HUMOURIST. These magnificent powers, I prithee, then use, By chance you first meet, you are smitten, you tarry; By and by are insensibly caught in the snare. Lovers' bliss, lovers' quarrels, your spirit entrance; You are charmed, you are pained, and ere you are aware, The story grows into a little romance. He hears the thunder, ere the tempest lowers; And darts his soul into the dawning plan. Hence, in a Roman mouth, the graceful name Of Prophet and of Poet was the same; Cowper. "Poets are the Hierophants of an unapprehended inspiration, the mirrors of the gigantic shadows, which futurity casts upon the present, the words which express what they understand not, the trumpets which sing to battle, and feel not what they inspire, the influence which is moved not, but moves. Poets are the unacknowledged legislators of the world." SHELLEY. Such a true spectacle now let us give ; Let us grasp the whole life of mankind that they live. Will listen entranced to its longed-for revealing, And each tender soul in its ecstacy trembling, Will find what will nourish its mournful feeling. First this one is moved, then another affected, Each sees what he bears in his heart unsuspected: To laugh or to weep alike ready are they, They honour what soars, by what glitters are caught; On the old finished worldling* is toil thrown away, "Tis youth undeveloped is grateful for aught. POET. Oh, then give me the times of my youth back again, When the world in a mist from my eye was concealed, Hate's strength, love's omnipotence, give me once more, Give me, oh, give me my youth back again. HUMOURIST. As for youth, my good friend, its want you may find, Of the prize of the difficult course meets your sight; Or after the maddening whirl of the dance One carouses away through the turbulent night ; But with sweetest expression, with spirit and soul The familiar strings of the harp to awake, And gracefully on to your self-chosen goal Your way on through attractive meanderings to make: Such, old friend, is the duty you have to fulfil, still. Age makes us not children, as somebody teaches us, True children it finds us whenever it reaches us. MANAGER. Come, enough and to spare of this word interchanging; I must beg that at last you some deeds will produce : For whilst you these compliments have been exchanging, You might have been busy with something of use. What signifies talk of the right mood* so long? She appears not to him who inactive will stand; Only give yourselves out for the children of song Of the ranks then of poetry take the command. Ye know very well what a drink we would sip, Right strong be the potion ye hold to our lip: By the forelock, nor let it escape from its grasp. Stimmung, tune, mood, humour. You know, in our German theatricals ever, Each tries every plan that comes into his mind; So spare not to-day in your earnest endeavour. Machinery, scenery, aught you can find, call; The lights, both the greater and lesser, of heaven your And the birds and the beasts and the fishes and all. Come, in this narrow booth be your powers applied, The circle of all the creation display. Now on, swiftly but still circumspectively glide, |