THEVATICAN—SALADELLEMUSE
  (1887)
  IsatintheMuses'Hallatthemidoftheday,Anditseemedtogrowstill,andthepeopletopassaway,Andthechiselledshapestocombineinahazeofsun,TillbesideaCarraracolumntheregleamedforthOne。
  Shewasnorthisnorthatofthosebeingsdivine,Buteachandthewhole—anessenceofalltheNine;
  Withtentativefootshenearedtomyhalting—place,Apensivesmileonhersweet,small,marvellousface。
  "Regardedsolong,werendertheesad?"saidshe。
  "Notyou,"sighedI,"butmyowninconstancy!
  Iworshipeachandeach;inthemorningone,Andthen,alas!anotheratsinkofsun。
  "To—daymysoulclaspsForm;butwhereismytrothOfyesternightwithTune:canonecleavetoboth?"
  —"Benotperturbed,"saidshe。"Thoughapartinfame,AsIandmysistersareone,those,too,arethesame。
  —"Butmylovesgofurther—toStory,andDance,andHymn,Theloverofallinasun—sweepisfooltowhim
  Isswayedlikeariver—weedastheripplesrun!"
  —"Nay,wight,thousway'stnot。Thesearebutphasesofone;
  "AndthatoneisI;andIamprojectedfromthee,Onethatoutofthybrainandheartthoucausesttobe
  Externtotheenothing。Grievenot,northyselfbecall,Woowherethouwilt;andrejoicethoucanstloveatall!
  ROME
  ATTHEPYRAMIDOFCESTIUS
  NEARTHEGRAVESOFSHELLEYANDKEATS
  (1887)
  Who,then,wasCestius,Andwhatishetome?
  AmidthickthoughtsandmemoriesmultitudinousOnethoughtalonebringshe。
  IcanrecallnowordOfanythinghedid;
  FormeheisamanwhodiedandwasinterredToleaveapyramidWhosepurposewasexprestNotwithitsfirstdesign,Nortill,fardowninTime,besideitfoundtheirrestTwocountrymenofmine。
  Cestiusinlife,maybe,Slew,breathedoutthreatening;
  Iknownot。ThisIknow:indeathallsilentlyHedoesakindlierthing,InbeckoningpilgrimfeetWithmarblefingerhighTowhere,byshadowywallandhistory—hauntedstreet,Thosematchlesssingerslie
  —Say,then,helivedanddiedThatstoneswhichbearhisnameShouldmark,throughTime,wheretwoimmortalShadesabide;
  Itisanamplefame。
  LAUSANNE
  INGIBBON'SOLDGARDEN:11—12P。M。
  June27,1897
  (The110thanniversaryofthecompletionofthe"DeclineandFall"atthesamehourandplace)
  Aspiritseemstopass,Formalinpose,butgraveandgrandwithal:
  Hecontemplatesavolumestoutandtall,Andfarlampsfleckhimthroughthethinacacias。
  Anonthebookisclosed,With"Itisfinished!"Andatthealley'sendHeturns,andsoononmehisglancesbend;
  And,asfromearth,comesspeech—small,muted,yetcomposed。
  "HowfarestheTruthnow?—Ill?
  —Dopensbutslilyfurtherheradvance?
  Mayonenotspeedherbutinphraseaskance?
  DoscribesavertheComictobeReverendstill?
  "StillrulethosemindsonearthAtwhomsageMilton'swormwoodwordswerehurled:
  'TruthlikeabastardcomesintotheworldNeverwithoutill—fametohimwhogivesherbirth'?"
  ZERMATT
  TOTHEMATTERHORN
  (June—July,1897)
  Thirty—twoyearssince,upagainstthesun,Sevenshapes,thinatomiestolowersight,Labouringlyleaptandgainedthygabledheight,Andfourlivespaidforwhatthesevenhadwon。
  Theywerethefirstbywhomthedeedwasdone,AndwhenIlookatthee,mymindtakesflightTothatday'stragicfeatofmanlymight,Asthough,tillthen,ofhistorythouhadstnone。
  Yetageserementoppedthee,lateandsoonThouwatch'dsteachnighttheplanetsliftandlower;
  Thougleam'dsttoJoshua'spausingsunandmoon,Andbrav'dstthetokeningskywhenCaesar'spowerApproacheditsbloodyend:yea,saw'stthatNoonWhendarknessfilledtheearthtilltheninthhour。
  THEBRIDGEOFLODI{2}
  (Spring,1887)
  I
  WhenoftendermindandbodyIwasmovedbyminstrelsy,Andthatstrain"TheBridgeofLodi"
  Broughtastrangedelighttome。
  II
  Inthebattle—breathingjingleOfitsforward—footingtuneIcouldseethearmiesmingle,AndthecolumnscleftandhewnIII
  Onthatfar—famedspotbyLodiWhereNapoleonclovehiswayTohisfame,whenlikeagodheBentthenationstohissway。
  IV
  HencethetunecamecaperingtomeWhileItracedtheRhoneandPo;
  NorcouldMilan'sMarvelwoomeFromthespotenglamouredso。
  V
  Andto—day,sunlitandsmiling,HereIstanduponthescene,Withitssaffronwalls,duntiling,Anditsmeadsofmaidengreen,VI
  EvenaswhenthetrackwaythunderedWiththechargeofgrenadiers,AndthebloodoffortyhundredSplasheditsparapetsandpiers
  VII
  AnyancientcroneI'dtoadyLikealassinyoung—eyedprime,CouldshetellsometaleofLodiAtthatmovingmightytime。
  VIII
  So,IaskthewivesofLodiFortraditionsofthatday;
  Butalas!notanybodySeemstoknowofsuchafray。
  IX
  AndtheyheedbuttransitoryMarketingsincheeseandmeat,TillIjudgethatLodi'sstoryIsextinctinLodi'sstreet。
  X
  YetwhilehereandtheretheythridthemIntheirzesttosellandbuy,LetmesitmedownamidthemAndbeholdthosethousandsdie
  XI
  —NotacreaturecaresinLodiHowNapoleonswepteacharch,Orwhereupanddownwardtrodhe,OrforhismemorialMarch!
  XII
  SothatwhereforeshouldIbehere,WatchingAddalipthelea,WhenthewholeromancetoseehereIsthedreamIbringwithme?
  XIII
  Andwhysing"TheBridgeofLodi"
  AsIsitthereonandswing,WhennoneshowsbysmileornodheGuesseswhyorwhatIsing?
  XIV
  SinceallLodi,lowandheadones,Seemtopassthatstoryby,ItmaybetheLodi—bredonesRateittruly,andnotI。
  XV
  OnceengrossingBridgeofLodi,Isthyclaimtoglorygone?
  MustIpipeapalinody,Orbesilentthereupon?
  XVI
  Andifhere,fromstrandtosteeple,Benostonetofamethefight,MustIsaytheLodipeopleArebutviewingcrimearight?
  XVII
  Nay;I'llsing"TheBridgeofLodi"
  Thatlong—loved,romanticthing,ThoughnoneshowbysmileornodheGuesseswhyandwhatIsing!