Paracelsus 10000975 PDF

THE PA RA C E L S U S
OF
R O BE RT B R O WNIN G
It in P r l s ( t h w rk th t posterity will pr b bly
is a ace su e o a o a
es ti m t Br wn ing gr t t) th t w m t l k f t h
a e as o
’
s ea es a e us oo or e
s tr ng t pr f f hi ymp th y with m n d ir t kn w
o es oo o s s a a
’
s es e o o
nd b nd t h f r f n t r t hi ervi
”
a e e o ces o a u e o s s ce .
EDW A RD B ER D O E
T H E P A RA C ELS U S
RO BERT B R O W N ING
C H RI STIN A P O LLO C K D EN I SON
N EW YO R K
T HE B AKE R AN D T AYL OR C O MP AN Y
1911
Copy right 1 91 1 by
, ,
T H E BAK ER TAYL O R C o .
TH E P L I MP T O N P R ES S
N O RW O O D MA S S U 8 o
A
! CI A2 9 3 7 2 7
.
TO YO U , D E AR
TH I S LI TT LE BOOK IS
AFFE C T I O NAT E LY
IN S C RI B E D
FOR E WORD
O R a comprehensive un d ers t an d in g of
’ “ ”
R o b ert B rowning s p oem P aracelsus ,
some knowledge of the man P arace l

sus and his doctrines is necessary I n .
an historical note an d co mm ent B ro wnin g ,

“
says : The l i b erties I have t ak en w ith my
subjec t are very trifling an d t he rea d er m ay
slip the foregoin g scenes b e t ween the l eave s
o f any m emoir o f P arace l sus he pl eases by
”
w ay of commen t ary I n a ll o ther respects I
.
l eave this volu m e t o s p eak for i t se l f For .
v aluabl e information I wish t o gra t efu lly

’
acknowl e d ge m y o bl i g a tion t o M r B er d oe s .
“ ” ’
B rownin g C yc l opedia M r W m Sh ar p s, . .
L ife o f R o b ert B rownin g

’
H art m ann s
,
” “
H i story o f P aracelsus E r d mann s H is
,
’
”
tory o f P hilosophy an d t o s o me of the
,
’
B rowning S ociety s p ap ers .
JA N UA RY 4 , 19 11 .
[ vii ]
CO NT E NT S
P A R AC E L S U S , TH E MA N
T H E P H IL O S O PH Y OF P A RA C E L S U S
N O TE
P ARAC EL S U S , TH E P O EM .
G E N E RA L R E V I E W O F TH E P O EM B RI N G I N G
OUT TH E MO S T S I G N I F I C ANT P A SS A G E S
G LOSS AR Y OF WO R D S AN D A LLU S I O N S .
P ARA C E L S U S , TH E BI A N
P ARA C E L S U S , T H E MA N
P
H ILIPP U S AU REO LU S T H EO P H
R A S TU S B O MB A ST o f H ohenhe i m , ,
known as P arace l sus ( a name coine d

for himself app arently meanin g to
,
imply that he was greater than C elsus ) was ,
born in the year 1 4 9 3 in the V icinity of

,
a place called E insiede l n a v i llage some ,
leagues d i stan t from the c i ty o f Zurich in ,
S witzerland H is father Wi ll i am B o m bas t

.
, ,
o f H ohenheim was o n e O f the descendants o f

,
the O ld and celebrated fam i ly B ombast an d ,
they were called O f H ohenheim after their ,
anc i ent residence known as H ohenheim a

, ,
castle near the V i llag e o f P linn igen in the ,
v i c i nity of S tuttgart in Wurtemb urg H e

, .
was a relative O f the G rand M aster O f the

O rder O f the Kn i ghts o f S t John o f these .
t i mes whose name was G eorg e B omb ast of

,
H ohenheim H e es t ablished himse l f in his

.
,
capac i ty of a physician near E insie deln ; ,
and in the year 1 4 9 2 he married the matron
[ 3 ]
’
B ROWNING S PARACELSUS
of the hosp ital b elong i ng to the ab bey of that

place and the result of their marri age was
,
Theo phrastus the ir only ch i ld I t may be

,
.
ment i oned that P aracelsus i n cons i deration ,
O f the place o f h i s bi rth has also been called ,
H elvetius E rem i ta and furthermore we ,
someti mes find him called Germ anu s Su evu s , ,
and Arp inu s .
A n O l d tradition says that P aracelsus was

emasculated in i nfancy b y accid ent or by a
drunken sold ier The truth O f this has not
been ascerta ine d but by many people i s
regarded as one of the calum n i es i nvente d by
h i s enem ies I t i s certain however that no
.
, ,
beard gre w o n his face and h i s sku ll wh i ch , ,
is st i ll i n exi stence resembles the formation

,
o f a female rather that t hat of a male He !

.
is painted nowhere w i th a beard H is por .
trai t in l i fe size can st i ll be seen at S alzb u rg

,
-
, ,
pai nted on the wall o f his res i dence ( Li nzer

S tree t N O 3 6 5 oppos i te the church o f S t
, .
, .
A ndrew) O ther portraits o f P aracelsus are

.
to b e foun d in H u s er s ed i t i on o f h i s works ’
“
and in the first volume of H au b er s Bi bl i o ’
”
theca M agi ca .
The head of P aracelsus pa i nted by Kaul ,
b ach i n h i s celebrated p i cture at the Museum ,

“ ”
at B erl i n called The Age O f R eformat i on
, ,
[ 4 ]
PARACELSUS , T H E M A N
is i deal i zed an d b ears litt l e resemblance to

t he orig inal .
I n his ear l y youth P aracelsus O btained

instructions in science from his father who ,
t augh t him the rud i ments o f alchemy sur ,
gery and med i cine H e always honored the

, .
memory of h i s father and always spoke in the,
kindes t terms O f h i m who was not only his ,
father b ut also h i s friend and i nstructor

, .
H e afterwards continued his studies under

the tu i t i on of the monks of the convent of
S t A ndrew s i tuated in the valley O f S avon
.
, ,
under t he guidance O f the learned b i shops ,
E berhardt B aumgartner M ath i as Sch ey dt , ,
o f R o t t g ac h an d M ath i as S chacht O f F reis

, ,
ingen H aving atta i ned h i s s i xteenth year

.
,
he was sent to st u dy at the U n i vers i ty o f

B ase l H e was afterwards i ns tructed by the
.
celebrated Johann T rit h e m iu s of Sp anh e im , ,
abbot O f S t Jacob a t W urzburg ( 1 4 6 1

.
,
o ne o f the greatest adepts O f magic alchemy , ,
and astrology an d it was under this teacher

,
that h i s talents for the study o f occultism

were especially cultivated and b rought into
prac t i cal use H is l ove for the occult sciences
.
l ed h i m to enter the labor atory O f the ri ch

Sigismund Fugger at S chwatz in Tyrol who , , ,
like the ab bot was a celebrated alchem i s t

, ,
[ 5 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
and able to teach to h i s discip l e many a

valuable secre t .
L ater on P aracelsus traveled a g reat deal

, .
H e vi s ited G ermany I taly France the , , ,
Ne t herlands D enmark S weden and R uss i a

, , , ,
and i t i s sai d that he even went to I nd i a b e ,
cause he was taken pri soner by the Tartars

and b rought to the Khan Whose son he ,
afterwards accompan i e d to C onstant i nople .
E very reader of the works of Paracelsus who ,
is also acqua i nted w i th the recent revela

tions made by the E as t ern A depts canno t ,
fail t o noti ce the sim i lari ty O f the two sys

tems which in many respects are almost
,
identical and it i s therefore qu i te probable

,
that P aracelsus during his capt i v i ty i n Tar

,
tary was instruc t ed in the secret doctrine

,
b y the teachers o f occultism in the E ast .
The i nformat i on g i ven by P aracelsus in re

gard to the sevenfold pr i nciples O f m an the ,
qual i ties of the astral b ody the earth bound ,

-
e l e m e n t arie s etc was then ent i rely unknown

, .
,
in the West P aracels u s m oreover wrote a

.
, ,
great deal about the E lementals or sp i r i ts of ,
N ature but i n h i s descr ipt i on of them he

,
subst i tuted for the E astern terms such as

were more i n harmony w i th the G erman
mytholog i cal concept i ons of the same for ,
[ 6 ]
’
P aracelsus traveled through the countries

a l ong the D anu be and came to I taly where , ,
he served as an army surgeon in the Im per i al

army and part i c i pated i n many of the war
,
l ike e xped i t i ons o f these tim es O n these .
occas i ons he collected a great deal of useful

informat i on not only from phys i cians sur
, ,
geons and alchemi sts but also by h i s inter

, ,
course wi th e xecu t i oners b arbers Shepherds , , ,
Jews g ips i es m i dwi ves and fortune tellers

, , ,
-
.
H e collected use ful i nformat i on from the h igh

a nd the low from the learned and from the
,
vulgar and i t was noth i ng unusual to see

,
h i m i n the company of teamsters and vaga

b onds on the h i ghways and at publ i c i nns
,
a c i rc u mstance on account of wh i ch h i s
narrow m i nded enem i es heaped upon h i m
-
b i tter reproach and vil ifi c at ion s H av i ng .
traveled for ten years someti mes exerc i

s ing h i s ar t as a phys i c i an at other t im es ,
teach i ng or st u dy i ng alchemy and mag i c 1

,
accord i ng to the c u stom O f these days he

returned at the age O f th i rty two aga i n to -
G ermany where he soon became very cele

,
1
Paracel s us sa y M agi c
So rcer are t w o e nt re
s: an d y i ly
diff e re n t t h ing s an d th e re is as m u ch d eren ce etw e en th e m
’
, iff b
as th e re is b
e tw e e n lig
h t an d darkness and e tw e en w h te , b i
an d bl k
ac i g
M ag c is t h e reatest w s dom and now e d e O f
. i k l g
t he s u p ernatu ra po wers
”
l .
[8]
b rat e d onaccount O f the man y an d w onder

fu l cures which he performe d .
I n the year 15 2 5 P arace l sus went to

B asel ; and in 15 2 7 on t h e recommendation
,
o f ( Ecol am p a d iu s he was appoin ted b y the

,
C ity C ounc i l a professor o f physics me di cine , ,
and surgery receivin g a consi d erable salary

, .
H is lectures were not l ike those O f his

colleagues mere repetitions o f the opinions
o f G a l en H ip p ocrates and A vicenna the e x
, , ,
p osition of which formed the sole occupat i on

O f the professors O f medicine o f those t i mes .
H is doc trines were essentially doc t rines O f

his own and he taught them independently
,
o f the o p inions o f others ga i ning there b y the

,
applause O f his s t udents and horri fy i ng his ,
ortho d o x col l eagues by h i s contravent i on O f

their establ ished custom O f teach i ng noth i ng
b ut what could b e well supported by O ld and
accepte d author i t i es irrespect i ve o f whether
,
o r not it was compat i ble w i th reason and truth .
H e held at the same t ime the O ffice O f city

p hysician and i n that capac i ty he O ffere d a
,
resolut i on to the Ci ty C ounc i l O f B asel to the ,
e ffect that the apothecaries O f that c i ty should

b e su b jected to his supervision and that he ,
should be permitted to exam i ne whether or

no t the com p ounders o f med i cine understood
[ 9 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
the i r bus i ness and to ascerta i n whether they

,
had a suffic i ent quant i ty O f pure and genu i ne

drugs o n hand so that he m i ght prevent them
from asking e xorbitant pri ces for the i r goods .
The consequence of th i s measure was as ,
might have been expected that he drew upon ,
h i mself the concentrated hatred O f all the

dru ggi sts and apothecari es ; and the other
phys i c i ans and professors jealous of hi s suc
,
cess i n teach i ng med i c i ne and curing d i seases ,
jo i ned i n the persecut i on under the pretext

,
that h i s appo i ntment as a professor at the

un i versity had b een made without the i r con
sent and that P aracelsus was a stranger O f
, ,
“ ”
whom nobody kne w where he came from ,
and furthermore that they d i d not kno w

whe ther or not he w as a real doctor B ut
perhaps all these annoyances and v ilifi c a
t i ons would have had no ser i ous consequences
i f he had not made the members of the Ci ty
C ounc i l h i s enemies by writ i ng a severe pu b
l icat ion against a dec i sion which he con
s idere d very unjust an d which was ren d ered
,
i n favor O f a certain C anonic u s C ornel i us O f

L i chtenfels whom he had saved from death
,
after the latter had been g i ven up to d i e b y

the other phys i c i ans and who had acted very
,
ungratefully towards h i m The consequence

.
[ 10 ]
PARA C EL S U S , T H E M A N
of his hasty action was that he had t o leave ,
B asel secretly and hur riedly in Ju l y 1 5 28 , ,
to avoid unpleasant complications .
A fter th i s event P aracelsus resu m e d hi s

stroll in g life roaming , as he d i d in h is
youth over the country living in vill age ,
taverns and inns and traveling from p l ace

,
to place N umerous disciples follo we d hi m

.
,
at t racted e i ther b y a des i re for kno wl e dge or

b y a wish to acquire his art and to use it for
their o wn purp oses The m os t reno wne d o f .
his follo wers was Johannes O p orin u s wh o ,
for three years serve d as a secretary an d

famulus t o h i m and wh o afterwar d s b ecame
,
a professor o f the G reek language and a we ll ,
kno wn pu b lisher book seller an d prin ter a t

,
-
, ,
B ase l P aracelsus w as e x cee d ingly reticen t

.
in regard to his secrets an d Op orinu s after ,
wards spoke very b itterly aga i nst him on

that accou nt and thereb y served his ene m ies
, .
B u t after the d eath O f P arace l sus h e re gre tt e d

h is o wn indiscretion and e xp resse d grea t ,
veneration for him .
P aracelsus wen t to C o lm ar in 1 5 28 an d ,
cam e t o E ss li ngen an d N u remb u rg in the

“
years 1 5 2 9 and 1 5 80 The regu l ar phy .
s ic ian s o f N urem b urg deno u nce d h i m a

quack ch arlatan and impos tor T o refu t e
, , .
[ 11 ]
’
BROWNING S PARACELSUS
the i r accusat i ons he requested the C ity C oun

c i l to put some patients that had been de
c l are d i ncurable under h i s care They sent .
h im some cases O f elephant i as i s wh i ch he ,
cured i n a short t i me and wi thout aski ng any

fee Test i mon i als to that effect may be found
.
in the archives of the c i ty of Nuremburg .
B ut this success did not change the for

t une O f P aracelsus who seemed to be doomed
,
to a l i fe O f cont i nual wanderi ngs I n 1 53 0 we .
find him at N o erdling en M unich R egens , ,
b urg Amberg and M eran ; i n 153 1 i n S t

, , .
G all and i n 1 5 35 at Zur i ch H e then went

, .
to Maeh ren Kaernt h en Kra i n and H ong ary

, , , ,
and finally landed i n S alzb urg to wh i ch ,
place he was i nv i ted by the Pr i nce P alat i ne ,
D uke E rnst O f B avar i a who was a great lover

,
O f the secret arts I n that place P aracelsus

.
O btained at last the fru i ts of h i s long l abors

and O f a w i de spread fame .
B ut he was not dest i ned to enjoy a long

t i me the rest he so richly deserved because ,
already on the 24t h of S eptember 1 5 4 1 he , ,
d ied after a short sickness ( at the age o f

forty e i ght years and three days ) i n a small
-
,
“ ”
room o f the i nn to the Wh i te H orse near ,
the qu ay and h i s body was b u ri ed i n the

,
graveyard O f S t S ebast i an There is st i ll a

. .
[ 12 ]
m ystery in re g ar d to his d eath b ut the ,
most recent invest i gat i ons go to confirm the

statement made by h i s contemporaries tha t ,
P aracelsus durin g a b anquet had b een

treacherously attacked by the hire l in g s O f
certain physic i an s who were h i s enemies ,
and that in consequence of a fall upon a

rock a fracture was prod u ced o n his skul l
, ,
that after a few days caused his dea th A .
G erm an phys i c i an S Th v o n S oemmering

, . .
,
e x amined the skull o f P arace l sus which o n , ,
account o f its pecul i ar formation cou ld not ,
easily b e m is t aken an d notice d a fracture

,
going t hrough the tempora l b one which b y , ,
reason of the a ge and frequent handling of

that skull had b ecome en l arged in size so as
,
t o b e eas i ly seen an d tha t he b elieves that

,
such a fracture cou l d only have b een pro

d u ce d d uring t he l ifetime of P aracelsus ,
b ecause the b ones O f a solid but o l d an d

d esiccated sku ll w oul d no t b e l ikel y t o sepa
ra t e in tha t m anner .
The b ones O f P arace l sus were e xhumed in

the year 1 5 7 2 at a time when the church was
,
repaired and re interre d near the back s id e

,
-
O f the wall that encloses the space in fron t

o f the chapel of S t P h i l i ppi N er i
. an exten ,
sion O f the church O f S t S e b astian where .

,
[ 13 ]
’
h i s m onument may be seen at the present

ti me The m i dst O f a broken pyramid o f
.
wh i te marble shows a cavity which conta ins

h i s p i cture and ab ove it is a L atin ins crip
,
tion say i ng
,
PH I LI PPI TH E O PH RA S T I P A R A C EL S I Q U I
TAN TAM O RB I S FA MA M EX AU R O C H YM I C O
A D E P T U S E S T E FF IGI ES E T O S A D O N EC
R U R S U S C I R CU MDA B I TU R P E L L E S U A
JO N . CA P . XI X
B e l ow the p ortrait are the following wor d s
S U B R EP A R A T I O N E ECCLESIA E MD CCLXX II
EX S EP U L C H R A L I T A B E E B U T A H E I C
L O C A T A SU N T
The b ase of the monu m en t con t ains the

fo l lowi ng inscript i on
C O N DI T U R H IC PH I LI PPUS TH E O P H R A S
TU S IN S IGNI S MED I C I N A E D O C TO R QU I
D IRA I LLA V ULN E RA L E P R A M P O D A G R A M
H YD R O P S I N A L I A QU E I N S A N A B IL I A COR
P O RI S C O N TAGIA M IRI FI C A AR T E S U S TU L I T
ET B O NA SU A IN P A U P ER E S D I S TR I B U
E ND A L O C A N D A QU E H O N O R A VI T . ANN O
MD XXXXI . I
D I E XX V . S E P T EMB R I S V I T AM
CUM M O RT E MU T A V I T
[ 14 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
O ne -s i ded culture could see i n P aracelsus

noth i ng else b u t an enthus i ast a fanat i c and , ,
no i se maker ; h i s enthus i ast i c followers o n

-
,
the other hand looked upon h i m as a god and

,
a monarch o f all myster i es and k i ng O f the

sp i ri ts I t was h i s dest i ny to be m i sj u dged
.
by h i s fr i ends as well as by h i s enem i es and ,
each s i de exaggerated h i s q u alit i es the one ,
h i s V i rtues the other h i s fau lts H e was de

, .
n o u n c e d and v i l i fied by o n e set O f i gnora
muses and h i s qu al i t i es extolled by another

, ,
and the two camps roused each other into a

frenzy by their i nord inate prai ses and v i le
denunc i at i ons whose exaggerat i ons were evi
,
dent to every one but themselves Those .
h i storians who have cri t i c i sed the character

o f P aracelsus severely forgot to take i nto
,
cons i der at i on the c u stoms and fash i ons o f

the t i me i n wh i ch he l i ved the character O f,
h i s surround i ngs and h i s restless wander i ngs

, .
Now as the battle of contendi ng op i n i ons has

,
ceased to rage we may take a d i spassionate

,
V i ew O f the past and after st u dy i ng h i s

,
works and the wr i t i ngs O f h i s cr i t i cs and

b i ographers we w i ll arr i ve at the conclu
,
s i on that he was one O f the greatest and most

s u bl i me characters o f all t i mes H i s works .
conta i n i nexhau st ible m i nes O f knowledge ,
[ 16 ]
and an extraor d inary amount O f germs o u t

O f which great truths may grow if they are
attended to by competent cultivators and a ,
great deal that is at present m i sun derstood

and rejected w i ll by future i nqu i rers b e
drawn to the l i ght and be cut into some O f
,
the noblest bl ocks in the sp i r i tual Templ e o f

Wi sdom .
The writings of P arace l sus are especia l l y

distinguished b y the short and concise man
ner in which his thoughts are exp ressed .
There is no amb ig ui ty in his e xpress i ons an d ,
if w e follow the roads wh i ch he indicated ,
p rogress i ng at the same t i me along the path

o f physical science , we shall find the richest
O f treasures b uried at the places that he
p ointed o u t w i th his magic wand .
P aracelsus was a C hrist i an in the true

meaning o f that wor d and he alway s at
,
tempted to support the d octr i nes he taught

by citat i ons from the B ible H e asks : .
What i s a ph i losoph y that is not sup

ported by spiri tual reve l ation ? M oses d i d
n o t attempt to teach p hysics ; he w rote i n
a theological sense calculated to impress the

feel i ngs and awaken the faith O f the simple
m inde d and perhaps he may not have under
stood phys i cs h i mself The sc i ent i st u nlike
. ,
[ 17 ]
’
the theologi an does not p ut any trust in h i s

,
feel ings but believes only i n his experiments

, ,
becau se phys i cal sc i ence deals with phe

nomena and not with fa ith The Hebrews .
,
moreover d i d not know much about natural

,
s cience ,and as a people they have always

b een more i gnoran t than others in tha t re
”
spect .
“
F ai th is a l um inous star that lea d s the
honest seeker into the mysteries of N ature .
You must seek your point O f grav i ty i n G od ,
and put your trust into an honest d i vine , ,
sincere p ure and strong fa i th and cling to

, , ,
i t with your whole heart soul sense and , , ,
thought full o f love and confidence I f you

, .
possess such a fai th G od will n ot withhold H i s

,
truth from y o u b ut H e will reveal H i s works

,
to y ou cred ibly visib ly and consolingly

, , .
“
E veryth ing that happens t akes p l ace
through the w i ll of the S upreme C onscience .
is the state which we h ave receive d from G o d ,
i n which we should see o u r o wn image and ,
according to the d i ctates of wh i ch we should

act w i thout attempting to d i scover reasons
,
i n the gu i dance o f ou r l ife in regar d t o morals

and v i rtues We should do that wh i ch ou r
.
consc i ence teaches for no other reason but

,
becau se o u r consc i ence teaches i t H e who .
[ 18 ]
does no t burn himself wil l not b e b urned by

G od an d G o d p rovi de d him with a con
,
science into which he may p u t his impl i c i t

trust T o learn from others t o accept the
.
,
O p inion O f others to act in a certain manner

,
b ecause others are act i ng i n that way is ,
temp tation Therefore faith into the th ings

.
O f the earth shou l d b e b ase d u p on the H oly

S cripture an d u p on the teach i ngs O f C hrist ,
and i t will then stan d upon a firm b asis .
Therefore we shall p ut the fun d amen t an d

—
the corner stone o f ou r wisdom upon three
p rinc ipal po i nts which are : first P ra yer o r
, , ,
a stron g desire and aspiration for that which

is goo d I t is necessary that w e should seek
.
and knock and there b y ask the O mnipotent

,
P ower with i n ourselves and remind i t O f i ts

promises and keep it awake and if we do ,
this in the proper form an d w ith a pure an d

sincere heart we shall receive that for which
,
we ask and find that which we seek an d the

, ,
doors o f the E ternal tha t h ave b een closed

before us w i ll be opened and what was hidden
,
before ou r sight will come to ligh t The

next po i nt i s F aith : not a m ere belief in
someth i ng that may o r may n o t b e true b ut ,
a faith that i s b ased upon knowledge an ,
unwavering confidence a fa i th that may ,
[ 19 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
move mounta i ns and throw them i nto the

ocean and to wh i ch everyth i ng i s poss i ble
, ,
as C hri st has H i mself test i fied The thir d .
point i s I mag i nat i on I f th i s power i s prop

.
erly kindled in our soul we wi ll have no ,
d ifficulty to make i t harmon i ze w i th o u r

fa ith A person who i s s u nk i nto deep
.
thought and so to say drowned i n h i s own

, ,
so u l i s l ike on e who has lost h i s senses and

, ,
the world looks u pon h i m as a fool B u t i n .
the consciousness of the S upreme he is wi se ,
and he i s so to say the confident i al fr i end

, ,
o f G od know i ng a great deal more O f G od s

’
myster ies than all those who rece i ve the i r

superfic i al learning through the avenues o f
the external senses ; becau se he can reach
G od thro u gh h i s so u l C hri st throu gh fa i th
, ,
and attract the H oly Ghost thro u gh an ex

alted i mag i nat i on I n th i s way we may grow
.
to b e l ike the Apostles and to fear ne i ther ,
death nor pri son ne i ther su fferi ng nor tor

,
ture neither fat igue nor hunger nor any

, ,
”
th i ng else .
B u t w i th all h i s p i ety P aracelsus was no

b i got H e was an enemy O f hypocri sy
.
,
ceremon i al servi ce and p i o u s ostentat i on

, .
H e says : I f you pray p u bl i cly to what ,
p u rpose w i ll i t serve ? I t w i ll only be the
[ 20 ]
b eg i nn i ng and the cause o f i dolatry and ,
therefore i t has b een p rohib i ted by C hri st .
“
Let us depart from all ceremon i es c o n ,
j u r at io n,s consecrations etc and all similar

, .
,
delus i ons and put ou r heart will and con fi , ,
dence solely upon the t rue rock We m us t .
cont i nually knock and remind the G o d ( i n

us ) to fulfi l H i s prom i ses I f this is done .
s i ncerely without hyp ocr i sy with a true and

, ,
p i ous heart we w i ll then O btain that for

,
which we seek The door will b e opened for

.
us an d that which i s myster i o u s become re

”
vealed to us (
. P hi l o s ogyhi a O ccu l t a ) .
“
Sal v at l on I s not atta i ned by fasting and
lip prayer neither b y wearing a part i cular
-
,
’
ki nd of cloth i ng nor by b eat i ng one s self
, .
S u ch th i ngs are all superst i t i on and the o u t

come O f hypocri sy C hr i st says : I f you
.
‘
wish to pray do it not publ i cly ; but go i nto

,
’
thy inner chamber T O pray publ i cly i s the
.
beginn i ng of idolatry I f you pray pub .
lic ly then will the common people see it

,
and i mitate you and they w i ll fancy that i f

,
they wi ll only blab a great deal l i ke you ,
then w i l l they b e saved Thus he looks .
upon y ou as his e x ample an d fo ll o ws you ‘
i nstead O f follow i ng C hr i st who b i ds h i m ,
”
to pray i n secret ( L.i ber P hilo s o p hi c
e ) .
[ 21 ]
’
BROWNIN G S PARACELSUS
G od from the beginn i n g Of the wor ld has

created all th ings hol y and p ure an d they
need not be consecrated by m an G o d i s .
H i mself holy and all that H e m a d e ou t o f

,
H i s o wn w i ll is holy l i kewise I t is for us .

