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Clarel

a poem and pilgrimage in the Holy Land
Melville, Herman (1819-1891)

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CLAREL
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VOL. I.
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PART I. JERUSALEM.
  
I. THE HOSTEL.
 2. 
II. ABDON.
 3. 
III. THE SEPULCHRE.
 4. 
IV. OF THE CRUSADERS.
 5. 
V. CLAREL.
 6. 
VI. TRIBES AND SECTS.
 7. 
VII. BEYOND THE WALLS.
 8. 
VIII. THE VOTARY.
 9. 
IX. SAINT AND STUDENT.
 10. 
X. RAMBLES.
 11. 
XI. LOWER GIHON.
 12. 
XII. CELIO.
 13. 
XIII. THE ARCH.
 14. 
XIV. IN THE GLEN.
 15. 
XV. UNDER THE MINARET.
 16. 
XVI. THE WALL OF WAIL.
 17. 
XVII. NATHAN.
 18. 
XVIII. NIGHT.
 19. 
XIX. THE FULFILMENT.
 20. 
XX. VALE OF ASHES.
 21. 
XXI. BY-PLACES.
 22. 
XXII. HERMITAGE.
 23. 
XXIII. THE CLOSE.
 24. 
XXIV. THE GIBE.
 25. 
XXV. HUTS.
 26. 
XXVI. THE GATE OF ZION.
 27. 
XXVII. MATRON AND MAID.
 28. 
XXVIII. TOMB AND FOUNTAIN.
 29. 
XXIX. THE RECLUSE.
 30. 
XXX. THE SITE OF THE PASSION.
 31. 
XXXI. ROLFE.
 32. 
XXXII. OF RAMA.
 33. 
XXXIII. BY THE STONE.
 34. 
XXXIV. THEY TARRY.
 35. 
XXXV. ARCULF AND ADAMNAN.
 36. 
XXXVI. THE TOWER.
 37. 
XXXVII. A SKETCH.
 38. 
XXXVIII. THE SPARROW.
 39. 
XXXIX. CLAREL AND RUTH.
 40. 
XL. THE MOUNDS.
 41. 
XLI. ON THE WALL.
 42. 
XLII. TIDINGS.
 43. 
XLIII. A PROCESSION.
 44. 
XLIV. THE START.
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Part II THE WILDERNESS.
 1. 
I. THE CAVALCADE.
  
