Grow old along with me! The last of life, for which the first was made: 1 Prospice (Look forward) was written in the autumn of 1861, shortly after the death of Mrs. Browning. The passage from Dante that Browning wrote in his wife's Testament might be taken as an expression of the essence of this poem: "Thus I believe, thus I affirm. thus I am certain it is, that from this life I shall pass to another better, there, where the lady lives of whom my soul was enamoured.' 1 Rabbi Ben Ezra ia but a mouthpiece for Browning And was not, comforts me: 40 A brute I might have been, but would not sink i' the scale. himself. Nevertheless the Jewish teacher who is supposed to be imparting to youth the ultimate wisdom of age is not an imaginary person, but a man whose views, so far as we can judge, were really similar to those the poet has put into his mouth. Rabbi Ben Ezra, whose real name is said to have been Abraham ben Meir ben Ezra, was one of the most distinguished Jewish scholars and Old Testament commentators of the Middle Ages. His view of life was lofty; to him the only reality was spirit, and he regarded material things as of very minor importance. Whose flesh hath soul to suit, Whose spirit works lest arms and legs want play? To man, propose this test Thy body at its best, 45 How far can that project thy soul on its lone way? IX Yet gifts should prove their use: I own the Past profuse Of power each side, perfection every turn: Eyes, ears took in their dole, Brain treasured up the whole; 50 Should not the heart beat once "How good to live and learn?" X Not once beat "Praise be Thine! I see the whole design, I, who saw Power, see now Love perfect too:2 Perfect I call Thy plan: Thanks that I was a man! 55 Maker, remake complete,-I trust what Thou shalt do!" ΧΙ For pleasant is this flesh; Our soul, in its rose-mesh Pulled ever to the earth, still yearns for rest: Would we some prize might hold To match those manifold 60 65 15 See now, there certainly seems excuse: for a moment, I trust, dear friends, The fault was but folly, no fault of mine, or if mine, I have made amends! For, every day that is first of May, on the hilltop here stand I, Martin Relph, and I strike my brow, and publish the reason why, When there gathers a crowd to mock the fool. No fool, friends, since the bite Of a worm inside is worse to bear: pray God I have balked him quite! 20 |