Is of no common order, as his port
And presence here denote; his sufferings
Have been of an immortal nature, like

Our own; his knowledge, and his powers and will,
As far as is compatible with clay,

-

Which clogs the ethereal essence, have been such
As clay hath seldom borne; his aspirations
Have been beyond the dwellers of the earth,
And they have only taught him what we know ·
That knowledge is not happiness, and science
But an exchange of ignorance for that
Which is another kind of ignorance.

Of earth and heaven, from which no power, nor being,
Nor breath from the worm upwards is exempt,
Have pierced his heart; and in their consequence
Made him a thing, which I, who pity not,

Yet pardon those who pity. He is mine,
And thine, it may be

- be it so, or not, No other Spirit in this region hath

A soul like his

or power upon his soul.

Nemesis. What doth he here then?

First Des.

Let him answer that.

Man. Ye know what I have known; and without

power

I could not be amongst ye: but there are

Powers deeper still beyond — I come in quest

Of such, to answer unto what I seek.

Thou canst not reply to me.

Call up the dead - my question is for them.

Nem. Great Arimanes, doth thy will avouch

The wishes of this mortal?

Shadow! or Spirit!

Whatever thou art,

Which still doth inherit
The whole or a part
Of the form of thy birth,
Of the mould of thy clay,
Which return'd to the earth,
Re-appear to the day!

Bear what thou borest,

The heart and the form,

And the aspect thou worest
Redeem from the worm.

Who sent thee there requires thee here!

[The Phantom of ASTARTE rises and stands

in the midst.

Man. Can this be death? there 's bloom upon her cheek;

But now I see it is no living hue,

But a strange hectic-like the unnatural red
Which Autumn plants upon the perish'd leaf.
It is the same! Oh, God! that I should dread

To look upon the same

Astarte ! -No,

I cannot speak to her — but bid her speak —
Forgive me or condemn me.

Man.

NEMESIS.

By the power which hath broken
The grave which enthrall'd thee,
Speak to him who hath spoken,
Or those who have call'd thee!

She is silent,

And in that silence I am more than answer'd.

Nem. My power extends no further. Prince of air! It rests with thee alone-command her voice.

Ari. Spirit - obey this sceptre !

Nem.

She is not of our order, but belongs

Silent still!

To the other powers. Mortal! thy quest is vain,
And we are baffled also.

Man.

Hear me, hear me

Astarte! my beloved! speak to me:

I have so much endured - so much endure

Look on me! the grave hath not changed thee more

Than I am changed for thee. Thou lovedst me

Too much, as I loved thee: we were not made

To torture thus each other, though it were

The deadliest sin to love as we have loved.
Say that thou loath'st me not that I do bear
This punishment for both that thou wilt be
One of the blessed - and that I shall die;
For hitherto all hateful things conspire

To bind me in existence-in a life

Which makes me shrink from immortality —
A future like the past. I cannot rest.

nor what I seek:

I know not what I ask,
I feel but what thou art - and what I am;

And I would hear yet once before I perish
The voice which was my music

Speak to me!

For I have call'd on thee in the still night,

Startled the slumbering birds from the hush'd boughs, And woke the mountain wolves, and made the caves Acquainted with thy vainly echoed name,

Which answer'd me

many things answer'd me Spirits and men - but thou wert silent all.

Yet speak to me! I have outwatch'd the stars,
And gazed o'er heaven in vain in search of thee.
Speak to me! I have wander'd o'er the earth,
And never found thy likeness - Speak to me!
Look on the fiends around-they feel for me:
I fear them not, and feel for thee alone

Speak to me! though it be in wrath; — but say -
I reck not what - but let me hear thee once

Manfred!

Say on, say on

To-morrow ends thine earthly ills.

I live but in the sound—it is thy voice!

Phan. Manfred!

Farewell!

Man. Yet one word more am I forgiven?

Phan. Farewell!

Man.

Phan. Farewell!

Say, shall we meet again?

Man. One word for mercy! Say, thou lovest me.

Phan.

Nem.

Manfred!

[The Spirit of ASTARTE disappears.

She's gone, and will not be recall'd;

Her words will be fulfill'd. Return to the earth.

A Spirit. He is convulsed-This is to be a mortal And seek the things beyond mortality.

Another Spirit. Yet, see, he mastereth himself, and

makes

His torture tributary to his will.

Had he been one of us, he would have made

Man. We meet then! Where? On the earth?

Even as thou wilt: and for the grace accorded

I now depart a debtor. Fare ye well!

[Exit MANFRed.

MANFRED'S FAREWELL TO THE SUN.

(MANFRED, Act iii. Scene 2.)

GLORIOUS Orb! the idol

Of early nature, and the vigorous race

Of undiseased mankind, the giant sons
Of the embrace of angels, with a sex
More beautiful than they, which did draw down
The erring spirits who can ne'er return-