An Introduction to the Study of Robert Browning's Poetry Part 49

8.

What is he but a brute 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, How far can that project thy soul on its lone way?

-- St. 8. Thy body at its best, How far, etc.: "In our flesh grows the branch of this life, in our soul it bears fruit."--'Saul', v. 151.

9.

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; Should not the heart beat once "How good to live and learn"?

-- St. 9. the Past: he means the past of his own life.

10.

Not once beat "Praise be Thine!

I see the whole design, I, who saw Power, see now Love perfect too: Perfect I call Thy plan: Thanks that I was a man!

Maker, remake, complete,--I trust what Thou shalt do!"

-- St. 10. The original reading of the 3d verse was, "I, who saw Power, SHALL see Love perfect too." The change has cleared up a difficulty.

The All-Great is now to me, in my age, the All-Loving too.

Maker, remake, complete: there seems to be an antic.i.p.ation here of the metaphor of the Potter's wheel, in stanzas 25-32, and see Jer. 18:4.

11.

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 Possessions of the brute,--gain most, as we did best!

12.

Let us not always say "Spite of this flesh to-day I strove, made head, gained ground upon the whole!"

As the bird wings and sings, Let us cry "All good things Are ours, nor soul helps flesh more, now, than flesh helps soul!"

13.

Therefore I summon age To grant youth's heritage, Life's struggle having so far reached its term: Thence shall I pa.s.s, approved A man, for aye removed From the developed brute; a G.o.d though in the germ.

-- St. 13. Thence shall I pa.s.s, etc.: It will be observed that here and in some of the following stanzas, the Rabbi speaks in the person of youth; so youth should say to itself.

14.

And I shall thereupon Take rest, ere I be gone Once more on my adventure brave and new: Fearless and unperplexed, When I wage battle next, What weapons to select, what armor to indue.

15.

Youth ended, I shall try My gain or loss thereby; Leave the fire ashes, what survives is gold: And I shall weigh the same, Give life its praise or blame: Young, all lay in dispute; I shall know, being old.

16.

For, note when evening shuts, A certain moment cuts The deed off, calls the glory from the gray: A whisper from the west Shoots--"Add this to the rest, Take it and try its worth: here dies another day."

17.

So, still within this life, Though lifted o'er its strife, Let me discern, compare, p.r.o.nounce at last, "This rage was right i' the main, That acquiescence vain: The Future I may face now I have proved the Past."

18.

For more is not reserved To man, with soul just nerved To act to-morrow what he learns to-day: Here, work enough to watch The Master work, and catch Hints of the proper craft, tricks of the tool's true play.

19.

As it was better, youth Should strive, through acts uncouth, Toward making, than repose on aught found made: So, better, age, exempt From strife, should know, than tempt Further. Thou waitedst age: wait death, nor be afraid!

20.

Enough now, if the Right And Good and Infinite Be named here, as thou callest thy hand thine own, With knowledge absolute, Subject to no dispute From fools that crowded youth, nor let thee feel alone.

-- St. 20. knowledge absolute: soul knowledge, which is reached through direct a.s.similation by the soul of the hidden principles of things, as distinguished from intellectual knowledge, which is based on the phenominal, and must be more or less subject to dispute.

21.

Be there, for once and all, Severed great minds from small, Announced to each his station in the Past!

Was I, the world arraigned, Were they, my soul disdained, Right? Let age speak the truth and give us peace at last!

-- St. 21, vv. 4, 5. The relatives are suppressed;--Was I whom the world arraigned, or were they whom my soul disdained, right?

22.

Now, who shall arbitrate?

Ten men love what I hate, Shun what I follow, slight what I receive; Ten, who in ears and eyes Match me: we all surmise, They, this thing, and I, that: whom shall my soul believe?

23.

Not on the vulgar ma.s.s Called "work", must sentence pa.s.s, Things done, that took the eye and had the price; O'er which, from level stand, The low world laid its hand, Found straightway to its mind, could value in a trice: