Abbot. Thou dost not mean to menace me? Man: I simply tell thee peril is at hand, And would preserve thee. Not I; And steadfastly ;-now tell me what thou seest? Abbot. That which should shake me,-but I fear it not I see a dusk and awful figure rise, Like an infernal god, from out the earth; His face wrapt in a mantle, and his form Robed as with angry clouds; he stands between Thyself and me-but I do fear him not. Man. Thou hast no cause-he shall not harm thee but His sight may shock thine old limbs into palsy. I say to thee-Retire! Abbot. And I reply Never-till I have battled with this fiend :— Man. Why-ay-what doth he here ?— I did not send for him, he is unbidden. Abbot. Alas! lost mortal! what with guests like these Hast thou to do? I tremble for thy sake: Why doth he gaze on thee, and thou on him? Ah! he unveils his aspect on his brow Man. Pronounce-what is thy mission? Come! Abbot. What art thou, unknown being? answer! speak! Spirit. The genius of this mortal.-Come! 'tis time. Man. I am prepared for all things, but deny The power which summons me. Who sent thee here? Spirit. Thou'lt know anon-Come! come! Man. I have commanded Things of an essence greater far than thine, And striven with thy masters. Get thee hence! Spirit. Mortal! thine hour is come-Away! I say. Man. I knew, and know my hour is come, but not To render up my soul to such as thee: Away! I'll die as I have lived-alone. Spirit. Then I must summon up my brethren.-Rise! [Other spirits rise up. Abbot. Avaunt! ye evil ones!-Avaunt! I say,Ye have no power where piety hath power, And I do charge ye in the name—— Spirit. Old man! We know ourselves, our mission, and thine order; It were in vain: this man is forfeited. Spirit. Reluctant mortal! Is this the Magian who would so pervade Man. Thou false fiend, thou liest! My life is in its last hour,—that I know, Nor would redeem a moment of that hour; I do not combat against death, but thee And thy surrounding angels; my past power Was purchased by no compact with thy crew, But by superior science-penance—daringAnd length of watching-strength of mind-and skill In knowledge of our fathers-when the earth Saw men and spirits walking side by side, And gave ye no supremacy: I stand Upon my strength-I do defy-denySpurn back, and scorn ye!— Spirit. Have made thee Man. But thy many crimes What are they to such as thee? Must crimes be punish'd but by other crimes, And its own place and time—its innate sense, Born from the knowledge of its own desert. Thou didst not tempt me, and thou couldst not tempt me; [The Demons disappear. Abbot. Alas! how pale thou art-thy lips are white--And thy breast heaves-and in thy gasping throat The accents rattle.-Give thy prayers to Heaven— Pray-albeit but in thought,—but die not thus. Man. 'Tis over-my dull eyes can fix thee not; But all things swim around me, and the earth Heaves as it were beneath me. Fare thee wellGive me thy hand. Abbot. Cold-cold-even to the heartBut yet one prayer-Alas! how fares it with thee? Man. Old man! 'tis not so difficult to die. [MANFRED expires. DYING SPEECH OF THE DOGE OF (MARINO FALIERO, Act v. Scene 3.) I SPEAK to Time and to Eternity, Of which I grow a portion, not to man. I hasten, let my voice be as a spirit Upon you! Ye blue waves! which bore my banner, I am not innocent-but are these guiltless? Float up from the abyss of time to be, And show these eyes, before they close, the doom On her and hers for ever!—Yes, the hours When she, who built 'gainst Attila a bulwark, Shedding so much blood in her last defence In lieu of capital, with slaves for senates, With some large gondolier or foreign soldier, |