,
by becoming ho l y to reco gnize the hol i ness

,
”
o f G o d in e x ternal nature ( Philos ophia .
Occu lt a ) D urin g the t i me o f the R eforma

.
t i on when the mental atmosphere was in a

,
sta te of great commot i on when everyb ody ,
contended either for Luther or for the P ope ,
P aracelsus stood above the quarreling parties ,
and rejected all sectar i anism for he sai d ,
“
A mong all sects there is none which pos
sesses intellectually the true rel i g i on We .
must read the Bi ble more w i th ou r hear t

than with o u r b ra i ns unt i l at some future
,
t i me the true rel i gion wil l come i nto the

world H is sympathies however went , ,
with the l iberal P rotestants and he e xpressed ,
him self in reg ar d to the action of L uther as

“
follows : The enemies o f L uther are to a
grea t e xt ent composed of fanatics knaves , ,
b i gots and rogues Why do you cal l me a

, .
‘
Med i ca l L uther ? You do not i ntend to
’
honor me b y givi ng me that name beca u se ,
y o u desp i se L uther B . ut I know O f no other

enemies O f L uther but those whose k i tchen
[ 22 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
year never drank any i ntox i cat i ng dr i nks ,
and even if it should be found that he after

wards drank wine such a fac t could eas i ly
,
be exp la i ned by the genera l custom O f these

t i mes accord i ng to which even the most
,
honorable and respected persons ( Luther in

“
cluded ) were i n the hab i t o f drinking each
I f we moreover take i nto
’
other s health , ,
consideration the quant i ty and qual i ty of his

works wh i ch were all written within a period
,
o f time cover i ng fifteen years w e may be

,
permitted to concl u de that he could not have

accompl i shed s u ch a work in a state O f that
cont i n u al i ntox i cation in which accord i ng to
,
the statement o f his enemies h e m ust have ,

“ ”
remained . Therefore says Arnold in h i s
, ,
“ ”
H i story O f C hurches and H eret i cs the re ,
port i s d i sproved by the fact that a man who

is a glutton and drunkard co u ld not have
been i n possess i on O f s u ch d i v i ne gi fts .
P aracelsus says : G od has been so b e n e vo

lent as to p u t before ou r eyes the th ings
wh i ch we des i re : good wines beaut i fu l ,
women good food and other treasures and

, , ,
H e also protects i n g i vi ng us the power to

absta i n so that we may not become v i ct ims
,
to i ntemperance There is a marr i age b e

.
tween two bod i es : the tangi ble and the
£ 94 ]
intangible o ne ( the soul ) and the soul must ,
keep the carnal body temperate and prevent

i t from tak i ng more than its due measure .
I f th i s is not done then there will be a state

,
o f adultery .
( Faramir I I ) , .
P aracelsus has been accused O f vanity an d

bo ast i ng and the fact i s that he was prou d
, ,
O f his own attr i butes and accomplishments ;

b ut he did not glor i fy his own person only ,
the sp irit that exalted h i s soul S ee i ng h i m .
self surrounded by ignorance misjudged and ,
m isrepresented b ut consc i ous O f h i s o wn

,
strengt h he asserted h i s r i ghts H e main

, .
t aine d that the value of the truths he taugh t

would b e appreciated in due time and his ,
prophecy has proved to be true I t was th i s .
consc i ousness O f his super i or power that in

“
spired him to exclaim : I know tha t the
monarchy ( of mind ) wil l belong to me that ,
mi ne will be the honor I do not pra i se m y

.
self b ut N ature pra i ses me for I am b orn O f

,
N ature and follow her S he knows me an d

.
I know her .
This language is not tha t of a b oas t er b u t ,
rather that O f a general who knows that he

w i ll be v i ctor i ous when he wr i tes
, A fter
me ye A v i cenna G alenus Rh as e s M ontag
, , , ,
nana and others ! you after me not I after

, ,
[ 25 ]
’
you ye of P ari s M ontpell i er S uev i a Me i s

, , , ,
sen and C ologne ; ye of Vi enna and all that

,
come from the countr i es along the D an u be

and Rh i ne and from the i slands of the ocean !
Yo u I taly you D almat i a you S armat i a
, , ,
A thens G reece A rab i a and I srael i ta ! Fo l

, , ,
low me ! I t i s not for me to follow you ,
b ecause m i ne i s the monarchy C ome o u t .
O f the n i ght o f the mind ! The t i me will

come when none O f you shall rema i n i n h i s
dark corner who w i ll not be an O bject O f
contempt to the world because I shall be the ,
monarch and the monarchy w i ll be m i ne .
Th i s i s not the language O f van i ty and self

conceit I t i s the language e i ther O f i nsp i ra
.
tion or of folly becau se extremes resemble

,
each other Thus a man m ight speak who

.
imagines himself to be super i or to others ;

b ut thus also would he speak who is con
scious of b e i ng far above the rest and who
floats in the l ight O f the sp i ri t wh i le those
b elo w him are grop ing in the darkness O f
error P aracels u s was proud o f the sp i ri t
.
that spoke through h i m ; but personally he

was modest and self s acrifi c ing and he well -
,
kn ew that a man would be a useless th i ng i f

he were not overshadowed by the sp i ri t of
the S upreme H e says :. Re member that
[ 26 ]
G od has put a mark upon us consisting in ,
ou r shortc om ings and diseases t o show to,
us that we have nothing t o pride ourse l ves

about and that nothing comes within the
,
reach o f our full and perfect un derstanding ;

that we are far from knowing ab so l ute truth ,
an d that ou r o wn knowledge an d p o wer

”
amoun t s to very litt l e indeed .
P ersona l vanity an d ostentation were no t

the elements to b e foun d in the character O f
P arace l sus they were the cus t oms O f the
physicians of that age ; b ut it is a d aily occur
ring fact tha t he who e xposes and denounces
the faults of others appears t o the super
fi c ial o b server as b oas t ing O f his o wn su p eri
o r it y, a l though no such m otive m ay promp t
him A nd as P arace l sus was no t s l ow to
.
“ ”
criticise the ignorance O f the learne d it ,
was necessarily supposed b y the vu l gar th a t

he looked upon himself as more learne d than
al l others an d they ha d not the capacity to
,
k now whether o r not he w as jus t ified in such

an estimate of himse l f H e was however
.
, ,
far superior in medica l skill t o a ll his co l

leagues and performed apparent ly mir acu
,
lous cures among many pat i ents tha t h a d

b een pronounced incurab le b y the l ea d ing
doctors a fact that has b een proved b y
[ 27 ]
’
E rasm u s of R otterdam a most carefu l and

,
sc i ent i fic O bserver A mong s u ch pat i ents

.
were not less than e i ghteen pr i nces on whom ,
the best phys i c i ans had tr i ed the i r arts and

fai led I n h i s th i rty th i rd year he was al
.
-
ready an O bject O f adm i rat i on for the laity ,
and an object O f profess i onal jealo u sy for

the phys i c i ans H e also i ncurred the wrath
.
O f the latter by treat i ng many o f the poorer

classes w i thout pay wh i le the other phy
,
s ic ian s unrelent i ngly cla i med the i r fees The .
most common reward for his labor was in

grat i t u de and th i s he earned eve rywhere not
, ,
only i n the houses of the moderately wealthy ,
b u t also among the r i ch ; for i nstance i n the ,
ho u se O f the C ount Phi l ipp u s o f B aden ,
whose case had b een given up as hopeless by

h i s phys i cians P aracelsus cured the C ount
.
i n a short t i me who i n return showed great

,
pen u riousness towards h i m M oreover t h e .

,
i ngrat i tude O f that pri nce caused great joy

to the enemies O f P aracelsus and gave them ,
a welcome opportun i ty to rid i c u le and slan

der h i m more than ever .
Accusat i ons o f a d i fferent order are brought

agai nst h i m referr i ng to the bl u ntness O f h i s
,
style of wri t ing wh i ch was not always refined

,
or pol ite I t should however be remem

.
, ,
[ 28 ]
bered that such a sty le of speak i ng and writ

ing was universally used at these t i mes and ,
o b jectionable e xpress i ons were adopted b y

all not e x cl u d i ng L uther the great Reformer
,
~
, ,
who in s p it e O f h i s gen i us was a morta l man

, , .
P aracelsus was a great adm i rer o f L uther ,
and even surpassed h i m in enthusiasm for

rel igious and intellectual freedom L uther .
seemed to him to b e still too conservative .
H e believed that such a g i gantic revolution

in the world o f m i nd could not b e aeco m
p lis h e d w i th meekness an d condescension ,
but that it requ i red firmness tenacity and , ,
“
an unb ending wil l H e says O f himself : I
.
know that I a m a man who does no t s p eak

to everyone on l y that which might please
h i m and I am not use d to give submissive
,
answers to arrogant questions I know my .
w ays and I do not w i sh to change them ;

neither could I chan ge m y nature I am a .
rough man born in a rough country ; I have

,
b een b rought u p in p ine woods an d I may

-
,
have inherite d some knots Tha t which .
seems to me polite an d am i ab l e ma y ap p ear

unpolished to another and what seems sil k
,
”
in my eyes may b e but homespun to you ,
G reat abuse has b een heaped upon P ara

celsus by h i s enemies o n accou nt o f his rest ‘
[ 29 ]
’
less and roaming way of l i ving H e acquired .
h i s knowledge not in the comfortable man

,
ner i n which the great major i ty o f scientists

acquire the i rs but he traveled all over the
,
country on foot and went wherever he e x

,
p ec t e d to find someth i ng that m i ght b e use

ful to kno w H e wr i tes : I went i n search
.
o f my art O ften inc u rring danger o f l i fe

, I .
have no t been ashamed to learn that which

seemed useful to me even from vagab onds ,
e xecut i oners and b arbers We know that a

, .
lover will go a long way to meet the woman

he adores : how much more will the lover O f
wisdom be tempted to g o in search of his
”
divine mistress !
“
H e says : The knowl edg e to wh ich we are
entitled is not confined within the limits of
ou r o w n country and does not run after us
, ,
but wai t s until we go in search o f it N 0 .
o n e becomes a master o f practica l e xperience
i n his o wn house neither will he find a

,
teacher of the secrets of N ature in the cor

ners of his room We must seek for kno wl
.
edge where we may e xp ect to find it and ,
why should the man b e desp i sed who goes in

search of it ? Those who remain at home
m ay l i ve more comfortably and grow r i cher
than those who wander about ; b u t I neither
[ 30 ]
’
nor w ith any qu al i t i es whatsoever The .
co u rse O f S aturn lengthens o r shortens

’
nobody s l i fe and althou gh N ero and M ars
,
were of the same kind of temperament ,
nevertheless Nero was not the ch i ld O f M ars ,
nor H elena the daughter O f Venus I f there .
never had b een any M oon in the sky there ,
would b e nevertheless people who partake

O f her nature The stars force us to noth i ng
.
,
they incline us t o nothing ; they are free for

themse l ves and we are free for ourselves I t .
i s sai d that a w i se man rules over the stars ;

but th i s d oes not mean that he rules over
the influences which come from the stars i n
the sky ; b ut that he rules over the po wer s
”
wh i ch e xist in his own constitution .
“
We cannot live w i thout sunshine an d we
nee d the i nfl u ences O f the stars as much as we
need heat and cold food and water ; the y
,
p roduce ou r seasons and ripen ou r fruits b u t ,

’
m an s body does not c o me from the stars nor ,
is h i s character formed by them an d if there

,
never had been any planet on the sky there ,
wo u l d b e nevertheless some people O f a m el

a n c h o ly d i spos i t i on others O f a ch oleri c
,
”
temperament etc, .
P aracelsus did not rea d or write much H e .
says that for ten years he never rea d a b ook ,
[ 32 ]
P A R A C E L S U S , T H E M A N
and h i s d i sciples test i fy that he d i ctated h i s

works to them w i thou t usin g an y m e m oranda
o r manuscripts O n takin g an inventory O f
.
h i s goods after his death a B ib l e a Bibl i ca l

, ,
C oncordance a C ommentary t o the B ible

, ,
and a wri t ten b ook on M edicine were a l l the ,
b ooks that coul d b e foun d i n his p ossession .
E ven earlier than L uther he had pu b l i cly

b urne d a P apa l bull an d with it the writ i ngs
,
“
O f G alen and A vicenna H e says : . R ead
ing never makes a phys i cian M edicine is an .
art an d requires practica l exp erience I f i t .
were su fficient to learn to t a l k L at i n G reek , ,
and H eb rew to become a g oo d phys i c i an i t

, ,
w ould also b e su fficient for on e to read L i vi us

t o b ecome a great comman d er in ch i ef I - -
.
b eg an to s t u d y my art by imag i n i n g that

'
there was n o t a s i ngle teacher in the world

capab le t o teach i t to me b u t that I had to
,
acquire it m y se l f I t was the b ook O f N ature

.
w ritten b y the fin ger O f Go d which I studied ,
not those of the scribb l ers for each scr i b bl er

,
writes down the rub b ish tha t m a y b e found in

his hea d ; an d who can sift the true from the
false ? M y accusers complain that I have not
entered the temple o f knowledge thro u gh the
‘ ’
leg i t i mate door B u t which o n e is the tr u ly
.
legit i mate door ? G alenus and A vicenna or

BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
Nature ? I have entered through the door

o f N ature ; her light and not the lamp o f
,
an ap othecary s shop has i lluminated m y

’
,
”
way .
G rea t stress was l aid by h i s accusers upon

the fact that he wrote the greater part O f h i s
books and taught h i s doctr i nes i n the German
l anguage and not as was then customary in
, , ,
L at i n. B ut this was one O f h i s most i mpor

tant acts ; b ecause i n so do i ng he produced
a reformation in science s i m i lar to the o ne
that L uther produced i n the C hurch H e .
rejected the t i me honored use O f the L at i n

-
language b ecause he bel i eved that the truth

,
could as well b e e xpressed in the language O f

the coun try in which he lived This dar i ng .
act was the beginn i ng o f free thought i n

science and the O ld bel ief i n authorit i es began
,
to weaken I t is probable that P aracelsus

.
would never have attai ned h i s knowledge i f

he had permitted h i s m i nd to be fettered
and i mpr i soned b y the i dle formal i t i es that
were connecte d with a scientific educat i on
at that tim e .
[ 34 ]
T H E P H IL OSO P H Y O F P A RA C E L S U S
TH E P H ILO S OP H Y OF P ARA C ELSU S
LT H OU GH the d octrine O f the M ac

roc o s m and the M icrocosm w as of
prim i tive ant i quity and ha d even
,
b een l as t em p hasize d by R aymon d

of Sa b u n de wh o h a d no t remained unknown
,
to P aracelsus yet it is only since and b y

,
means o f t h e l atter th at i t was made the cen

tra l poin t o f the who l e of philosophy H e.
desi gnates nature as the sphere of ph i losoph y ,
and hence excludes from the latter all theol

ogy . N o t as though the two were ant ag onis
t ic O r as though theo l ogy w ere sub ordinated
,
to p hi l osophy b ut the works of G o d are

,
either works O f nature o r works of C hr i st ;

the former are comprehended b y philosophy ,
the latter by theo l ogy A ccordingly ph ilo s o

.
p hy s p eaks as a pagan and was already a

,
p ossession o f the pagans ; yet the philosopher

m ay b e a C hristian for father and s o n are
,
compatib le the o ne with the other P h il oso

.
phy and theology are mutually exclus i ve for ,
[ 37 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
the i nstr u ment o f the former i s the natural

l i ght reason and i tself i s a form of knowl
, ,
edge ; theology O n the other hand i s a form

, ,
o f fa i th med i tated by revelat i on read i ng O f

, ,
the scr iptu res and prayer F a i th surpasses

, .
the l ight O f nature b u t only because i t can ,
not ex i st w i thout nat u ral w i sdom which , ,
however can exist wi tho u t fa i th The latter

,
.
,
therefore i s the greater Ph i losophy has

, .
nat u re for i ts sole and S i ngle O bject i s only ,
apprehended i nv i s i ble natu re as nature o n , ,
the other hand is merely v i s i ble actual , ,
ph i losophy Si nce ph i losophy is only the

.
sc i ence of the world b u t the world i s partly ,
the macrocosm wh i ch conta i ns partly the ,
m i crocosm wh i ch i s man the ph i losophy O f ,
P aracelsus only conta i ns what we are accus

t o m e d to call cosmology and anthropology ,
only that the two are never separated and ,
some th i ngs wh i ch concern man as w i ll ,
shortly be seen l i e outs i de the sphere of

,
ph i losophy .
A s no h u man work can be r i ghtly ap p re ci

ated unless we know for what end i t was
undertaken so also i n the case o f creat i on
,
”
we m u st i nqu i re after G od s i ntent i on ’
.
I t i s O f a twofold nature : G od des i res that

noth i ng may rema i n h i dden that everyth i ng ,
[ 38 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
not only of cold and fire but also o f the wolf ,
nature and the adder nature and th i s b eing ,
so men can with litera l accuracy be called

,
wolves etc S ince man is everything there

, .
,
fore to him as the center and point of all

,
th i ngs nothing is impenetrab le B ut b e

, .
s i des the earth the A ll comprehends the,
heavens also that is the constellations o r

, ,
the fundamental sidereal or ethereal powers ,

“
which themselves i nv i s i ble have their cor
, ,
”
pus in the v i sible stars A ccor d ingly the .
l i mus terrae and man formed from it are o f

a do u b le nature ; first the v i s ible tang ible , ,
earthly and secondly the i nvis i ble i ntang ible

, , ,
heavenly astral body This latter i s usually

, .
called sp i r i tus by P aracelsus ; any one who

—
should translate th i s word by l i fe principle
or l i fe sp i r i t
-
might found upon the u sage
,
o f P aracels u s who i nstead of body and sp i rit

,
often says corpus and l i fe or also that the ,
“
sp i ri tus i s the l i fe and balsam of all corporal
”
th i ngs , of wh i ch none i s created without
sp i ri tus N ot only do men cons i st of a body
.
S pr u ng from the elements and the sp i r i t ,
descended from the stars so that they may ,
be called ch i ldren of the marr i age o f those

two b u t all beings even those wi tho u t sense
, , ,
l i ve and are penetrated by the astral sp i r i t ;

PHILOSOPHY O F PARACELSUS
but all the rest are only fragm ents of tha t

which man i s in completeness I n accord .
ance with a universal world law whi ch P ara -

,
ce l sus cal l s the foundat i on of his whole

ph ilosophy every creature yearns after that
,
o u t o f which it has b een create d par t ly to ,
maintain itself for everyth ing eats of its

,
o wn mother and l i ves o n her partly to return ,
to its original for everyth i ng dies an d i s

,
b uried in its father A ccordingly b oth the

.
component p arts of man attract t o them

selves that from which the y s p rung as the
m agnet attracts the iron ; t o hunger an d
thirst which induce the bo d y to appropriate
,
the ele m ents and t ransform them into flesh

and bl ood there corresponds in the sp i rit
,
imagina t ion b y m eans of w hich it nourishes

,
itse l f o n t he stars gains sense an d thoughts

,
which are its food I mag i nat i on as the .

,
peculiar function of the sp i rit is of the great ,
es t importance in the formation of see d an d

fruit in t he generation and healing of dis
,
eases ; it is the means o f the illu m in at io

natura l is m akes the sp irit c ap ab le o f s pe cu
,
’
l ation e t c H ence as al l na tural im p ulses

, .
,
h ave the i r seat in the earth l y b od y so al l ,
arts and all nat u ral wisdom have theirs in
the s i dereal b ody or l i fe spirit They are -

.
[ 41 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
also s im i lar to one another in that bo th pass

away ; at death the body goes back t o the
elemen t s the sp i ri t i s absorbed b y the stars ;
,
the latter takes place later than the former ,
hence sp i r i ts can appear i n the places to

wh i ch they are bound by i mag i nation but ,
they also d i e through the gradual d i s

appearance of thei r thoughts sense and , ,
u nderstand i ng .
To these two component par t s wh i ch to ,
gether make man an an i mal there is no w ,
added the seat not O f the l ight of natu re b ut

, ,
o f the eternal reason the soul which springs

,
from G od Th i s i s the l i ving b reath wh i ch

.
,
when G od created A dam H e caused to be ,
added to the l i mus terrae and at the genera ,

.
ti on of each indiv i d u al H e ca u ses to be added

t o the see d the extract of all the elemental
,
parts and which at death be i n g eternal

, , ,
returns to the eternal The so u l which is .

,
essent i ally d i stinct from the spiri t and whi ch ,
is related to its thoughts as a ki ng to h i s

counc i l has i ts seat i n the heart w i th wh i ch
, ,
acc ord i ngly we o u ght to love G od I t i s so .
related to the sp i r i t that the latter may be

called i ts b ody and i tself the sp i r i t s sp i ri t
’
.
,
P aracelsus moreover somet i mes uses the word

sp i ri t u s i n s u ch a w i de sense as to i nclude
[ 4 93 ]
P H ILOSOPHY O F PARACELSUS
b oth the spirit ( o f l i fe ) and the so u l I t .
is t h e result of a confusion b etween sp i r i t and

soul when any one sh i fts to the power o f the
e l eme nts or the stars t he respons i b i l i ty o f an
’
indivi dual s b ein g good or evil W hether he be .
hot o r cold depends on the former whether ,
he b e smi t h or b uil der o n the latter b ut ,
whether he b e good or ev i l depends o n the

soul a l one wh i ch Go d has left free and in
, ,
the power of wh i ch H e has left i t to deter

mine itself in o n e directi on or another A s .
regards the reasons which have induced Go d

thus t o leave the soul to freedom in which , ,
if it persists it is miserab le wh i lst bl i ss con

, ,
sists in entire sub mission to Go d ph i losophy ,
h as nothing to say I ndeed al l that con

.
,
cerns that supernatura l essence the soul , ,
is defi le d when considere d by the l ight of

,
nat ure .Through this tr ipl i city of na t ure ,
m an is partly like to par t ly surpassed b y , ,
three other kinds of b eings H e is na ture .

