Spirit. It is not in our essence, in our skill; But thou mayest die. Man. Will death bestow it on me? Spirit. We are immortal, and do not forget; We are eternal; and to us the past Is, as the future, present. Art thou answer'd? Man. Ye mock me- but the power which brought ye here Hath made you mine. Slaves, scoff not at my will! The mind, the spirit, the Promethean spark, The lightning of my being, is as bright, And shall not yield to yours, though coop'd in clay! Spirit. We answer as we answer'd; our reply Is even in thine own words. Man. Why say ye so? Spirit. If, as thou say'st, thine essence be as ours, We have replied in telling thee, the thing Mortals call death hath nought to do with us. Man. I then have call'd ye from your realms in What we possess we offer; it is thine : Bethink ere thou dismiss us, ask again— Kingdom, and sway, and strength, and length of days— Man. Accursed! what have I to do with days? They are too long already. — Hence — begone! Spirit. Yet pause: being here, our will would do thee service; Bethink thee, is there then no other gift Which we can make not worthless in thine eyes? Man. No, none; yet stay part one moment, ere we I would behold ye face to face. I hear The steady aspect of a clear large star; Spirit. We have no forms, beyond the elements But choose a form - in that we will appear. Man. I have no choice; there is no form on earth Hideous or beautiful to me. Let him, Who is most powerful of ye, take such aspect As unto him may seem most fitting - Come! Seventh Spirit. (Appearing in the shape of a beautiful female figure.) Behold! Man. Oh God! if it be thus, and thou Art not a madness and a mockery, I yet might be most happy. I will clasp thee, And we again will be [The figure vanishes. My heart is crush'd! [MANFRED falls senseless. (A Voice is heard in the Incantation which follows.) When the moon is on the wave, And the glow-worm in the grass, And the meteor on the grave, And the wisp on the morass ; Though thy slumber may be deep, Yet thy spirit shall not sleep; There are shades which will not vanish, There are thoughts thou canst not banish By a power to thee unknown, Thou canst never be alone; Thou art wrapt as with a shroud, Thou art gather'd in a cloud; And forever shalt thou dwell Though thou seest me not pass by, And the power which thou dost feel ; And a magic voice and verse Hath begirt thee with a snare; And to thee shall Night deny And the Day shall have a sun, Which shall make thee wish it done. MANFRED ON THE CLIFFS. (MANFRED, Act i. Scene 2.). The Mountain of the Jungfrau. Time, Morning. MANFRED alone upon the Cliffs. Man. THE spirits I have raised abandon me I lean no more on super-human aid; It is not of my search. - My mother Earth! And thou fresh breaking Day, and you, ye Mountains, Why are ye beautiful? I cannot love ye. And thou, the bright eye of the universe, That openest over all, and unto all Art a delight thou shin'st not on my heart. And you, ye crags, upon whose extreme edge A stir, a motion, even a breath, would bring To rest forever - wherefore do I pause? And my brain reels — and yet my foot is firm: If it be life to wear within myself My own soul's sepulchre, for I have ceased -- Thou winged and cloud-cleaving minister, [An eagle passes. Whose happy flight is highest into heaven, Thy prey, and gorge thine eaglets; thou art gone How glorious in its action and itself! But we, who name ourselves its sovereigns, we, To sink or soar, with our mix'd essence make A conflict of its elements, and breathe |