St。2。thebeautifulbuildingofmine：”Ofalloursenses，hearingseemstobethemostpoetical；andbecauseitrequiresmostimagination。Wedonotsimplylistentosounds，butwhethertheybearticulateorinarticulate，weareconstantlytranslatingthemintothelanguageofsight，withwhichwearebetteracquainted；andthisisaworkoftheimaginativefaculty。”——
`Poetics：anEssayonPoetry’。ByE。S。Dallas。
TheideaexpressedintheaboveextractisbeautifullyembodiedinthefollowinglinesfromColeridge’s`KublaKhan’：——”Itwasamiracleofraredevice，Asunnypleasure-dome，withcavesofice！
AdamselwithadulcimerInavisiononceIsaw：
ItwasanAbyssinianmaid，Andonherdulcimersheplayed，SingingofMountAbora。
CouldIrevivewithinmeHersymphonyandsong，Tosuchadeepdelight’twouldwinme，Thatwithmusicloudandlong，Iwouldbuildthatdomeinair，Thatsunnydome！thosecavesofice！
AndallwhoHEARDshouldSEEthemthere”，etc。
3。
Andanotherwouldmountandmarch，liketheexcellentminionhewas，Ay，anotherandyetanother，onecrowdbutwithmanyacrest，Raisingmyrampiredwallsofgoldastransparentasglass，Eagertodoanddie，yieldeachhisplacetotherest：
Forhigherstillandhigher(asarunnertipswithfire，Whenagreatilluminationsurprisesafestalnight——
OutliningroundandroundRome’sdomefromspacetospire)
Up，thepinnacledgloryreached，andtheprideofmysoulwasinsight。
4。
Insight?Nothalf！foritseemed，itwascertain，tomatchman’sbirth，Natureinturnconceived，obeyinganimpulseasI；
Andtheemulousheavenyearneddown，madeefforttoreachtheearth，Astheearthhaddoneherbest，inmypassion，toscalethesky：
Novelsplendorsburstforth，grewfamiliaranddweltwithmine，Notapointnorpeakbutfound，butfixeditswanderingstar；
Meteor-moons，ballsofblaze：andtheydidnotpalenorpine，Forearthhadattainedtoheaven，therewasnomorenearnorfar。
5。
Naymore；fortherewantednotwhowalkedintheglareandglow，Presencesplainintheplace；or，freshfromtheProtoplast，Furnishedforagestocome，whenakindlierwindshouldblow，Lurednowtobeginandlive，inahousetotheirlikingatlast；
OrelsethewonderfulDeadwhohavepassedthroughthebodyandgone，Butwerebackoncemoretobreatheinanoldworldworththeirnew：
Whatneverhadbeen，wasnow；whatwas，asitshallbeanon；
Andwhatis，——shallIsay，matchedboth?forIwasmadeperfecttoo。
6。
Allthroughmykeysthatgavetheirsoundstoawishofmysoul，Allthroughmysoulthatpraisedasitswishflowedvisiblyforth，Allthroughmusicandme！Forthink，hadIpaintedthewhole，Why，thereithadstood，tosee，northeprocesssowonder-worth。
HadIwrittenthesame，madeverse——still，effectproceedsfromcause，Yeknowwhytheformsarefair，yehearhowthetaleistold；
Itisalltriumphantart，butartinobediencetolaws，Painterandpoetareproud，intheartist-listenrolled：——
7。
ButhereisthefingerofGod，aflashofthewillthatcan，Existentbehindalllaws：thatmadethem，and，lo，theyare！
AndIknownotif，saveinthis，suchgiftbeallowedtoman，Thatoutofthreesoundsheframe，notafourthsound，butastar。
Consideritwell：eachtoneofourscaleinitselfisnaught；
Itiseverywhereintheworld——loud，soft，andallissaid：
Giveittometouse！Imixitwithtwoinmythought，And，there！Yehaveheardandseen：considerandbowthehead！
8。
Well，itisgoneatlast，thepalaceofmusicIreared；
Gone！andthegoodtearsstart，thepraisesthatcometooslow；
Foroneisassuredatfirst，onescarcecansaythathefeared，Thatheevengaveitathought，thegonethingwastogo。
Nevertobeagain！ButmanymoreofthekindAsgood，nay，betterperchance：isthisyourcomforttome?
Tome，whomustbesavedbecauseIclingwithmymindTothesame，sameself，samelove，sameGod：ay，whatwas，shallbe。
9。
ThereforetowhomturnIbuttothee，theineffableName?
Builderandmaker，thou，ofhousesnotmadewithhands！
What，havefearofchangefromtheewhoarteverthesame?
Doubtthatthypowercanfilltheheartthatthypowerexpands?
