 | Mansoul or The Riddle of the World |  |
Great Asias shores, Earths triple-Continent,
We view in Merlins glass; and fróm the plot
Where stand our feet, how stoops an only path;
Gallery, óf great breadth and height, neath Oceans Flood.
That hundred leagues'-way leads, quoth Herthas Voice;
Towards Island Kingdom, Pride of Earths Still Seas;
Which over-against this Mighty Mainland lies:
Green gracious Isles; whereas from ancient days,
(Long únknown tó West Nations,) a great-souled
Sequestered, úrbane, valorous People dwell:
In Arts of Peace and War, of passing skill.
We view in Merlins glass; and fróm the plot
Where stand our feet, how stoops an only path;
Gallery, óf great breadth and height, neath Oceans Flood.
That hundred leagues'-way leads, quoth Herthas Voice;
Towards Island Kingdom, Pride of Earths Still Seas;
Which over-against this Mighty Mainland lies:
Green gracious Isles; whereas from ancient days,
74
Sequestered, úrbane, valorous People dwell:
In Arts of Peace and War, of passing skill.
But to ús was not it given, so far to pass:
Nor tó that later-found New Continent;
So great already in multitude of mankind;
In enterprises ánd all civil arts:
Ánd to be greater still, in Worlds to come.
So an aching langour háth possessed each sense.
Wherefore now Herthas Voice impósed; must this
Be Eastfórth, our wáy-bruised feets' last halting-place.
From whence, by other paths of Worlds beneath;
Should we return upon our homeward voyage.
Nor tó that later-found New Continent;
So great already in multitude of mankind;
In enterprises ánd all civil arts:
Ánd to be greater still, in Worlds to come.
So an aching langour háth possessed each sense.
Wherefore now Herthas Voice impósed; must this
Be Eastfórth, our wáy-bruised feets' last halting-place.
From whence, by other paths of Worlds beneath;
Should we return upon our homeward voyage.
| Mansoul or The Riddle of the World | |