DÎS ALITER VISUM; OR, LE BYRON DE NOS JOURS. 1. STOP, let me have the truth of that! Ten years ago when both of us Met on a morning, friends as thus We meet this evening, friends or what? Did you 2. because I took your arm And sillily smiled, "A mass of brass That sea looks, blazing underneath!" Did you 3. consider "Now makes twice That I have seen her, walked and talked With this poor, pretty, thoughtful thing, Whose worth I weigh: she tries to sing; Draws, hopes in time the eye grows nice; 4. "Reads verse and thinks she understands ; Loves all, at any rate, that's great, Good, beautiful; but much as we Down at the Bath-house love the sea, Who breathe its salt and bruise its sands: 5. "While... do but follow the fishing-gull That flaps and floats from wave to cave! There's the sea-lover, fair my friend! What then? Be patient, mark and mend! Had you the making of your scull?" 6. And did you, when we faced the church With spire and sad slate roof, aloof From human fellowship so far, Where a few graveyard crosses are, And garlands for the swallows' perch, 7. Did you determine, as we stepped O'er the lone stone fence, "Let me get Her for myself, and what's the earth With all its art, verse, music, worth Compared with love, found, gained, and kept? 8. "Schumann's our music-maker now; Has his march-movement youth and mouth? Ingres 's the modern man that paints; Which will lean on me, of his saints? Heine for songs; for kisses, how?" 9. And did you, when we entered, reached The votive frigate, soft aloft Riding on air this hundred years, Safe-smiling at old hopes and fears,— Did you draw profit while she preached? 10. Resolving "Fools we wise men grow! Some question that might find reply As prompt in her stopped lips, dropped eye, And rush of red to cheek and brow: 11. "Thus were a match made, sure and fast, 'Mid the blue weed-flowers round the mound Where, issuing, we shall stand and stay For one more look at Baths and bay, Sands, sea-gulls, and the old church last 12. "A match 'twixt me, bent, wigged, and lamed, Famous, however, for verse and worse, Sure of the Fortieth spare Arm-chair When gout and glory seat me there, 13. "And this young beauty, round and sound As a mountain-apple, youth and truth With loves and doves, at all events With money in the Three per Cents; Whose choice of me would seem profound: 14. "She might take me as I take her. Perfect the hour would pass, alas! Climb high, love high, what matter? Still, An hour's perfection can't recur. 15. "Then follows Paris and full time For both to reason: 'Thus with us!' She 'll sigh, 'Thus girls give body and soul At first word, think they gain the goal, When 't is the starting-place they climb! 16. "My friend makes verse and gets renown; They 're fools; he cheats, with beard less brown. 17. "For boys say, Love me or I die! I want, who am old and know too much; 18. "While I should make rejoinder' (then It was, no doubt, you ceased that least Light pressure of my arm in yours) "I can conceive of cheaper cures For a yawning-fit o'er books and men. |