Thereshallneverbeonelostgood！Whatwas，shallliveasbefore；
Theevilisnull，isnaught，issilenceimplyingsound；
Whatwasgood，shallbegood，with，forevil，somuchgoodmore；
Ontheearththebrokenarcs；intheheaven，aperfectround。
10。
Allwehavewilledorhopedordreamedofgood，shallexist；
Notitssemblance，butitself；nobeauty，norgood，norpowerWhosevoicehasgoneforth，buteachsurvivesforthemelodist，Wheneternityaffirmstheconceptionofanhour。
Thehighthatprovedtoohigh，theheroicforearthtoohard，Thepassionthatleftthegroundtoloseitselfinthesky，AremusicsentuptoGodbytheloverandthebard；
Enoughthathehearditonce：weshallhearitby-and-by。
11。
Andwhatisourfailureherebutatriumph’sevidenceForthefulnessofthedays?Havewewitheredoragonized?
Whyelsewasthepauseprolongedbutthatsingingmightissuethence?
Whyrushedthediscordsin，butthatharmonyshouldbeprized?
Sorrowishardtobear，anddoubtisslowtoclear，Eachsufferersayshissay，hisschemeofthewealandwoe：
ButGodhasafewofuswhomhewhispersintheear；
Therestmayreasonandwelcome；’tiswemusiciansknow——
St。11。Andwhatisourfailurehere：”Aslongaseffortisdirectedtothehighest，thataim，thoughitisoutofreach，isthestandardofhope。Theexistenceofacapacity，cherishedandquickened，isapledgethatitwillfindscope。
Thepunishmentofthemanwhohasfixedallhisthoughtsuponearth，apunishmentfeltonreflectiontobeoverwhelminginviewofpossibilitiesofhumanity，isthecompletestgratificationofdesiresunworthilylimited：——”`ThouartshutOutoftheheavenofspirit；glutThysenseupontheworld：’tisthineForever——takeit！’(`EasterDay’，xx。)。
Ontheotherhand，thesoulwhichhasfoundinsuccessnotrestbutastarting-point，whichrefusestoseeinthefirst-fruitsofapartialvictorythefulnessofitsrightfultriumph，haseverbeforeitasustainingandelevatingvision：——”`Whatstopsmydespair?
This：——’tisnotwhatmanDoeswhichexaltshim，butwhatmanWoulddo！’(`Saul’，18)。”`WhatIaspiredtobe，Andwasnot，comfortsme；
AbruteImighthavebeen，butwouldnotsinki’thescale。’”
(`RabbiBenEzra’，7)——Rev。Prof。WestcottonBrowning’sViewofLife(`BrowningSoc。Papers’，iv。，405，406)。
12。
Well，itisearthwithme；silenceresumesherreign：
Iwillbepatientandproud，andsoberlyacquiesce。
Givemethekeys。Ifeelforthecommonchordagain，Slidingbysemitones，tillIsinktotheminor，——yes，AndIbluntitintoaninth，andIstandonalienground，SurveyingawhiletheheightsIrolledfromintothedeep；
Which，hark，Ihavedaredanddone，formyresting-placeisfound，TheCMajorofthislife：so，nowIwilltrytosleep。”Touchhimne’ersolightly。”
[EpiloguetoDramaticIdyls。SecondSeries。]——
*See`PagesfromanAlbum’，in`TheCenturyIllustratedMonthlyMagazine’
(Scribner’s)，forNovember1882，pp。159，160，whereisgivenafac-simileofthepoet’sMs。oftheseversesandofthetenversesheafterwardsadded，inresponse，itseems，toacarpingcritic——”Touchhimne’ersolightly，intosonghebroke：
Soilsoquick-receptive，——notonefeather-seed，NotoneflowerdustfellbutstraightitsfallawokeVitalizingvirtue：songwouldsongsucceedSuddenasspontaneous——proveapoet-soul！”
Indeed?
Rock’sthesong-soilrather，surfacehardandbare：
Sunanddewtheirmildness，stormandfrosttheirrageVainlybothexpend，——fewflowersawakenthere：
Quietinitscleftbroods——whattheafterageKnowsandnamesapine，anation’sheritage。
Memorabilia。
1。
Ah，didyouonceseeShelleyplain，Anddidhestopandspeaktoyou，Anddidyouspeaktohimagain?