,
spirit and angel unites in h i mself t h e prop

, ,
e r t ie s into which the beasts angels and ele , ,
m en t al spirits ( Sag an ae ) are divided These .
l a tter namely wh i ch are named after the

, ,
e l e m ents to wh i ch they b elong W atermen ,
( N ymphs U nd
, i nes ) E arthmen ,( G nomes ,
Pygmies ) A irmen ( S ylphs S ylvans L emurs )

, , , ,
[ 43 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSU S
Fi remen ( S alamanders Penates ) have no

, ,
souls and are therefore O ften called Inani

mata O nly by m arriage with hu m an be i ngs
.
can they rece i ve souls for themselves and

the i r ch i ldren A s the body has i ts food i n
.
the elements the sp i ri t i n the stars so the

, ,
soul has i ts food i n C hri st who speaks to her ,
as the earth to her ch i ldren : take eat th i s , ,
i s myself The means of partak ing of th i s

.
food i s faith wh i ch is so much more power

,
fu l and e ffects so much more than i mag i na

t i on j u st because the soul i s more than
,
the sp i r i t I t i s on that account frequently

.
contrasted as the sacramental w i th the

elemental .
A s man b y his three component parts

po i nts to the elemental the s i dereal and the, ,
d i vi ne world the knowledge of ,
these three worlds i s the cond i t i on of the

complete knowledge of man A ccordingly .
,
ph i losophy astronomy and theology are

, ,
g i ven as the foundat i ons on wh i ch the tru e

sc i ence of medic i ne rests B u t P aracelsus .
,
bes i des that he was himself a phys i c i an had ,
the further reason for referr i ng to med i c ine ,
that i n the true p h ys i c i an he saw the i deal

o f a sc i ent i fic man so much so that he says
,
that of all the arts and facu lt ies that of the ,
[ 44 ]
PHILOSOPHY O F PARACELSUS
phys i c ian was dearest to G od Very natu .
rally s o for the man whose task it is to in ve s

,
t ig at e the nature o f the h i ghest thing i n the

world and to further its well be i ng may well
-
l ook do wn on the rest B esides the d ign i ty

.
O f its O b ject medic i ne may also pri de i tself

,
o n someth i ng else : in it namely are un i ted

, ,
the two el ements wh i ch accord i ng to P ara

,
ce l sus b el ong to true sc ience speculat i on

,
-
,
“
which without exper i ence g i ves b u t vain
”
p hantasies an d e xp e rim en t u m which never,
t h e le s s without science as H i ppocrates says

, ,
“
is falla x and results in noth i ng b ut e xp eri
”
me n t l er ( empiri cs ) who deserve no prefer
,
ence to many an O ld woman and barber : b ut

they combine to make a true e xp erie nt ia or a
plain demonstrat i ve and O bv i ous ph i losophy .
Without ph i losophic astronom i cal and theo

, ,
l ogical knowledge the physician i s not i n

a position to dec i de wh i ch d i seases are o f an
earthly which of a s i dereal or i gin an d which
, ,
are visitations o f G od B u t as the Theorica

.
causae co i ncides w i th the T h e oric a cu rae he ,
runs the risk of attack i ng elemental d i seases

with s i dereal remedies or v i ce versa or also
, ,
o f mak i ng attempts at natural healing where
they are o u t of place .
To these demands made o f the physician
[ 45 ]
B ROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
are attached as helps to their fulfilment we

,
m ight say the representat i ons of the thr ee

,
sci ences ment i oned F irst as regards Phi .

,
“ ”
IO S O p h y that m other of a goo d phys i c i an
,
by i t astronomy be ing separated from i t it

, ,
i s to be understood the un i versal science of ,
nat u re wh i ch treats o f all creata wh i ch

,
exi sted before man P aracelsus here goes .
back to the final bas i s of all be i ng which he ,
fi n ds in the flat wi th wh i ch G od brings to

’
an end H i s sol i tary ex i stence and which may ,
accord ingly be called the pri ma mater i a or ,
to the myster i um magnum in wh i ch all ,
th ings were conta i ned n o t essent i ally or ,
qual i tat i vely but i n the mode in wh i ch the

,
i mage to be carved o u t o f i t is contained in

the wood B oth names however are also
.
, ,
attr i b u ted to the produ ct of the flat i n ,
wh i ch it becomes mater i al i zed the seed of all ,
th ings The name yle seldom used and the

.
, ,
perpetually recurring y lias t e r or y l ias t ron as ,
a name for th i s first product of the d i v i ne ,
creative power w ill not surpr i se any o ne

,
who th i nks on the hyle and h y l e ach im O f

many S choolmen I n these as i n a seed .
,
vessel ( l imb u s ) all th i ngs to come are con

,
t ain e d .Si nce H e who u ttered the flat i s

the Tr i une also the formless prim i t i ve sub
,
[ 46 ]
BROWNING S P A RA C E L S U S
’
are often themselves aga i n called the fou r

( i nd i v i dual ) y lia s t ri P aracels u s
. ceaselessly
contests the peripatet i c scholast i c theory -
,
accord i ng to wh i ch the elements are com

p l e x i o n s of the pr i m i t i ve q u al i t i es O f heat
and cold etc P artly becau se these qu al i
, .
t i es as acc i dents requ i re a substratum

, , ,
partly because each element has but o ne

ch i ef qu al i ty N ot b ecause they are com
.
”
p e x ion s b ut b ecau se they are
l , mothers
o f things are they elements
, M oreover .
,
what held good of the three pr i mae s u b

s t an t iae conta i ned in them holds good also
o f the elements : Ele m e nt u m aqu ae i s no t

the water wh i ch we see b u t the inv i s i ,
ble mother of o u r water who br i ngs forth ,
th i s v i s i ble less wet s u bstance we see

, , a
sou l a sp i rit I n the first separation the
, .
elements i gnis and aer comb i ne i n oppos i t i on

to the other two and so there ari ses there , ,
”
the heavens here the , glob u le of the
earth l i ke the yolk of the egg swimmi ng in
,
the wh i te I n the former there are formed

.
,
from the e lem e n t u m ign i s the l i fe — giv i ng ,
mother of o u r ( destroy i ng) fire the fi rm am e n t ,
and the stars i ncl u d in g the transparent

,
heaven I n the latter agai n the wet sepa

.
,
rates i tself from the dry and sea and land ,
[ 48 ]
PHILOSOPHY OF PARA CELSUS
arise Wi thin these four there now ari se

o u t O f the four elements by means o f the ,
Vulcanus i ndwell i ng i n them wh i ch is not a ,
personal sp i r i t b ut a v i rtus wh i ch is the

, ,
p ower of nature su b ject to man indiv i d u a l ,
th i ngs w i th the rise of which many errata

,
naturae sl i p in ( C onsider h ere A ristot l e s

.
’
nature working demonica l ly b ut fai l i ng

, ,
o f its en d ) . The prod u cts o f the e l ements ,
which are no t of li ke k i nd with their parents

as are those o f compos i te b odies b ut d i ver ,
”
talla, are divided into perce p t i ble or the ,
a b ove ment i oned e l emental spir i ts and the

-
d i fferent beasts and imperce p t i ble such as

, ,
m etals which come from water plants wh i ch ,
come from the earth l i ghtn i ng whi ch comes

,
from the heavens rain which comes from the

,
air The place o f V u lcan u s in the elements

is t ak en in each ind i v i d u al th i ng by the
“ ” “ ”
ruler or archeus that is i ts ind i vidual
, ,
natura l power b y which th i ngs ma i nta i n

,
themse l ves and espec i ally in the expuls i on of

,
d i sease aga i n establ i sh themselves The

, .
earth a l so has its archeus who among other ,
functions meas u res the e t n al o r m i nera l

”
fire i n the mo u nta i ns l ike the alchem i sts
, .
M an i s d i st i ngu i shed from all other natu ral

be i ngs by the fact that he does not belong to
[ 49 ]
’
BROW N ING S PARACELSUS
o ne element merely b u t much rather see i ng

, ,
that he cons i sts of them all the elements b e ,
long to h i m and so he does not l i ve in but

,
o n the earth B eca u se he i s the extract of

.
“
all th i ngs the i r q u intessence he i s there
, ,
fore dependent on them h i s sp i ri t as well ,
as h i s body d i es away wi tho u t nou ri shment

from w i tho u t SO l ikew i se he and h i s c ir
.
,
c u m s t an c e s can only be known from the

st u dy O f the elements and natu re i n general ,
and th i s i s a fort u nate th i ng for the s i ck for ,
otherw i se the phys i c i an wo u ld have to learn

their cond i t i on by experiment o n the s i ck
themselves wh i ch wo u ld be the death of
,
many .
The knowledge o f water and earth only

s u ppl ies the letters for a j u dgment o n the
earthly body o f man A judgment on h i s .
l i fe proper i s cond i t i oned by knowledge of the

“
stars and accord i ngly A stronomy the h igher
, ,
”
part o f ph i losophy along w i th the p h il o s o
,
phy of the elements i s i nd i spensable to the

,
phys i c i an The heavenly and the earthly

.
world as they cons i st of the same pr i mal

,
s u bstances and as one Vu lcan works in both

, ,
o u ght not to be separated as they u sually

are The same th i ng wh i ch in heaven ex i sts
.
as a star ex i sts on earth b u t as a vegetable

, , ,
[ 50 ]
PHILO SO PHY OF PARACELSUS
and i n the water b u t there as a metal To

, .
h im who clearly understands th i s and there

“ ”
by possesses the ars s i gnata who does not ,
attr i b u te the same name to di fferent th i ngs

b u t s u ch as express the i r i nd i v i d u al nat u re ,
“
the heavens become a herbarium sp i ri tu ale
”
s id e r e u m as he would have a stella A rte
,
m is iae M e lis sae etc

, ,O ur present knowl
.
edge e x tends so far as to say that there m u st

b e far more metals than the seven wh i ch ,
are named on account of the num b er of the

planets N aturally what holds good o f
.
,
water and eart h must have its applicat i on

to m an their quintessence : there is nothing
,
in the heavens whi ch i s not in him That .
wh i ch is t h e r e Mars and in the earth iron

’
, , ,
i s in man gall T hi s p o int is im p or t an t for

, .
the dia gnos i s o f disease and the choice of a

remed y The t wo b elong together for where
.
,
we have t he cause of the disease there we ,
must see k the basis of cure The aphorism .
contraria c o n t r ariis d oes n ot mean that cold

is to b e overcome by heat b ut that s i ck ,
ness is to b e overcome by health the harm ,
ful effect of a principle b y its b en efi ce n t

e ffect. H ere a l so if d i seases were to b e
,
des i gnated accor ding to their nature we ,
wo u ld have to g i ve u p the old names and ,
[ 51 ]
’
speak O f mart i al and merc u r i al d i seases for ,
the stars are the pri nc i p i a m orb or u m C er .
t a in ly i n order to be able to do so we
, ,
m u st not i solate man b u t regard h i m from ,
the standpo i nt o f the astronomer and astrol

o g is t m u st recognize in the wind storm the
,
-
accelerated pulse o f natu re i n the fever i sh ,
p u lse of a sick man we must re c og nl z e an

i nner storm in the origi n o f stone in the
,
bladder the same process which gives r i se

to thu nder etc A s on the on e hand th i s
, .
, ,
knowledge wi ll place the phys i c i an i n a p o

s i ti ou not to treat s i dereal i llnesses l i ke e g , , . .
,
the plague i n which j u st becau se i t i s such

, , ,
imag i nat i on plays so important a part as i f ,
they were the common elemental sort so on , ,
the other hand it wi ll free him from the pro u d

,
folly of th i nking that i t i s he who heals the

s i ck O nly nat u re does so and h i s task i s
.
,
to put away what h i nders her from do i ng

so to protect her from host i le foes A nother
, .
express i on for the same assert i on i s that i t i s ,
the phys i c i an s d u ty to g i ve opport u n i ty to

’
the arche u s that i s the part i c u lar nat u ral

, ,
force to exerc i se i ts heal i ng i nfl u ence A s th i s

, .
takes place by means of the remedy wh i ch

i s p u t i nto the stomach the stomach i s often ,
des ignated as the spec i al seat of the arche u s .
[ 52 ]
PHILOSOPHY OF PARACELSUS
B oth the higher and the lower p art o f phi

l O S O p h y p o i nt to the bas i s o f all things hence ,
P aracelsus calls the l ight o f nature the b e

g i nn i ng o f Theology ; he who has a correct
“
judgment i n natural th i ngs w i ll not l ightly
”
ponder C hrist and the H oly S cr i pt u res .
B ecause he ser i o u sly bel i eves that p h il o s o

phy must rest on theology as i ts corner stone -
,
and further because he regards S cr i pture as

,
the sole source of theology he stud i ed the ,
latter with great zeal ( Mo rh of cla i ms to .
have seen exeget i cal commentaries o n S cr i p

ture i n P aracels u s own hand ) B ut s i nce he
’
.
at the same t i me always contrasts theology

w i th knowledge there i s no need O f going i nto
,
h i s theology further here R eference must .
be made to o n e subject only becau se it is ,
closely i nter connected w i th h i s relat i on to

-
the scholast i c ph i losophy : h i s attitu de to the

R oman C athol i c C hurch When it is seen .
that he names Wicklif alon g with A l b ert an d

L ac t an t iu s among those who are predestined
to doctr i ne that he entertains the highest
,
admirat i on for Z w i ngl i that he d erides the ,
opponents of Lu ther speaks disrespectf u lly

,
o f the P ope ,frequ ently expresses h imself

aga i nst the mass worsh i p o f sa i nts and p i l
, ,
gr i mages o n e may be tempted to co u nt h i m

,
[ 53 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
qu i te as o ne of the innovators of h i s time .
A nd yet i t would be incorrect to do so for ,
against i t there i s his M ariolatry h i s assur ,
ance that he would have the useless fools

away from the m ass not the saints etc H i s
, , .
att i tude might be compared w i th tha t o f

E rasmus whom moreover he regar de d the
,
most h ighly o f all the scholars of his time ;

w i th more reason perhaps with those of the
myst i cs treated o f above who withou t leav , ,
i ng the C hurch of R ome neglected those ,
po i nts of her doctrine which were afterwards

attacked by the reformers .
I f med i c i ne were mere science an d theory ,
it wou ld rest upon the three sc i ences jus t

characterized B ut now P aracelsus lays the
.
greatest we i ght o n the fact that it is an ar t

and praxis H e mu st therefore supply her
.
wi th direct i ons and a techn i que as the fou rth

p i llar o n wh i ch she rests Th i s i s accordingly
.
afforded b y A lchemy by wh i ch i s properly to

,
b e understood every art of bri ngi ng abo u t

transformat i ons so that the baker who
,
m akes bread ou t o f corn the wine presser ,

-
who makes w i ne o u t of grapes is thereby an ,
alchem i st as i s the archeus who changes foo d

,
i nto flesh and blood Wi th these changes .
o f th i ngs accord i ng to the i r character there ,
[ 54 ]
ROWNING S PARACELSUS
’
B
after wh i ch we have to str i ve P aracelsus c i tes ,
pri ma mater i a lap i s p h il o soph or u m m e rcu

, ,
r i us v i tae and ti nctura for the atta i nment

, ,
o f wh i ch he g i ves the methods H ere as i n .

,
general w i th P aracels u s i t i s hard to tell ,
where self decept i on ceases and charlatanry

-
beg ins H e cannot be acqu i tted o f e i ther :

.
o n the contrary ne i ther here nor i n the case

,
o f the famous rec i pe for the produ c t i on o f

the homunc u lus i s i t poss i ble to th i nk of an
,
i ron i cal j est That i n all h i s alchem i st i c

.
works he demands that t he stars and the i r

constellat i ons should be observed that the ,
s u n s crop and fallow season that i s s u mmer

’
and w i nter should be d i st i ngu i shed i s a

, ,
necessary consequ ence o f the i nterdependence

of all th ings wh i ch he asserts A m i d all the .
assert i ons wh i ch appear so fantast i c he i s ,
never t i red o f warn i ng h i s readers aga i nst

fantas ies and o f demand ing that nat u re her
,
self sho u ld be allowed to po i nt ou t the way .
B ut he not only regards i t as such g u i dance

that an acc i dental e xp e r im e nt u m teaches
how an herb has once operated b u t also ,
when nat u re prom i ses a certai n defin i te effect

by means of the form of a plant taken as a
s ignature ; and finally when from the fact ,
that a beast can feed o n that i s draw to i tself , ,
[ 56 ]
PHILOSOPHY OF PARACELSUS
that wh i ch i s po i son to us we draw the in

,
ference that th i s poison w i ll draw away that

,
i s to itself o u r wounds we follow not ou r o w n

, ,
conceit but nat u re H e i s ent i rely in earnest

.
that our knowledge is only the self revelat i on

-
o f nature ,that o u r knowledge i s but listen

i ng to her ; and that he heard a great dea l
from her i s proved by h i s fortunate cures and,
by the fact that many O f h i s f u ndamental

princ i ples have main t aine d themselves t o
this day .
[ 57 ]
N OT E
N O TE
ARAC ELSU S w as written by Browning when he

was twenty three years of age It was begun
-
.
in the late autumn of 1 834 and published in ,
the summer of the following year .
I n the earlier e dition o f thi s ,his fir s t acknowledged

work ( which he dedicat ed t o his friend C ount Am edee
de Rip er t M onclar wh o suggested the subject to the
-
,
poe t) thi s in teres ting an d exp lanatory p re face w as

,
“
given : I am anx ious that the rea d er should not a t ,
the very outset , mi staking my perfor m ance for one

o f a class with w hi ch i t has noth i ng in common ,
ju dge it by principles on which it w a s never moulded and ,
subject it t o a stan dard to which it w as never mean t

to conform I therefore anticipate his discovery that
.
,
it is an attem pt probably more novel than happy to

, ,
reverse the m ethod usually a dop t ed by writers whose

aim it is to set forth any phenomena of the mind or the
passions by the operation o f persons and events ;
,
and th at instead of having recourse t o an ex ternal

,
machi nery o f incidents t o cr eat e and evolve the crisis

I d esire to produce I have ven tured t o display some
,
what minutely the mood its elf in its rise and progress ,
an d have suff ered the agency by which i t is influenced
and determ ined t o be generally discernible in its e ffec ts

,
alone and subordinate throughou t if no t altogether

, ,
excluded ; and this for a reason I have end eavored.
t o write a p oem no t a d ram a : the canons o f the drama

,
[ 61 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
are well known an d I cannot but think that inas m uch

,
as th ey have immedi ate regard to stage rep resentation ,
t h e pecul iar a d vantages they hold o u t are real ly such

onl y so long as the purpose for which they were at
first instituted is kep t in view I do no t very well .
und erstan d what is call ed a Dramatic Poem wherein ,
al l those restrictions onl y submitt ed to on account o f

comp ensating good in the original schem e are sc ru pu
l ou s ly retained as though for some special fitness in
,
th e mselves and all new facilities placed at an author s ’
disposal by the vehicle he selects as pertinaciously ,
rejecte d It is certain h owever that a work like mine

.
, ,
d epen ds on the intel li gence and sympathy o f the reader

for it s success , ind eed were my scenes stars it mus t
, ,
be his cooperating fancy which supplying all chasms , ,
sha ll collect the scattered li gh ts in to o ne const ellation ,
a Lyre or a C rown I trust for his indulgence towar d s

.
a poem whi ch had not been i m ag ined s ix mon th s ago ;

an d that even shou l d he think s l ightingly O f the p resent
( an experi m ent I am in no cas e l ikely to repeat) he ,
will not be preju diced against other productions which

may follow in a more pop ular and perhaps less d iffi ,
”
cul t form .
From the last paragrap h of this no t e it might fairly

be inferred that Browning wished t o please generally ,
and th at he was aware o f the d ifficul ty o f the popular

iz at ion o f poetry written o n si mil ar l ines to Paracelsus .
In ch oosing this su b jec t for his first mature poem ,
Brown ing was guid ed first of all by his intense sympa

t h y with t h e scientific s p irit Real izing as he did long
.
,
before t h e scientific minds o f our tim e Paracelsus true ,

’
worth and reco g nizing t h e value of the noble work

,
done for mankind by him Browni ng set hi mself the

,
glorious task O f restoring to hi s prop er p l ace in t h e

scientific world thi s great benef actor o f hu m anity .
Paracelsus nam e h ad been covered with inf amy by

’
[ 62 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
men t Browning says I have en deavored to write a

.
,
poem and it is from this its poetical si d e th at it is

,
most important .
William Sh arp in his L ife o f Rober t Browning

says When we read cer tain portions of Paracel sus
,
“ ‘ ’
and the lovely lyrics interspersed in it it is d ifficu l t

,
not to think o f the p oet as som etimes in later li f e

, ,
stooping li k e the mariner in Roscoe s beautiful sonnet

’
striving to reclaim some loved lost echo from the

‘
fleeting strand But it is the fleeting sh ore of ex

.
’
q u is it e art
, n o t o f the far reachi ng shadowy capes and
-
promontories of the Poe tic

‘
P ARA C EL S U S , TH E P O E M
ROB ERT B ROWN I N G
BO RN , MA Y 7,
1 812
D I E D , D EC EMB ER 1 2 , 1 889
P ARA CELS U S
P E R S ON S
AU R EO L U S P ARA C ELSUS
FESTUS an d MI CH AL his , friends
AP RILE an Italian Poet
,
I . PARA C E L S U S A SPIRES
S C ENE . Wu rzbu rg a garden in the environs . 1 51 2
FESTUS , PA RA C ELSUS , MI CHAL

P ar . C ome close t o me dear friends ; still closer ;
,
thus !
C lo se t o the hear t which though long time roll by
,
E re i t again beat quicker pressed to yours , ,
As now i t beats perchance a long long time ,
At leas t henceforth your memories shall make

Quiet and fragrant as befits their home .
N or shall my me m ory want a home in your s

Alas tha t it requires t oo well such free
,
Forgiving love as s h all e m bal m i t there !

For if y ou woul d remember me aright
As I was born to be you must forget
All fi t ful strange and moody waywardness
, ,
Which e er conf used m y be tter spirit t o dwell

’
O nl y on momen ts such as these d ear friends ! ,
M y heart no truer but m y wor d s and ways

,
[ 67 ]
B ROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
M ore true to it : M ichal so m e months hence as , ,

“
Wil l say this autumn was a p l easant time
,
”
,
Fo some few s u nny d ays ; an d overl ook

r
Its b l eak wind hankering after pining l eaves

, .
Autum n would fain be sunny I woul d l ook

Lik er my nature s truth ; an d both are frail ’
And bo th beloved for all their fra i lty !

Mich . Aureole !
P ar Drop by drop !
. she is weeping lik e a child !
Not so ! I am content m ore than content
Nay Autumn w ins you b est by th is its mute
,
Appeal to s y m path y for its d eca y !

Look up sweet M ich al nor esteem the less
, ,
Y our stained and drooping vines t h eir grap es bow

down ,
Nor b l ame th ose creaking t rees bent with their fruit ,
That ap pl e tree with a rare af ter birth

- -
O f peepin g b loom s s prinkled its weal th a m ong !

Then for t h e winds wh at wind th at ever raved
Shall vex that ash that overloo k s you both ,
SO prou d it wears its berries ? Ah ! at len g th ,
The old smile meet for h er the lad y o f thi s ,
S equestered nest ! Th is k ing dom li m ited ,
Alone by one ol d p op u l ous green wall ,
Tenant e d b y the ever busy flies -

,
Gray crickets and shy l izard s and quick spiders

, , ,
E ach family of t h e silver threade d m oss -
Wh ich look through near th is w ay an d it appears

, , , ,
A stubb l e fi eld or a cane brake a marsh

-
,
-
O f bulrush whitening in the sun : laugh now !

Fancy the crickets each o ne in hi s house , ,
Loo king ou t wondering at the worl d or b est

, ,
Yon p ainte d snai l with his gay sh el l of d e w , ,
Travel ing to see t h e g lossy balls h ig h up

Hung by t h e caterpil l ar l ike gol d l am p s ! ,
Mich In truth we have l ived carelessly and well !

.
[ 68 ]
T H E P O E M, P A R A C E L S U S
P ar And shall my perfec t pair each trus t me

. , , ,
born
For the o ther ; nay your very hair when mixed , , ,
Is o f one hue For where save in this nook

.
S hall y ou two walk when I am far away , ,
And wish me prosperous fortune ? S tay ! Whene er ’
That plan t shall wave it s tangles lightly and softly ,
As a queen s languid and imperial arm

’
Which scatters crowns among her lovers you ,
S hall be reminded t o predict to me

S ome great success ! Ah see ! the sun sinks broad ,
Behind S t S aviour s : wholly gone at last !

