Grass of Parnassus.docx

Grass of Parnassus.docx

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GrassofParnassus

GrassofParnassusbyAndrewLangContents:

GrassofParnassusDeedsofmen:

SeekersforacityThewhitepachaMidnight,January25,1886Advance,AustraliaColonelBurnabyMelvilleandCoghillRhodocleia:

Torhodocleia-onhermelancholysingingAve:

ClevedonchurchTwilightonTweed*

Metempsychosis*

LostinHades*

Astarinthenight*

Asunsetonyarrow*

AnotherwayHesperothen:

TheseekersforPhaeaciaAsongofPhaeaciaThedeparturefromPhaeaciaAballadofdepartureTheyhearthesirensforthesecondtimeCirce'sIslerevisitedThelimitoflandsVerses:

MartialintownAprilonTweedTiredoftownsScythesongPenandinkAdreamThesingingroseAreviewinrhymeColinette*AsunsetofWatteau*

Nightingaleweather*

Loveandwisdom*

Good-bye*

Anoldprayer*

AlabelleHelene*

SylvieetAurelie*

Alostpath*

TheshadeofHelen*

Sonnets:

SheHerodotusinEgyptGerarddeNerval*

Ronsard*

Love'smiracle*

Dreams*

Twosonnetsofthesirens*

Translations:

Hymntothewinds*

Moonlight*

Thegraveandtherose*

AvowtoheavenlyVenus*

Ofhislady'soldage*

Shadowsofhislady*

April*

Anoldtune*

Oldloves*

Aladyofhighdegree*

Iannoula*

Themilk-whitedoe*

HeliodoreTheprophetLaisClearistaThefisherman'stombOfhisdeathRhodopeToagirlTotheshipsAlateconvertThelimitoflifeToDanielElzevirThelastchanceToE.M.S.

Primadictamihi,summadicendaCamena.

Theyearswillpass,andheartswillrange,YOUconquerTime,andCare,andChange.

ThoughTimedothstilldelighttoshedThedustonmanyayoungerhead;ThoughCare,oftcoming,haththeguileFromyoungerlipstostealthesmile;ThoughChangemakesyoungerheartswaxcold,Andsellsnewlovesforlovesofold,Time,Change,norCare,hathlearnedtheartTofleckyourhair,tochillyourheart,Totouchyourtresseswiththesnow,Tomaryourmirthoflongago.

Change,Care,norTime,whilelifeendure,Shallspoilourancientfriendshipsure,Thelovewhichflowsfromsacredsprings,In'oldunhappyfar-offthings,'

Fromsympathiesingriefandjoy,Throughalltheyearsofmanandboy.

Therefore,toyou,therhymesIstrungWheneventhis'brindled'headwasyoungIbring,andlaterrhymesIbringThatflituponasweakawing,Butstillforyou,foryours,theysing!

ManyoftheversesandtranslationsinthisvolumewerepublishedfirstinBALLADSANDLYRICSOFOLDFRANCE（1872）.Thoughverysensiblethattheyhavethedemeritsofimitativeandevenofundergraduaterhyme,IprintthemagainbecausepeopleIlikehavelikedthem.Therestareofdifferentdates,andlack（thoughdoubtlesstheyneed）theexcuseofhavingbeenwritten,likesomeoftheearlierpieces,duringCollegeLectures.IwouldgladlyhaveaddedtothisvolumewhatothermoreorlessseriousrhymesIhavewritten,butcircumstancesoverwhichIhavenocontrolhaveboundthemupwithBALLADES,andothertoysofthatsort.

Itmaybeaswelltorepeatinprose,whathasalreadybeensaidinverse,thatGrassofParnassus,theprettyAutumnflower,growsinthemarshesatthefootoftheMuses'Hill,andotherhills,notatthetopbyanymeans.

SeveraloftheversionsfromtheGreekAnthologyhavebeenpublishedintheFORTNIGHTLYREVIEW,andthesonnetonColonelBurnabyappearedinPUNCH.These,withpiecesfromotherserials,arereprintedbythecourteouspermissionoftheEditors.

TheversesthatwerepublishedinBALLADESANDLYRICS,andinBALLADSANDVERSESVAIN（CharlesScribner'sSons,NewYork）,aremarkedinthecontentswithanasterisk.

GRASSOFPARNASSUS.

PalestarthatbythelochsofGalloway,Inwetgreenplaces'twixtthedepthandheightDostkeepthinehourwhileAutumnebbsaway,Whennowthemoorshavedoffedtheheatherbright,GrassofParnassus,flowerofmydelight,Howgladlywiththeunpermittedbay-Garlandsnotmine,andleavesthatnotdecay-HowgladlywouldItwinetheeifImight!

Thebaysareoutofreach!

ButfarbelowThepeaksforbiddenoftheMuses'Hill,GrassofParnassus,thyreturningsnowBetweenSeptemberandOctoberchillDothspeaktomeofAutumnslongago,Andthesekindfacesthatarewithmestill.

DEEDSOFMEN

[Greektextwhichcannotbereproduced].ToColonelIanHamilton.

Toyou,whoknowthefaceofwar,You,thatforEnglandwanderfar,YouthathaveseentheGhazisflyFromEnglishladsnotsworntodie,Youthathavelainwhere,deadlychill,Themistcrepto'ertheShamefulHill,Youthathaveconquered,milebymile,ThecurrentsofunfriendlyNile,Andcheeredthemarch,andeasedthestrainWhenPoliticsmadevalourvain,Ian,toyou,frombanksofKen,WesendourlaysofEnglishmen!

SEEKERSFORACITY.

"Believeme,ifthatblissful,thatbeautifulplace,weresetonahillvisibletoalltheworld,Ishouldlongagohavejourneyedthither...Butthenumberandvarietyoftheways!

