Life and Phantasy by William Allingham: With frontispiece by Sir John E. Millais: A design by Arthur H. Hughes and a song for voice and piano forte |
 |
|
|
|
|
| I. |
| II. |
| III. |
| IV. |
|
|
|
|
|
POESIS HUMANA. |
 | Life and Phantasy |  |
153
POESIS HUMANA.
What is the Artist's duty?
His work, however wrought,
Shape, colour, word, or tone,
Is to make better known
(Himself divinely taught),
To praise and celebrate,
Because his love is great,
The lovely miracle
Of Universal Beauty.
This message would he tell.
His work, however wrought,
Shape, colour, word, or tone,
Is to make better known
(Himself divinely taught),
To praise and celebrate,
Because his love is great,
The lovely miracle
Of Universal Beauty.
This message would he tell.
Amid the day's crude strife,
This message is his trust;
With all his heart and soul,
With all his skill and strength,
Seeking to add at length,
Because he may and must,
Some atom to the whole
Of man's inheritance;
Some fineness to the glance,
Some richness to the life.
This message is his trust;
With all his heart and soul,
With all his skill and strength,
Seeking to add at length,
Because he may and must,
Some atom to the whole
Of man's inheritance;
Some fineness to the glance,
Some richness to the life.
154
And if he deal, perforce,
With evil and with pain,
With horror and affright,
He does it to our gain;
Makes felt the mighty course,
That sweepeth on amain,
Planet-like, smooth, severe,
Of law—whose atmosphere
Is beauty and delight;
For these are at its source.
With evil and with pain,
With horror and affright,
He does it to our gain;
Makes felt the mighty course,
That sweepeth on amain,
Planet-like, smooth, severe,
Of law—whose atmosphere
Is beauty and delight;
For these are at its source.
His own work, be it small,
Itself hath rounded well,
Even like Earth's own ball
Wrapt in its airy shell.
His gentle magic brings
The mystery of things;
It gives dead substance wings;
It shows in little, much;
And, by an artful touch,
Conveys the hint of all.
Itself hath rounded well,
Even like Earth's own ball
Wrapt in its airy shell.
His gentle magic brings
The mystery of things;
It gives dead substance wings;
It shows in little, much;
And, by an artful touch,
Conveys the hint of all.
| Life and Phantasy | |