es of spirit and of body
which they themselves all together could not express? For a time it was
like seeing so many furious bacchanals, inebriated with that which they
saw so plainly, until at last, the impetus of their fury being somewhat
calmed, they put themselves in a row.

73.

_The first played the guitar and sang the following_:

Oh cliffs, oh deeps, oh thorns, oh snags, oh stones,
Oh mounts, oh plains, oh valleys, rivers, seas,
How dear and sweet you show yourselves,
For by your aid and favour,
To us the sky's unveiled.
Oh fortunate and well-directed steps,

_The second with the mandoline played and sang_:

Oh fortunate and well-directed steps,
Oh goddess Circe, oh transcendent woes,
With which ye did afflict us months and years;
They were the grace of heaven,
For such an end as this,
After such weariness and such distress.[AH]

[AH] For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us
a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.--("St. Paul to the
Corinthians.")

_The third with the lyre played and sang_:

After such weariness and such distress;
If such a port the tempests have prescribed,
Then is there nothing more that we can do,
But render thanks to heaven,
Who closely veiled our eyes,
And pierced anon with such a light as this.

_The fourth with the viola sang_:

And pierced anon with such a light as this;
Blindness worth more than every other sight,
Pains sweeter far than other pleasures are,
For to the fairest light
Thou art thyself a guide,
Show to the soul all lower things are null.

_The fifth with the Spanish drum sang_:

Showing the soul all lower things are null,
Seasoning with hope the high thought of the mind,
Was one who pushed us to the only path,
And so did show us plain,
The fairest work of God,
Thus does a fate benign present itself.[AI]

[AI] The lonely sore-footed pilgrims on their way back to their home are
never sure to the last moment of not losing their way in this limitless
desert of illusion and matter called Earth-life.--("The Secret
Doctrine.")

_The sixth with a lute sang_:

Thus does a fate benign present itself,
Who wills not that to good, good should succeed,
Or pain forerunner be of pain,
But turning round, the wheel,
Now rising, now depressed,
As day and night succeed alternately.