The Complete Poems of Sir Thomas Moore
Chapter 178 : Oh Love, Religion, Music--all That's left of Eden upon earth-- The only blessings

Oh Love, Religion, Music--all That's left of Eden upon earth-- The only blessings, since the fall Of our weak souls, that still recall A trace of their high, glorious birth-- How kindred are the dreams you bring!

How Love tho' unto earth so p.r.o.ne, Delights to take Religion's wing, When time or grief hath stained his own!

How near to Love's beguiling brink Too oft entranced Religion lies!

While Music, Music is the link They _both_ still hold by to the skies, The language of their native sphere Which they had else forgotten here.

How then could ZARAPH fail to feel That moment's witcheries?--one, so fair, Breathing out music, that might steal Heaven from itself, and rapt in prayer That seraphs might be proud to share!

Oh, he _did_ feel it, all too well-- With warmth, that far too dearly cost-- Nor knew he, when at last he fell, To which attraction, to which spell, Love, Music, or Devotion, most His soul in that sweet hour was lost.

Sweet was the hour, tho' dearly won, And pure, as aught of earth could be, For then first did the glorious sun Before religion's altar see Two hearts in wedlock's golden tie Self-pledged, in love to live and die.

Blest union! by that Angel wove, And worthy from such hands to come; Safe, sole, asylum, in which Love, When fallen or exiled from above, In this dark world can find a home.

And, tho' the Spirit had transgrest, Had, from his station 'mong the blest Won down by woman's smile, allow'd Terrestrial pa.s.sion to breathe o'er The mirror of his heart, and cloud G.o.d's image there so bright before-- Yet never did that Power look down On error with a brow so mild; Never did Justice wear a frown, Thro' which so gently Mercy smiled.

For humble was their love--with awe And trembling like some treasure kept, That was not theirs by holy law-- Whose beauty with remorse they saw And o'er whose preciousness they wept.

Humility, that low, sweet root, From which all heavenly virtues shoot, Was in the hearts of both--but most In NAMA'S heart, by whom alone Those charms, for which a heaven was lost.

Seemed all unvalued and unknown; And when her Seraph's eyes she caught, And hid hers glowing on his breast, Even bliss was humbled by the thought-- "What claim have I to be so blest"?

Still less could maid, so meek, have nurst Desire of knowledge--that vain thirst, With which the s.e.x hath all been curst From luckless EVE to her who near The Tabernacle stole to hear The secrets of the Angels: no-- To love as her own Seraph loved, With Faith, the same thro' bliss and woe-- Faith that were even its light removed, Could like the dial fixt remain And wait till it shone out again;-- With Patience that tho' often bowed By the rude storm can rise anew; And Hope that even from Evil's cloud See sunny Good half breaking thro'!

This deep, relying Love, worth more In heaven than all a Cherub's lore-- This Faith more sure than aught beside Was the sole joy, ambition, pride Of her fond heart--the unreasoning scope Of all its views, above, below-- So true she felt it that to _hope_, To _trust_, is happier than to _know_.

And thus in humbleness they trod, Abasht but pure before their G.o.d; Nor e'er did earth behold a sight So meekly beautiful as they, When with the altar's holy light Full on their brows they knelt to pray, Hand within hand and side by side, Two links of love awhile untied From the great chain above, but fast Holding together to the last!-- Two fallen Splendors from that tree[19]

Which buds with such eternally, Shaken to earth yet keeping all Their light and freshness in the fall.

Their only punishment, (as wrong, However sweet, must bear its brand.) Their only doom was this--that, long As the green earth and ocean stand, They both shall wander here--the same, Throughout all time, in heart and frame-- Still looking to that goal sublime, Whose light remote but sure they see; Pilgrims of Love whose way is Time, Whose home is in Eternity!

Subject the while to all the strife True Love encounters in this life-- The wishes, hopes, he breathes in vain; The chill that turns his warmest sighs To earthly vapor ere they rise; The doubt he feeds on and the pain That in his very sweetness lies:-- Still worse, the illusions that betray His footsteps to their s.h.i.+ning brink; That tempt him on his desert way Thro' the bleak world, to bend and drink, Where nothing meets his lips, alas!-- But he again must sighing pa.s.s On to that far-off home of peace, In which alone his thirst will cease.

All this they bear but not the less Have moments rich in happiness-- Blest meetings, after many a day Of widowhood past far away, When the loved face again is seen Close, close, with not a tear between-- Confidings frank, without control, Poured mutually from soul to soul; As free from any fear or doubt As is that light from chill or strain The sun into the stars sheds out To be by them shed back again!-- That happy minglement of hearts, Where, changed as chymic compounds are, Each with its own existence parts To find a new one, happier far!

Such are their joys--and crowning all That blessed hope of the bright hour, When, happy and no more to fall, Their spirits shall with freshened power Rise up rewarded for their trust In Him from whom all goodness springs, And shaking off earth's soiling dust From their emanc.i.p.ated wings, Wander for ever thro' those skies Of radiance where Love never dies!