.
’
,
Fest N ow. Aureole s tay those wandering eyes

, ,
awhile !
You are ours to nigh t a t least ; and whil e you spoke
-
O f M ichal and her t ears the thought cam e back ,
Tha t none could leave what he so seemed to love

Bu t tha t last look destroys my dream th at look !
As if where er y ou gazed there stood a star !
,
’
,
H ow far w as W ii rzb u rg with its church and spire , ,
And garden walls and all thi ngs they con tain
-
, ,
From that look s far alightin g ?

’
I bu t spoke
And looked alike from si mple joy t o s ee ,
The beings I love best shut in so well ,
From all rude chances li k e to be my lo t ,
That when afar my weary spirit

, d isposed
, ,
T o lose awhile its care in soothing though t s

Of them their pleasant fea tures looks and words
, , , ,
Need never hesitate nor apprehend ,
E ncroaching trouble may have reached them t oo ,
Nor have recourse to Fancy s busy aid ’
T O fashion even a wish in their behalf

Beyond what they possess alread y here ;
But unobstruc ted may a t once forge t
, ,
Itself in them assured how well they are

, .
[ 69 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
Besid e th is Festus knows he thi nks me one

, ,
Whom quiet an d it s charm s attract in vain ,
O ne scarce aware of all t h e joys I q u it ,
T o o fi ll d with airy hopes to make accoun t

’
O f soft d elights which free hearts garner up

Whereas behold how much o ur sense o f all
,
Th at s beauteous proves alike ! When Festus learns

’
That every com m on pleasure o f the worl d

Afle c t s me as hi mself ; that I have jus t
’
A s varied appetites for joy derived

From common thin gs ; a stake in l i f e in short , ,
L ike his ; a stake which rash pur s ui t f a ims o
Th at life afford s not woul d as soon destroy ;

,
H e may convince hi m sel f that th is in view , , ,
I shal l act well advised : and last because , ,
Though heaven and earth and all th ings were a t , ,
stake ,
S weet M ichal mus t n ot weep our parting eve ! ,
Fes t True : a n d the even is deepening and we si t

.
,
As little anxious to begin ou r tal k

As though to m orrow I coul d Open it
-
AS we p aced arm in arm the cheerful town

At sun d awn ; and continue i t by fits
-
( Old Trit h e im busied with his class the while)

In that dim ch amber where t h e noon streaks peer -
H alf frightened by the awful tomes around ;

And here at h om e un boso m all the rest
From even blush t o mid ni g ht ; but to morrow !
-
,
-
Have I fu ll leave to tell m y inm ost m ind ?

We two were brothers an d h enceforth the world ,
Will rise b etween us a ll m y f reest m ind ?

’
Tis the las t night dear Aureole ! ,
P ar . Oh say on ! ,
Devise some test O f love some ar d uous f eat

To be p erform ed for you say o n ! I f night
Be spent t h e wh il e t h e better ! Recall how o ft
,
[ 70 ]
I woul d have l i ve d their l ife and d ied their d eath , ,
Lost in th eir ran ks elu ding d estiny :

,
But you first gui d ed me through d oub t and fear ,
Taugh t me t o know mankin d and know m yself ;

And now that I am strong and full of hope ,
That from my soul I can reject all ai m s

, ,
S ave those yo u r earnest words made p lain t o me ;

Now that I touch the brink of my d es i gn
, ,
When I woul d h ave a trium ph in their eyes ,
A glad cheer in their voices M ichal weeps ,
And Fes tu s ponders gravely !

Fes t . When y ou deign
To hear my p u rpose
H ear it ? I can s ay
Beforehand all this evening s conference ! ’
’
Tis this way M ohal th at he uses : first
, , ,
O r he declares or I the leadin g p oints

, ,
O f ou r best schem e o f life what is man s end ,

’
,
And what Go d s will no two faiths e er a g reed

’ ’
As his with mine : next each o f us allows ,
Faith shoul d be acted on as best we may :

Accordingl y I ventur e to submit
,
A plan in lack of better for pur suing

, ,
The path which God s will seems to authorize ’
Well he discerns much goo d in it avows ,
This motive worthy that hope plausible , ,
A danger here to be avoi d ed there

, ,
An oversight to be repaired : a t last

O ur two minds go together all the go od
App roved by hi m I gladl y recognize ;
,
All he counts bad I thankfully d iscard ;

,
An d nought forbi d s m y looking up at l ast

For some stray co m fort in hi s cautious brow
When 10 ! I learn that s p ite of all there lur ks
, , ,
S ome innate and inexp l icab le germ

O f failur e in my sch emes ; so th at at last
[ 72 ]
T H E POEM , PARACELSUS
I t all amoun ts t o this the sovereign proof

That we devote ourselves to God is seen ,
In li v ing just as though there were no God

A life which prom p ted by the sad and blind
,
Lu sts of the worl d Festus abhors the mos t

,
But which thes e tene ts sanctify at once ;

Th ough to les s subtle wits i t seems the same ,
C onsider it h ow they may .
Mich . I s i t so Festus ? ,
H e speaks so calml y and kindl y is it s o ?

P ar Rejec t thos e glorious visions o f Go d s love
’
.
And man s d esign ; laugh loud that Go d should send

’
V as t longings t o direc t us ; say how soon

Power satiates these or lus t or gold ; I kn ow
, ,
The world s cry well and how t o answer i t !

’
,
Bu t this ambiguous warfare

Fes t . Wearies s o
Tha t y ou will gran t no las t leave t o yo ur friend
To urge it ? for his sake not yours ? I wish ,
To send my soul in goo d hopes after y ou ;

Never to sorrow that uncer tain words ,
E rringly apprehended a new creed ,
Ill understood begot ras h trus t in y ou ,
And shared in your undoin g .
C hoose your side

Hold or renounce : bu t meanwhil e blame me no t
B ecause I dare t o act on your own views ,
N or shr ink when they poin t onwar d nor espy ,
A peril where they most ensure success .
Fes t Prove tha t t o me

.
— bu t tha t ! Prove you abide
Wi thin their warran t n or presu m p tuous boast
,
God s labor laid o n y ou ; prove all y ou cove t

’
A mortal may expect ; and mos t of all , ,
Prove the strange course y o u now affect will lead ,
T ofit s a ttainmen t
fh
and I b id y ou S peed ,
Nay coun t the minutes till y ou ventur e forth !

,
[ 73 ]
BROWNING S
’
PARACELSUS
Yo u smile ; but I h ad gathered from slow thought

M uch musing on t h e fortunes of my friend
M atter I d eeme d cou ld not be urged in vain
Bu t it all leaves me at my nee d : in sh reds
And fragments I m us t venture wha t remains .
Mich Ask a t once Festus wherefore he should

. , ,
scorn
Fes t S tay M ichal : Aureole I speak guardedl y
.
,
.
,
And gravely knowing well wh ate er your error

, ,
’
This is no ill consi d ered ch oice of yours

-
No sudden fancy o f an ardent boy .
No t from your own confiding words alone

Am I aware your passionate heart long since
Gave birth to nourish e d an d at len g th matures
, ,
This scheme I wi ll not s p eak of E insied eln

.
,
Where I w as born your el d er by some years

O nly to watch you full y fro m the first
In all beside ou r mutua l tasks were fixed
,
E ven then twas m ine to h ave you in my V iew

’
As y ou h ad your own soul and th ose intents

Wh ich fi ll ed it when to crown your deares t wish , ,
With a tumultuous h eart you left with me ,
O ur Chil dhoo d s ho m e to join the favore d few

’
Whom here at Wiirz b u rg Trit h e im d eigns to teach

, ,
A portion of his lore : and no t the best

O f those so favored whom you now d es p ise , ,
C ame earnest as y o u cam e ; resolved li k e you , ,
T o grasp a l l an d retain a ll and deserve

, ,
By p atient toil a wide renown like his .
A nd this new ar d or which sup p lants the old ,
I watche d too ; twas sign i ficant and strange

,
’
,
In one matched to his soul s content at l ength ’
With rivals in t h e search for Wis do m s prize ’
To see the su dd en p ause the total ch ange ; ,
From contest the transition t o repose

,
From p ressing onwar d as his fel l ows presse d ,
[ 74 ]
To a blank idleness ; yet most unlike

The dull stagnation o f a soul conten t , ,
O nce foiled to leave beti m es a thr iveless ques t

, .
That careless bearin g free from all pretense ,
E ven of contemp t for what it ce as e d to seek

S miling humility prais ing much ye t waiving
, ,
Wha t it professe d t o praise though no t so well

M aintained but that rare ou tbreaks fierce as brief , ,
Revealed t h e hidden scorn as quickly curbed ,
Tha t os tentatious show O f pas t defeat ,
That ready acquiescence in con temp t ,
I deemed no other than the lett ing go

H is shivered sword of o ne about to spring ,
Upon his foe s throat ; but it was n ot thus :

’
N o t that way looked your brooding purpose then .
For after signs dis closed wha t you confirmed

-
, ,
That you prepared t o task to the u ttermost

Y our s trength in furtherance of a certain aim
, ,
Whi ch while i t bore the name your rivals gave

Their o wn mos t puny e fforts was so vas t
In scope that i t included their bes t flight s ,
C ombined them and desired t o gain one prize

,
In place o f many the secret O f the world

, ,
O f man and man s true purpose path and fate

,
’
, ,
That you not nur sing as a m ere vague dream

,
This purpose wi th the sages o f the Past

, ,
Have struck upon a way to this if all ,
You trus t be true which followin g hear t and s oul

, , ,
You if a man may dare aspire to KNO W

, ,
And that this aim shall difler fro m a hos t ’
O f aims alike in character and kin d ,
M ostly in this to seek its own rew ar d

,
I n its elf onl y not an alien end

,
To blend therewith ; no hope nor fear n or j oy , , ,
Nor w oe to elsewhere move y ou but thi s p u re

, ,
Devo tion to sustain you o r betray :
[ 75 ]
Thus y ou asp ire .
P ar . shall not state it th us

Yo u
I shoul d not d iffer from the d reamy crew
You speak o f I profess no other share
.
In the selection o f my lot th an this , ,
A ready answer t o the wil l of G od

Who summons me to be his organ : all
Whose innate strength supports them shall succeed
N 0 bet ter than your sages .
Fes t . S uch the aim then , ,
God se ts before y ou ; and tis doubtl ess need ’
That he appoin t no less the w ay o f p raise

Than the desire to praise ; for though I hol d ,
With you the setting forth such p raise to be

,
The natural end and service o f a man ,
And think such p raise is best attained when man

Attains the general welfare of his kind
Yet this the end is not the instru m ent
, , , .
Presu m e not to serve G od ap art f rom such

Appointed channel as H e will s sh all gather
Imp erfec t tri b utes for that so l e Obedience
Val ued perchance H e seeks not that his al tars
, .
Blaze careless how s o that they d o but blaze , .
S uppose this th en ; that God selected you

,
To K NO W ( h eed well your answers for my fai th ,
S hall meet i m plicitly what they affirm )

I cannot think you dare annex to such
S election augh t beyond a steadfast wi ll ,
An intense hope nOr let your gifts create

,
S corn or neglect of ord inary means

C onducive to success make d estiny
Disp ense with man s endeavor N O W dare y ou search
’
.
Your inmost heart and cand idly avow ,
Whether you have not rather wild desir e

Fo r th is d istinction than security ,
Of its existence ; wheth er you d iscern
[ 76 ]
T H E P O E M, P A R A CE L S U S
The path t o the fulfilmen t of your purpose

C lear as tha t purpose and again that purp os e ,
C lear as your yearning to be singled o u t

For it s pursuer . Dare y ou answer this ?
P ar ( Af ter a paus e ) N o I have nough t t o fe ar !
. .
,
Who will may know

The secre t s t workin gs of my soul Wha t though
’
.
I t be s o ? if in deed the strong des ire

E cl ipse the aim in me ? if sp l endor break
Upon the ou ts e t of my path alone ,
And duskes t shade succeed ? What fairer seal

Shall I require t o my authentic mission
Than thi s fierce energy this ins tinc t striving
Beca use it s nature is t o strive ? en ticed
By the securi ty of no broad course ,
Wi th no success forever in i ts eyes !

H ow know I else such glorious fate my own ,
Bu t in the res tless irresis tible force

Tha t works wi thin me ? I s it for human will
T o in s ti t u t e such impulses ? stil l less ,
T O disregard their promptings ? Wha t should I

D O kep t among you all ; your loves yo u r cares
, , ,
Yo u r life all t o be mine ? Be sure that God

Ne er dooms t o waste the s treng th he deigns impar t !
’
Ask the gier eagle wh y sh e stoops a t once

-
In to the vas t and unexplored abyss ,
What ful l grow n power informs her from the firs t

-
,
Why she not marvels strenuously bea ting

,
The silent boundless regions of the sky !

Be sure they sleep no t W hom God needs ! N o r fear
Their holding ligh t his charge when every hour ,
Tha t finds that charge delayed is a new death , .
This for the faith in which I trust ; and hence

I can abjure so well the idle ar ts
These pedants strive t o learn and teach ; Black Ar ts ,
Grea t Works the S ecre t and S ublime forsooth

, ,
[ 77 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELS U S
Le t oth ers prize : too intimate a tie

C onn ects me with ou r G od ! A sullen fiend
T o do my bidding fallen and hateful s p rites
,
T o hel p m e What are th ese at best b eside , ,
G od help ing G o d d irecting everywhere

, ,
So tha t t h e earth shall yield her secrets up ,
And every object shall be ch arge d to strike ,
Teach gratify her master G od appoints ?

, ,
And I am yo u ng my Festus happy and free !

, ,
I can d evote myself ; I have a li fe

To give ; I singled o u t for this t he One !
, ,
Think think ; the W id e east Where old Wisdom sprung ;

, ,
The bright south where she dwel t ; t h e hop eful north

, ,
All are passed o er it lights on me ! Tis time

’ ’
New hop es shoul d animate the world new ligh t ,
Should dawn from new revealings to a race

Weighed d own so long forgotten s o l ong ; s o shall
,
The hea ven reserved for us at last receive ,
C reatures Whom no unwonte d splendors blind ,
But ardent t o confront the unclouded blaze

Whose beam s not sel do m b l est their p ilgrim age ,
N ot seldom glorified th eir life below .
Fes t My wor d s have their Old fa te and make fain t

.
stand
Agains t you r glowing periods C all this tru th .
,
Why not pursue it in a fast retrea t ,
S ome one of L earning s many p alaces

’
After app roved exam ple ; seeking th ere

C alm converse with the great dead soul t o soul , ,
Who laid up treasure with the like intent ?

S o lift yourself into th eir airy p lace ,
A nd fill out full their unfu l fill e d careers ,
Unr aveling the knots th eir baffled skill

Pronounced inextricab l e true ! but l eft
,
Far less confused ? A f resh eye a fres h hand , ,
Might do much at their vigor s waning point ; ’

-
[ 78 ]
’
E xp resses what I would convey but rather

I w ill bel ieve an angel rul ed m e th us ,
Than th at my soul s own wor kings own hig h nature

’
, ,
S o becam e manifest I knew not then .
What wh isp ered in the evening and sp oke o u t ,
At midn i ght I f so m e mortal born too soon

.
, ,
Were laid away in som e great trance the ag es

C oming and going al l t h e Wh ile till dawned
H is true ti m e s advent and co ul d th en recor d
’
T h e word s th ey s p oke w h o kept watc h by his b ed ,
Then I mi g h t tell m ore o f the breath so li g ht

Upon my eyel ids and the fingers warm
,
Among my h air Youth is confused ; yet never

.
S o dul l was I but when that spirit p as sed

, ,
I turned to hi m scarce conscious l y as turns

, ,
A water snak e when fairies cross his sleep

-
.
A nd having this with in me and about me

While Eins ie del n its mountains lakes and woods
, , ,
C onfined m e what opp ressive joy was mi ne

When life grew p lain and I first viewed the thr onged
, ,
The ever moving concourse o f mankin d !

-
Believe that ere I joined them ere I knew

Th e purp ose o f t h e p ag eant or the p l ace ,
C onsigned to m e within its ranks while yet

Wonder w as freshest an d d elight most pure
’
Twas then th at least supp ortable app eared
A station with the brightest of the crowd ,
A portion with the prou d est o f them all !

A n d from the tumu l t in my breas t this only ,
C ou l d I collect that I m ust thenceforth die ,
O r el evate m y self far far above ,
T h e g or g eous s p ectacle I see med t o long

.
At once to trample on yet save mankind

To m ak e som e unexampled sacrifice
In their beh al f to wring so m e won drous good
Fro m heaven or earth f or th em to p erish winning ,
[ 80 ]
E ternal weal in the act : as wh o shoul d dare

Pluck ou t the angry thunder from its cloud ,
That all i ts ga thered flame discharged o n him

, ,
N 0 storm migh t thr ea ten summer s azure sleep

’
Ye t never to be mixed with men so much

As t o have part even in my ow n work share
In my own larges s O nce the feat achieved
.
,
I woul d wi thdraw from th eir offic iou s praise ,
Would gently pu t aside their profuse thanks

Like some knight traversing a W il derness ,
Wh o on his way may chance t o free a tribe

, ,
O f deser t peo ple from their dragon foe ;

- -
When all the swarthy race press round t o kiss

H is feet and choose him for their king an d yield
, ,
Their poor tents pitched among the sand hi ll s for

,
-
,
H is realm ; and he points smiling t o his scarf , , ,
H eavy with riveled gold his burgone t , ,
Gay s et with twinkling stones and t o the east ,
Where these must be displayed !

Fes t . Good : let us hear
No more about your na ture which first shrank ,
”
From all that marked you o u t apart from m e n !
P ar I touch o n that : these words but ana l yze
.
That first mad imp ulse twas as brief as fond ; ’
For as I gaze d again upon the show ,
I soon distinguishe d here and there a shape

Palm w reathed and ra d iant forehead and full eye
-
, .
Well pleas ed w as I their state shoul d thus at once

“
Interpre t my ow n thoughts : Behold the clue
”
T o all , I rashl y said and wha t I pine
“
,
To do these have acco m plished : we are p eers !

,
”
They know and therefore rule : I t oo wil l know !
, , ,
You were besi d e me Festus as y ou say ;

, ,
Yo u s aw me plunge in their pursui ts whom Fame

Is lavish to attes t the lords o f min d ;
Not pausin g to m ake sure the prize in view
[ 81 ]
Woul d satiate m y craving s when obta ined
But s i nce th ey strove I strove Then came a slow .
And stran glin g failure We as pire d alike

.
,
Yet not the meanest p lo dder Trit h eim schools

But faced me all s ufficient all content
,
-
,
-
,
O r sta g gere d only at his own strong wits ;

While I was restless nothin g satisfied
, ,
Distrus tful most pe rplexed I woul d slur over

, .
That strug g le ; suffice it that I l oath ed myself

,
As weak com pared with them yet felt som ehow ,
A mighty p ower was broo din g ta kin g sh ap e ,
Within me : and this las ted till one ni ght

When as I sate revolving it an d m ore
, ,
A still voice from without sai d “

S ee st thou no t ’
Despon ding chil d whence ca m e defeat and loss

,
9
E ven fro m t hy stren g th C ons i der : has t thou gazed

.
Pres umptuously o n Wis do m s countenance ’
No veil between ; an d can thy han ds wh ich falter

Unguid ed by thy brain the mi ght y si ght
C ontin ues to a b sorb p ursue their task
,
O n earth lik e these aroun d thee what their sense

Which rad iance ne er d istracte d clear d es cries ?
’
,
If thou woul dst shar e their fortun e choose their ,
life,
Unf e d by s plendor Le t each task presen t

.
I t s p ett y g ood to th ee Waste not thy gifts

.
In pr o fi t l es s wa i tin g for the go ds d escent

’
,
But have so m e i dol of thine ow n to dr es s

With their array Know not for knowing s sake
.
,
’
,
But to becom e a star to men forever .
Know for t h e g ain it gets t h e p rais e it brings

, , ,
The won der it ins p ires t h e l ove it bree ds

, .
Lo ok on e step onwar d an d secur e that s tep

, .
And I s mil e d as o ne never s m iles b ut once ;

Then first d iscoverin g m y own aim s extent ’
,
Whi ch sought to co mp rehend the works o f God ,
82 l
And Go d himself and all God s in tercourse

,
’
With the human mind ; I unders too d no less , ,
M y fellow s studies whose true worth I s aw

’
, ,
Bu t smil ed n o t well aware who s t ood by me

, .
“
An d softer came the voice There is a way
T is hard for flesh to tread therein imbued
’
,
With frailty hopeless if indulgence firs t ,
H ave ripened inborn germs of sin to s treng th

Wilt thou adventure for my sake and man s ’
,
”
Apar t from all reward ? And last i t breathed
“
Be happy my good sol di er ; I am by thee
, ,
”
Be sure even t o the end !
, I answered no t ,
Kn owing H im As H e spoke I w as endued

.
,
With comprehension and a steadf as t will ;

And when H e ceased my brow w as sealed His own, .
I f there t ook place no special change in me ,
H ow comes i t all things wore a differen t hue

—
Thenceforward ? pregnan t wi th vas t consequence
Teeming with gran d results loaded wi th fat e ;
SO that when quailing a t the mighty range
O f secret truth s whi ch yearn for birth I has t e ,
T o contemplate undazzled some on e truth ,
Its bearings and effec ts alone at once

What w as a speck exp ands in t o a star ,
Asking a life to pass exploring thus ,
Till I near craze I go to prove my soul !

.
I s e e my w ay as bir d s their trackless way

I shall arrive ! what ti m e what circuit fir s t , ,
I ask not : bu t unless G o d send his hail

O r blinding fire balls sleet or s tifling snow
-
, , ,
I n some time hi s good time I shal l arrive

He guides me and the bird In his good time ! .
Mich V ex him no further Fes tus ; i t is so !

.
,
Fest Jus t thus you help me ever

. This would hold .
Were i t the trackless air and not a path ,
Invi t ing y ou distinc t wi th footprints ye t

,
[ 83 ]
’
O f many a mighty spirit gone that way .
You may have purer views than theirs perhap s , ,
But th ey were famous in their day the proofs

Remain At least accept the l ight th ey len d
. .
P ar Their ligh t ! the sum of al l is briefly this

.
They labored and grew famous ; and the fruits

,
Are bes t seen in a d ark and groaning earth ,
Given over to a blin d and endl ess strife

With evils which o f all your Go ds abates ?
,
No ; I reject and spurn them utterly ,
And all they teach Shall I still sit besi de

.
Their dry wells wi th a white lip and fil med eye

, ,
Whil e in the d is tance heaven is blue above

M ounta ins where sleep the u nsunned tarns ?
Fes t . And ye t
As strong delusions have prevailed ere now
M en have set ou t as gallantly to seek
Their ruin ; I have hear d of such y ourself
Avow all h ither to have f ailed and fallen .
Mick Nay Festus when but as the pilgrims fain t

.
, ,
Thr ough the drear way d o you expect to see ,
Th eir city dawn afar amid the clouds ?

P ar Aye sounds it no t lik e so m e ol d well known
.
,
-
tal e ?
For me I estim ate their works and them
,
SO rightly th at at ti m es I al m ost dr eam

,
I too have s p ent a l ife t h e sages w ay ’
A n d tread once more familiar p aths Perchance .
I p erished in an arrogant self reliance -
An age ago ; an d in that act a prayer ,
For one more chance went up so earnes t so ,
Instinct with better light let in by Death ,
That l if e was blotted out not so completely

But scattere d wrecks enou gh of it remain ,
D i m mem ories ; as now when seems once more,
T h e goal in sight a g ain : all wh ich in d eed , ,
[ 84 ]
Is foolish an d onl y means the flesh I wea r

, ,
Th e earth I tread are n o t more clear to me

,
Than my belief explained to y ou or no

, .
Fes t An d w h o am I to challenge an d dispute

.
That clear belief ? I p u t away all fear .
Mich Then Aureole is God s commissary ! he shall

.
’
Be great and gran d and all for us !

P ar
. N 0 sweet ! ,
Not great and gran d If I can serve man kind

.
’
Tis well bu t there ou r intercourse m ust end
I never will be serve d by those I serve .
Fes t L ook well t o thi s ; here is a plague spo t here

.
-
, ,
Disguise it how you may ! Tis true you utter ’

,
This scorn while by o ur side and loving us ;

’
Tis bu t a spot as yet ; but it wil l break
Into a hideous blo tch if overlooked .
How can that course be safe which from the firs t

Produces carelessness t o human love ?
I t seems y ou have abjured the helps which men
Who overpass their kin d as y ou would d o
, ,
Have humbly sou g ht I dare not thoroughly probe

This matter lest I learn too much : let be
, ,
Tha t popular praise would little instiga t e

Your efforts nor particular approval
,
Reward y ou ; put rewar d asid e ; alone

You shall go for th u pon your arduous task ,
None shall assist you none partake yo u r toil

, ,
None share your triumph stil l y ou must ret ain

S ome one t o cas t your glory on to share ,
Your rap ture wi th Were I elect like you

.
,
I would encircle me with love and raise ,
A rampar t o f my fell ows ; it shoul d seem

Impossible for me to fail so watched ,
By gentle friends w h o made my cause their own ;

They should ward o ff Fate s envy the great gif t
’
Extravagant when claimed by me alone ,
[ 85 ]
Being s o a gift to them as well as m e .
If danger d aunted me or ease sed uced ,
H ow calmly their s ad eyes s h o u ld gaze reproach !

