The Dynasts: An Epic-Drama of the War with Napoleon Part 193

And these pale panting mult.i.tudes Seen surging here, their moils, their moods, All shall "fulfil their joy" in Thee In Thee abide eternally!

SEMICHORUS II

Exultant adoration give The Alone, through Whom all living live, The Alone, in Whom all dying die, Whose means the End shall justify! Amen.

SPIRIT OF THE PITIES

So did we evermore, sublimely sing; So would we now, despise thy forthshowing!

SPIRIT OF THE YEARS

Something of difference animates your quiring, O half-convinced Compa.s.sionates and fond, From chords consistent with our spectacle!

You almost charm my long philosophy Out of my strong-built thought, and bear me back To when I thanksgave thus.... Ay, start not, Shades; In the Foregone I knew what dreaming was, And could let raptures rule! But not so now.

Yea, I psalmed thus and thus.... But not so now.

SEMICHORUS I OF THE YEARS [aerial music]

O Immanence, That reasonest not In putting forth all things begot, Thou build'st Thy house in s.p.a.ce--for what?

SEMICHORUS II

O loveless, Hateless!--past the sense Of kindly eyed benevolence, To what tune danceth this Immense?

SPIRIT IRONIC

For one I cannot answer. But I know 'Tis handsome of our Pities so to sing The praises of the dreaming, dark, dumb Thing That turns the handle of this idle show!

As once a Greek asked I would fain ask too, Who knows if all the Spectacle be true, Or an illusion of the G.o.ds [the Will, To wit] some hocus-pocus to fulfil?

SEMICHORUS I OF THE YEARS [aerial music]

Last as first the question rings Of the Will's long travailings; Why the All-mover, Why the All-prover Ever urges on and measure out the chordless chime of Things.[27]

SEMICHORUS II

Heaving dumbly As we deem, Moulding numbly As in dream Apprehending not how fare the sentient subjects of Its scheme.

SEMICHORUS I OF THE PITIES

Nay;--shall not Its blindness break?

Yea, must not Its heart awake, Promptly tending To Its mending In a genial germing purpose, and for loving-kindness sake?

SEMICHORUS II

Should it never Curb or care Aught whatever Those endure Whom It quickens, let them darkle to extinction swift and sure.

CHORUS

But--a stirring thrills the air Like to sounds of joyance there That the rages Of the ages Shall be cancelled, and deliverance offered from the darts that were, Consciousness the Will informing, till It fas.h.i.+on all things fair!

THE END OF "THE DYNASTS"

September 25, 1907

FOOTNOTES

[Footnote 1: Schlegel.]

[Footnote 2: Introduction to the _Choephori_.]

[Footnote 3: It is now called an Epic-drama, Footnote 1909.]

[Footnote 4: Through this tangle of intentions the writer has in the main followed Thiers, whose access to doc.u.ments would seem to authenticate his details of the famous scheme for England's ruin.]

[Footnote 5: These historic facings, which, I believe, won for the local [Footnote old 39th: regiment the nickname of "Green Linnets," have been changed for no apparent reason. Footnote They are now restored--1909]

[Footnote 6: The remains of the lonely hut occupied by the beacon-keepers, consisting of some half-buried brickbats, and a little mound of peat overgrown with moss, are still visible on the elevated spot referred to. The two keepers themselves, and their eccentricities and sayings are traditionary, with a slight disguise of names.]

[Footnote 7: "Le projet existe encore aux archives de la marine que Napoleon consultait incessamment; il sentait que cette marine depuis Louis XIV. avait fait de grandes choses: le plan de l'Expedition d'Egypte et de la descente en Angleterre se trouvaient au ministere de la marine."--CAPEFIGUE: L'Europe pendant le Consulat et l'Empire.]

[Footnote 8: This weather-beaten old building, though now an hotel, is but little altered.]

[Footnote 9: Soph. Trach. 1266-72.]

[Footnote 10: This scene is a little antedated, to include it in the Act to which it essentially belongs.]

[Footnote 11: "Quel bonhour que je n'aie aucun enfant pour recueillir mon horrible heritage et qui soit charge du poids de mon nom!"-- [Footnote Extract from the poignant letter to his wife written on this night.--See Lanfrey iii. 374.]

[Footnote 12: In those days the hind-part of the harbour adjoining this scene was so named, and at high tides the waves washed across the isthmus at a point called "The Narrows."

[Footnote 13: This General's name should, it is said, be p.r.o.nounced in three syllables, nearly PRESH-EV-SKY.]