Howstrangeitseems，andnew！
2。
Butyouwerelivingbeforethat，Andalsoyouarelivingafter；
AndthememoryIstartedat——
Mystartingmovesyourlaughter！
3。
Icrossedamoor，withanameofitsownAndacertainuseintheworld，nodoubt，Yetahand’s-breadthofitshinesalone’Midtheblankmilesroundabout：
ForthereIpickedupontheheatherAndthereIputinsidemybreastAmoultedfeather，aneagle-feather！
Well，Iforgettherest。
HowitstrikesaContemporary。
Ionlyknewonepoetinmylife：
Andthis，orsomethinglikeit，washisway。
YousawgoupanddownValladolid，Amanofmark，toknownexttimeyousaw。
HisveryserviceablesuitofblackWascourtlyonceandconscientiousstill，Andmanymighthavewornit，thoughnonedid：
Thecloak，thatsomewhatshoneandshowedthethreads，Hadpurpose，andtheruff，significance。
Hewalked，andtappedthepavementwithhiscane，[10]
Scentingtheworld，lookingitfullinface：
Anolddog，baldandblindish，athisheels。
Theyturnedup，now，thealleybythechurch，Thatleadsnowhither；now，theybreathedthemselvesOnthemainpromenadejustatthewrongtime。
You’dcomeuponhisscrutinizinghat，MakingapeakedshadeblackerthanitselfAgainstthesinglewindowsparedsomehouseIntactyetwithitsmoulderedMoorishwork，——
Orelsesurprisetheferrelofhisstick[20]
Tryingthemortar’stemper’tweenthechinksOfsomenewshopa-building，Frenchandfine。
Hestoodandwatchedthecobblerathistrade，Themanwhosliceslemonsintodrink，Thecoffee-roaster’sbrazier，andtheboysThatvolunteertohelphimturnitswinch。
Heglancedo’erbooksonstallswithhalfaneye，Andfly-leafballadsonthevendor’sstring，Andbroad-edgebold-printpostersbythewall。
Hetooksuchcognizanceofmenandthings，[30]
Ifanybeatahorse，youfelthesaw；
Ifanycursedawoman，hetooknote；
Yetstaredatnobody，——youstaredathim，Andfound，lesstoyourpleasurethansurprise，Heseemedtoknowyouandexpectasmuch。
So，nexttimethataneighbor’stonguewasloosed，Itmarkedtheshamefulandnotoriousfact，Wehadamongus，notsomuchaspy，Asarecordingchief-inquisitor，Thetown’struemasterifthetownbutknew！[40]
Wemerelykeptagovernorforform，WhilethismanwalkedaboutandtookaccountOfallthought，saidandacted，thenwenthome，AndwroteitfullytoourLordtheKingWhohasanitchtoknowthings，heknowswhy，Andreadstheminhisbedroomofanight。
Oh，youmightsmile！therewantednotatouch，Atangof……well，itwasnotwhollyease，Asbackintoyourmindtheman’slookcame。
Strickeninyearsalittle，suchabrow[50]
Hiseyeshadtoliveunder！——clearasflintOneithersideo’theformidablenoseCurved，cutandcoloredlikeaneagle’sclaw。
HadhetodowithA。’ssurprisingfate?
WhenaltogetheroldB。disappeared，AndyoungC。gothismistress，——was’tourfriend，HislettertotheKing，thatdiditall?
Whatpaidthebloodlessmanforsomuchpains?
OurLordtheKinghasfavoritesmanifold，Andshiftshisministrysomeonceamonth；[60]
Ourcitygetsnewgovernorsatwhiles，——
Butneverwordorsign，thatIcouldhear，Notified，tothismanaboutthestreets，TheKing’sapprovalofthoselettersconnedThelastthingdulyatthedeadofnight。
Didthemanlovehisoffice?FrownedourLord，Exhortingwhennoneheard——”Beseechmenot！
Toofarabovemypeople，——beneathme！
Isetthewatch，——howshouldthepeopleknow?
Forgetthem，keepmeallthemoreinmind！”[70]
Wassomesuchunderstanding’twixtthetwo?
Ifoundnotruthinonereportatleast——
Thatifyoutrackedhimtohishome，downlanesBeyondtheJewry，andascleantopace，YoufoundheatehissupperinaroomBlazingwithlights，fourTitiansonthewall，Andtwentynakedgirlstochangehisplate！
Poorman，helivedanotherkindoflifeInthatnewstuccoedthirdhousebythebridge，Fresh-painted，rathersmartthanotherwise！[80]
Thewholestreetmighto’erlookhimashesat，Legcrossingleg，onefootonthedog’sback，Playingadecentcribbagewithhismaid(Jacynth，you’resurehernamewas)o’erthecheeseAndfruit，threeredhalvesofstarvedwinter-pears，OrtreatofradishesinApril。Nine，Ten，struckthechurchclock，straighttobedwenthe。
Myfather，likethemanofsensehewas，Wouldpointhimouttomeadozentimes；
