The cause of this all-spreading happiness (Which you proclaim) of the all-great and good Maker of life and living things; it is His secret, and he keeps it. We must bear, morn. 490 Thou seem'st unhappy: do not make us so, And I will weep for thee. Lucifer. Alas! those tears! Couldst thou but know what oceans will be The myriad myriads the all-peopled earth hour; But in that hour see things of many days. days? And cannot I, who aided in this work, Show in an hour what he hath made in many, Or hath destroy'd in few ? Cain. Adah. Lead on. Will he, 530 He shall. In sooth, return within an hour? With us acts are exempt from time, and we Or stretch an hour into eternity: We breathe not by a mortal measure But that's a mystery. Cain, come on with The worlds beyond thy little world, nor be Amerced for doubts beyond thy little life, With torture of my dooming. There will come An hour, when, toss'd upon some waterdrops, A man shall say to a man, Believe in me, And walk the waters;' and the man shall walk The billows and be safe. I will not say, 20 Of space an equal flight, and I will show Dost thou not recognise Can it be? Yon small blue circle, swinging in far ether, night? 30 Intoxicated with eternity? Oh God! Oh Gods! or whatsoe'er ye are! 110 How beautiful ye are ! how beautiful Your works, or accidents, or whatsoe'er They may be! Let me die as atoms die (If that they die), or know ye in your might And knowledge! My thoughts are not in this hour Unworthy what I see, though my dust is;— Spirit! let me expire, or see them nearer. Lucifer. Art thou not nearer ? look back to thine earth! Cain. Where is it? I see nothing save a |