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Uprising； unveiling； affirm
That the play is the tragedy； 〃Man；〃
And its hero the Conqueror Worm。
1838。
~~~ End of Text ~~~
SILENCE
THERE are some qualities some incorporate things；
That have a double life； which thus is made
A type of that twin entity which springs
From matter and light； evinced in solid and shade。
There is a two…fold _Silence_ sea and shore
Body and soul。 One dwells in lonely places；
Newly with grass o'ergrown； some solemn graces；
Some human memories and tearful lore；
Render him terrorless： his name's 〃No More。〃
He is the corporate Silence： dread him not！
No power hath he of evil in himself；
But should some urgent fate （untimely lot！）
Bring thee to meet his shadow （nameless elf；
That haunteth the lone regions where hath trod
No foot of man；） commend thyself to God！
1840。
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DREAM…LAND
BY a route obscure and lonely；
Haunted by ill angels only；
Where an Eidolon； named NIGHT；
On a black throne reigns upright；
I have reached these lands but newly
From an ultimate dim Thule …
From a wild weird clime that lieth； sublime；
Out of SPACE … out of TIME。
Bottomless vales and boundless floods；
And chasms； and caves； and Titian woods；
With forms that no man can discover
For the dews that drip all over；
Mountains toppling evermore
Into seas without a shore；
Seas that restlessly aspire；
Surging； unto skies of fire；
Lakes that endlessly outspread
Their lone waters … lone and dead； …
Their still waters … still and chilly
With the snows of the lolling lily。
By the lakes that thus outspread
Their lone waters； lone and dead； …
Their sad waters； sad and chilly
With the snows of the lolling lily； …
By the mountains … near the river
Murmuring lowly； murmuring ever； …
By the grey woods； … by the swamp
Where the toad and the newt encamp； …
By the dismal tarns and pools
Where dwell the Ghouls； …
By each spot the most unholy …
In each nook most melancholy； …
There the traveller meets aghast
Sheeted Memories of the Past …
Shrouded forms that start and sigh
As they pass the wanderer by …
White…robed forms of friends long given；
In agony； to the Earth … and Heaven。
For the heart whose woes are legion
'Tis a peaceful； soothing region …
For the spirit that walks in shadow
'Tis … oh 'tis an Eldorado！
But the traveller； travelling through it；
May not … dare not openly view it；
Never its mysteries are exposed
To the weak human eye unclosed；
So wills its King； who hath forbid
The uplifting of the fringed lid；
And thus the sad Soul that here passes
Beholds it but through darkened glasses。
By a route obscure and lonely；
Haunted by ill angels only；
Where an Eidolon； named NIGHT；
On a black throne reigns upright；
I have wandered home but newly
From this ultimate dim Thule。
1844。
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HYMN
AT morn … at noon … at twilight dim …
Maria！ thou hast heard my hymn！
In joy and wo … in good and ill …
Mother of God； be with me still！
When the Hours flew brightly by
And not a cloud obscured the sky；
My soul； lest it should truant be；
Thy grace did guide to thine and thee；
Now； when storms of Fate o'ercast
Darkly my Present and my Past；
Let my Future radiant shine
With sweet hopes of thee and thine！
1835。
~~~ End of Text ~~~
TO ZANTE
FAIR isle； that from the fairest of all flowers；
Thy gentlest of all gentle names dost take
How many memories of what radiant hours
At sight of thee and thine at once awake！
How many scenes of what departed bliss！
How many thoughts of what entombed hopes！
How many visions of a maiden that is
No more … no more upon thy verdant slopes！
No _more！_ alas； that magical sad sound
Transfomring all！ Thy charms shall please _no more_ …
Thy memory _no more！ _Accursed ground
Henceforth I hold thy flower…enamelled shore；
O hyacinthine isle！ O purple Zante！
〃Isoa d'oro！ Fior di Levante！〃
1837。
~~~ End of Text ~~~
SCENES FROM 〃POLITIAN〃
AN UNPUBLISHED DRAMA。
I。
ROME。 A Hall in a Palace Alessandra and Castiglione。。
_Alessandra。_ Thou art sad； Castiglione。
_ Castiglione。 _ Sad！ not I。
Oh； I'm the happiest； happiest man in Rome！
A few days more； thou knowest； my Alessandra；
Will make thee mine。 Oh； I am very happy！
