Thatisthedoctrine,simple,ancient,true;
  Suchislife’strial,asoldearthsmilesandknows。
  Ifyoulovedonlywhatwereworthyourlove,Lovewerecleargain,andwhollywellforyou:
  Makethelownaturebetterbyyourthroes!
  Giveearthyourself,goupforgainabove!
  VIII。BesidetheDrawing-Board。
  1。”AslikeasaHandtoanotherHand!”
  Whoeversaidthatfoolishthing,CouldnothavestudiedtounderstandThecounselsofGodinfashioning,Outoftheinfiniteloveofhisheart,ThisHand,whosebeautyIpraise,apartFromtheworldofwonderlefttopraise,IfItriedtolearntheotherwaysOflove,initsskill,orlove,initspower。”AslikeasaHandtoanotherHand”:[10]
  Whosaidthat,nevertookhisstand,Foundandfollowed,likeme,anhour,Thebeautyinthis,——howfree,howfineTofear,almost,——ofthelimit-line!
  AsIlookedatthis,andlearnedanddrew,Drewandlearned,andlookedagain,Whilefastthehappyminutesflew,Itsbeautymountedintomybrain,Andafancyseizedme;IwasfainToeffacemywork,beginanew,[20]
  KisswhatbeforeIonlydrew;
  Ay,layingtheredchalk’twixtmylips,Withsoultohelpifthemerelipsfailed,Ikissedallrightwherethedrawingailed,KissedfastthegracethatsomehowslipsStillfromone’ssoullessfinger-tips——
  *Lines27-87{below——therestofthissectionexceptthelasttwolines}
  wereaddedintheeditionof1868;theyclearuptheobscurityofthissectionofthepoem,asitstoodintheoriginaleditionof1864——
  2。
  ’Tisaclaycast,theperfectthing,FromHandliveonce,deadlongago:
  Princess-likeitwearstheringTofancy’seye,bywhichweknow[30]
  ThathereatlengthamasterfoundHismatch,aproudlonesoulitsmate,AssoaringgeniussanktogroundAndpencilcouldnotemulateThebeautyinthis,——howfree,howfineTofearalmost!——ofthelimit-line。
  Longagothegod,likemeTheworm,learned,eachinourdegree:
  Lookedandloved,learnedanddrew,Drewandlearnedandlovedagain,[40]
  Whilefastthehappyminutesflew,TillbeautymountedintohisbrainAndonthefingerwhichoutviedHisartheplacedtheringthat’sthere,Stillbyfancy’seyedescried,Intokenofamarriagerare:
  Forhimonearth,hisart’sdespair,Forhiminheaven,hissoul’sfitbride。
  3。
  LittlegirlwiththepoorcoarsehandIturnedfromtoacoldclaycast——[50]
  Ihavemylesson,understandTheworthoffleshandbloodatlast!
  NothingbutbeautyinaHand?
  Becausehecouldnotchangethehue,MendthelinesandmakethemtrueTothiswhichmethissoul’sdemand,——
  WouldDaVinciturnfromyou?
  Ihearhimlaughmywoestoscorn——”ThefoolforsoothisallforlornBecausethebeauty,shethinksbest,[60]
  Livedlongagoorwasneverborn,——
  BecausenobeautybearsthetestInthisroughpeasantHand!Confessed`Artisnullandstudyvoid!’
  Sosayestthou?SosaidnotI,Whothrewthefaultypencilby,Andyearsinsteadofhoursemployed,LearningtheveritableuseOffleshandboneandnervebeneathLinesandhueoftheoutersheath,[70]
  IfhaplyImightreproduceOnemotiveofthemechanism,FleshandboneandnervethatmakeThepoorestcoarsesthumanhandAnobjectworthytobescannedAwholelifelongfortheirsolesake。
  Shallearthandthecrampedmoment-spaceYieldtheheavenlycrowninggrace?
  Nowthepartsandthenthewhole!
  Whoartthou,withstintedsoul[80]
  Andstuntedbody,thustocry`Ilove,——shallthatbelife’sstraitdole?
  Imustlivebelovedordie!’
  ThispeasanthandthatspinsthewoolAndbakesthebread,whylivesiton,Poorandcoarsewithbeautygone,——
  Whatusesurvivesthebeauty?Fool!”
