The Descent into Hell Second Edition, Revised and Re-arranged, with an Analysis and Notes: To which are added, Uriel, a Fragment and Three Odes. By John A. Heraud |
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| XIII. | XIII. ADAM. |
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 | The Descent into Hell |  |
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XIII. ADAM.
Now from Seth's Mountain had the visions past;
—Of Hades, and Earth's phantasm, and the train
On Calvary, together with that last
—Of Hades, and Earth's phantasm, and the train
On Calvary, together with that last
Sad rite paid to the Son of Man, thus slain,
That he redemption might on man bestow—
And Ardis shone in glory forth again.
That he redemption might on man bestow—
And Ardis shone in glory forth again.
—As from a Throne, on the Hill's crested brow,
Sublime, the Father of Mankind addrest
His Children, to his voice attentive now.
Sublime, the Father of Mankind addrest
His Children, to his voice attentive now.
“God made not Death;..but what he made he blest,
And, that they might have being, did decree
Undying Health, and unrevolving Rest.
And, that they might have being, did decree
Undying Health, and unrevolving Rest.
Nor is Death's kingdom on the Earth, for me
God made immortal as his righteousness.
An image of his own eternity,
God made immortal as his righteousness.
An image of his own eternity,
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Whose generations die not nor increase,
But are for ever; hence, in every place
And time, apparent, thorough all degrees.
But are for ever; hence, in every place
And time, apparent, thorough all degrees.
—Paternal Love! of old I loved thy face,
When dwelt thy Word with Man, and was the Law
Of Wisdom to the Soul. In thine embrace
When dwelt thy Word with Man, and was the Law
Of Wisdom to the Soul. In thine embrace
I blessedly reposed, and Vision saw
Of Excellence whereunto I uplooked,
And Beauty that attracted with its awe.
Of Excellence whereunto I uplooked,
And Beauty that attracted with its awe.
Author of Beauty! free and unrebuked,
I communed with thy glory, and my heart
Rejoiced in thee;..and thou its homage brooked.
I communed with thy glory, and my heart
Rejoiced in thee;..and thou its homage brooked.
For thou as merciful as mighty art!
Before thee the huge World is as a grain
Of sand beside the ocean—yea, its chart
Before thee the huge World is as a grain
Of sand beside the ocean—yea, its chart
Of vale and mountain, firmament and main,
Is as a globule of the morning dew
That drops upon the earth its tiny rain.
Is as a globule of the morning dew
That drops upon the earth its tiny rain.
And who shall question thee, or judge thee who?
For thou art God alone, and on thy Power
All righteousness and Justice must ensue,
For thou art God alone, and on thy Power
All righteousness and Justice must ensue,
But, mastering thine omnipotence, broods o'er
All thy Creation Mercy uncreate,
For thou createdst all, and shalt restore.
All thy Creation Mercy uncreate,
For thou createdst all, and shalt restore.
Father! Thy love to men shall not abate—
Thou willst, they are; thou speakst, and they endure—
Lover of Souls! so they reciprocate.
Thou willst, they are; thou speakst, and they endure—
Lover of Souls! so they reciprocate.
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—How lovely in thy Beauty, bright and pure!
In Thee my being had its Home and Heaven,
A habitation suitable and sure,
In Thee my being had its Home and Heaven,
A habitation suitable and sure,
Thou madest my heart thy temple, morn and even,
And I with thine eternal Wisdom dwelt
In thy capacious bosom..I was graven
And I with thine eternal Wisdom dwelt
In thy capacious bosom..I was graven
Upon thy holy palms, and ever felt
Thy Spirit incorruptible pervade
My Spirit, and into mine essence melt,
Thy Spirit incorruptible pervade
My Spirit, and into mine essence melt,
Blending in one emotion, interplayed,
The human and divine; one Love, one Will,
Uniting both, and without Law obeyed.