In what lone region of the earth, These Pilgrims now may roam or dwell, G.o.d and the Angels who look forth To watch their steps, alone can tell.

But should we in our wanderings Meet a young pair whose beauty wants But the adornment of bright wings To look like heaven's inhabitants-- Who s.h.i.+ne where'er they tread and yet Are humble in their earthly lot, As is the way-side violet, That s.h.i.+nes unseen, and were it not For its sweet breath would be forgot Whose hearts in every thought are one, Whose voices utter the same wills-- Answering, as Echo doth some tone Of fairy music 'mong the hills, So like itself we seek in vain Which is the echo, which the strain-- Whose piety is love, whose love Tho' close as 'twere their souls' embrace.

Is not of earth but from above-- Like two fair mirrors face to face, Whose light from one to the other thrown, Is heaven's reflection, not their own-- Should we e'er meet with aught so pure, So perfect here, we may be sure 'Tis ZARAPH and his bride we see; And call young lovers round to view The pilgrim pair as they pursue Their pathway towards eternity.

[1] "To which will be joined the sound of the bells hanging on the trees, which will be put in motion by the wind proceeding from the Throne, so often as the Blessed wish for music."--See _Sale's Koran, Prelim.

Dissert_.

[2] The ancient Persians supposed that this Throne was placed in the Sun, and that through the stars were distributed the various cla.s.ses of Angels that encircled it. The Basilidians supposed that there were three hundred and sixty-five orders of angels.

[3] It appears that, in most languages, the term employed for an angel means also a messenger.

[4] The name given by the Mahometans to the infernal regions, over which, they say, the angel Tabliek presides.

[5] The Kerubilna, as the Mussulmans call them, are often joined indiscriminately with the Asrafil or Seraphim, under one common name of Azazil, by which all spirits who approach near the throne of Alla are designated.

[6] A belief that the stars are either spirits or the vehicles of spirits, was common to all the religions and heresies of the East. Kircher has given the names and stations of the seven archangels, who were by the Cabala of the Jews distributed through the planets.

[7] According to the cosmogony of the ancient Persians, there were four stars set as sentinels in the four quarters of the heavens, to watch over the other fixed stars, and superintend the planets in their course. The names of these four Sentinel stars are, according to the Boundesh, Taschter, for the east; Satevis, for the west; Venand, for the south; and Haftorang. for the north.

[8] Chavah, or, as it is Arabic, Havah (the name by which Adam called the woman after their transgression), means "Life".

[9] Called by the Mussulmans Al Araf--a sort of wall or part.i.tion which, according to the 7th chapter of the Koran, separates h.e.l.l from paradise, and where they, who have not merits sufficient to gain them immediate admittance into heaven, are supposed to stand for a certain period, alternately tantalized and tormented by the sights that are on either side presented to them.

[10] I am aware that this happy saying of Lord Albemarle's loses much of its grace and playfulness, by being put into the mouth of any but a human lover.

[11] According to Whitehurst's theory, the mention of rainbows by an antediluvian angel is an anachronism; as he says, "There was no rain before the flood, and consequently no rainbow, which accounts for the novelty of this sight after the Deluge."

[12] In acknowledging the authority of the great Prophets who had preceded him, Mahomet represented his own mission as the final "_Seal_," or consummation of them all.

[13] The Zodiacal Light.

[14] Poc.o.c.ke, however, gives it as the opinion of the Mahometan doctors, that all souls, not only of men and of animals, living either on land or in the sea, but of angels also, must necessarily taste of death.

[15] The Dove, or pigeon which attended Mahomet as his Familiar, and was frequently seen to whisper into his ear, was, if I recollect right, one of that select number of animals [including also the ant of Solomon, the dog of the Seven Sleepers, etc.] which were thought by the Prophet worthy of admission into Paradise.

[16] "Mohammed [says Sale], though a prophet, was not able to bear the sight of Gabriel, when he appeared in his proper form, much less would others be able to support it."

[17] Seth is a favorite personage among the Orientals, and acts a conspicuous part in many of their most extravagant romances. The Syrians pretended to have a Testament of this Patriarch in their possession, in which was explained the whole theology of angels, their different orders, etc. The Curds, too (as Hyde mentions in his Appendix), have a book, which contains all the rites of their religion, and which they call Sohuph Sheit, or the Book of Seth.

[18] The Seraphim, or Spirits of Divine Love.

[19] An allusion to the Sephiroths or Splendors of the Jewish Cabala, represented as a tree, of which G.o.d is the crown or summit.

RHYMES ON THE ROAD.

EXTRACTED FROM THE JOURNAL OF A TRAVELLING MEMBER OF THE POCO-CURANTE SOCIETY,

1819.

The greater part of the following Rhymes were written or composed in an old _caleche_ for the purpose of beguiling the _ennui_ of solitary travelling; and as verses made by a gentleman in his sleep, have been lately called "a _psychological_ curiosity," it is to be hoped that verses, composed by a gentleman to keep himself awake, may be honored with some appellation equally Greek.

RHYMES ON THE ROAD

INTRODUCTORY RHYMES.