Foryouknow,THEREISBUTONEROADTHATLEADSTOCORINTH."HERMOTIMUS（MrPater'sVersion）.

"ThePoetsays,DEARCITYOFCECROPS,andwiltthounotsay,DEARCITYOFZEUS?

"

M.ANTONINUS.

"ToCorinthleadsoneroad,"yousay:

IsthereaCorinth,oraway?

EachblandorblatantpreacherhathHispainfulorhisprimrosepath,AndnotasoulofalloftheseButknowsthecity'twixttheseas,HerfairunnumberedhomesandallHergleamingamethystinewall!

Blindaretheguideswhoknowtheway,Theguideswhowrite,andpreach,andpray,Iwatchtheirlives,andIdivineTheydiffernotfromyoursandmine!

Onemanweknew,andonlyone,Whoseseekingforacity'sdone,Forwhathegreatlysoughthefound,Acitygirtwithfirearound,AcityinanemptylandBetweenthewastesofskyandsand,Acityonariver-side,Wherebythefolkheloved,hedied.

（1）Alas!

itisnotourstotreadThatpathwhereinhislifeheled,Notourshishearttodareandfeel,KeenasthefragrantSyriansteel;Yetarewenotquitecity-less,Notwhollyleftinourdistress-IsitnotsaidbyOneofold,"SheephaveIofanotherfold?

"Ah!

faintofheart,andweakofwill,Forusthereisacitystill!

"DearcityofZeus,"theStoicsays,

（2）

TheVoicefromRome'simperialdays,InTheemeetallthings,anddisperse,InThee,forThee,OUniverse!

Tomeall'sfruitthyseasonsbring,Alikethysummerandthyspring;Thewindsthatwail,thesunsthatburn,FromTheeproceed,toTheereturn.

"DearcityofZeus,"shallWEnotsay,Hometowhichnonecanlosetheway!

Borninthatcity'sflamingbound,Wedonotfindher,butarefound.

WithinherwideandviewlesswallTheUniverseisgirdledall.

Alljoysandpains,allwealthanddearth,Allthingsthattravailontheearth,God'swilltheywork,ifGodtherebe,Ifnot,whatismylifetome?

Seekwenofurther,butabideWithinthiscitygreatandwide,Inherandforherliving,weHavenolessjoythantobefree;NordeathnorgriefcanquiteappalThefolkthatdwellwithinherwall,Noraughtbutwithourwillbefall!

THEWHITEPACHA.

Vainisthedream!

HoweverHopemayrave,Heperishedwiththefolkhecouldnotsave,Andthoughnonesurelytoldusheisdead,Andthoughperchanceanotherinhisstead,Another,notlessbrave,whenallwasdone,Hadfleduntothesouthwardandthesun,Hadurgedawaybyforce,orwonbyguileTostreamsremotestofthesecretNile,HadraisedanarmyoftheDesertmen,And,waitingforhishour,hadturnedagainAndfallenonthatFalseProphet,yetweknowGORDONisdead,andthesethingsarenotso!

Nay,notforEngland'scause,nortorestoreHertrampledflag-forhelovedHonourmore-Nay,notforLife,Revenge,orVictory,Wouldhehavefled,whosehourhaddawnedtodie.

Hewillnotcomeagain,whate'erourneed,Hewillnotcome,whoishappy,beingfreedFromthedeathlyfleshandperishablethings,Andliesofstatesmenandrewardsofkings.

Nay,somewherebythesacredRiver'sshoreHesleepslikethosewhoshallreturnnomore,Nomorereturnforalltheprayersofmen-ArthurandCharles-theynevercomeagain!

Theyshallnotwake,thoughfairthevisionseem:

Whate'ersickHopemaywhisper,vainthedream!

MIDNIGHT,JANUARY25,1886.

To-morrowisayearsinceGordondied!

Ayearagoto-night,theDesertstillCrouchedonthespring,andpantedforitsfillOflustandblood.Theiroldartstatesmenplied,Andpaltered,andevaded,anddenied;Guiltlessasyet,exceptforfeeblewill,Andcravenheart,andcalculatedskillInlongdelays,oftheirgreathomicide.

Ayearagoto-night'twasnottoolate.

Thethoughtcomesthroughourmirth,again,again;MethinksIhearthehaltingfootofFateApproachingandapproachingus;andthenComescackleoftheHouse,andtheDebate!

Enough;heisforgottenamongstmen.

ADVANCE,AUSTRALIA.

OntheofferofhelpfromtheAustraliansafterthefallofKhartoum.

SonsofthegiantOceanisleInsportourfriendlyfoesforlong,WellEnglandlovesyou,andwesmileWhenyououtmatchusmanyawhile,Sofleetyouare,sokeenandstrong.

You,likethatfairypeoplesetOfoldintheirenchantedseaFarofffrommen,mightwellforgetAneldernation'stoilandfret,Mightheednotaughtbutgameandglee.

ButwhatyourfatherswereyouareInlandsthefathersneverknew,'NeathskiesofaliensignandstarYourallytotheEnglishwar;YourheartsareEnglish,kindandtrue.

Andnow,whenfirstonEnglandfallsTheshadowofadarkeningfate,YouheartheMotherereshecalls,Youleaveyourocean-girdledwalls,Andfaceherfoemeninthegate.

COLONELBURNABY.

[Greektextwhichcannotbereproduced]

ThouthatoneveryfieldofearthandskyDidsthuntforDeath,whoseemedtofleeandfear,HowgreatandgreatlyfallendostthoulieSlainintheDesertbysomewanderingspear:

'Nothere,alas!

'mayEnglandsay,'nothereNorinthisquarrelwasitmeettodie,B