The human and divine; one Love, one Will,
Uniting both, and without Law obeyed.
And all my finite substance Thou didst fill
And circumscribe with thine Infinitude,
Eternally incomprehensible.
And circumscribe with thine Infinitude,
Eternally incomprehensible.
Ever in thine eternal bosom wooed
To full felicity, and there enjoying
Love, without fear, and without evil, Good.
To full felicity, and there enjoying
Love, without fear, and without evil, Good.
Ever thy love excelling, and destroying
Human perfection with its mere excess,
Though inexhaustible yet never cloying,
Human perfection with its mere excess,
Though inexhaustible yet never cloying,
Until the Creature be consumed by stress
Of that absorbing fire, lost in the God,
And to itself be very nothingness.
Of that absorbing fire, lost in the God,
And to itself be very nothingness.
—Included as the waves within the flood,
Kept in its centre, neighboured yet alone;
My Spirit, by thy holy Will withstood,
Kept in its centre, neighboured yet alone;
My Spirit, by thy holy Will withstood,
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Most graciously concurring with my own,
Maintained its outbirth, though embraced in thee,
The Generator,..dwelt apart, self-known.
Maintained its outbirth, though embraced in thee,
The Generator,..dwelt apart, self-known.
—So my Soul travelled through the mystery
Of her existence, fondly measuring
Its depths and heights and its capacity;
Of her existence, fondly measuring
Its depths and heights and its capacity;
Mazed in herself, a solitary thing,
Stirred into action by its plastick Will,
And warmed to life by Love's awakening.
Stirred into action by its plastick Will,
And warmed to life by Love's awakening.
For Love is Life's deep essence, quicker still
Than Life to quicken, wont with Life to teem;
And my heart ached with its mysterious thrill.
Than Life to quicken, wont with Life to teem;
And my heart ached with its mysterious thrill.
—I was alone, and over all supreme,
Yet feeling in my spirit such desire,
As kept me waking, but as in a dream,
Yet feeling in my spirit such desire,
As kept me waking, but as in a dream,
To look upon mine Image. So the Fire
Wrought in me, I was as a God, and felt
Heroick scorn of earth and her attire.
Wrought in me, I was as a God, and felt
Heroick scorn of earth and her attire.
Amidst the Works which are thy words, I dwelt
Unsatisfied. The Glory of the Sun;
The Pride of th' Height, whereto men since have knelt;
Unsatisfied. The Glory of the Sun;
The Pride of th' Height, whereto men since have knelt;
The Clearness of the Firmament; the One
Ethereal Arch; the Majesty of the Noon;
Clouds with their changes, and the Sky with none;
Ethereal Arch; the Majesty of the Noon;
Clouds with their changes, and the Sky with none;
The Starry Dance, the Beauty of the Moon;
The marvellous works of the Omnipotent,
Spake to my soul in a despised tune:
The marvellous works of the Omnipotent,
Spake to my soul in a despised tune:
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She to herself a nobler monument,
A personal Marvel and a Mystery,
Conscious of power divinely excellent,
A personal Marvel and a Mystery,
Conscious of power divinely excellent,
And of dominion given unto me
Over all Elements. Had I not seen
Thee, their Creator, and conversed with thee?
Over all Elements. Had I not seen
Thee, their Creator, and conversed with thee?
Greater, more glorious, lovelier, more serene,—
More terrible in majesty and might,—
Than these—than all. When hath thine Equal been?
More terrible in majesty and might,—
Than these—than all. When hath thine Equal been?
Subtler than Motion—swifter than the Light—
Stronger than Fire—above thy Works thou art,
And who can magnify thy name aright?
Stronger than Fire—above thy Works thou art,
And who can magnify thy name aright?
For thou art All—yet these of thee no part—
And there are hid yet greater things than these—
Thou givest Wisdom to the godly heart!
And there are hid yet greater things than these—
Thou givest Wisdom to the godly heart!
