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distinguish any phrases or ideas of my own making。 I saw a poor； ragged；
shrunken sentence that might have been mine own catch the wings of a
fair idea with the light of genius shining like a halo about its head。
Ever and anon the dancers changed partners without invitation or
permission。 Thoughts fell in love at sight； married in a measure； and
joined hands without previous courtship。 An incongruity is the wedding
of two thoughts which have had no reasonable courtship； and marriages
without wooing are apt to lead to domestic discord； even to the breaking
up of an ancient； time…honoured family。 Among the wedded couples were
certain similes hitherto inviolable in their bachelorhood and
spinsterhood； and held in great respect。 Their extraordinary proceedings
nearly broke up the dance。 But the fatuity of their union was evident to
them； and they parted。 Other similes seemed to have the habit of living
in discord。 They had been many times married and divorced。 They belonged
to the notorious society of Mixed Metaphors。
A pany of phantoms floated in and out wearing tantalizing garments
of oblivion。 They seemed about to dance； then vanished。 They reappeared
half a dozen times； but never unveiled their faces。 The imp Curiosity
pulled Memory by the sleeve and said； 〃Why do they run away？ 'Tis
strange knavery！〃 Out ran Memory to capture them。 After a great deal of
racing and puffing and collision it apprehended some of the fugitives
and brought them in。 But when it tore off their masks； lo！ some were
disappointingly monplace； and others were gipsy quotations trying to
conceal the punctuation marks that belonged to them。 Memory was much
chagrined to have had such a hard chase only to catch this sorry lot of
graceless rogues。
Into the rabble strode four stately giants who called themselves
History； Philosophy； Law； and Medicine。 They seemed too solemn and
imposing to join in a masque。 But even as I gazed at these formidable
guests； they all split into fragments which went whirling； dancing in
divisions； subdivisions； re…subdivisions of scientific nonsense！ History
split into philology； ethnology； anthropology； and mythology； and these
again split finer than the splitting of hairs。 Each speciality hugged
its bit of knowledge and waltzed it round and round。 The rest of the
pany began to nod； and I felt drowsy myself。 To put an end to the
solemn gyrations； a troop of fairies mercifully waved poppies over us
all； the masque faded； my head fell； and I started。 Sleep had wakened
me。 At my elbow I found my old friend Bottom。
〃Bottom；〃 I said； 〃I have had a dream past the wit of man to say what
dream it was。 Methought I was……there is no man can tell what。 The eye of
man hath not heard； the ear of man hath not seen； his hand is not able
to taste； his tongue to conceive； nor his heart to report what my dream
was。〃
A CHANT OF DARKNESS
A CHANT OF DARKNESS
〃_My wings are folded o'er mine ears；
My wings are crossed o'er mine eyes；
Yet through their silver shade appears；
And through their lulling plumes arise；
A Shape； a throng of sounds。_〃
_Shelley's 〃Prometheus Unbound。〃_
I DARE not ask why we are reft of light；
Banished to our solitary isles amid the unmeasured seas；
Or how our sight was nurtured to glorious vision；
To fade and vanish and leave us in the dark alone。
The secret of God is upon our tabernacle；
Into His mystery I dare not pry。 Only this I know：
With Him is strength； with Him is wisdom；
And His wisdom hath set darkness in our paths。
_Out of the uncharted； unthinkable dark we came；
And in a little time we shall return again
Into the vast； unanswering dark。_
O Dark！ thou awful； sweet； and holy Dark！
In thy solemn spaces； beyond the human eye；
God fashioned His universe； laid the foundations of the earth；
Laid the measure thereof； and stretched the line upon it；
Shut up the sea with doors； and made the glory
Of the clouds a covering for it；
manded His morning； and； behold！ chaos fled
Before the uplifted face of the sun；
Divided a water…course for the overflowing of waters；
Sent rain upon the earth……
Upon the wilderness wherein there was no man；
Upon the desert where grew no tender herb；
And； lo！ there was greenness upon the plains；
And the hills were clothed with beauty！
_Out of the uncharted； unthinkable dark we came；
And in a little time we shall return again
Into the vast； unanswering dark。_
O Dark！ thou secret and inscrutable Dark！
In thy silent depths； the springs whereof man hath not fathomed；
God wrought the soul of man。
O Dark！ passionate； all…knowing Dark！
Tenderly； as shadows to the evening； es thy message to man。
Softly thou layest thy hand on his tired eyelids；
And his soul； weary and homesick； returns
Unto thy soothing embrace。
_Out of the uncharted； unthinkable dark we came；
And in a little time we shall return again
Into the vast； unanswering dark。_
O Dark！ wise； vital； thought…quickening Dark！
In thy mystery thou hidest the light
That is the soul's life。
Upon thy solitary shores I walk unafraid；
I dread no evil； though I walk in the valley of the shadow；
I shall not know the ecstasy of fear
When gentle Death leads me through life's open door；
When the bands of night are sundered；
And the day outpours its light。
_Out of the uncharted； unthinkable dark we came；
And in a little time we shall return again
Into the vast； unanswering dark。_
The timid soul； fear…driven； shuns the dark；
But upon the cheeks of him who must abide in shadow
Breathes the wind of rushing angel…wings；
And round him falls a light from unseen fires。
Magical beams glow athwart the darkness；
Paths of beauty wind through his black world
To another world of light；
Where no veil of sense shuts him out from Paradise。
_Out of the uncharted； unthinkable dark we came；
And in a little time we shall return again
Into the vast； unanswering dark。_
O Dark！ thou blessed； quiet Dark！
To the lone exile who must dwell with thee
Thou art benign and friendly；
From the harsh world thou dost shut him in；
To him thou whisperest the secrets of the wondrous night；
Upon him thou bestowest regions wide and boundless as his spirit；
Thou givest a glory to all humble things；
With thy hovering pinions thou coverest all unlovely objects；
Under thy brooding wings there is peace。
_Out of the uncharted； unthinkable dark we came；
And in a little time we shall return again
Into the vast； unanswering dark。_
II
Once in regions void of light I wandered；
In blank darkness I stumbled；
And fear led me by the hand；
My feet pressed earthward；
Afraid of pitfalls。
By many shapeless terrors of the night affrighted；
To the wakeful day
I held out beseeching arms。
Then came Love； bearing in her hand
The torch that is the light unto my feet；
And softly spoke Love： 〃Hast thou
Entered into the treasures of darkness？
Hast thou entered into the treasures of the night？
Search out thy blindness。 It holdeth
Riches past puting。〃
The words of Love set my spirit aflame。
My eager fingers searched out the mysteries；
The splendours； the inmost sacredness； of things；
And in the vacancies discerned
With spiritual sense the fullness of life；