3.

t is the Earth, and the way it became what it is:

you imagine it has stopped at this? the increase abandoned?

Understand then that it goes as far onward from this as this is from the times when it lay in covering waters and gases, before man had appeared.

4.

Great is the quality of Truth in man;

The quality of truth in man supports itself through all changes,

It is inevitably in the man—he and it are in love, and never leave each other.

The truth in man is no dictum, it is vital as eyesight; If there be any Soul, there is truth—if there be man or woman, there is truth—if there be physical or moral, there is truth;

If there be equilibrium or volition, there is truth—if there be things at all upon the earth, there is truth.

O truth of the earth! O truth of things! I am determined to press my way toward you;

Sound your voice! I scale mountains, or dive in the sea after you.

5.

Great is Language—it is the mightiest of the sciences, It is the fullness, colour, form, diversity of the earth, d of men and women, and of all qualities and pro

cesses;

It is greater than wealth—it is greater than buildings, ships, religions, paintings, music.

Great is the English speech—what speech is so great as the English?

Great is the English brood—what brood has so vast a destiny as the English?

It is the mother of the brood that must rule the earth with

the new rule;

The new rule shall rule as the Soul rules, and as the love, justice, equality in the Soul rule.

6.

Great is Law—great are the old few land-marks of the law, They are the same in all times, and shall not be disturbed.

Great is Justice!

Justice is not settled by legislators and laws—it is in the

Soul;

It cannot be varied by statutes, any more than love, pride, the attraction of gravity, can;

It is immutable—it does not depend on majorities—

majorities or what not come at last before the same passionless and exact tribunal.

For justice are the grand natural lawyers, and perfect judges—it is in their souls;

It is well assorted—they have not studied for nothing— the great includes the less;

They rule on the highest grounds—they oversee all eras, states, administrations.

The perfect judge fears nothing—he could go front to front before God;

Before the perfect judge all shall stand back—life and death shall stand back—heaven and hell shall stand back.

7.

Great is Life, real and mystical, wherever and whoever; Great is Death—sure as Life holds all parts together, Death holds all parts together.

Has Life much purport?—Ah, Death has the greatest purport.

THE POET.

I.

NON
Ν

OW list to my morning's romanza;

To the cities and farms I sing, as they spread in the sunshine before me.

2.

A young man came to me bearing a message from his

brother;

How should the young man know the whether and when of his brother?

Tell him to send me the signs.

And I stood before the young man face to face, and took his right hand in my left hand, and his left hand in my right hand,

And I answered for his brother, and for men, and I answered for the Poet, and sent these signs.

Him all wait for—him all yield up to—his word is decisive and final,

Him they accept, in him lave, in him perceive themselves, as amid light,

Him they immerse, and he immerses them.

Beautiful women, the haughtiest nations, laws, the land

scape, people, animals,

The profound earth and its attributes, and the unquiet ocean (so tell I my morning's romanza),

All enjoyments and properties, and money, and whatever money will buy,

The best farms—others toiling and planting, and he

unavoidably reaps,

The noblest and costliest cities

—

others grading and

building, and he domiciles there,

Nothing for anyone, but what is for him—near and far

are for him, the ships in the offing,

The perpetual shows and marches on land, are for him, if they are for anybody.

He puts things in their attitudes;

He puts to-day out of himself, with plasticity and love; He places his own city, times, reminiscences, parents, brothers and sisters, associations, employment, politics, so that the rest never shame them afterward, nor assume to command them.

He is the answerer;

What can be answered he answers—and what cannot be answered, he shows how it cannot be answered.

3.

A man is a summons and challenge;