Mich O Aureole can I sing when al l alone
. , ,
Wi thou t first ca lling in my fancy both

, ,
To listen by my sid e even I ! An d you ?

D o y ou not feel this ? s ay that you feel this !
P ar I feel tis pleasant that my a i m s at l en g th

’
.
,
Allowed their wei gh t s h oul d be su pp ose d to need

,
A fur ther strengthening in th ese goo dly hel p s !

M y course allures f or its ow n sake its sole
In trinsic worth ; and ne er shall boat o f m i ne
’
Adventu re forth for gold and ap es at once .
Your sages s ay if hu m an therefore weak

, ,
If weak more need t o g ive myself entire

,
To my pursuit ; and b y its si de all else ,
N o matter ! I d eny m y self but li ttle

In waiving all assistance save its o wn
Would there were some real sacrifice to make !
Your friends the sag es threw their joys away ,
While I must be content with keep ing mine .
Fes t But do not cu t yourself f ro m hu m an weal !

.
You cannot th rive a man th at d ares aflec t ’
T o spend his life in service to his kind ,
For no reward o f theirs nor bound to them

,
By any tie ; nor do so Aureole ! No ,
There are strange pu ni shments for such Give up .
( Althou g h no visib l e good flow thence ) some part

O f the glory to another ; hid ing thus ,
E ven from yourself that all is for yourself

, .
S ay s ay al most to Go d
, I have done all
”
For her not for myself !
P ar . And who but lately , ,
Was to rejoice in my success l i ke you ?

Whom should I l ove bu t both Of you ?
Fes t. I know not
[ 86 ]
Is love like this the natural lot of al l ?
H ow many years f pain might one such hour
o
O e b al an ce ? Dearest M ichal d earest Festus

’
r , ,
What s h al l I s ay if not that I d esire

,
To m erit this your love ; an d will dear friends , ,
In swerving nothi ng from m y fi rst resolves .
S ee t h e great moon ! an d ere the mottled owls

,
Were wid e awak e I was to go It seems

, .
You acquiesce at l as t in all save thi s

If I am like to co m p ass what I seek
By the untried career I choose ; and then ,
If that career makin g but small account

,
O f much of life s deli gh t wi l l yet retain

’
,
S ufficient to sus tain my soul for thus

I unders tand these fond fears jus t expressed .
And first ; the lore you praise and I neglect ,
The labors and the precepts O f Old time ,
I h ave not sli g htly d isesteemed But friends .

, ,
Truth is within ourselves ; it tak es no rise

From outwar d things whate er you may believe
’
Th ere is an inmost center in us all ,
Where truth abid es in fulness ; and around

Wall u p on wall the gross flesh hems it in
, ,
This p erfect clear p erception which is tru th ;

,
A baffling and p erverting carnal m esh

“
Blin ds it an d m akes al l error : and to know
, ,
Rather consists in op ening out a w ay

Whence the i mp risoned splen dor may escape ,
Than in effectin g entry for a li ght

S upp osed to be with out Watch narrowly
.
T h e d em onstration o f a truth its b irth , ,
And you trace back the e fflu e nce to its s p ring

A n d source withi n us where b roo d s ra d iance vas t
, ,
To be eli cited ray b y ray as chance ,
S h all favour : chance for hith erto your sage ,
E ven as he knows not how those beam s are born ,
[ 88 ]
As li ttle kn ows he what unl ocks their fount ;

And men have oft grown old among their books
T o die case hardened in their ignorance
,
-
,
Whose careless youth had promised what long yea rs

O f unremi tted labor ne er performed : ’
While con trary it h as chanced some idle day

, , ,
That au tumn loi terers jus t as fancy free -
A s the midges in the s u n have oft given ven t ,
To tru th produced mys teriously as cape

O f cloud gro wn ou t of the invisible air .
H ence may not truth be lodged alike in all

, ,
The lowes t as the hi ghes t ? some sligh t film

The in terposin g bar which binds i t up ,
And makes the idio t just as makes the sage ,
S ome fil m removed the happy outlet whence ,
Tru th issues proudly ? S ee this soul o f ours !

H ow i t s trives weakly in the child is loosed ,
In manhood clogged by sickness back compelled

, ,
By age and was t e s e t free a t last by dea th :

,
Why is i t flesh enthr alls i t o r enth rones ?

,
Wha t is this flesh we have to penetrate ?

Oh no t alone when life flows s t ill do truth
,
And power emerge bu t also when strange chance

,
Ru ffles its current ; in unused conjuncture ,
When sickness breaks the body hunger wa tchin g , ,
E xcess or languor O ftenest dea th s approach

,
’
Peril deep j oy or w o e O ne man shall crawl

, , .
Through lif e surrou nded with all stirring things

, ,
Unmoved and he goes mad ; and from the wreck

O f wha t he w as by hi s wild tal k alone
, ,
You firs t collec t h ow grea t a spiri t he hid .
Therefore s et free the soul alike in all

, ,
Discovering the true laws by which the flesh

Bars in the spirit ! We m ay not be doomed
T o cope wi th seraphs but at least the rest ,
S hall cope wi th us M ake no more g iants God !

.
,
[ 89 ]
Bu t elevate the race at once ! We ask
T0 pu t for th jus t ou r strength ou r human s trength , ,
All s tar ting fairly all equipped al ike

. ,
Gif t ed al ike all eagl e eyed true hearted

,
-
,
-
S ee if we canno t beat thy angel s yet !

S uch is my task I go to gather this
.
The sacre d knowledge here and there dispersed ,
About the world long lost or never found

, .
And w hy sho u ld I be s ad or lorn of hope ? ,
Why ever make man s good distinct from God s ? ’ ’
O r finding they are one w h y d are mistrust ?

, ,
Wh o shal l succeed if not o ne p l edge d l ike m e ?

lVIine is no mad attempt to buil d a world
Apart from His like th ose w h o set themselves
,
T o find the nature of the s p irit th ey bore ,
And ta ught be times that all their gorgeous dreams

,
Were only born to vanish in this life ,
Refused to fit them to this narrow sphere ,
Bu t chose to figure forth another world

And o ther frames m eet for their vast d esires ,
S til l all a dream ! Thus was lif e scorned ; but l i fe

,
Shall ye t be crow ned : twine am aranth ! I am pries t !

And all for yieldn with a lively spiri t
A poo r exis tence parting with a youth
L ike theirs w ho squander every energy
C onver tible to go od on p ainted toys , ,
Breath bubbles g il ded dus t ! And though I spurn

-
,
All a dventitious aims from empty praise ,
T o love s award yet whoso deems such helps

’
,
I m portant and concerns hi mself for me

, ,
M ay know even th ese will follow wi th the res t

As in the stead y rolling Mayne asl eep ,
Yonder is m ixed its m ass o f schistous ore

, .
My own aff ections lai d to rest awhil e , ,
Will waken purifie d sub d ued al one ,
By all I have achieved ; til l then till then
[ 90 ]
B ROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
S trange and the jug gles of a sallow cheat

C oul d win me t o this act ! Tis as y ou clou d ’
S houl d voyage u nwrec k d o e many a m ountain top

’ ’
r -
And break upon a molehi ll I have dared .
C ome t o a pause with knowled g e ; scan f or once

The heigh ts alread y reach d without regar d ’
,
To the exten t above ; fairly co mp ute

What I have clearl y gained ; for once excluding
My fu ture which should finish and fulfil
All half gains and conjectures and mere hopes
-
, ,
A nd thi s because a fortune t eller bi ds

,
-
H is credulous enquirers write thus much ,
Th eir previous life s attainment in his book

’
, ,
Before his promised secret as he vaunts , ,
M ake tha t life perfect : here accordingly , ,

’
M i d the uncouth recordings of such dupes ,
Scrawled in like fashion lie my life s results ! ,

’
These few blurred ch aracters s u ffice to note

A stranger wan dered long th rough many lands ,
A nd reaped the fruit he coveted in a fe w

Discoveries as appended here and there
, ,
The fragm en tary produce of much toil ,
In a dim h eap fact and surm ise together

,
C onfusedly massed as when acquired ; himself

,
T oo bent o n gaining more t o ca l mly stay

And scrutinize the little which he gained :
Slipt in the blank sp ace twixt an idiot s g ibber ’ ’
And a mad lover s ditty lies the whole !

’
And ye t those blo ttings chronicle a life

A whole life m ine ! N O thought to turn t o ac t
, ,
N 0 problem for the fancy but a life ,
Sp ent an d d ecided wasted past recall

, ,
O r worthy beyon d peer S tay turn the p age .

,
And tak e its chance thus : what concerning life

, , ,
.
“
Does this rem em brancer set d own ? We s ay
[ 92 ]
‘
Time fleets youth fades life is an emp ty dr eam
, , .
’
Tis the mere echo o f time ; and he whose heart

’
Bea t first benea th a human heart whose speec h ,
Was cop ied from a human tongue can never ,
Recall when he was living yet knew not this .
Nevertheless l ong seasons come and go ,
Till some one hour s experience shows wha t nough t

’
H e deemed coul d clearer show ; and ever after

,
An altered brow an d eye and gait and speech

, , ,
A ttes t that now he knows t h e ad age tru e

‘
Time flee ts you th fades life is an empty dr eam
, , .
Aye my brave chronicler and this same t ime

, ,
As well as any : let my ho u r s p eak now !
Now ! I can go no farther ; well or ill

’
Tis done I mus t desis t and take my chance ;
.
I cannot keep o n the stretch ; tis no b ack shr inking ’

-
For let the leas t assurance dawn some end ,
To my toil seem possible and I proceed ,
At any price by any sacrifice : ,
E lse here I pause : the O l d Greek s prophecy

,
’
Is l ike to tur n o u t true I shall not qui t

Hi s chamber t ill I know wha t I desire !
”
Was i t the ligh t wind s u ng it o er the sea ? ,

’
An end a res t ! s trange how the no tion once

, ,
Admitted gains strengt h every moment ! Res t !

,
Where kept that thought s o long ? this throbb ing brow

To cease this beating heart to cease it s crowd
O f gnawing thoughts to cease ! To dare let d own
M y strung so high strung brain t o dare u nnerve
,
-
My harassed o ert as ked frame to know my place

’
M y portion my rewar d my fail ure even

, , ,
Assigned mad e sure for ever ! TO lose myself

,
Among the comm on creatur es of the worl d
[ 93 ]
To draw some gain from having been a m an
Neither t o hop e n or fear to live at l eng th !
Oh were it but i n failure to have rest !
, ,
What sunk insensib l y so d eep ? Has all

,
Been undergone f or this ? Was this the prayer

M y labor qualified me to present
With no fear of refusal ? Had I gone
C arelessly thr ough my task and s o judged fi t ,
T o moderate my hop es ; nay were it now ,
My sole concern to exculpate myself ,
And lessen punishment I coul d not choose

,
An humbler moo d to wait for the d ecree !

N 0 no there needs not this ; no after al l
, , , ,
At worst I have performed my share of the task

The res t is God s concern mine m erely th is
’
, ,
T o know that I have o b stinately he l d

By my ow n work The mortal whose brave foo t
.
H as trod unscathed t h e temple courts so far

, ,
-
That he descries at length the shrine of shrines ,
M ust let no sneering of the dem ons eyes ’

,
Whose wrath he met unquailing f o l low sly ,
And fasten o n him fairly p ast their power

, ,
If where he s tan ds he dares but stay ; no no ,
H e mus t not stagger fain t and fall at las t

, ,
Knowing a charm to baffle th em ; beh old ,
H e bares his front a mortal ventures thus

S erene ami d the echoes beams and g l ooms !
, ,
If he be priest henceforth or if he wak e ,
The god of the place to ban and blast him there ,
Bo th well ! What s f ailure or success to me ?

’
I have sub d ued m y life to the on e en d

O rdaine d l ife ; th ere alone I cannot d oubt ,
That only way I may be satisfied .
Yes well have I sub dued m y lif e ! beyond

,
T h e Ob l igat i on O f my strictest vows ,
The contem plation o f my wi l dest bond ,
[ 94 ]
Poor Festus , leaping all the while for j oy ,
To leave all trouble for futurity ,
S ince I had just determined to become

The greatest and most glorious m an o n earth .
And since that morn all life has been forgot ;

A l l is o ne day o ne only step between
The outse t and the e nd : o ne tyrant aim ,
Absorbing all fills u p the interval

,
One vas t unbroken chain of thought kep t up ,
Thr ough a career or friendly or opposed

To it s existence : life d eath ligh t and shade
, , ,
The shows o f the world were bare recep tacles

,
O r indices of truth to be wrung thence ,
N ot ins truments of sorrow or deligh t

For some One truth would diml y beacon me
From mountains rou g h with pines and flit and wink ,
O er dazzling wastes O f frozen snow and tremble

’
,
Into assured lig ht in some branching m ine ,
Where rip ens swathed in fire the liquid gold

, ,
And all the beauty all the wond er fell

,
On either si de the truth as it s mere robe ; ,
Men saw the robe I saw the august form .
SO far then I have voyaged with success

, , ,
S o much is good th en in this workin g sea

, ,
Which parts me fro m th at hap py strip o f land

But o er that happ y strip a sun shone t oo !
’
An d f ainter g lea m s it as t h e waves g row roug h ,
An d stil l more f aint as the sea widens ; last

I sicken on a d ead gul ph streaked with l ight ,
Fro m its o w n putrify i ng d epth s alone !

Then God was p l e dged to take me by the hand ;
Now any miserab l e juggler bends
My pride to him Al l seems al ik e at leng th
.
Who knows which are the wise and wh i ch t h e f ools ?

G o d m ay take pleasure in confound ing pri d e
By hiding secrets with t h e scorned an d base
[ 96 ]
He stoops lowest may find most in shor t

who ,
I am here ; and all seems natural ; I star t no t

And never havin g glanced behi nd t o know
If I had kept my primal light from wane ,
Am thus insensibly grown wha t I am !
O h bi tter ; very bi tter !

,
And more bi tter ,
To fear a deeper curse an inner ruin ,
Plague beneath plague the las t turnin g the fir s t

T o ligh t besi d e it s d arkn ess Better weep .
M y youth and its brave hopes al l dead and gone ,
I n tears which burn ! Would I were sure to w in

S o m e s tartling secre t in their stead ! a tincture
O f force t o flush O ld age with youth o r breed ,
Gold o r imprison moonbeams t ill they change

,
T O opal shafts ! only that hur l ing i t ,
Indignan t back I migh t convince myself

,
M y ai m s remained as ever supreme and pure !

E ven now w hy no t desire for m ankind s sa k e
, ,
’
That if I fail some faul t m ay be the cause

, ,
That though I sin k another m ay succeed ?

, ,
O G od t h e despicable hear t o f us !
,
S hut ou t this hi deous mockery from my hear t !
Twas poli tic in you Aureole to rejec t

’
, ,
S ingle rewards and ask them in t h e lump ;

,
At all events once launched t o hol d straigh t on

, ,
For now tis all o r nothing

’
M ighty profit .
Your gains will bring if they s top short o f such

Ful l consum m ation ! As a man y ou had ,
A certain share o f stren g th and that is gone ,
Al read y in t h e getting these y ou boas t .
D O not th ey seem to laugh as who shoul d say ,

“
Great m as ter we are here indeed ; d ragge d forth
,
[ 97 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
To ligh t : thi s has t thou d one ; be g lad ! now see k ,

”
The strength to use which thou has t spent in getting !
And ye t tis surely much tis very much

’
,
’
,
Thus to have emp tied youth o f all its gif ts ,
To feed a fire meant to h ol d out till morn

Arrive with inexhaustible light ; and lo ,
I h ave heape d up my las t an d day d awns not ! ,
Whil e I am left with gray hair fad ed han ds , ,
And f urrowe d brow Ha have I after all

.
, , ,
M istaken the wil d nursling O f my breast ?

Knowled ge it seeme d and Power and Reco m pense !
, ,
Was sh e wh o glided through my roo m o f ni g hts ,
Who laid my head on her soft knees and s m ooth ed ,
T h e damp locks whose sly soothings just began

,
When m y sick spiri t craved rep ose awhi l e

God ! w as I figh t ing S leep o ff for D eath s sake ? ’
G o d ! Thou art M ind ! Unto the M aster M in d -
M ind should be precious Sp are my min d alone !

.
All else I will en d ure : if as I stand ,
Here wi th my gains thy thund er smite me down

, , ,
I bow me ; tis thy will thy righ teous will ;

’
,
I O erp as s life s restrictions and I di e

’ ’
,
And if no trace of my career rem ain ,
S ave a thin corpse at p leasure of the win d

In these bright cham bers level with t h e air , ,
S ee thou to it ! But if my s p irit fail ,
M y once proud sp irit forsake me at the last ,
H ast thou d one wel l by m e ? SO d o not thou !

C rus h not m y mind d ear G od th ou gh I be crushed !
, ,
Hol d me be f ore t h e f requence of t h y serap h s ,

“
A nd say I crushed h im l est h e shou l d d isturb ,
M y law M en m us t not know th eir stren g th : behold

.
,
Weak and alone h ow near he raised hi m self !

,
”
But if d elusions trouble me and Thou ,
[ 98 ]
Be first detec t ed ? le t me know tha t firs t !
( A pril e f rom
, within)
I hear a voice perchance I heard,
Lon g ag o but all t oo low

, ,
S o that scarce a thought was s tirred

If really spoke the voice or no :
I heard it in my youth when fi rs t ,
The waters o f my life outburst :

But now their stream ebbs fain t I hear ,
The voice still low but fatal clear

, ,
-
As if all Poets tha t God mean t ,
S houl d save the worl d and therefore lent ,
Great gifts to bu t who prou d refused

, , ,
T o do hi s work o r lightly used ,
Those g ifts or failed through weak endeavor

, ,
And mourn cast 0 3 by him forever

, ,
A s if these leaned in air y rin g

To call me ; this the song they sing .
Lost los t ! ye t come

, ,
With ou r wan troupe make thy home

C ome come ! for we
,
Will not breathe so much as breathe ,
Reproach to thee !
Knowing what thou sink s t beneath ’
S o we sank in those old yea rs ,
We who bid thee come ! th ou las t ,
Who a living man has t life o erp as t

, ,
’
,
And all together we thy peers , ,
Will pardon as k for thee the las t ,
Wh ose trial is d one whose lot is cas t ,
With those w h o watch but work no more ,
Who gaze on l ife but live no more ,
And y et we trusted th ou shoul dst speak

Go d s message which o u r lips t oo weak
’
, ,
[ 1 00 ]
Refused to utter shoulds t redeem ,
O ur fault : such trust and all a dream ! , ,
S o we chose thee a bright birth place -
Where the richn es s ran to flowers

C ouldst not sing o n e song for grace ?
Nor make o n e blossom man s a n d ours ? ’
M us t o n e more recreant to his race

D ie with unexerte d powers
And j oin us leaving as he foun d
,
The world he was to loosen boun d ?

, ,
Anguish ! ever and forever ;

S ti l l beginning ending never !,
Yet los t and las t one come !

, ,
H ow cou lds t understand alas , ,
Wha t ou r pale ghosts strove to say ,
As their shades did glance and pass

Before thee night and day ?
,
Thou wert blind as w e were dum b ,
O nce more therefore come O com e !

, , ,
H o w shall we better arm the spirit

Who next shall thy post o f l ife inherit
H ow guard him from thy ruin ?
Tell us of thy s ad undoing
H ere where we sit ever pursuing
, ,
O ur weary task ever renewing ,
S harp sorrow far from God who gave

,
O ur powers and man they could no t save

,
!
APR ILE ent ers .
A spiri t be tt er armed succeeding me ? ,
H a ha ! ou r king that woulds t be here at las t ?

, ,
Art thou the Poe t w h o shal l save the world ?

Thy hand t o mine S tay fix thi ne eyes on mine
.
, .
Thou wouldst be kin g ? S till fix thine eyes o n min e !

P ar H a ha ! wh y c rou ch e s t not ? Am I not kin g ?
.
,
[ 1 01 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
SO torture is not wholly unavailing !

Have my fierce s p asms compell ed th ee from thy lair ?
Art th ou t h e S age I only seem ed to be ,
Myself of after time my very self-

,
With sigh t a li ttle clearer streng th more firm , ,
Wh o robs me o f my prize and tak es my place

For just a fault a weakness a neg l ect ?
, ,
I scarcely trusted G od with the sur m ise

That such m ight com e and thou d idst hear the while ! ,
A pr Thi ne eyes are lusterless to mine ; m y hair

.
Is soft nay silken soft : to talk with thee

,
Flushes my cheek an d thou art ashy pale ,

-
,
True thou hast labored hast with stood her lips

, , ,
The siren s ! Yes tis l ike thou hast attained !

’
,
’
Tell me dear master wh erefore now th ou com est ?

, ,
I thought t hy solemn songs woul d have th eir meed

In after tim e ; th at I shoul d hear the earth
-
E xult in thee and echo with t h y p raise

, ,
While I was lai d forgotten in m y grave .
P ar N o t so ! I know thee I am not thy dupe !

.
,
Thou art ordaine d to fol l ow in my trac k ,
E ven a s thou sayest succeeding to my place , ,
Reaping my sowin g as I scorned to reap

The harvest sown by sages passed away .
Thou art the sober searcher cautious striver , ,
As if excep t thr ough me thou h ad searched o r s triven !

, ,
Aye ! tell the wor l d ! Degrade m e af ter all , ,
T o an aspirant after fam e no t truth ,
T o all bu t envy o f thy fat e be sure ! ,
A pr Nay sing them t o me ; I shall envy not

.
,
Thou shalt be king ! S ing thou an d I will stand ,
Besi de and call d eep sil ence for thy songs

, ,
An d worship thee as I had ne er been m eant

’
T o fill thy throne but none shal l ever know !

S ing to me : for al read y thy w i l d eyes
Unl ock my heart sp rings as some crystal shaft
-
,
-
[ 1 02 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
And enforce d knowled ge o f those lip s firm set ,
In s l ow d espon dency s eternal sig h ! ’
H as he t oo m isse d li f e s en d and learne d the cause ? )

, ,
’
,
Be cal m I charge thee by t hy f ealt y !

, ,
Tell me what thou woul dst be an d what I am , .
A pr I woul d love infinitely and be loved

.
, .
First : I woul d carve in stone or cast in brass , ,
The forms of earth N O ancient hunter raised

.
,
Up to the gods by his renown ; no n y mph

Supp ose d t h e sweet soul o f a woodland tree ,
O r sapp hirine sp irit of a twilight star ,
Shoul d be too har d for me ; no shep herd king -

,
Regal with hi s white locks ; no youth w h o stands

S il ent and very calm ami d t h e throng ,
His ri ght hand ever hid beneath his robe

Until t h e t y rant pass ; no law g iver ; -
No swan soft wom an rubbed with lucid O ils

-
, ,
Given by a god for love of her too h ard !

E ach p assion s p rung from man conceived by man , ,
Would I exp ress and c l othe it in its righ t f orm ,
O r blend with oth ers strug glin g in on e f orm ,
O r Show rep ressed by an ungainl y form .
For if you marveled at som e m i gh t y s p irit

,
With a fit fra m e to execute h is will

Aye even unconsciously to work h is will
,
Yo u shoul d be move d no less besi d e som e strong ,
Rare sp irit fettered to a stubborn bo d y

, ,
E ndeavoring to sub due it an d inform it ,
With its ow n sp len dor ! All this I woul d do ,
And I would say this d one God s sp rites being made ’

, , ,
He grants to each a sp h ere to be its worl d ,
Appointed with t h e various Objects needed

To satis fy its spiritual desires ;
S o I create a worl d for th ese my shap es
,
Fit to sustain th eir beauty and their strength "

9
An d at their wor d I wou l d contrive and p aint

, ,
[ 1 04 ]
Woods valleys rocks and plain s dells sands and

, , , , , ,
wastes ,
L akes whi ch when morn breaks on their quivering bed

, ,
Blaze like a wyvern flying round the sun ;

And ocean isles s o small the do g fish trackin g
-
,
-
A dead whale who should find them would swim

, ,
thr ice
Aroun d them and fare onward all t o hold
,
The Offspring of my brain Nor these alone .
Bronze labyrin ths palace pyramid and cryp t, , , ,
Baths galleries courts t emples and terraces

, , , , ,
M ar ts theaters and wharfs all filled wi th men !

