"Like superstitious thieves, who think the light "But a gilt stick, a bauble blinds it here. 66 By these learn'd slaves, the meanest of the throng ; "Their wits bought up, their wisdom shrunk so small, "A sceptre's puny point can wield it all! "Ye too, believers of incredible creeds, 53 "Whose faith enshrines the monsters which it breeds; "Who, bolder even than NEMROD, think to rise, By nonsense heap'd on nonsense, to the skies; "Ye shall have miracles, ay, sound ones too, 'Seen, heard, attested, ev'ry thing-but true. "Your preaching zealots, too inspir'd to seek "In that best marble of which Gods are made; They shall have mysteries-ay, precious stuff "For knaves to thrive by-mysteries enough; 54 "Dark, tangled doctrines, dark as fraud can weave, "A splendid Paradise,-pure souls, ye must: "That Prophet ill sustains his holy call, "Who finds not heavens to suit the tastes of all; "Houris for boys, omniscience for sages, "And wings and glories for all ranks and ages. "The Heaven of each is but what each desires, "So let him-EBLIS! grant this crowning curse, "Oh my lost soul!" exclaim'd the shuddering maid, Whose ears had drunk like poison all he said :— MOKANNA Started-not abash'd, afraid, He knew no more of fear than one who dwells But, in those dismal words that reach'd his ear, In which the legend o'er Hell's Gate is read, That, new as 'twas from her, whom nought could dim Or sink till now, it startled even him. Ha, my fair Priestess!"-thus, with ready wile, The' impostor turn'd to greet her-" thou, whose smile "Hath inspiration in its rosy beam 66 Beyond the' Enthusiast's hope or Prophet's dream! "Light of the faith! who twin'st religion's zeal "So close with love's, men know not which they feel, "Nor which to sigh for, in their trance of heart, "The heaven thou preachest or the heaven thou art! "What should I be without thee? without thee "How dull were power, how joyless victory! Though borne by angels, if that smile of thine. "Bless'd not my banner, 'twere but half divine. But why so mournful, child? those eyes, that shone "All life last night-what-is their glory gone? "Come, come-this morn's fatigue hath made them pale, They want rekindling-suns themselves would fail, "Did not their comets bring, as I to thee, "From light's own fount supplies of brilliancy. "Whose rills o'er ruby beds and topaz flow, "Nay, drink-in every drop life's essence burns ; ""Twill make that soul all fire, those eyes all light 66 Come, come, I want thy loveliest smiles to-night :— "There is a youth-why start?-thou saw'st him then ; "Look'd he not nobly? such the godlike men "Thou'lt have to woo thee in the bowers above ; 66 Though he, I fear, hath thoughts too stern for love, "Too rul'd by that cold enemy of bliss "The world calls virtue-we must conquer this ; Nay, shrink not, pretty sage! 'tis not for thee "To scan the mazes of Heaven's mystery: "The steel must pass through fire, ere it can yield F "Shall tempt the boy ;--young MIRZALA's blue eyes, "That glowing, yielding fusion of the breast, "On which Religion stamps her image best. "But hear me, Priestess !-though each nymph of these "Hath some peculiar, practis'd power to please, "Some glance or step which, at the mirror tried, "First charms herself, then all the world beside ; "There still wants one, to make the victory sure, "One who in every look joins every lure; "Through whom all beauty's beams concentred pass, Dazzling and warm, as through love's burning glass ; "Whose gentle lips persuade without a word, "Whose words, ev'n when unmeaning, are ador'd, "Like inarticulate breathings from a shrine, "Which our faith takes for granted are divine! "Such the refin'd enchantress that must be "This hero's vanquisher,--and thou art she!" With her hands clasp'd, her lips apart and pale, The maid had stood, gazing upon the Veil From which these words, like south winds through a fence 55 Of Kerzrah flowers, came fill'd with pestilence; At first, though mute she listen'd, like a dream Seem'd all he said: nor could her mind, whose beam As yet was weak, penetrate half his scheme. But when, at length, he utter'd, "Thou art she!" All flash'd at once, and shrieking piteously, "Oh not for worlds!" she cried-"Great God! to whom "I once knelt innocent, is this my doom? |