  Go,littlegirlwiththepoorcoarsehand!
  Ihavemylesson,shallunderstand。
  IX。OnDeck。
  1。
  Thereisnothingtorememberinme,NothingIeversaidwithagrace,NothingIdidthatyoucaretosee,NothingIwasthatdeservesaplaceInyourmind,nowIleaveyou,setyoufree——
  St。1。NothingIdidthatyoucaretosee:referstoherart-work。
  2。
  Conceded!Inturn,concedetome,Suchthingshavebeenasamutualflame。
  Yoursoul’slockedfast;but,loveforakey,Youmightletitloose,tillIgrewthesameInyoureyes,asinmineyoustand:strangeplea!
  3。
  Forthen,then,whatwoulditmattertomeThatIwastheharsh,ill-favoredone?
  Webothshouldbelikeaspeaandpea;
  Itwaseversosincetheworldbegun:
  So,letmeproceedwithmyreverie——
  St。3。Hereitisindicatedthatshehadnotthepersonalcharmswhichwereneededtomaintainherhusband’sinterest。
  Aprettyfacewasmoretohimthanadeeplovingsoul。
  4。
  Howstrangeitwereifyouhadallme,AsIhaveallyouinmyheartandbrain,You,whoseleastwordbroughtgloomorglee,WhoneverliftedthehandinvainWillholdmineyet,fromoverthesea!
  5。
  Strange,ifaface,whenyouthoughtofme,Roselikeyourownfacepresentnow,Witheyesasdearintheirduedegree,Muchsuchamouth,andasbrightabrow,Tillyousawyourself,whileyoucried”’TisShe!”
  6。
  Well,youmay,youmust,setdowntomeLovethatwaslife,lifethatwaslove;
  Atenureofbreathatyourlips’decree,Apassiontostandasyourthoughtsapprove,Arapturetofallwhereyourfootmightbe——
  St。6。vv。3-5expresstheentiredevotionandsubmissivenessofherlove。
  7。
  ButdidonetouchofsuchloveformeComeinawordoralookofyours,Whosewordsandlookswill,circling,fleeRoundmeandroundwhilelifeendures,——
  CouldIfancy”AsIfeel,thusfeelsHe”;
  8。
  Why,fadeyoumighttoathinglikeme,Andyourhairgrowthesecoarsehanksofhair,Yourskin,thisbarkofagnarledtree,——
  Youmightturnmyself!——shouldIknoworcare,WhenIshouldbedeadofjoy,JamesLee?
  ATale。
  Epilogueto`TheTwoPoetsofCroisic’。
  1。
  WhataprettytaleyoutoldmeOnceuponatime——Saidyoufounditsomewherescoldme!
  Wasitproseorwasitrhyme,GreekorLatin?Greek,yousaid,Whileyourshoulderproppedmyhead。
  2。
  Anyhowthere’snoforgettingThismuchifnomore,Thatapoetpray,nopetting!
  Yes,abard,sir,famedofyore,Wentwheresuchlikeusedtogo,Singingforaprize,youknow。
  3。
  Well,hehadtosing,normerelySingbutplaythelyre;
  PlayingwasimportantclearlyQuiteassinging:Idesire,Sir,youkeepthefactinmindForapurposethat’sbehind。
  4。
  Therestoodhe,whiledeepattentionHeldthejudgesround,——Judgesable,Ishouldmention,TodetecttheslightestsoundSungorplayedamiss:suchearsHadoldjudges,itappears!
  5。
  Nonethelesshesangoutboldly,Playedintimeandtune,Tillthejudges,weighingcoldlyEachnote’sworth,seemed,lateorsoon,Suretosmile”InvainonetriesPickingfaultsout:taketheprize!”
  6。
  When,amischief!WeretheysevenStringsthelyrepossessed?
  Oh,andafterwardseleven,Thankyou!Well,sir,——whohadguessedSuchillluckinstore?——ithappedOneofthosesamesevenstringssnapped。
  7。
  Allwaslost,then!No!acricketWhat”cicada”?Pooh!——
  SomemadthingthatleftitsthicketFormereloveofmusic——flewWithitslittleheartonfire,Lightedonthecrippledlyre——
  St。7。”Cicada”:doyousay?
