Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: XXXII. TO EDWARD DOWDEN, On learning that he was about to be engaged upon the Life of Shelley. Thy task will yield thee much sad happiness With the sea-amorous Ariel, sea-betray'd. Thyself I gratulate ; and him not less, The swift wild Sprite, who such a friend hath made 1 MICHELANGELO'S " MOSES." The captain's might, and mystery of the seer— Remoteness of Jehovah's colloquist, Nearness of man's heaven-advocate—are here : Alone Mount Nebo's harsh foreshadow is miss'd.ROCHEFOUCAULD CONSISTENT. Sage Duke, thy creed who runs may read- Men feign in every word and deed. Therewith thy practice well agreed, For sure am I thou feign'dst thy creed, XXXV. THE COURSE OF MUSIC.—TO CERTAIN CONTEMPORARY MUSICIANS. Through Formalism her feet progress— Reach Form,—yet still would onward press. There bid her tarry ! 'Tis, I guess, But few steps more to Formlessness. Like leaves on the swoln stream of the swift days Do all men somewhither move rushingly; While Man stands at the brink, with eyes that gaze Back to the source and forward to the sea. To keep in sight Perfection, and adore The vision, is the artist's best delight; His bitterest pang, that he can ne'er do more Than keep her long'd-for loveliness in sight. TWO POETS. A peacock's-tail-ljke splendour hath this Muse, With eyes that see not throng'd, and gorgeous hues. The swan's white grace that other wears instead, Stately with stem-like throat and flower-like head. " ON SUCH A NIGHT." On such a night as this, pale Hero found, By the blown waters, the world's sweetness drown'd. And all was woe beneath the moonbeam, save The innumerable laugh of leagues of wave. Thou canst not loose the tangles: let them be. Accept the shadow with the verity. Aye at one birth, Truth and...