, ,
M en everywhere ! And this performed in turn ,
When those who looked o n pined t o hear the hopes , ,
An d fears and hat es and loves which move d the

, ,
crowd ,
I woul d throw down the pencil as the chisel ,
And I would spea k : n o though t which ever s t irred

A human breas t shoul d be untold ; no passions ,
No sof t emotions from the turb ul en t stir

,
Wi thin a heart fed with des ires like mine

T o the las t comfor t shu tt ing the tired lids,
O f him w h o sleeps the sultry noon away

Beneath the t ent tree by the w ay side well
- -
An d this in language as the need sho u ld be ,
Now pou red a t once forth in a burning flow ,
N ow p iled up in a grand array o f words .
Thi s d one to perfect and cons u mmate all

, ,
E ven as a luminous haze links s tar to star ,
I would s u pply all chasms with music brea thing ,
M ys terious notions of the soul no w ay ,
T o be defin ed save in strange melodies .
Last having thus reveale d all I cou ld love

, ,
An d having receive d all love bestowe d o n it ,
I would die : s o preserving through my course

G od full o n me as I w as full on men :
,
[ 1 05 ]
B ROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
And H e would gran t my prayer I have gone

through
Al l loveliness of life ; make more for me ,
If no t for men or take me t o thyself ,

”
Eternal infinite Love !
,
If thou hast ne er ’
C onceived this migh ty aim this ful l d esire , ,
Thou has t not passed my trial and thou ar t ,
N o kin g of min e .
P ar . Ah me !
A pr . Bu t thou ar t here !
Thou dids t no t gaze like me u pon that end
Till thine o wn powers for comp assing the bliss
Were blin d with g lory ; nor grow mad to gras p
A t once the prize long patient toil s h ou l d claim ;
N or S purn all granted short of that An d I .
Wo ul d d o as thou a secon d ti m e : nay listen

, ,
Knowing ourselves ou r worl d ou r task so great

, , ,
O ur tim e so brief tis c l ear if we refuse

,
’
The mean s so limited the tools so rude ,
To execute our p urpose l ife will fleet , ,
And we shal l fa de and leave ou r task u ndone

, .
Rather grow wise in time : what though our work

,
Be fas hioned in d espite of their ill service -

,
Be crippled every way ? Twere little p raise ’
D id full resources wait on our goo d will

A t every t urn L et all be as it is
. .
S ome say the ea rth is even so contrived

That tree an d flower a ves ture gay conceal
, , ,
A b are and skeleton framework : h ad w e means

That answered to o u r min d ! But now I seem
Wrecked on a savage isle : how rear thereon
My p alace ? Branchin g p al m s the prop s shall be ,
Fruit g lossy min g ling ; gem s are for t h e eas t ;

Who heeds them ? I can waive them S erpent s .
’
scales ,
[ 1 06 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
And guess from what they are the sp rin gs that fed
, ,
The stars that sparkled o er th em night b y night ’

, ,
”
The snakes that traveled far to s ip their d ew !
Thus for my higher loves ; and th us even weakness
Would w in me honor But not th ese al one .
Should claim my care ; for comm on life its wan ts ,
And ways would I set forth in beauteous h ues

,
The lowest hin d shou ld not possess a hope ,
A fear but I d be by him sayin g better

,
’
Than he his o wn h eart s language I would live ’

.
Forever in the thou g hts I thus explored ,
A s a discoverer s memory is attac h ed

’
T o all he finds : they should be min e hencefor th ,
Imbued with me though free to all before ; ,
For clay once cas t into my soul s rich min e

’
, ,
Shoul d come up crusted o er with gems : nor thi s ’
Would nee d a meaner spirit than the first ,
Nay twould be but the selfsam e spirit clothed

,
’
,
In humbler guise but still the selfsame spirit

,
As o ne spring win d unbin ds the mountain snow ,
An d comforts violets in their h erm itage .
But master poet w h o hast d one all thi s

, , ,
H o w d idst thou scap e the ruin I have met ?

’
Di dst thou when nerving thee t o this attem pt

, ,
Ne er range thy min d s extent as some wid e hall

’ ’
, ,
Dazzled by shapes th at fi l led its len g th with light ,
S hap es c l us tered there to rule thee not obey ,
That will not wait thy summons w ill no t rise ,
S ing ly nor when thy practised eye and hand

,
C an well trans fer their loveliness but crowd ,
B y th ee forever bri ght to t hy despair ?

,
Di dst thou ne er g aze on each by turns and ne er

’
,
’
Resolve to sin g le ou t one th ou gh the rest ,
S h oul d vanish and to g ive th at one entir e

, ,
In beauty to the worl d ; f org ettin g so

, , ,
I ts p eers whose number baffles mortal power ?

,
[ 1 08 ]
And thi s d etermined wert thou ne er se duced

, ,
’
By mem ories and regrets and passionate love

, , ,
To glance once more farewell ? and did their eyes

Fas ten thee brighter and more bright un t il
, ,
Thou coul dst but sta gger back un to their fee t ,
And laugh tha t man s app lause o r welfare once ’
C oul d tempt thee to forsake the m ? O r when years

Had passed and still their love possessed thee wholly ;
,
When from without som e mur m u r startled thee

O f darkling mortals famis hed for one ray ,
O f thy so hoarde d luxu ry of light

-
,
Dids t thou ne er strive even yet to break those spells

’
And prove thou couldst rec over an d fu lfil

Thy ea rly mission long ago renoun ced , ,
And to tha t end select som e shape once more ?

, ,
And did n ot mist like influences thick films

-
, ,
Fain t memories O f the rest that charmed s o long ,
Thin e eyes float fast confuse thee bear thee o ff

, , , ,
A s whirlin g snowdrifts blin d a man who treads

A moun ta in ridge with guiding sp ear through s torm ?
, ,
S ay though I fel l I had excuse to fall ;

, ,
S ay I w as temp ted sorely : say but this

, ,
Dear lor d Aprile s lord !

,
’
P ar . C lasp me not thus ,
Aprile ! That the truth shoul d reach me thus !

We are weak dust Nay clas p not o r I faint ! .
, ,
A pr M y kin g ! and envious though ts could ou trage

.
thee !
Lo I forge t my ruin and rejoice
, ,
In thy success as thou ! L et o u r G od s praise

,
’
Go bravely through the worl d at last ! What care

Thr ough me or thee ? I feel thy breath w h y tears ? ,
Tears in the d arkness an d from thee to m e ?

P ar Love m e henceforth Aprile w hi le I learn
.
, ,
T o love ; a n d merciful G o d forgive u s both !

, ,
We wake at length from weary dreams ; but bo th
[ 1 09 ]
B ROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
H ave slept in fairy land : though d ark and drear

-
Appears the worl d be fore us we no less ,
Wake with o u r wris ts and ankl es jeweled still .
I too have sou g ht t o KNO W as thou to LO V E

, ,
E xcluding love as thou refusedst knowledge .
S ti l l thou hast beauty and I power We wake , .
What penance canst devise for both of u s ?

A pr I hear thee fain tly
. the thick darkness !
E ven
Thine eyes are hi d Tis as I kn ew : I speak .
’
,
And now I die Bu t I have seen thy face !

.
O p oet think of me and sing of me !

, , ,
But to have seen thee and to die s o soon ! ,
P ar Die not Apri l e : we mus t never par t

. , .
Are we not halves o f o ne dissevere d worl d ,
Whom this s trange chance u nites once more ? Part ?

never !
Till thou the lover know ; and I the knower
, , , ,
Love until both are saved Ap rile hear ! .

,
We will accep t o u r gains an d use them now ! ,
G o d he will die up on my breast ! April e !

,
A pr To speak bu t once and die ! ye t by his side

.
, .
H ush ! hush !
Ha ! go y ou ever gir t abou t
With phan toms powers ? I have crea ted such
, ,
But these seem real as I !

P ar . Whom can y ou see
Through the accursed darkness ?
A pr . S tay ; I know ,
I know them : who should know them well as I ?

White brows lit up with glory ; poe ts all !
,
P ar L e t hi m but live and I have my reward !

.
,
A pr Yes ; I see now

. Go d is the P ERFEC T PO ET ,
Who in creation ac ts his o w n concep tions .
Shall man refuse to be au gh t less than God ?

M an s weakness is h is glory for the streng th
’
[ 1 10 ]
BROWN ING S ’
PARACELSUS
Which witnesses y our o wn and M ichal s love ! ’
I bad e you not sp are that ! Forget al one

The honors an d the gl ories an d the rest , ,
Yo u seemed d isp ose d to te l l p ro f usely o u t .
Fes t Nay even your honors in a sense I waive

.
, , ,
The won drous Paracel sus L ife s d isp ens er ’
Fate s co m missary i dol of the schoo l s

’
, ,
A n d C ourts shall be no m ore th an Aureo le stil l

,
S til l Aur eole an d my friend as when we p arte d ,
S o m e twenty years ago an d I restra i ned

,
As I bes t cou l d t h e p ro mp tin gs of m y sp irit ,
Wh ich secretly a d vanced you from t h e first , ,
To the p reem inent ran k whi ch since your own ,
Ad venturous ardor nob ly triump hing

, ,
H as won for y ou .
Yes yes ; and M ichal s face

’
P ar .
,
S till wears that quiet an d p ecu l iar li ght ,
L ike the d im circlet floatin g roun d a pearl ?

Fes t Just so
. .
P ar . And yet her calm sweet countenance ,
Though saintly was not s ad ; for s h e wou l d sing

,
Alone D oes she stil l s i ng alone bir d lik e ,

-
,
Not d reamin g you are near ? H er carols dropt

In flak es th rou gh th at O ld leafy bower bu il t under
The sunny wall at W urzburg from her lattice ,
Am ong the trees above wh il e I unseen , , ,
S ate connin g some rare scro ll from Trit he im s shelves ’

,
M uch wondering notes so simp l e coul d d ivert

M y m ind fro m stud y Those were h app y d ays !
.
Resp ect al l such as sing when all al one .
Fes t Scarcel y alone

. her children y ou may gues s , ,
Are wil d beside her

Ah those children quite ,
Unsettl e the pure p ictur e in m y m i nd :

A g irl she was so per fec t so d istinct ,
N o c h ange no c h an g e ! Not but this ad de d grace

,
[ 1 12 ]
May blend and harmonize with i ts com peers ,
And Michal may become her motherhood ;

But tis a change and I detes t all change
’
,
And most a change in aught I loved long since !

SO M ichal
, y ou h ave said she thinks o f me ?
Fes t O very proud will M ichal be o f you !
.
Imagine how we sate long winter nights,

-
,
S chem ing and wondering shaping your pres u med

Adven tures or devis ing their reward ;
,
S hu tting o u t fear wi t h all the streng th o f hope .
Though it was strange how evenwhen mos t secure ,
In our domestic peace a certa in dim ,
And fli tting shade could sadden all ; i t seemed

A restlessness of hear t a sil en t yearning
, ,
A sense of something wanting in comple t e ,
Not to be pu t in words perhaps avoided ,
By mu te consent bu t said o r unsaid fel t , ,
To p oin t t o one so loved and so long los t .
A n d then the hopes rose a nd shu t o u t the fears

H ow you would laugh should I recoun t them n ow !
I still predicted your return at l as t ,
Wi th gifts beyond the greatest vaunt O f all ,
All Trit h eim s won drous troop ; did o ne of which

’
A ttain renown by any chance I smiled ,
As well aware O f who would prove his peer .
M ichal was sur e some woman long ere this , ,
As beautiful as you were sage h ad loved ,
P ar Far seeing t ruly t o d iscern so much

.
-
, ,
In the fan tas tic projec ts and day dreams -
O f a raw res tless b oy !

,
Fes t . S ay one whose sunrise ,
Well warran ted ou r faith in this full noon !

C an I forge t the anxiou s voice which said ,
“
Festus have though ts like these e er shaped them
’
,
selves
In o ther brains than mine have their possessors
[ 113 ]
’
Existed in like circums tance were they weak

As I or ever constant from the firs t ,
Desp ising youth s allur em ents and reject ing

’
,
As spider fil m s the shackles I en dure ?

-
”
Is there hop e for me ? and I ans wer ed grave
As an acknowled ged el der calmer wiser , , ,
M ore gi f ted mortal O y ou mus t remember

.
,
For all your glorious

P ar . G lorious ? aye this hair , ,
These hands nay touch them they are mine ! Recall

, ,
With all the said recallin gs t imes when thus ,
To lay them by your o w n ne er tur ned y ou pale ’

,
As now .M os t glorious are they not ? ,
Fes t.
S o m ething mus t be sub trac t ed from success

S o wi de no doubt H e would be scrupulous truly ,
, .
,
Wh o shou ld obj ect such drawbacks S till , still Aureole .

, ,
You are changed very changed ! Twere losing

’
nothin g
To look well to i t : y ou mus t no t be s tolen
From the enjoy m ent of your well won meed - .
P ar M y frien d ! y ou seek my pleas ure pas t a dou b t

.
,
By talking not o f me bu t of yourself

, , ,
You will bes t gain your poin t .
Have I not said

All touchin g M ichal and my children ? S ure
You know by this full well h ow Aennchen l ooks
, ,
Gravely while one disparts her thick brown hair ;

,
An d Aureole s glee when some s tray ganne t builds

’
Amid the birch trees by the lake Small hope

- .
H ave I tha t he will honor the wild imp , ,
H is namesake ! S igh not ! t is t oo much t o ask ’
That all we love should reach the same proud fate .
Bu t y ou are very kind to humor me

By showin g interest in my quie t life ;
Yo u who of o l d could never tame yourself
,
[ 1 14 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
But there s no taming nor rep ressin g heart s

’
God knows I need such ! SO y ou heard me sp eak ?

Fes t S peak ? when ?
.
P ar
. When bu t this morning at my class ?
There was noise and crowd enou gh I saw y ou not . .
S urely you know I am eng ag ed to fill

The chair here ? that t i s p art of my p roud fate
’
To lec ture to as m any thick scu l led yo u th s

-
As p lease each d ay to th rong t he theater

, , ,
To my great reputation and no sma ll

,
Danger o f Basel s benches long unused

’
To crack beneath such honor ?

Fes t
. I was there ;
I mingled with the throng : shall I avow
I h ad small care to listen ? too intent
O n gathering from the murmurs Of the crowd
A full corroboration of m y hopes !
Wha t can I learn about yo u r p owers ? but they
Know care for nought b eyon d y our actual state
,
Your ac tual value ; and yet wors h ip you !

Those various natures whom y ou sway as one !
But ere I go be sure I s h al l attend
,
P ar S top 0 Go d s name : the thing s by no means

’ ’ ’
. ,
yet
Pas t remedy ! Shall I read this mornin g s work ’
At least in substance ? Nought so worth the g aining

A s an apt scholar ! Thus then with al l d u e ,
Precision and emp hasis ( you besi d es are clearly

, ,
Guiltless of un derstan d in g a whit m ore

The subject than your stool allowed to be
A notable advantage)
Fes t
. S urely Aureole , ,
Yo u laugh a t me !
I lau gh ? Ha ha ! thank heaven , ,
I charge y ou if t be so ! for I forget

,
’
M uch an d what laugh ter shoul d be like ! N O less ,
[ 116 ]
H owever I forego tha t luxury

, ,
S ince i t alarms the friend w ho brings i t back .
True laugh ter l ike my o w n must echo strange

,
T o th inking men ; a smile were bet ter far

So make me smile ! If the exulting look
Yo u wore bu t now be s mi ling tis so long
’
,
S ince I have smiled ! Alas such smiles are born ,
Alone of hearts like yours or shep herds o ld ,
O f ancien t t ime whose eyes calm as their flocks

, , ,
S aw in the s tars mere garnishry of heaven ,
In ear th a s tage for al tars nothing more , .
Never change Festus : I say never change !

, ,
Fes t M y G o d if he be wretche d after all !

. ,
P ar When last we par ted Fes tus you declared

. , , ,
Or did your El ich al s soft lips whisper words

’
I have preserved ? She told me s h e believed

I should succeed ( meani ng that in the search ,
I then engaged in I should mee t success )

, ,
And ye t be wretched : no w she augured false , .
Fes t Thank heaven ! bu t y o u spoke strangely !

.
could I ven tur e

To think bare apprehension les t your friend ,
Dazzled by your resplendent course might find ,
Henceforth less sweetness in his own awakes ,
S uch earnest mood in y ou ? Fea r not d ear friend , ,
That I shall leave you in war dl y repinin g

,
Your lot was no t my ow n !

P ar . And this for ever ! ,
For ever ! gull who may they will be blind ! ,
They will not look nor think tis nothing new ’
In them ; but surely he is not of the m !

M y Festus do y o u know I reckone d y ou
, , ,
Though all besi d e were sand blin d you my friend -

, ,
Would look at me once close with piercin g eye

, , ,
Un troubled by the false glare that confounds

A weaker vision ; would remain serene ,
[ 1 17 ]
Th ou gh singular amid a g aping thr ong , .
I feare d y ou or h ad co m e sure lon g ere this

, , , ,
To E insiedel n Well error h as no en d .

, ,
An d Rh as is is a sage an d Basel boasts ,
A tribe o f wits an d I am wise an d b lest ,
Past all d isp ute ! Tis vain t o fret at it ’

.
I have vowe d long since that my worshipers

Shall owe to the i r own deep sa g acity
All further in form ation g oo d or bad : ,
An d little ris k m y rep utat i on runs ,
Unless perchance the g lance now searching me

Be fixed m uch l on g er for it seems to sp ell ,
Diml y the characters a si mpler man

,
Migh t read d i stinct enou gh Old eastern books .
S ay the fal len p rince of mornin g som e short space

,
Rem ain e d unch anged in feature nay his brow ,
S eem ed h ued with triu mp h : ever y sp irit then

Praisin g ; his heart o n flam e the wh il e : a tale !
Well Festus what d i scover y ou I p ra y ?
, , ,
Fes t S ome f ou l d ee d su ll ies then a l ife whi ch el s e

.
Were raise d supreme ?

P ar . Goo d : I do we l l most well !
Why strive to m ake men h ear feel fret the m selves , ,
With wh at t i s past th eir p ower to co m p rehen d ?

’
I woul d not strive now : o nl y hav i n g nursed ,
The faint surm ise th at o n e yet walk e d the earth ,
O ne at least not the utter f ool of show

, , ,
N o t abso l ute ly form ed t o be the dupe

O f shal low p l aus ibi l iti es alone ;
O ne w h o in y outh foun d wise enough to choose
,
T h e hap piness his ri p er years a pp rove ,
Was yet so anxious for anoth er s sake ’
Th at ere h i s friend cou l d rush up on a course

,
Mad ruinous the converse of his o w n

, , ,
H is gentler S p irit essaye d preju dg ed for him ,
The p erilous path foresaw its d estiny , ,
[ 1 18 ]
B ROWNING S ’
PARACE L SUS
And , were I lucky in a glut of frien d s ,
Woul d well agree to let y our error l ive ,
Nay strength en it with fables of success

,
But mine is no con d ition to refuse

The transient solace o f so rare a chance ,
M y so l itary l uxury m y Festus ,
Accor dingly I venture to pu t o ff

The wearisome vest o f fal sehood galling me ,
S ecure when h e is by I lay m e b are .

,
Prone at his mercy but h e is my friend !

N o t that he nee d s re tain his asp ect grave ;
That answers n o t my p urp ose ; for tis l ike ’
,
S ome sunny morning Bas el being drain ed

O f its wise population every corner ,
O f the amphi theater crammed with learned clerks ,
H ere ( Ecol am p adiu s looking worlds of wit

, ,
H ere C astellanus as p rofound as he

, ,
Mu ns t eru s here Frobenius there

, all squeezed , ,
An d staring and expec ta nt

, then I say , , ,
’
Tis like that the p oor zany o f the show ,
Your frien d will ch oose to put his trapp ings off

,
Before them bid adieu to cap and bells

,
And motley with a grace but sel dom judged

E xped ient in such cases the grim smile
Tha t will go round ! It is not th erefore bes t
To venture a rehearsal like the p resent
In a small way ? Where are t h e si g ns I seek ,
The firs t fruits and fair sampl e o f the scorn

-
Due to all quacks ? Why th is will never do ! ,
Fes t These are fo ul va p ors Aureole ; nough t beside !

.
,
The effect o f watchi ng stu dy weariness , , .
Were there a spark of truth in t h e confusion

O f these wil d words you wou l d not outrage thus
,
Your youth s comp anion I shall ne er regard

’
.
’
These wanderings bred o f faintness an d much s tudy

, .
Yo u woul d not trust a trou b le thus to me ,
[ 1 20 ]
To M ichal s friend’
.
I have said it dearest Fes tus ! ,
The manner is ungracious probably ; ,
M ore may be told in broken sobs o ne day , ,
And scal d ing t ears ere long : but I thought bes t

,
T o keep tha t off as long as possible .
D O y o u wonder s till ?
Fes t. N o ; it mus t oft fall ou t
Th at one whose labor perfec ts any work ,
S hall rise from it with eyes s o worn that he ,
O f all men leas t can measure the extent

O f what he has accomp l ishe d H e alone .
,
Who nothing tasked is nothing weary t o o

, , ,
C an clearly scan the li ttle he effects :

But we the bys tanders un touched by toil
, , ,
E s timate each arigh t .
Thi s wor thy Festu s

Is one of them a t las t ! Tis so with all !
,
’
Firs t they s e t down all progress as a dream

, ,
And next when he whose quick d is c o mfi t u re

, ,
Was counted o n accomplishes some few

,
And d oubtful s t eps in hi s career behold , ,
They look for every inch of groun d t o vanish

Beneath his tread s o sure they ju dge success !
,
Fes t Fe w doub t ful steps ? when death retires before

.
Y our presence when the noblest o f mankind ,
Broken in body or subdued in m in d

, ,
M ay through your skill renew t heir vigor raise ,
The sha ttered fram e to pristine sta teliness ?

When men in racking pain may purchase dreams
O f what delights them most swooning at once
Into a s ea of bliss or rapt alon g ,
As in a flying sphere O f turbulen t ligh t ?

When we may look to you as one or d ained
T o free the flesh from fe l l disease as frees ,
O ur Luther s b u rning tongue the fettered sou l ?

’
[ 12 1 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
When .
P ar . Rather when and where friend did you ge t

, , ,
This notab le news ?

Fes t . E ven from the common voice ;
Fro m those W hose envy d aring n ot d is p ute ,
The won ders it d ecries attributes them ,
To m agic an d such folly .
P ar . Fol l y ? Wh y not
To m agic p ra y ? You fi n d a com f ort doubtless
,
In hol d ing G o d ne er troub l es him about

,
’
Us or our doin g s : once w e were ju dged worth

The d evil s tem p ting I o fle nd : forgi ve me
’ '
And rest content Your proph ecy o n t h e W h ole

.
Was fair enou g h as p roph es y ings g o ;

At fault a l i ttl e in d etai l b ut quite ,
Precise enough in t h e m ain ; accordin g ly

I pay d u e ho m ag e : y ou guessed l on g ago
( The p rop het ! ) I shou l d fail an d I h ave faile d .
Fes t You mean to tell me th en t h e h op es which fed

.
, ,
Your youth have not been real iz ed as yet ?

