they well might be; I seem A mockery to my own self. Never, Prince! You cannot love me.' Nay, but thee,' I said, From yearlong poring on thy pictured eyes, Ere seen I loved, and loved thee seen, and saw Thee woman thro' the crust of iron moods That mask'd thee from men's reverence up, and forced Sweet love on pranks of saucy boyhood; now, I waste my heart in signs; let be. My bride, And so thro' those dark gates across the wild CONCLUSION So closed our tale, of which I give you all The words are mostly mine; for when we ceased So pray'd the men, the women ; I gave assent. Yet how to bind the scatter'd scheme of seven Together in one sheaf? What style could suit? The men required that I should give throughout The sort of mock-heroic gigantesque, With which we banter'd little Lilia first; The women and perhaps they felt their power, For something in the ballads which they sang, Or in their silent influence as they sat, Had ever seem'd to wrestle with burlesque, And drove us, last, to quite a solemn close — They hated banter, wish'd for something real, A gallant fight, a noble princess - why Which yet with such a framework scarce could be. And I, betwixt them both, to please them both, I moved as in a strange diagonal, And maybe neither pleased myself nor them. But Lilia pleased me, for she took no part In our dispute; the sequel of the tale Had touch'd her, and she sat, she pluck'd the grass, A showery glance upon her aunt, and said, told, -- - who might have For she was cramm'd with theories out of books, So I and some went out to these: we climb'd The slope to Vivian-place, and turning saw The happy valleys, half in light, and half Far-shadowing from the west, a land of peace; Gray halls alone among their massive groves; Trim hamlets; here and there a rustic tower |