—The Symbol of my Thought that might appease
My longing was not in them. Not in them
My Image, though of God the images.
My longing was not in them. Not in them
My Image, though of God the images.
I called the Fowls of Air,..'twas not in them!
I questioned of the Beasts of Earth,..in vain;
They were not to my mind, nor of my stem.
I questioned of the Beasts of Earth,..in vain;
They were not to my mind, nor of my stem.
I ruled them as a God in my domain;
I knew their natures, and prescribed their names,
But shared not in their joys and did disdain.
I knew their natures, and prescribed their names,
But shared not in their joys and did disdain.
—And so I was companionless..and flames
Of fire stirred in my Soul. Eternal Father!
Who of thyself didst generate the frames
Of fire stirred in my Soul. Eternal Father!
Who of thyself didst generate the frames
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Of various Life—if that thou hearst not rather
One Life, one Form of thy coeval Love,
And in thy Word that all Creation gather—
One Life, one Form of thy coeval Love,
And in thy Word that all Creation gather—
How teemed my heart thou sawst, and how it strove
To be delivered of its lovely freight.
Then formless, void and darkling;..from above
To be delivered of its lovely freight.
Then formless, void and darkling;..from above
No light vouchsafed; not understood 'till late,
And unrevealed to sense; nor knew I how
Their objects our affections do create.—
And unrevealed to sense; nor knew I how
Their objects our affections do create.—
—O Saviour! by thine Agony, which now
Welled from thee in the Garden, ere thou slept,
And from thy side a broader stream might flow!
Welled from thee in the Garden, ere thou slept,
And from thy side a broader stream might flow!
Thou knowst my Passion, and what tears it wept,
Sanguine of Hope! 'till, sick with Love denied,
The dews of Slumber o'er my Spirit crept.
Sanguine of Hope! 'till, sick with Love denied,
The dews of Slumber o'er my Spirit crept.
And, in that trance, from out my wounded side,
The Birth I travailled with, by Power Divine,
Emerged all-beauteous,..Daughter, Sister, Bride!
The Birth I travailled with, by Power Divine,
Emerged all-beauteous,..Daughter, Sister, Bride!
Made of my substance, as thy Church of thine,
Redeemer! who with thine own flesh and blood
Repairst the breach which then I made in mine.
Redeemer! who with thine own flesh and blood
Repairst the breach which then I made in mine.
—Thus, Woman! hast thou ever since been wooed,
By Man, with this disruption of the heart,
This bloody Passion in his Solitude,
By Man, with this disruption of the heart,
This bloody Passion in his Solitude,
This Martyrdom whereof thou feelst but part;
Thy Maker and thy Husband bears the whole,
Death's Sacrament;..and yet his Life thou art!
Thy Maker and thy Husband bears the whole,
Death's Sacrament;..and yet his Life thou art!
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—For unto thee I gave my living Soul:
Deep was the sleep I slept that thou mightst live,
And its baptizing floods had strong control,
Deep was the sleep I slept that thou mightst live,
And its baptizing floods had strong control,
A living death, then quickest to conceive
The Form of mine Idea. Anon, awaken,
I saw the Woman, and I called her Eve.
The Form of mine Idea. Anon, awaken,
I saw the Woman, and I called her Eve.
—Life of my Life! how sweet with her partaken,
A Paradise within a Paradise,
A Fountain sealed, a City unforsaken—
A Paradise within a Paradise,
A Fountain sealed, a City unforsaken—
Lovely though weak, and winning if not wise,
She having her perfection but in me,
And I in turn lived only in her eyes;
She having her perfection but in me,
And I in turn lived only in her eyes;
Imperfect both, but more imperfect she;
Naked, though unashamed; and, under Law,
Guiltless of Sin, yet not from Nature free;
Naked, though unashamed; and, under Law,
Guiltless of Sin, yet not from Nature free;
Nature, whose incomplete Creations awe,
Speaking like Woman, of a Life by-gone,
And one commenced—and one that Faith foresaw,
Speaking like Woman, of a Life by-gone,
And one commenced—and one that Faith foresaw,
Teeming with Life completed in a Son,
Whom the Revealer, in the days that are,
Hath manifested in the Eternal One.
