I have a pack full of the choicest wares Of every sort, and yet in all my bundle 300 Is nothing like what may be found on earth; Men and the world with fine malicious mischief- No sword which cuts the bond it cannot loose, Mephistopheles. Gossip, you know little of these times. You think to impel, and are yourself impelled. Lilith. Faust. Who? 305 310 315 Mark her well. It is Mephistopheles. Lilith, the first wife of Adam. Beware of her fair hair, for she excels All women in the magic of her locks; And when she winds them round a young man's neck, Faust. There sit a girl and an old woman-they Seem to be tired with pleasure and with play. Mephistopheles. There is no rest to-night for any one: When one dance ends another is begun; Come, let us to it. We shall have rare fun. 320 325 [FAUST dances and sings with a girl, and MEPHISTOPHELES with an old Woman. 327-334 So Boscombe MS. (Westminster Review, July, 1870); wanting, 1822, 1824, 1839. JUVENILIA QUEEN MAB A PHILOSOPHICAL POEM, WITH NOTES [An edition (250 copies) of Queen Mab was printed at London in the summe of 1813 by Shelley himself, whose name, as author and printer, appears the title-page (see Bibliographical List). Of this edition about seve copies were privately distributed. Sections i, ii, viii, and ix were afte wards rehandled, and the intermediate sections here and there revised £ altered; and of this new text sections i and ii were published by She in the Alastor volume of 1816, under the title, The Daemon of the We The remainder lay unpublished till 1876, when sections viii and ix were print by Mr. H. Buxton Forman, C.B., from a printed copy of Queen Mab wi Shelley's MS. corrections. See The Shelley Library, pp. 36-44, for a descript of this copy, which is in Mr. Forman's possession. Sources of the text a (1) the editio princeps of 1813; (2) text (with some omissions) in the Poetis Works of 1839, edited by Mrs. Shelley; (3) text (one line only wanting the 2nd edition of the P. W., 1839 (same editor). Queen Mab was probably written during the year 1812-it is first heard at Lynmouth, August 18, 1812 (Shelley Memorials, p. 39)—but the text m be assumed to include earlier material.] ECRASEZ L'INFAME!-Correspondance de Voltaire. Avia Pieridum peragro loca, nullius ante Unde prius nulli velarint tempora musae. Religionum animos nodis exsolvere pergo.-Lucret. lib. iv. Or is it only a sweet slumber Stealing o'er sensation, air; 60 Their filmy pennons at her word they furl, Which the breath of roseate morn- And stop obedient to the reins of light: ing Chaseth into darkness? 25 These the Queen of Spells drew in, She spread a charm around the spot, And leaning graceful from the aethereal 756 QUEEN MAB That form of faultless symmetry; 81 Moved not the moonlight's line: Passing all human glory, Saw not the yellow moon, Saw not the mortal scene, 85 yo Heard not the night-wind's rush, The Fairy's frame was slight, yon That catches but the palest tinge of even, 95 And which the straining eye can hardly seize When melting into eastern twilight's shadow, Were scarce so thin, so slight; but the fair star That gems the glittering coronet of morn, Sheds not a light so mild, so powerful, 100 As that which, bursting from the Spread a purpureal halo round the scene, 105 Yet with an undulating motion, Swayed to her outline gracefully. From her celestial car The Fairy Queen descended, And thrice she waved her wand Circled with wreaths of amaranth: Her thin and misty form Moved with the moving air, 110 And the clear silver tones, As thus she spoke, were such As are unheard by all but gifted ear. Let not a breath be seen to stir Let even the restless gossame? ( Sleep on the moveless air! Soul of Ianthe! thou, Judged alone worthy of the et boon, That waits the good and the sincer that waits Those who have struggled, and W resolute will Vanquished earth's pride and mes ness, burst the chains, The icy chains of custom, and hai shone The day-stars of their age-Soul ›. Ianthe! Yet animal life was there, And every organ yet performed Of wonder to behold the body and soul. Its natural functions: 'twas a sight The self-same lineaments, the same Marks of identity were there: Yet, oh, how different! One aspires to Pants for its sempiternal heritage, Heaven, And ever-changing, ever-rising still, The other, for a time the unwilling Wantons in endless being. sport 151 Of circumstance and passion, struggles on ; Fleets through its sad duration rapidly: 190 Beneath a wakened giant's strength. She knew her glorious change, And felt in apprehension uncontrolled New raptures opening round: 194 Each day-dream of her mortal life, Each frenzied vision of the slumbers That closed each well-spent day, Seemed now to meet reality. The Fairy and the Soul proceeded; The silver clouds disparted; 200 And as the car of magic they ascended, Again the speechless music swelled, Again the coursers of the air Unfurled their azure pennons, and the Queen Shaking the beamy reins 205 |