S ome obstacl e has barred them hi therto ?
O r th at th ei r inna te
P ar . As I sai d but now ,
Yo u have a very decent p ro ph et s f am e

’
SO you but shun d etail s h ere Littl e m atters .
Wheth er th ose hop es were mad t h e aims they ,
sough t ,
S afe an d secure from al l ambitious fools ;

O r wh eth er m y weak wits are overcom e
By what a b etter s p i rit woul d scorn : I fail .
A n d now m eth in k s twere b est to ch ange a theme

’
I am a s a d foo l to have stu m bled on .
I say con f use dly what comes u pp er m ost ;

But there are tim es when p atience p roves at fault ,
As now : th is m orning s stran g e encounter y ou

’
Bes i d e m e once again ! you w h om I guessed ,
[ 1 22 ]
You are defeated an d I fi nd you here !
P ar As th oug h here d id not s i gnif y d efeat !
.
I s p oke not of my littl e l abors here

But o f the b reak d own o f m y general ai ms
-
That you aware Of their extent a nd scop e

, ,
S h ou l d loo k o n th ese sage l ec t u rings approved ,
By beard l ess boys and bearded d ota rds

, these ,
As a fit cons u mm ation of such aims ,
Is worth y notice ! A p rofessorshi p

At Base l ! S ince y o u see so m uch in it ,
A nd think m y l if e w as reas onab l y d raine d

O f life s delights to render me a match
’
For d uties ar d uous as such post de m an ds ,
Far be it from m e to d eny m y p ower

T O fil l t h e p etty circ l e lotted out
From infinite s p ace o r justi f y the host
,
O f honors thence accruing : so take no tice , .
This jewel dangl ing f rom m y neck p reserves

The features of a prince m y s ki ll restored
,
To p lague his people some few years to come

And all through a pure wh i m H e h ad eased the
.
earth
For me but tha t the dr oll d espair which seized
,
The vermin o f his h ouseh ol d tickled me , .
I came to see : here d rivel e d the physician

,
Wh ose most infal l ible nostrum was at fault ;

There quaked t h e astrologer whose horoscope
,
H ad promised h im intermi nable years ;

H ere a m onk fumbled at the sick man s mouth ’
With so m e undoubted relic a su dary

O f the Virgin ; wh i le some other dozen knaves
O f the same brotherhoo d ( h e l oved th em ever)
Were actively preparing neath his nose ’
S uch a suffumig ation as once fired , ,
H ad stunk the p atient d ead ere he could groan .
I cursed the doctor an d up set t h e b roth er ;

,
[ 1 24 ]
Brushed past the conjurer ; vowed that the first gus t

Of stench from the ingredients jus t al ight
Would raise a cross grained d evil in my sword
-
,
Not easil y laid ; and ere an hour the prince ,
Slep t as he never slep t since prince he was .
A d ay and I was postin g fo r m y life ,
Placarded through the town as one whose spi t e

Had near availed to stop the blesse d eflec t s ’
Of the doctor s nostrum which well seconded

’
, ,
By the sudary and most by the cos tly smoke

,
N o t leaving ou t the strenuous prayers sent u p

H ard by in the abbey raised the prince to life ;
,
To the grea t repu ta tion o f the seer ,
Who confiden t expected all along

, ,
The glad event the doctor s recompense ’
M uch larges s from his highness t o the monks

And the vas t solace o f his loving people ,
Whose general satisfaction to increase ,
The prince w as pleas ed no longer t o defer

The burning of some dozen here tics ,
Remanded till God s mercy should be shown

’ ’
Touching his sickness as a pruden t pledge ,
To make i t surer : las t of all were joined

Ample direc tions to all loyal folk
T o swell the complement by seizing me
—
,
—
Who doubtless some rank sorcerer had endeavored
T o thwart these pious Offices obs truc t ,
The prince s cure and frustrate H eaven by help

’
, ,
O f cer tain devils dwelling in his sword .
B y luck the prince in his first fit o f thanks

,
H ad forced this bauble on me as an earnes t

O f further favors This one case may serve
.
T o give sufficient taste o f many such ,
S o le t t hem pass : those shelves suppor t a p ile

O f paten ts licenses diplomas titles
, , , ,
From Germany France S pain and I t aly

, , ,
[ 1 25 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
Th ey authorize so m e honor : n e ert h el es s ’

,
I set more store by this E rasmus sent ;

H e trusts me ; ou r Frobenius is his friend ,
“ ” “
A nd him I raised ( nay read it ) from the dead , .
I weary y ou I see ; I m erely sou gh t

,
To show there s no great wond er a f ter all

,
’
That while I fill the classroo m and attrac t ,
A crowd to Basel I get leave to sta y ; ,
And th erefore need n o t scrup l e to accep t

The utm ost th ey can offer i f I please :
For t is but right the worl d sho ul d be prepared
’
To treat with favor e en fantastic wants ’
O f one like me use d up in serving her

, .
Just as the morta l who m the Go d s in part ,
Devoured received in p l ace o f his lost l i m b

,
S ome virtue or other cured disease I think ,
You min d the fables we have read to g ether .
Fes t You d o not thi nk I co mp rehen d a word

.
The ti m e w as Aureole y ou were apt enou gh

, ,
T o c l othe the airiest th ough ts in s p e c io u s b re at h ;

’
But surely y ou must f eel how vague and strange

These speeches sound .
P ar . Well then : y ou know my hopes ; ,
I am assured at length those hop es were vain ;

, ,
Th at truth is just as far fro m me as ever ;

That I have th rown my li f e away ; that sorrow
O n that account is vain and furth er effort ,
T o men d and p atch what s marre d beyond repairing

’
As useless : an d all this w as tau g ht to m e

By t h e convincing good o ld fashioned m ethod ,
-
O f force by sh eer compulsion Is th at p lain ? .
Fes t Dear Aureole ! y o u confess my fears were jus t ?

.
G o d wills n o t
N ow tis this I most ad m ire
’
P ar .
,
T h e constan t talk men o f your stamp keep up

O f God s will as th ey style it ; one wou l d swear
’
[ 1 26 ]
Because they are too gl orious to be g aine d ,
You d o not blindly cling to them and d ie ;

You fel l but have not su ll enly ref u sed
,
To rise because an ange l worste d you

,
In wrestli n g th ou g h t h e worl d hol ds not your peer

,
A n d t h ou g h too harsh a n d su dd en is t h e chan g e

To yiel d content as yet still you p ursue
The un g racious p ath as thou gh t were rosy strewn ’
-
.
’
T i s well : and your rewar d o r soon o r l ate , ,
Wi ll co m e fro m H im wh om no man serves in vain .
P ar Ah very fine ! Fo r my part I conceive

.
, ,
T h e very pausing fro m a l l further toil ,
Wh i ch y ou fi nd heinous wou l d be as a seal ,
To t h e sincerity o f all m y d eeds .
To be consistent I shoul d die at once ;

I cal culate d o n no after l i fe ; -
Yet ( h o w cre p t in how fostered I know not)

, ,
H ere am I with as p ass i onate regret

Fo r youth and health a n d love so vainly lost
, , ,
As if their preservation h ad b een first

And fore most in m y th ou gh ts ; and this strange fac t
H um b le d m e wond rously an d h ad d u e force ,
In rend ering m e the more d is p osed to follow

A certain counsel a mysterious warning
,
You will not un d erstand but twas a man ’
With aims not m ine but yet p ursue d like mine

, ,
With the sam e fervor and no m ore success ,
Who perishe d in m y sight ; but summ one d me

As I woul d s h un the ghastly fate I saw ,
To serve m y race at once ; to wait no longer

’
Til l God shou l d inter fere in m y behal f ,
A n d let the next world s knowled g e d awn o n this ;

’
But to d istrust myse lf p u t p ri d e away , ,
A n d g ive m y ga i ns i m p erfect as th ey were

, ,
To m e n I have not l e i sure to ex pl ai n

.
H ow s i nce a strange success i on o f events

,
[ 1 28 ]
H as raised me to the station y ou behold ,
Whe rein I seem to turn to most accoun t

The mere wreck o f the past perhaps receive ,
S ome feeble g l i m mering token that God views

A nd may approve my penance : therefore here
Yo u fi nd me d oing most goo d or least harm
And if folks won der much and profi t l ittle
T is no t my fault ; only I shall rejoice
’
,
When my part in the farce is shuffle d through ,
And the curtain falls ; I must hold ou t till t h en

’
.
Fes t Till when dear Aureole ?

.
’
,
P ar. Till I m fairly thrus t ’ ’
From my proud eminence Fortune is fickle .
And even professors fall : should tha t arrive ,
I s ee no sin in ced ing to my bent .
You little fancy what rude shocks apprize us

We sin : Go d s inti m ations rather fail
’
I n clearness than in energy : twere well ’
Did they bu t indicate the course to take

L ike that to be forsaken I would fain .
Be spared a fur ther sa m ple ! H ere I stand ,
And here I stay be sure till forced to flit

, , .
Fes t Remain but firm o n that head ; long ere then

.
All I expect will come t o pass I trust ,
The cloud tha t wraps y ou wil l have disap peared .
M eantime I see small chance o f such event :

,
They praise y ou here as one whose lore divulged ,
Already eclipses all the pas t can show

, ,
Bu t whose achievements marvelous as they he , ,
Are faint anticipations o f a glory

About to be reveal ed When Basel s crowds .
’
Dismiss their teacher I shall be con ten t ,
Tha t he depar t .
P ar. This favor at their hands

I look for earlier than your view of things
Would warrant O f the crowd you saw to d ay
.
-
[ 1 29 ]
Rem ove t h e ful l h alf sh eer amazement d raws ,
The novelty nought else ; an d next the tribe

, ,
Whose innate blockish dulness just p erceives

That unless mirac l es ( as seem m y works )
Be wrou ght in th eir b eh al f the i r ch ance is sligh t
,
To p uzz l e the d evi l ; next the numerous set

,
Who bitterl y hate estab li sh e d sch ools so hel p ,
The teacher that opp ugns the m a n d o ert h row s ,

’
,
’
Till having plante d h is own doctrine he ,
M ay reckon on the i r rancor in his turn ;

Take too t h e s p r i nkl ing o f sagacious knaves
, ,
Whose cunnin g runs not counter to t h e vogue ,
But seeks by flattery and nursing craft

, ,
To force my system to a p rem ature

S hort lived develop m ent
-
Why swell the list ?
E ach h as h is e nd to serve and his best way,
O f serving it : rem ove all these remains ,
A scantl ing a p oor dozen at t h e b est

That reall y co m e to l earn f or l earning s sake ; ’
Worth y to look f or s y m p ath y an d service ,
An d li k el y to d raw p rofit fro m m y p ains .
Fes t . Ti s no encourag ing p i cture : still these few

’
Redeem th eir fell ows O nce i m p l ant the germ

.
,
I ts growth if slow is sure

, , .
P ar . G o d grant it s o !
I woul d make some amends : but if I fail ,
The l uckl ess rog ues have th i s excuse to urge ,
That much is in m y meth o d and m y m anner ,
M y uncouth ha b its m y i m patient s p irit

, ,
Wh ich hin ders o f recep tion and resul t

M y d octrine : much to say s m al l skill to sp eak !
,
Th ose o ld a i m s su ff ere d not a l ooking off -

,
Th ou gh for an instant ; th erefore on l y when ,
I thus renounced th e m an d reso l ved to reap

S o m e p resent fruit to teach manki nd some trut h
So d ear ly purch ased on l y then I found
[ 180 ]
A p roperty a fitness I explain
, , ,
A n d I alone : how can I change my soul .
And this wronged bo dy worthl ess save when tasked

,
Under that soul s d ominion used to care

’
For i t s bright m aster s cares and quite subdue

’
Its proper cravings no t to ail n or p ine , ,
S o the soul prosp er whith er d rag this poor ,
Trie d patient body ? G od ! how I essayed

, ,
T o live like that mad poet for awhile , ,
To catch Aprile s spirit as I hoped

’
, ,
And love alone ! and how I felt t oo warped

And twisted and deformed ! wha t shoul d I do ,
E ven tho released from d rudgery but return

’
,
Fain t as y o u se e and halting blin d and sore

, , , ,
T o my O l d life and die as I begun !

I canno t feed o n beauty for the sake ,
O f beauty o nl y ; nor can drink in balm

From lovely objects for their loveliness ;
M y nature cannot lose her first intent ;
I still must hoard and heap and class all tru ths
, ,
With o ne ulterior purpose : I must know !

Woul d God transla te me t o his throne believe ,
Tha t I should only listen t o his word s

To fur ther my own aims ! For other men ,
Beauty is prodigally strewn around ,
An d I were happy could I quench as they

This mad and th riveless longing be conten t ,
With beauty for itself alone : alas !

I have addressed a frock of heavy mail ,
Yet may not join the troop of sacred knigh ts ;

A n d now the forest creatures fly from me
-
,
The grass banks cool the sunbeam s warm no more !

-
,
Best fo l low d ream ing that ere ni ght arrives

,
I sh al l o e r t ake the company and ride

’
Glittering as they !
Fes t . I thin k I ap prehend
[ 13 2 ]
T H E P O EM , PARACELSUS
What y ou would say : if you in truth design , ,
To enter once more o n the life thus left ,
S ee k no t t o hi de tha t all this cons ciousnes s

Of failure is as s u med .
P ar . M y friend my friend , ,
I spe ak y ou lis t en ; I explain perhaps

, ,
You unders tan d : there o ur communion ends .
Have y ou learn t nothing from t o day s d iscourse ? -

’
Wh en we would thoroughly know the sick man s s tate ’
We feel awhile the fluttering pulse press sof t ,
The hot brow look upon the langui d eye

, ,
And thence di vine the res t M us t I lay bare .
M y heart hi deous and beating or tear up

, ,
M y V itals for your gaze ere y ou wil l deem ,
E nough made known ? You ! wh o are y ou forsoo th ? ,
That is the crowni ng opera t ion claimed

By the arch de m ons trat or heaven the hall
-
,
And earth the audience Le t Aprile and y ou .
S ecure good places twill be worth your while

’
.
Fes t Are y o u mad Aureole ? What can I have s aid

.
,
T o call for this ? I judged from your o w n words .
P ar O h t rue ! A fevered wr etch describes the ape

.
,
Tha t mocks him from the bed foot and y ou tu rn -

,
All gravely thi ther at once : o r he recounts

The perilous journey he has late performed ,
And you are puzzled much h ow tha t could be !

Yo u find me here hal f stupid and half mad,
It makes no part of my de l igh t to search

I nt o these things much less t o undergo
,
Ano ther s scrutiny ; bu t so it chances

’
That I am led t o trus t my s ta te to y ou

And the event is you co m bin e contrast
, , ,
And ponder on my foolish words as though ,
They thoroughly conveyed all hi d den here

H ere loathsome with d espair and hate and rage !
, , ,
I s there no fear n o shr inking or no sham e ?

, ,
[ 1 88 ]
BROWNING S PARACE LSUS
’
Wi ll you guess nothing ? will you spare me nothing ?

M ust I go deeper ? Aye or no ?
Fes t
. Dear friend
P ar True : I am brutal
. tis a p art of it ; ’
The plague s si g n you are n o t a l azar haunter

’
-
,
H ow should you know ? Wel l then you think it strange ,
I sh ould p rofess to have fail ed utterly ,
And yet p ropose an u l timate return

T0 courses void o f hop e : and th i s because ,
You k now not what temp ta t ion is nor h ow ,
’
Tis like to ply m e n in the sickliest p art .
You are to un derstand th at w e w h o mak e

,
Sp ort for the go ds are hunted to t h e e nd :

,
Th ere is no t one sh arp vol ley sh ot at us ,
Whi ch i f w e m anage to escap e with l ife ,
Though touched an d hurt w e straigh t may slacken ,
pace
And gather by the w ay side herbs an d roots
-
To stanch o u r woun ds secu re fro m furth er harm

,
No ; w e are ch ased to li f e s extremest verge ’

.
It will be well in dee d if I return ,
A harml ess busy fool to m y o l d ways !

,
I wou l d forget h ints O f anoth er f ate ,
S ignificant enough wh ich silent hours

,
H ave lately scared me with .
Fes t . An other ! and what ?

P ar Af ter all Festus you say we l l : I s tand
.
, ,
A man yet I n e ed never hu m ble me .
I woul d h ave been something I know not what ; ,
But th ou gh I cannot soar I do not crawl ,
There are worse portions than this o ne of mine ;

You say wel l !
Fes t Ah !
P ar
. An d d eeper d egradation !
If the mean sti mulants of vu lg ar p raise ,
An d vanity shoul d beco m e t h e ch osen foo d

,
[ 134 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
At th ese entangling fantasies as you ,
At tra m mels o f a weaker intel l ect .
M easure your min d s heigh t by the shade i t cas ts !

’
I know y o u .
P ar . And I know y ou deares t Fes tus ! ,
And how you love unworth i l y ; and how

A ll ad miration ren ders blind .
Fes t . You hold

That admiration blinds ?
P ar . Aye and alas ! ,
Fes t Nought blinds y ou less than a d mira t ion will

. .
Whether it be that all love renders wise

In its degree ; from love which blen ds with love
H eart ans wering h eart to love which spends itself
In silent m ad i dolatry of so m e
Preem inent morta l so m e great soul o f souls
, ,
Wh ich ne er will know h ow well it is adored

’
I say such love is never blin d ; but rather

,
Alive to every the minutest spo t

Which mars its object and whi ch hate ( supposed
,
S o vigilant an d searching ) dreams not of :

Love broo ds on such : what then ? When first perceived
Is there no sweet strife to forge t to change , ,
To o v erflu sh those ble m i shes with all

The glo w of general goodness they disturb ?
To mak e those very defects an en dless source
O f new aff ection grown from h opes an d fears ?
And when all fail s is there no gallant stand
, ,
M ad e even for much proved weak ? no shrinking back -
Lest risin g even as its i d ol sinks

, ,
It nearly reach t h e sacred p l ace and s tand ,
Al most a rival o f that i d ol ? Trust me ,
If there be fien d s w h o seek t o work o u r hur t ,
To ruin and drag d own earth s m ightiest s p irits ’

,
E ven at God s foo t twil l be from such as love

’
,
’
,
Their zeal wi l l gather most to serve their cause ;
[ 1 86 ]
And least from those w h o hate w h o mos t essay ,
By contumely and scorn to blot the ligh t

Which will have en trance even to their hear ts ;
For thence will o u r Defender tear the veil
An d show within each heart as in a shr ine , ,
The gian t image o f Perfection grown ,
In hate s d espite whose calumni es were spawned

’
,
In the untroubled presence o f its eyes !

True ad miration blinds n o t ; n or am I
So blin d : I call your s in exceptional ;
It springs from on e whose life has passed the bounds
Prescribed t o lif e C ompound that fault with God !
.
I speak o f men ; to co m mon men like me

The weakness y ou conf ess endears y ou more
Like the far traces O f decay in suns
I bid y ou have good cheer !
P raeclare! Optimis t
Thi nk of a quie t moun tain cloistered pries t -
Instructing Paracelsus ! yet tis so ,

’
.
C ome I will show you where my merit lies

, .
’
Tis in the advance of in dividual minds
Tha t the slow crowd shoul d ground their expec ta tion
E ventually t o follow as the sea
Waits ages in its bed till some one wave
,
’
O ut of the multitude aspires extends ,
The empire of the whole som e feet perhaps , ,
O ver the strip of sand whi ch would confine

Its fellows so long time : thenceforth the res t ,
E ven t o the meanest hurry in at once

, ,
And s o much is clear gained I shall be glad .
If all my labors failing of aught else

, ,
S uffice t o make such inr oad and procure ,
A wider range for thou ght : nay they do thi s ; ,
For whatsoe er my notions of true knowledge

’
,
And a legiti m ate success may be , ,
I am no t blind t o my undoubted rank
[ 1 87 ]
B ROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
When classed with others : I precede my age

And whoso wills is very free to mount
,
These labors as a p l at f orm wh ence th eir ow n ,
M ay h ave a prosp erous outset : b ut alas ! ,
My fol lowers th ey are noisy as you heard ,
But f or intelligence t h e b est of th em

S o clumsily wiel d the weap ons I supply
And th ey extol th at I be g in to d ou b t
,
Whether th eir o wn rude c l u b s an d p e b ble s tones -
Wou l d not d o better service than my arms

Thus vi l ely swaye d if error will not fall
S ooner before the old awkward batteri ngs
Th an my more subtle warfare not half l earned , .
Fes t I woul d su p p l y th at art then an d withhold

.
, ,
Its arms unt i l you have taught their mystery .
P ar C ontent y o u tis m y wish ; I have recours e

’
. .
To the simplest trai ni ng D ay by day I seek.
T o wake t h e moo d t h e spirit whi ch alone

,
C an make th ose arms o f any use to men .
O f course they are for swaggering forth at once

,
Graced with Ulysses c l ub Ach i lles shield

’
,
’
Flash on us a l l in armor th ou Achil l es !

, ,
M ake ou r hearts dance t o thy resounding s tep !

A p roper sight to scare t h e crows away !
Fes t Pity you choose not then some other me thod
.
, ,
O f com ing at your p oint The m arvel ous ar t

.
At length establishe d in the worl d bids fair

To rem edy all hin drances like these
Trus t to Frobenius p ress t h e precious lore
’
O bscured by uncouth manner or unfit ,
For raw beginners ; let his types secure

A d eathless monument to after tim es ; -
M eanwhile wa i t confidentl y and enjoy

The u l timate effect : sooner or later ,
Yo u shall be all revealed

-
.
P ar
. The old dull ques tion
[ 1 88 ]
’
Apprized m e that t h e famous teacher here

'
Was my O ld frien d .
P ar . Ah I forgot ; you went ,
Fes t From Zurich with a d vices for t h e ear

.
Of Luther now at Wit t emb u rg ( you know

, ,
I m ake no d oubt t h e d iff erences of late

,
With C arol os t adiu s ) and returning sough t

Basel and
P ar . I remember Here s a case now .
’
, ,
Will teach y ou w h y I answer not but burn ,
T h e books y o u mention : p ray does Luther dream ,
H is arguments convince by their ow n force

The crowds that own his d octrine ? No indeed ,
His plain denial of established points

Ages h ad sanctified and men suppos ed
C ou l d never be op pugned while earth was under
—
And heaven above them points which chance or time ,
A flec t e d not d id more than the array

’
Of argu m en t which followed Bol dl y d eny ! .
There is much breath stopping hair stiffening

-
,
-
Awhile ; th en amazed glances mute awaiting

, ,
The th u nderbolt which does not come ; and nex t ,
Rep roachf ul wonder and enquiry : those

Wh o el se had never stirre d are ab le now ,
To fi nd the rest ou t for th emselves perhaps

To outstrip him w h o set the whole at work ,
As never will my wise class its ins truc tor .
An d y ou saw Lu ther ?
H S a wondrous soul !
"
Fes t .
P ar True : the so heavy chain which galled mankind

.
-
Is shattere d and the nob l est of us all

,
M ust bow to the deliverer nay t h e worker ,
O f our own projects we wh o l ong before

Had burst its trammels but forgot the crowd , ,
We shoul d have taugh t sti ll groaned beneath t h e load

,
This he has done and no bl y Sp eed th at m ay ! .
[ 140 ]
Whatever be my chance or my despair ,
What benefits mankind mus t glad me t o o

And men seem made though not as I believed , ,
Fo r so m ething better than the times produce :

Witness these gangs O f peasants your new lights
From Su ab ia have possessed whom M unzer leads , ,
An d who m the d uke the landgrave an d the elector

,
Will calm in blood ! Well well t is no t my world !

,
Fes t H ark !
.
P ar
. Tis the melancholy wind as tir
’
Within the t rees ; the embers t oo are gray ,
M orn mus t be near .
Bes t op e the casemen t : s ee ,
The ni ght la te s trewn with clouds and flying s tars

, ,
I s bla nk and motionless : how peaceful sleep

The tree tops all together ! Like an asp
-
,
The wind slips w hi spering from bough t o bough .
P ar Aye ; you woul d gaze on a wind shaken tree

.
-
By the hour n o r count time los t

, .
Fes t
. S o y ou shall gaze
Those happy times w ill come again
P ar
. Gone ! gone !
Those pleasan t t imes ! Does n ot the moaning wind
S eem to bewail tha t we have gained such gains
And bar tered sleep for them ?
Fes t
. It is our trus t
Tha t there is ye t ano ther world t o mend
All error and mischance .
P ar
. Ano ther world !
And wh y this world this common worl d t o be
, ,
A make shift a mere foil h o w fair soever

-
, , ,
T o some fine life to co m e ? M an must be fed

With angel s food forsooth ; and some few traces
’
, ,
O f a diviner nature which look ou t

Through his corporeal baseness warran t him ,
In a supreme contemp t for all provision
[ 14 1 ]
B R O W N I N G HS P A R A C E L S U S
Fo r his inf erior ta stes so m e strag gl ing marks

Wh ich constitute his essence just as tru l y ,
As h ere and there a gem woul d constitute

The rock their barren b ed a d iamond
, , .
But were it so were m an al l mind he gains

A station littl e enviable From Go d .
Down to the lowest sp irit ministrant ,
Intell igence exists which cas ts ou r mind

Into i mm easurable sh ade N0 no .
,
Love hop e fear faith

, , these make humani ty ;
,
These are its signs and note and character ;

, ,
And these I have lost ! gone shut fro m m e forever , ,
Like a dead friend safe from u nkin dness more !

