Not like the elemental fire that burns But right and upright reached his proper sphere Joy unexpected, best. Joys unexpected, and in desperate plight, Are still most sweet, and prove from whence they come; When earth's still moon-like confidence in joy Is at her full, true joy descending far From past her sphere, and from the highest heaven 10 That moves and is not moved. Inward help the best help. -I will stand no more On others' legs, nor build one joy without me. If ever I be worth a house again, I'll build all inward: not a light shall ope The common out-way; no expense, no art, But raise all plain and rudely like a rampier, That still batters All reason piece-meal; and, for earthly greatness I'll therefore live in dark; and all my light, Like ancient Temples, let in at my top. This were to turn one's back to all the world, Therefore when our diseas'd affections 20 30 XLVI. (G.) FURTHER EXTRACTS FROM THE SAME. BY THE SAME. CATO's Speech at Utica to a Senator, who had exprest fears on his account. Away, Statilius; how long shall thy love Exceed thy knowledge of me, and the Gods, Whose rights thou wrong'st for my right? have not I Their powers to guard me, in a cause of theirs? Their justice and integrity to guard me In what I stand for? he that fears the Gods, Earth, seas, and air; heav'n; darkness; broad day light; Rumour, and silence, and his very shade: In whose cold fits, is all Heav'n's justice shaken To his faint thoughts; and all the goodness there, His thoughts of Death. Poor slaves, how terrible this Death is to them!- "Good rest the Gods vouchsafe you." But when Death, Sleep's natural brother, comes, that's nothing worse But better, (being more rich-and keeps the store -- Sleep ever fickle, wayward still, and poor),— His Discourse with ATHENODORUS on an After Life. Cato. As Nature works in all things to an end, So, in the appropriate honour of that end, All things precedent have their natural frame; And therefore is there a proportion Betwixt the ends of those things and their primes: For else there could not be in their creation Always, or for the most part, that firm form In their still like existence, that we see In each full creature. What proportion then A man is subject, rather is a sleep 10 Than bestial death; since sleep and death are called 20 The twins of nature. For, if absolute death And bestial, seize the body of a man, Then is there no proportion in his parts, (His soul being free from death), which otherwise Retain divine proportion. For, as sleep 30 No disproportion holds with human souls, Our souls again to heaven? Cato. Past doubt; though others Think heav'n a world too high for our low reaches. Not knowing the sacred sense of him that sings, "Jove can let down a golden chain from heaven, 40 Which, tied to earth, shall fetch up earth and seas"- The sea, the air, and all the elements, Retain those forms of knowledge, learn'd in life: And that our souls in reason are immortal, -now I am safe; Come, Cæsar, quickly now, or lose your vassal. Vulcan from heav'n fell, yet on 's feet did light, 20 XLVII. BYRON'S CONSPIRACY. BY THE SAME. Byron described. -he is a man Of matchless valour, and was ever happy 30 With an unwearied sense of any toil, If they be weigh'd with what France feels by them. Men's Glories eclipsed when they turn Traitors. As when the moon hath comforted the night, And set the world in silver of her light, The planets, asterisms, and whole State of Heaven, In beams of gold descending: all the winds Bound up in caves, charg'd not to drive abroad Their cloudy heads: an universal peace (Proclaim'd in silence) of the quiet earth: Soon as her hot and dry fumes are let loose, Storms and clouds mixing suddenly put out The eyes of all those glories; the creation Turn'd into Chaos; and we then desire, For all our joy of life, the death of sleep. So when the glories of our lives (men's loves, Clear consciences, our fames and loyalties), That did us worthy comfort, are eclips'd, Grief and disgrace invade us; and for all Our night of life besides, our misery craves Dark earth would ope and hide us in our graves. Opinion of the Scale of Good or Bad. -there is no truth of any good To be discern'd on earth; and, by conversion, 10 20 30 40 |