  Pooh!:that’sbringingthemysteriouslittlethingdowntotheplaneofentomology。
  8。
  SothatwhenAhjoy!oursingerForhistruantstringFeelswithdisconcertedfinger,WhatdoescricketelsebutflingFieryheartforth,soundthenoteWantedbythethrobbingthroat?
  9。
  Ayand,evertotheending,Cricketchirpsatneed,Executesthehand’sintending,Promptly,perfectly,——indeedSavesthesingerfromdefeatWithherchirruplowandsweet。
  10。
  Till,atending,allthejudgesCrywithoneassent”Taketheprize——aprizewhogrudgesSuchavoiceandinstrument?
  Why,wetookyourlyreforharp,SoitshrilledusforthFsharp!”
  11。
  Didtheconquerorspurnthecreature,Onceitsservicedone?
  That’snosuchuncommonfeatureInthecasewhenMusic’ssonFindshisLotte’spowertoospentForaidingsoul-development——
  St。11。whenMusic’sson,etc。:aflingatGoethe。
  12。
  No!Thisother,onreturningHomeward,prizeinhand,Satisfiedhisbosom’syearning:
  Sir,Ihopeyouunderstand!——
  Said”SomerecordtheremustbeOfthiscricket’shelptome!”
  13。
  So,hemadehimselfastatue:
  Marblestood,life-size;
  Onthelyre,hepointedatyou,Perchedhispartnerintheprize;
  NevermoreapartyoufoundHer,hethroned,fromhim,shecrowned。
  14。
  That’sthetale:itsapplication?
  SomebodyIknowHopesonedayforreputationThroughhispoetrythat’s——Oh,AllsolearnedandsowiseAnddeservingofaprize!
  15。
  Ifhegainsone,willsometicket,Whenhisstatue’sbuilt,Tellthegazer”’TwasacricketHelpedmycrippledlyre,whoseliltSweetandlow,whenstrengthusurpedSoftness’placei’thescale,shechirped?
  16。”Forasvictorywasnighest,WhileIsangandplayed,——
  Withmylyreatlowest,highest,Rightalike,——onestringthatmade`Love’soundsoftwassnaptintwain,Nevertobeheardagain,——
  17。”Hadnotakindcricketfluttered,PerchedupontheplaceVacantleft,anddulyuttered`Love,Love,Love’,whene’erthebassAskedthetrebletoatoneForitssomewhatsombredrone。”
  18。
  Butyoudon’tknowmusic!WhereforeKeeponcastingpearlsToa——poet?AllIcareforIs——totellhimthatagirl’s”Love”comesaptlyinwhengruffGrowshissinging。There,enough!
  Confessions。
  1。
  Whatishebuzzinginmyears?”NowthatIcometodie,DoIviewtheworldasavaleoftears?”
  Ah,reverendsir,notI!
  2。
  WhatIviewedthereonce,whatIviewagainWherethephysicbottlesstandOnthetable’sedge,——isasuburblane,Withawalltomybedsidehand。
  3。
  Thatlanesloped,muchasthebottlesdo,FromahouseyoucoulddescryO’erthegarden-wall:isthecurtainblueOrgreentoahealthyeye?
  4。
  Tomine,itservesfortheoldJuneweatherBlueabovelaneandwall;
  Andthatfarthestbottlelabelled”Ether”
  Isthehouseo’er-toppingall。
  5。
  Ataterrace,somewhatnearthestopper,Therewatchedforme,oneJune,Agirl:Iknow,sir,it’simproper,Mypoormind’soutoftune。
  6。
  Only,therewasaway……youcreptClosebytheside,tododgeEyesinthehouse,twoeyesexcept:
  Theystyledtheirhouse”TheLodge”。
  7。
  Whatrighthadaloungeruptheirlane?
  But,bycreepingveryclose,Withthegoodwall’shelp,——theireyesmightstrainAndstretchthemselvestoOes,8。
  Yetnevercatchherandmetogether,Asshelefttheattic,there,Bytherimofthebottlelabelled”Ether”,Andstolefromstairtostair,9。
  Andstoodbytherose-wreathedgate。Alas,Weloved,sir——usedtomeet:
  Howsadandbadandmaditwas——
  Butthen,howitwassweet!
  Respectability。