By greater things, and they themselves far more All living, and all doom'd to death, and wretched, Cain. Which knew such things, Lucifer. I should be proud of thought But if that high thought were Link'd to a servile mass of matter, and, Knowing such things, aspiring to such things, All foul and fulsome, and the very best Of thine enjoyments a sweet degradation, To lure thee on to the renewal of Fresh souls and bodies, all foredoom'd to be Cain. Spirit! I Know nought of death, save as a dreadful thing No less than life; a heritage not happy, Lucifer. All die-there is what must survive. Cain. Thou canst not The Other Spake not of this unto my father, when He shut him forth from Paradise, with death Written upon his forehead. But at least Let what is mortal of me perish, that I may be in the rest as angels are. Lucifer. I am angelic: wouldst thou be as I am? Cain. I know not what thou art: I see thy power, And see thou show'st me things beyond my power, Beyond all power of my born faculties, Although inferior still to my desires And my conceptions, Lucifer. What are they which dwell So humbly in their pride, as to sojourn Cain. And what art thou who dwellest So haughtily in spirit, and canst range Lucifer. I seem that which I am; And therefore do I ask of thee, if thou Cain. Thou hast said, I must be Immortal in despite of me. I knew not This until lately-but since it must be, To anticipate my immortality. Lucifer. Thou didst before I came upon thee, Lucifer. By suffering. Cain. How? And must torture be immortal? Lucifer. We and thy sons will try. But now behold! Is it not glorious? Cain. Oh, thou beautiful And unimaginable ether! and Ye multiplying masses of increased And still increasing lights! what are ye? what Is this blue wilderness of interminable Air, where ye roll along, as I have seen The leaves along the limpid streams of Eden ? Expansion-at which my soul aches to think- Oh God! Oh Gods! or whatsoe'er ye are ! Your works, or accidents, or whatsoe'er Let me die, as atoms die, (If that they die) or know ye in your might Spirit! let me expire, or see them nearer. Lucifer. Art thou not nearer? look back to thine earth! Cain. Where is it? I see nothing save a mass Of most innumerable lights. Lucifer. Cain. I cannot see it. Lucifer. Cain. That-yonder ! Lucifer. Look there! Yet it sparkles still. Yea. And wilt thou tell me so? Why, I have see the fire-flies and fire-worms Lucifer. Thou hast seen both worms and worlds, And the immortal star in its great course, I dare behold? As yet, thou hast shown nought Adah. Our little Enoch sleeps upon yon bed Of leaves, beneath the cypress. Cain. Cypress ! 'tis A gloomy tree, which looks as if it mourn'd O'er what it shadows; wherefore didst thou choose it For our child's canopy? Adah. Because its branches Shut out the sun like night, and therefore seem'd Fitting to shadow slumber. Cain. Ay, the last [They go up to the child. And longest; but no matter-lead me to him. How lovely he appears! his little cheeks, In their pure incarnation, vying with Adah And his lips, too. How beautifully parted! No; you shall not Kiss him, at least not now: he will awake soon- But it were pity to disturb him till 'Tis closed. Cain. You have said well; I will contain My heart till then. He smiles, and sleeps!-Sleep on And smile, thou little, young inheritor Of a world scarce less young: sleep on, and smile! Lashes, dark as the cypress which waves o'er them; Laughs out, although in slumber. He must dream- My disinherited boy! 'Tis but a dream; Shall walk in that forbidden place of joy! Adah. Dear Cain! Nay, do not whisper o'er our son Such melancholy yearnings o'er the past: Why wilt thou always mourn for Paradise? Can we not make another? Cain. Where? Adah. Here, or Where'er thou wilt: where'er thou art, I feel not To whom we owe so much besides our birth? Cain. Yes-death, too, is amongst the debts we owe her. |