Whom the Revealer, in the days that are,
Hath manifested in the Eternal One.
—Almighty Lord! the Universal Heir!
Thy Church hath wandered from thee: dwelt apart,
And of her habitation passing fair
Thy Church hath wandered from thee: dwelt apart,
And of her habitation passing fair
Made to herself a temple, where her heart
Idolatrous adored and deified
The vanities of Lust,—the lies of Art,
Idolatrous adored and deified
The vanities of Lust,—the lies of Art,
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Whose swift degrees the poles of Sense divide,
The Good and Evil that with Knowledge came,
Labour and pain, and peril—taught and tried,
The Good and Evil that with Knowledge came,
Labour and pain, and peril—taught and tried,
And cleansed with Blood. The sacrificial Flame,
From Heaven, accepted the devoted Life,
Whose Shedding clothed Humanity from Shame,
From Heaven, accepted the devoted Life,
Whose Shedding clothed Humanity from Shame,
Forth sent to hold with Nature stubborn strife,
Debarred from touching, by Cherubick fire,
The Tree whose fruitage now is ripe and rife,
Debarred from touching, by Cherubick fire,
The Tree whose fruitage now is ripe and rife,
That whoso plucks may live. Eternal Sire,
Thy potent Word, out of thy royal Throne,
Leapt down from heaven amidst a land of Ire,
Thy potent Word, out of thy royal Throne,
Leapt down from heaven amidst a land of Ire,
Sworded with thine unfeigned Decree alone,—
And standing up, Avenger unadored,
Filled all the region of that populous zone
And standing up, Avenger unadored,
Filled all the region of that populous zone
With death;—it swept o'er earth, to heaven it soared.
It swooped to hell, and smote her land with fear.
—By Suffering perfect made, by death restored,
It swooped to hell, and smote her land with fear.
—By Suffering perfect made, by death restored,
Anon, behold, the Blameless Man appear—
Her wrecks are levelled, and her ruin healed.
Each Son of mine is the first Labourer's heir—
Her wrecks are levelled, and her ruin healed.
Each Son of mine is the first Labourer's heir—
He speaks—Winds listen and the billows yield—
He prays—and Angels minister his need,—
His Blessing fattens the renewed field;
He prays—and Angels minister his need,—
His Blessing fattens the renewed field;
Heir of all things—the Woman's only Seed!
—Oh Eve! Strong was my Love as Death, to share
With thee the Curse of that ambitious deed,
—Oh Eve! Strong was my Love as Death, to share
With thee the Curse of that ambitious deed,
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Which did our human nakedness declare—
Stronger his Love who hath atonement made,
And died, that he a body may prepare
Stronger his Love who hath atonement made,
And died, that he a body may prepare
Of Glory; so the Bride shall be arrayed,
And for the senselessness of shame she lost,
Be in the marriage garment well displayed.
And for the senselessness of shame she lost,
Be in the marriage garment well displayed.
—Thus triumphs Love, but in the End the most,
The First and Last of Beings. Hence began
The Ages; and his Words, the countless Host
The First and Last of Beings. Hence began
The Ages; and his Words, the countless Host
Of Generation: hence the Worlds: hence Man:
Hence Woman; and with woman man partook
Her doom; and great Messiah's grace outran
Hence Woman; and with woman man partook
Her doom; and great Messiah's grace outran
Transgression, and withstood the Law's rebuke,
And shall redeem, with energy divine,
All to himself, wherefore he all forsook,
And thence into his Father's hand resign.And shall redeem, with energy divine,
All to himself, wherefore he all forsook,
| The Descent into Hell | |