ROBERT WILLIAMS BUCHANAN (1841 - 1901)
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ROBERT WILLIAMS BUCHANAN (1841 - 1901) |
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{The Devil’s Case 1896}
45 XI. As the cold metallic Ocean Dimly, darkly, I was conscious Suddenly, like one in slumber Till at last, I shriek’d and struggled “Look,” he said. “The Hell thou doubtedst 46 Then, methought, the moonlit houses Dead and dying; woeful mothers Haggard faces from their pillows Shapes sin-bloated from the cradle Under arches dark and dreadful 47 Everywhere Disease and Famine Everywhere a spectral Angel On the cheeks of men and women Then I turn’d to him who led me Not on me those eyes were gazing 48 “Just such measure as the Father “Thou hast given me my kingdom, As I listen’d, horror seized me, “He, the holy Heavenly Father, Pityingly he gazed upon me. 49 “I, the eternal Prince of Darkness, “Since that hour of my accession “Thus, in spite of the Almighty, “Every year the Hell-fires lessen, “This I have achieved entirely 50 “Prince of liars was the pedant “From its seeds, by me ungather’d, “Whoso eats that fruit forbidden “Thus, for ages after ages, “By the living Soul within me 51 “All my errors have proceeded “Never man-god, Christ or Buddha, “What is further to my credit, “I’m the father of all Science,— “While the Priests have built their Churches 52 “‘Take no heed about To-morrow,’ “But the Devil, being wiser, “And To-day is, now and ever, “From which statement you may gather “This I merely state en passant, 53 54 XII. Once again I was uplifted Strength and insight grew within me, Far beneath on lonely bridges Over palaces and prisons, From the tainted founts of Being 55 What the dead men and the dying Over waters black with tempest, Over plains where ghostly armies Over silent legions waiting Wheresoever Hell is burning 56 Shrieks of men and wails of women I beheld the lonely Leper, I beheld the armëd Arab Everywhere the strong man triumph’d! Everywhere (and this was strangest) 57 Wheresoever Hell is burning . . . Like strange forms reflected darkly Till my soul grew faint within me 58 XIII. . . . On the lonely Heath of Hampstead Even as I gazed upon him, Lost in awe I gazed upon him! Fair he seem’d, tho’ pale and weary, Not on me his eyes were gazing, 59 Once again that outcast Angel Rays as of the star of morning “Yea,” I said, “immortal Spirit, Once again he cast upon me Fell the glory of the Angel 60 “Thou art He, the Prince of Evil, “Yea,” he answer’d, darkly frowning, “At the elbow of the Father “So I could have sung for ever, “And at first I sang the louder, 61 As he spake he seem’d to brighten, “Such I was, His servant-angel! “On the sun I stood, down-gazing “Far away, where’er my vision “Here a moaning world was shrivel’d 62 “Everywhere across Creation “Then my soul was wroth within me, “‘Or if pity stirs within Thee “‘Back on Thine own footsteps treading, “Then He struck me with His lightnings, 63 “Smitten here upon the forehead, “Till I reached this lonely planet, “Tempt them, try them, undeceive them!” “For a space I hesitated, “Then I said (may Man forgive me!) 64 “Wherefore, as thou know’st, I tempted “Then I saw the Pair forthdriven
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65 XIV. While he spake his starry splendour Clouds of woe were gather’d round him “Forth the Exiles fled together, “From the woman’s womb there blossom’d “And the world grew green about them, 66 “Till that hour of desolation “Then they heard a voice above them “I, the Sapient Snake, knew better! As he spake his shape grew shrunken “Death was born in the beginning 67 “Thro’ the Universe were scatter’d “Nay, this very world of Eden “Blindly, feebly, God had blunder’d, “From the throats of things created “In the rocks and ’neath the Ocean 68 “Nay, the very Pair I tempted “Ages ere their evolution “Thus the Archetype was fashion’d “This I knew, and this I purposed “While the tribes and generations 69 “Nations, Jacob’s seed and Esau’s, “Busy still in every City, “Then in every Nation, shadow’d 70 XV. “Meantime I, the Accurst, was busy! “How to till the soil, to fashion “Fire I brought them,—teaching also “Help’d by me they drain’d the marshes, “Bravely would my work have thriven, 71 “Yonder by the yellow Ganges “By the impassive, cruel features “Mystical, uncomprehended, “Thither, serpent-wise, I follow’d, “With my gospel pantheistic 72 “Still the cloud of superstition “Further East I wing’d, and burning “Crying, ‘If thou needs must worship “Him I left upon his mountain, |
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“On the threshold of his palace 73 “Down beneath him on the river “Him I spake with, sadly showing “Never since the world’s beginning, “From his palace door he wander’d, “Yet, in spite of all my teaching,— 74 “He, the Buddha, sought oblution [21:i] “Thus, denying God, he enter’d “Till, denying yet believing, “Countless swarms of living creatures “Countless millions still despairing 75 “Thus the first and best of mortals
[Notes:
76 XVI. “High in air on eagle-pinions “Here and there were arméd nations “Ever darkly multiplying, “Ever ’mong them Death was busy, “Nought they knew of Heaven above them, 77 “Everywhere the Priest was busy “Everywhere the martyr’d peoples “ ’Mong the people rose Messiahs, “By the Nile the son of Isis “Saying ‘Lo, from Phthah the Maker, 78 “Then the people sprang upon him, “Then the faithful who revered him, “’Mong his worshippers I lighted, “‘Kingly men and mighty monarchs |
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“Then I taught them hieroglyphics, 79 “Then the busy Ants of Egypt “Thus I taught them architecture,— “Nay, to mock the mute Almighty, “Numbers, too, I taught the people,— “Then the God I had offended 80 “While the haggard Priests and Prophets “Vain was all that I had taught them— “’Gainst the angels masquerading “Pharaohs came and Pharaohs vanish’d,
[Notes: _____
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