II. THE SKULL-CAP.
 3. 
III. BY THE GARDEN.
 4. 
IV. OF MORTMAIN.
 5. 
V. CLAREL AND GLAUCON.
 6. 
VI THE HAMLET.
 7. 
VII GUIDE AND GUARD.
 8. 
VIII. ROLFE AND DERWENT.
 9. 
IX. THROUGH ADOMMIN.
 10. 
X. A HALT.
 11. 
XI. OF DESERTS.
 12. 
XII. THE BANKER.
 13. 
XIII. FLIGHT OF THE GREEKS.
 14. 
XIV. BY ACHOR.
 15. 
XV. THE FOUNTAIN.
 16. 
XVI. NIGHT IN JERICHO.
 17. 
XVII. IN MID-WATCH.
 18. 
XVIII. THE SYRIAN MONK.
 19. 
XIX. AN APOSTATE.
 20. 
XX. UNDER THE MOUNTAIN.
 21. 
XXI. THE PRIEST AND ROLFE.
 22. 
XXII. CONCERNING HEBREWS.
 23. 
XXIII. BY THE JORDAN.
 24. 
XXIV. THE RIVER-RITE.
 25. 
XXV. THE DOMINICAN.
 26. 
XXVI. OF ROME.
 27. 
XXVII. VINE AND CLAREL.
 28. 
XXVIII. THE FOG.
 29. 
XXIX. BY THE MARGE.
 30. 
XXX. OF PETRA.
 31. 
XXXI. THE INSCRIPTION.
 32. 
XXXII. THE ENCAMPMENT.
 33. 
XXXIII. LOT'S SEA.
 34. 
XXXIV. MORTMAIN REAPPEARS.
 35. 
XXXV. PRELUSIVE.
 36. 
XXXVI. SODOM.
 37. 
XXXVII. OF TRADITIONS.
 38. 
XXXVIII. THE SLEEP-WALKER.
 39. 
XXXIX. OBSEQUIES.
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VOL. II.
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PART III. MAR SABA.
 1. 
I. IN THE MOUNTAIN.
 2. 
II. THE CARPENTER.
 3. 
III. OF THE MANY MANSIONS.
 4. 
IV. THE CYPRIOTE.
 5. 
V. THE HIGH DESERT.
 6. 
VI. DERWENT.
 7. 
VII. BELL AND CAIRN.
 8. 
VIII. TENTS OF KEDAR.
 9. 
IX. OF MONASTERIES.
 10. 
X. BEFORE THE GATE.
 11. 
XI. THE BEAKER.
 12. 
XII. THE TIMONEER'S STORY.
 13. 
XIII. SONG AND RECITATIVE.
 14. 
XIV. THE REVEL CLOSED.
 15. 
XV. IN MOONLIGHT.
 16. 
XVI. THE EASTER FIRE.
 17. 
XVII. A CHANT.
 18. 
XVIII. THE MINSTER.
 19. 
XIX. THE MASQUE.
 20. 
XX. AFTERWARD.
 21. 
XXI. IN CONFIDENCE.
 22. 
XXII. THE MEDALLION.
 23. 
XXIII. DERWENT WITH THE ABBOT.
 24. 
XXIV. VAULT AND GROTTO.
 25. 
XXV. DERWENT AND THE LESBIAN.
 26. 
XXVI. VINE AND THE PALM.
 27. 
XXVII. MAN AND BIRD.
 28. 
XXVIII. MORTMAIN AND THE PALM.
 29. 
XXIX. ROLFE AND THE PALM.
 30. 
XXX. THE CELIBATE.
 31. 
XXXI. THE RECOIL.
 32. 
XXXII. EMPTY STIRRUPS.
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PART IV. BETHLEHEM.
 1. 
I. IN SADDLE.
 2. 
II. THE ENSIGN.
 3. 
III. THE ISLAND.
 4. 
IV. AN INTRUDER.
 5. 
V. OF THE STRANGER.
 6. 
VI. BETHLEHEM.
 7. 
VII. AT TABLE.
 8. 
VIII. THE PILLOW.
 9. 
IX. THE SHEPHERDS' DALE.
 10. 
X. A MONUMENT.
 11. 
XI. DISQUIET.
 12. 
XII. OF POPE AND TURK.
 13. 
XIII. THE CHURCH OF THE STAR.
 14. 
XIV. SOLDIER AND MONK.
 15. 
XV. SYMPHONIES.
 16. 
XVI. THE CONVENT ROOF.
 17. 
XVII. A TRANSITION.
 18. 
XVIII. THE HILL-SIDE.
 19. 
XIX. A NEW-COMER.
 20. 
XX. DERWENT AND UNGAR.
 21. 
XXI. UNGAR AND ROLFE.
 22. 
XXII. OF WICKEDNESS THE WORD.
 23. 
XXIII. DERWENT AND ROLFE.
 24. 
XXIV. TWILIGHT.
 25. 
XXV. THE INVITATION.
 26. 
XXVI. THE PRODIGAL.
 27. 
XXVII. BY PARAPET.
 28. 
XXVIII. DAVID'S WELL.
 29. 
XXIX. THE NIGHT RIDE.
 30. 
XXX. THE VALLEY OF DECISION.
 31. 
XXXI. DIRGE.
 32. 
XXXII. PASSION WEEK.
 33. 
XXXIII. EASTER.
 34. 
XXXIV. VIA CRUCIS.
 35. 
XXXV. EPILOGUE.

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With dove on wrist, he, robed, stood hushed,
Mused on the bird, and softly brushed.
Scarce reassured by air so mute,
Anxiously Clarel urged his suit.
The celibate let go the dove;
Cooing, it won the shoulder—lit
Even at his ear, as whispering it.
But he one pace made in remove,
And from a little alcove took
430

A silver-clasped and vellum book;
And turned a leaf, and gave that page
For answer.—
Rhyme, old hermit-rhyme
Composed in Decius' cruel age
By Christian of Thebæan clime:
'Twas David's son, and he of Dan,
With him misloved that fled the bride,
And Job whose wife but mocked his ban;
Then rose, or in redemption ran—
The rib restored to Adam's side,
And man made whole, as man began.
And lustral hymns and prayers were here:
Renouncings, yearnings, charges dread
Against our human nature dear:
Worship and wail, which, if misled,
Not less might fervor high instill
In hearts which, striving in their fear
Of clay, to bridle, curb or kill;
In the pure desert of the will
Chastised, live the vowed life austere.
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