_ Aless。 _ Methinks thou hast a singular way of showing
Thy happiness！ what ails thee； cousin of mine？
Why didst thou sigh so deeply？
_Cas。 _Did I sign？
I was not conscious of it。 It is a fashion；
A silly a most silly fashion I have
When I am _very_ happy。 Did I sigh？ （_sighing。_）
_ Aless。 _Thou didst。 Thou art not well。 Thou hast indulged
Too much of late； and I am vexed to see it。
Late hours and wine； Castiglione； these
Will ruin thee！ thou art already altered
Thy looks are haggard nothing so wears away
The constitution as late hours and wine。
_Cas。 （musing。） _Nothing； fair cousin； nothing not even deep
sorrow
Wears it away like evil hours and wine。
I will amend。
_ Aless。 _Do it！ I would have thee drop
Thy riotous company； too fellows low born
Ill suit the like with old Di Broglio's heir
And Alessandra's husband。
_Cas。 _I will drop them。
_ Aless。 _ Thou wilt thou must。 Attend thou also more
To thy dress and equipage they are over plain
For thy lofty rank and fashion much depends
Upon appearances。
_Cas。 _I'll see to it。
_ Aless。 _Then see to it！ pay more attention； sir；
To a becoming carriage much thou wantest
In dignity。
_Cas。 _Much； much； oh！ much I want
In proper dignity。
_ Aless。（haughtily） _Thou mockest me； sir！
_Cas。 （abstractedly。） _Sweet； gentle Lalage！
_ Aless。 _Heard I aright？
I speak to him he speaks of Lalage！
Sir Count！ （_places her hand on his shoulder_） what art thou dreaming？
he's not well！
What ails thee； sir？
_Cas。 （startling。） _Cousin！ fair cousin！ madam！
I crave thy pardon indeed I am not well
Your hand from off my shoulder； if you please。
This air is most oppressive！ Madam the Duke！
_Enter Di Broglio。_
_ Di Broglio。_ My son； I've news for thee！ hey？ what's the
matter？ （_observing Alessandra_）
I' the pouts？ Kiss her； Castiglione！ kiss her；
You dog！ and make it up； I say； this minute！
I've news for you both。 Politian is expected
Hourly in Rome Politian； Earl of Leicester！
We'll have him at the wedding。 'Tis his first visit
To the imperial city。
_ Aless。 _What！ Politian
Of Britain； Earl of Leicester？
_ Di Brog。_ The same； my love。
We'll have him at the wedding。 A man quite young
In years； but grey in fame。 I have not seen him；
But Rumour speaks of him as of a prodigy
Pre…eminent in arts and arms； and wealth；
And high descent。 We'll have him at the wedding。
_ Aless。 _I have heard much of this Politian。
Gay； volatile and giddy is he not？
And little given to thinking。
_ Di Brog。_ Far from it； love。
No branch； they say； of all philosophy
So deep abstruse he has not mastered it。
Learned as few are learned。
_ Aless。 _'Tis very strange！
I have known men have seen Politian
And sought his company。 They speak of him
As of one who entered madly into life；
Drinking the cup of pleasure to the dregs。
_Cas。 _Ridiculous！ Now I have seen Politian
And know him well nor learned nor mirthful he。
He is a dreamer and a man shut out
From common passions。
_ Di Brog。_ Children； we disagree。
Let us go forth and taste the fragrant air
Of the garden。 Did I dream； or did I hear
Politian was a _melancholy_ man？ （_exeunt。_）
II
ROME。 A Lady's apartment； with a window open and looking into a garden。
Lalage； in deep mourning； reading at a table on which lie some books and a
hand mirror。 In the background Jacinta （a servant maid） leans carelessly
upon a chair。
_ Lal。_ ＇_Lalage_＇ Jacinta！ is it thou？
_ Jac。_ ＇_Jacinta_＇ （_pertly_。） Yes； Ma'am； I'm here。
_ Lal。_ I did not know； Jacinta； you were in waiting。
Sit down！ Let not my presence trouble you
Sit down！ for I am humble； most humble。
_Jac。_ （_aside_。） 'Tis time。
（_Jacinta seats herself in a side…long manner upon the chair； resting her
elbows upon the back； and regarding her mistress with a contemptuous look。
Lalage continues to read_。 ）
_Lal。_ 〃It in another climate； so he said；
〃Bore a bright golden flower； but not i' this soil！〃
（_pauses turns over some leaves； and resumes_）
〃No lingering winters there； nor snow； nor shower
〃But Ocean ever to refresh mankind
〃Breathes the shrill spirit of the western wind。〃
O； beautiful！… most beautiful how like
To what my fevered soul doth dream of Heaven！
O happy land （_pauses_） She died！ the maiden died！
A still more happy maiden who couldst die！
Jacinta！
（_Jacinta r