,
S ee m orn at length The heavy d ar kness seems

.
Dil uted ; gray and clear without t h e stars ;

The shr ubs bestir and rouse themselves as if ,
S o m e snake that weighed the m d own all nigh t le t go ,
H is hol d ; and from t h e east fuller and fuller ,
Day l ike a mighty river is flowin g in ;

, ,
But clou d ed wintry desol ate and co l d

, , ,
Yet s ee how that broad prickly star shap ed p lan t , ,

-
,
H alf down in t h e crevice s p reads its woo lly leaves , ,
All thick and glistening with diam ond dew .
And y ou depart for E insiedeln this day :

And w e have s p en t all night in tal k lik e this !
If you wou l d have me better fo r your love ,
Revert no more to these s ad themes .
Fes t . O ne favor ,
And I have done I leave you deeply moved ;

.
,
Unwilling to have fared so well the wh i l e ,
M y friend h as change d so sorel y : if this m ood

Sh all p ass away if light once m ore arise
Where al l is d ar kness now i f you see fit
To hope and trust agai n and strive agai n ;
, ,
You will remember not ou r love alone

But that my faith in Go d s d esire for m an ’
[ 14 2 ]
BROWNING S PARAC ELSUS
’
S O d eep ly surely in eflac e ab ly

’
, , ,
That th enceforth flattery s h al l not p ucker it

O ut of the furrow of th at hi deous stamp
Which sh ows the next they fawn o n wh at they are , ,
This Basel wi th it s magnates o n e an d al l ,
Whom I curse soul an d limb And now desp a tch .

,
Despatch my trusty John ; and what remains

T o d o whate er arran g ements for our trip
’
Are yet to be completed s ee y ou hasten ,
This night ; we ll weather the storm at least : t o morro w

’
-
For Nuremburg ! No w leave u s ; this g rave c l erk

H as d ivers weighty ma tters for my ear ( Op orinus ,
goes ou t )
And s p are m y lungs At las t my gallant Fes tus
.
, ,
I am rid of thi s arch knave that follows me -
As a gaunt crow a gasp ing sheep ; at last

M ay give a loose to my del ight H ow kind .
,
H ow very kind my first best only friend !

, , ,
Why this looks like fidelity E mbrace me .
N ot a hair silvered yet ! Right : y ou S hall live

Til l I am worth your love ; y ou shall be proud ,
And I but let time show D id you not wonder ? .
I sent t o you because ou r compact weigh ed

Upon my conscience ( you recall the nig ht
At B as el wh ich the go d s confound ) because
,
O nce more I as p ire ! I call you to my si de ;

You come Yo u though t my message strange ?
.
Fes t
. SO s trange
Th at I must hope indeed your messenger , ,
Has min gl ed h i s ow n f ancies with the words

Purp orting to be yours .
P ar
. H e said no more ,
’
Tis probab l e than the precious fo lks I leave
,
S aid fift y fold more rou ghl y We ll a day

- .
- -
,
’
Tis true ; poor Paracelsus is exp osed
At last ; a most egregious quack he p roves ,
And those he overreached must spit their ha te

O n one w h o utterly beneath con temp t
, ,
C oul d yet deceive their top ping wits You heard .
Bare tru th ; and at my bidding you come here

To speed me on my enterprise as once ,
Your lavish wishes sped me my ow n friend ? ,
Fes t What is your purpose Aureole ?

.
,
P ar. O h for purpose , ,
There is n o lack of precedents in a case

Like mine ; at least if not precisely mi ne
, ,
The case o f men cast O ff by those they sough t

To benefi t .
Fes t . They really cas t y ou O ff ?

I only heard a vague t ale of some pries t ,
C ured by your skil l w h o wrangled at your claim

, ,
Knowing his life s wort h b est ; and how the judge

’
The matter was referred to saw no cause ,
To interfere nor you t o hi de your ful l

,
C ontemp t of him ; nor he again to smo ther , ,
H is wrath thereat whi ch raised s o fierce a flame

,
That Basel soon w as made no place for you .
P ar The affair o f Liech t e nfel s ? the shallowes t cau s e

.
,
The las t and sill iest outrage mere pre tense !

I knew it I fore told it from the firs t
, ,
How soon the stupid wonder you mistook

For genuine loyalty a cheering promise
O f better things t o come would pall and pass ;
And every word co m es true S aul is among .
The prophets ! Jus t s o long as I was p leased

To play O ff the mere marvels o f my art
Fan tastic ga m bols leading t o no end
I go t huge praise ; but one can ne er keep down ’
O ur foolish nature s weakness : there they flocked

’
Poor devils jostling swearing and perspiring

, , , ,
Till the walls rang again ; and all for me !

I had a kindness for them whi ch was righ t ; ,
[ 14 5 ]
Bu t th en I stoppe d not till I tacke d to tha t
A trust in them and a res p ect a sort
O f sympathy for them : I m ust nee ds begin
“
T o teach them n o t amaze them ;
, to imp ar t
The spir it whi ch should insti g ate the search
O f truth : just wha t you bad e me ! I spoke ou t .
Forthwith a m ighty squa d ron in d is g ust , ,

“ ”
File d o fl t h e s i fte d cha ff o f the sack I said , ,
Redoubling my endeavors to secure

The rest ; when lo ! o ne m an h ad stayed thus long
O nly to ascertain if I sup porte d
This tenet o f his o r that ; another loved
,
T o hear imp artially before he ju d ge d ,
And having heard now judged ; th is blan d disciple

,
Passed for my du p e but all along it seem s, , ,
Sp ied error where hi s ne i ghbors marvel ed most

That fiery doctor w h o h ad hailed me friend ,
D id it because m y b y path s once prove d wrong

-
,
A nd beaconed properly woul d co mm end again ,
The good old ways our sires jogge d safel y o er ’
Though not th ei r squea m ish sons ; the other worthy

Discovere d d ivers verses o f S t John .
,
Whi ch rea d successivel y refreshe d the s oul

, , ,
But muttered backwards cured the gou t the stone

, , , ,
The chol ic and what not : qu id mu lta? The end

,
Was a c l ear classroo m with a quiet leer ,
From grave fo lk and a sour rep roachful glance

,
Fro m th ose in chief w h o c ap in h and installed

, , ,
T h e new professor scarce a year before ;

A nd a vast flourish about patient m erit
O b scured awhile by flash y trick s but sure ,
S ooner o r later to emerge in splendor

O f wh ich t h e examp l e w as som e luckless W igh t
Wh o m m y arriva l h ad disco m fit e d ,
B u t n o w it see m s t h e gener al voice recalled

, ,
T o fi l l my cha i r a n d so e flace t h e stain

,
[ 14 6 ]
’
B R OWNING S PARACELSUS
My oldpre tensions even as Bas el di c tates

T o drop into the rank her wits assign me ,
And live as th ey prescribe and make that use ,
O f my poor knowledge which their r ul es all ow

Proud to be patted now and then and careful ,
To practise the true posture fo r receiving

Th e amplest benefit from their hoofs app liance
’
When they shall cond escend to tutor me .
Then one may feel resentment like a flame ,
Promp ting to deck false systems in Truth s garb ’
And tangle and entwin e mankind with error ,
And give them darkness for a dower an d falsehood ,
For a possession : o r one may mope away

Into a shade through thi nking ; or else d rowse
Into a dreamless sleep and so die O ff ,
But I but I now Festus sh all d ivine !

,
Am merely setting ou t in life once more ,
E mbracing my ol d ai m s ! What thinks he now ?

Fes t Your aims ? the aims ?
.
— t o know ? and where
is found
The early t rus t
P ar. Nay no t so fast ; I say , ,
The aims not the old means You know what made .
me
A laughing s t ock ; I w as a fool ; you know
-
The when and the how : hardly those means again !

Not but they h ad their beauty w h o shoul d know
Their passing beauty if no t I ? But still ,
They were d reams s o let them vanish : yet in beauty

, ,
If that may be S tay thus they pass in song !

.
s ings .
)
Heap cassia sandal buds and s tripes
,
-
,
O f lab d anum and aloe balls ,

-
S meare d with d ull nard an Indian wipes

Fro m out her hair : ( such bal sam fall s
[ 14 8 ]
T H E P O EM , PARACELSUS
Down s e a side moun tain pedes tals

-
,
From summi ts where tired winds are fain ,
S pent wi th the vas t and howling main ,
T o treasure half their island gain ) -

.
And s trew fain t swee tness from some O l d

E gyptian s fine worm ea ten shroud
’
-
,
Which breaks to dust when once u nroll ed ;

An d shr e d dim perfume lik e a cloud ,
From chamber long to quie t vowed ,
With mothed and dropping arras hung ,
M oldering the lu te and books among

O f queen long dead w ho lived there young
, , .
Mine every word ! and on such pile shall die

,
M y lovely fancies with fa ir perished things

, ,
Themselves fair and forgotten ; y es forgotten , ,
O r wh y abjur e them ? So I made this rhyme

Tha t fi tting dignity migh t be preserved :
N O l it tle proud w as I ; though the lis t of drugs
S macks Of my old voca tion and the verse ,
Hal ts like the bes t of Lu ther s psalms ! ’
Fest . Bu t Aureole , ,
Talk not thu s wildly and madl y I am here .
Did y ou know all indeed ! I have traveled far

,
T o learn your wishes Be yourself again ! .
For in this m ood I recognize y o u le ss

Than in the horrible despondency
I witness ed las t You may accoun t this j oy ;
.
,
Bu t ra ther le t me gaze on tha t despair

Than hear thes e incoheren t words and s e e ,
This flushed cheek and in tensely sparkling eye ! -
P ar Why man I was light hearted in my prime

.
, ,
-
,
I am ligh t hearted now ; wha t would y ou have ?

-
Aprile was a poet I make songs ,
Tis the very au g ury of success I wan t !

’
[ 1 49 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
Why sh o u l d I not be joyous now as then ?

Fest Joyous ! and how ? an d w h at re m ains for joy ?
.
You have decl are d the ends ( whi ch I am sick

Of naming ) are impracticable .
P ar . Aye ,
Pursued as I pursued them the arch fool ! -
Listen : m y p l an will p lease you not tis like ; ,

’
But y ou are li ttl e versed in t h e wor l d s ways ’

.
This is my p lan ( first d rinking its goo d luck )

I will accept all helps ; all I d espised
S o rashl y at the outset equal l y
,
With early i m p ulses l ate years have quenched

,
I have tried each way singly now for both !

All helps no o ne sort sh all exclu d e the res t .
I seek to KNO W and to ENJO Y at once ,
Not o ne wi thout t h e other as before .
S uppose my l abor shou ld seem God s ow n cause ’
O nce more as fir st I dreamed i t shall not balk me

, ,
O f t h e m eanest earthliest sens u al es t d elight

, ,
That may be snatched ; for every joy is gain ,
A nd w h y spur n g ai n however small ? M y soul

,
“
C an die then nor be taunted what was gai ned ?
,
Nor o n the oth er hand if pleasure meets m e

, ,
As though I had not spurned her hith erto ,
Shall sh e o ercl ou d m y s p irit s rap t communion

’ ’
Wi th the tumul tuous p ast t h e tee ming future

, ,
G lorious with Visions of a f ull success !

Fest S ucces s !
.
P ar . And wherefore not ? Why no t prefer

Results O b ta ined in my best state o f being ,
To those d erived alone from seas ons d ar k

As the though ts they bred ? When I w as bes t my
youth
Unwasted see med success not sures t t oo ?
It i s t h e nature o f darkness to obscure .
I am a wan derer : I re m em b er well
[ 15 0 ]
BROWNING S ’
PARACELSUS
Why be it so and let th em take their chance !

,
I am a b ove them l i k e a G od in vain

To hi d e t h e fact what i dle scruples then , ,
Were th ose th at ever bad e me sof ten it ,
C ommun i cate it gen t ly to the world ,
Instead of proving my supre m acy ,
Tak ing my natural station o er th eir heads ’

,
Th en owning all the gl or y was a m an s ’
And in my elevation m an s wou ld be ! ’
B u t live and learn though l i fe s short ; learning hard !

’
, ,
S till o ne th ing I h ave learne d not to despair

,
And therefore thou g h the wreck o f my p ast self

, ,
I fear dear Putter th at your lecture room

, ,
-
M ust wait awhil e for its b est ornament ,
T h e p en i tent e m p ir i c w h o set up ,
Fo r so m ebod y but soon was tau g ht hi s place

,
Now but too h app y to be let con f ess

,
Hi s error snu ff t h e can dl es an d ill us trate

, ,
( Fiat exp erien tia corp ore vi li )

Your m edicine s soun d ness in his person Wai t
’
.
,
Goo d P iit t er !
Fes t . H e wh o sneers thus is a Go d ! ,
P ar Aye a y e laugh at m e ! I am very g lad

.
, ,
You are not g u ll e d b y a ll th i s swagg ering ; you

C an see the root o f t h e m atter ! how I strive
T o put a goo d face o n t h e overth row
I h ave exp e rience d a n d to b ury a nd hi de
,
M y de g radation in its l ength a nd bread th ;

H ow t h e mean m otives I woul d mak e y o u thi nk ,
Just m ing l e as is d u e with no b ler ai m s ,
The app etites I mo destly allow

M ay influence m e as I am m orta l still
Do goad me drive me on an d f ast supplant
, ,
M y youth s d esires : you are no stupi d d up e ;

’
Yo u fi n d me out ! Yes I h ad sent for y o u ,
T O p al m th ese ch i l d ish l ies upon you Festus ! ,
[ 152 ]
Laugh shall laugh at me !

y ou
Fes t. The pas t then Aureole , , ,
Proves no thi ng ? I s ou r in terchange o f love

Yet t o begin ? H ave I t o swear I mean
No fla ttery in this speech or that ? For y ou ,
Whate er y ou say there is no degradation

’
, ,
These low thoughts are no inmates o f your mind ;

O r wherefore this disorder ? Yo u are vexed
A s much by the intrusion o f base views ,
Familiar t o your adversaries as they ,
Were troubled should your qualities al igh t

Amid their murky souls : not otherwise ,
A s tray wolf whi ch the win ter forces down

From o u r bleak hills su ffices t o aflrigh t ,
A vill age in the vales whil e fores ters

S leep calm though all night long the famished troop s
S nuff round and scratch against their crazy hu ts :
These evil thoughts are monsters and will flee , .
P ar M ay y o u be happy Festus my o w n friend !

.
, ,
Fes t Nay further ; the deligh ts you fain would

.
,
think
The superseders of your nobler aims ,
Though ordinary and harmless stimulan ts ,
Will ne er con ten t y o u

’
P ar
. H ush ! I once despised them ,
Bu t tha t soon pas ses : w e are high at first

In our demands n or will aba t e a j o t
,
O f t oil s s trict value ; but time passes o er

’ ’
And humbler spirits accept what we refuse ;

In shor t when some such comfor t is doled ou t
,
A s thes e delights w e cannot long re tain

,
The bitter contemp t which u rges us at firs t

To hurl it back but hug it to o u r breas t
,
And thankfully retire This life o f mine .
M us t be lived ou t and a grave thoroughly earned

,
I am j ust fit for tha t and nough t beside .
1 58
B R O W N I N G fis P A R A C E L S U S
I told you onc e I canno t now E njoy

, ,
U nless I deem my knowled ge gains throu gh joy ;

Nor can I Know but strai gh t warm tears reveal
,
M y need of linking also joy to knowle dge

S o on I drive enjoying all I can ,
An d k nowing all I can I speak o f course

.
, ,
C onfusedl y ; this will be tter explain feel here !

Quick beating is it not ? , a fire of the heart
To work O ff some w ay this as well as any !
,
S o Festus sees me fairly launched ; his calm

,
C o mpassionate look migh t have disturbed me once ,
But now far fro m rejecting I invite

, ,
What bi ds me p res sit h e closer l ay myself ,
Op en before him and be soothed with p ity ;

,
And hope if he comman d hop e ; an d believe

,
As he directs me satiatin g myself

With hi s enduring love : and Festus qui ts me
To give p lace to som e cred ulous d isciple
Who hol ds that G od is wise but Paracelsu s ,
H as his peculiar m erits I suck in .
That hom age chuc kle o er th at adm iration

,
’
,
And then d i smiss t h e fool ; for night is come ,
And I betake m y self to stu d y a g ain ,
Till patient searchings af ter h i dden lore

Hal f wring s ome bright truth from its prison ; my
frame
Trembles my forehead s veins swell out my hair
,
’
,
Tingles fo r triu m ph ! Slow and sure t h e morn

S hall break o n my pent room and dw indling lamp , ,
An d furnace d ea d and scattered earths and ores

, ,
Wh en wi th a failing heart and throbbing brow

, ,
I must revie w my cap tured truth su m up ,
I ts value trace what en ds to what begins

, ,
I ts present power with its eventual bearings ,
Latent affinities the views it opens

, ,
And its full length in perfecting my scheme ;
[ 154 ]
In v ai n en d ea v o rs to d eri v e a bea u t y
Fr m u g l in es s
o
?
“h y seek to make t h e mos t
O f w h at n o po w er ca n ch ang e nor s tr ive i ns tea d .
“7th might y eff ort to red eem th e pa s t .
A nd g ath er in g u p t h e tr ea s u res th u s cas t down

. .
,
T o h ol d a st ea d fas t c ours e til l I ar rive

? ”
At th eir fit d es t inati o n an d my o wn .
You h a ve never po n d er ed th u s ?
Have I y o u as k ?
,
O ften at mi dni ght, wh en m os t fanc i es co m e ,
W o u l d so m e s u ch air y p roj e ct v is i t m e :
’
B u t e v er a t th e e n d or will y ou h ear
T h e sa me thin g in a tal e a pa ra b le ?
,
It ca n not pr ove mo re t e d i o u s ; l isten then !

You an d I w an d er i ng over t he wor l d wi de
.
,
C h an ce t o set foo t u p on a des er t coa s t :

Ju s t a s w e c ry N o h um an voice be fo re
,
"
.
”
B r oke t h e inve t er a t e sil en c e of th es e roc k s !
Th eir q u eru l o u s ec h o s t a rt l es u s : we t u rn
Wh at rav ag e d str uctu re st i ll l ook o er t h e s ea
’
s
?
S ome ch aracters rem ain t o o ! “h ile we read . ,
Th e sh ar p sa l t w in d i m pa t ien t for the l as t

. .
OT sings w hat we re c over m ock ing it .
This i th e re co rd ; an d m y voi ce t h e win d s

s
,
’
.
( He s ings .
)
Ov er th e s ea ou r gall e y s went .
mmcl e a vi ng p ro w s in ord er b rave ,
A t a rmam en t
g all an
Ea c h b ar k b u ilt o u t Of a fo rest tr e e -
,
Lef t l eaf an d ro u gh as fi rs t it grew

y .
An d nail ed al l over t h e g aping s i d es ,
Wi t hin an d w ith out wi th black b u ll hi des ,

-
,
Se e th ed in fat and su p pl ed in flam e ,
[ 15 6 ]
To bear the playful billows gam e ; ’
S o each good ship was ru de to see ,
Rude an d bare to the outward view ,
But each u pbore a sta tely tent ;

Where cedar p ales in scented row
-
Kep t out t h e flakes of the d ancing brine

An d an awning drooped the m as t below ,
In fold o n fold of t h e purple fine ,
T h at neither noon ti d e nor sta r s hi ne

-
,
-
,
Nor moonl ig h t cold which maketh mad ,
M ight pierce t h e regal tenement .
When the sun dawned oh gay and gl ad , ,
We set the sail and p l ied the c ar ;

But when the nigh t w ind blew like brea th
-
For joy o f o n e d ay s voyage more

’
,
We sang together on the wide sea ,
Like men a t pe ace on a peaceful shore ;

E ach sail w as loosed t o the wind so free ,
E ach helm made sure by the twi ligh t star ,
And in a sleep as cal m as death ,
We the strangers from afar

, ,
Lay stretched along each weary crew

, ,
I n a circle round its wondrous tent ,
Whence gleamed soft light and curled rich scen t ,
And with light and perfume music t oo : ,
S o the sta rs wheeled round and the darknes s pas t

, ,
And at m orn we started beside the mas t ,
And s till eac h ship w as sailing fas t !
O ne morn the land appeared !

, a speck
Dim trem bling betwixt s ea and s k y .
“ “
Avoid it cried our pilot check
, ,
”
The shout restrain the longing eye !
,
Bu t t h e heaving sea was bl ac k behin d

Fo r many a nigh t and many a day ,
An d land th ough bu t a roc k drew ni gh ;

, ,
[ 15 7 ]
S o we broke the ce dar p ales aw ay -
,
Let the purple awning flap in t h e wind ,
And a s tatue bright w as o n every d eck !

We shouted every man o f us
, ,
And steered right into the harbor thu s ,
With p omp and p aean glorious .
An hundred shapes o f lucid stone !

All day we bui l t a shrine for each
A shrine of rock for every one
N o r paused w e till in t h e westering sun
We sate togeth er o n the beach
To sing because our task was done ;
,
When lo ! what shouts and merry songs !

Wh at laughter all the distance stirs !
What raf t comes loaded with i ts throngs
Of gentle islanders ?
“
Th e isles are just at hand they cried ; ,
“
Like cloudl ets fain t a t even s l eeping ,
O ur temp le gates are opened wide

-
,
O ur olive groves thick shade are keeping

-
”
For the lucid shapes y ou bring the y cried .
O h then we woke with su dden start

,
From our deep d ream ; w e knew too late , ,
H o w bare the rock how desolate , ,
To which w e h ad flung our precious freigh t

“
Yet we c all ed out Depart !
O ur gifts once given mus t here abide
, ,
O ur work is done ; w e have no heart

”
To mar o ur work though vain , we cried .
Fes t . In tru th ?
P ar. Nay wait : all thi s in tracings fain t
,
May still be read o n that d eserte d roc k ,
O n ru gg e d stones strewn here and there but p iled

, ,
In order once ; th en fo ll ows mark what follows
[ 15 8 ]
’
BROWNING S PARA C ELSU S
Fes t . Do we so di fi er ? True change must p rocee d , ,
Whether for goo d or i ll ; keep fro m m e whi ch ! ,
G o d m a d e you a n d knows what you may beco m e

Do not confid e all secrets : I was born
To hop e and you ,
P ar . To trust : you know the f ruits !

Fes t Listen : I do believe w h at you cal l trust
.
,
Was self reliance at the best : f or see !

-
,
S o long as G od woul d kindly p ioneer

A p ath for you an d screen you from the world
, ,
Procure you f ull exe mp tion f rom m an s l ot ’
M an s co m m on hopes an d f ears on the mere pre tex t

’
Of your engagement in hi s service yiel d y ou

A li mi tl ess license m ake you G od in fac t
, , ,
And turn your slave you were content to say

M os t courtly p raises ! What is it at last , ,
But selfishness with out exam p l e ? None

C ould trace Go d s will so p l ain as you while yours
’
Rem ain ed i m p lied in it ; but now you fail ,
An d we w h o prate about th at will are foo ls !

, ,
In sh ort Go d s serv ice is esta blish ed h ere

,
’
As he d eter m ines fit and not your wa y , ,
An d thi s you cannot b roo k ! S uch disconten t

Is weak Re nounce all creaturesh i p at once !
.
Affirm an absolute righ t to have and use

You r energ ies ; as th ough the rivers should say
“
We rush to the ocean ; wh at h ave w e to do
With fee ding strea ml ets lingering in the m arshes
, ,
”
S l eep in g in l azy p ools ? S et up that p l ea ,
That will be bold at least !

P ar . Perhap s p erhaps ! ,
Your onl y serviceable spirits are th ose

T h e east p ro d uces : lo the mas ter no ds , ,
A n d th e y raise terraces s p rea d g ard en g roun d s

,
-
In one n igh t s s p ace ; and thi s d one stra igh t begin

’
, ,
Anoth er century s sleep to t h e great p raise

’
[ 1 60 ]
T H E POEM , PARA C ELS U S
O f him that frame d them wise and beautiful ,
Til l a lamp s rubbing or so m e chance akin

’
, , ,
Wake them again I am of difleren t mol d .

’
.
I would have soothed my lord and slave d for him , ,
And done him service pas t my narrow bond ,
And thus I get rewarded for m y pains !

Beside tis vain to talk of forwarding
,
’
God s glory oth erwise ; this is alone

’
The sphere o f its increase as far as men ,
Increas e it ; why then look beyond this sphere ?

, ,
We are his glory ; and if we be glorious ,
I s not the thin g achieved ?

Fes t . S hall o ne like me
Judge hearts like yours ? Though years have changed
y ou much ,
And y ou have left your first love and re tain ,
I t s empty shade t o veil your crooked ways ,
Ye t I still hold that you have honore d God ;

And wh o shall call your course without reward ?
For wherefore thi s rep ining at defea t
, ,
H ad triumph ne er inured y o u to high hopes ?

’
I urge y ou t o forsake the lif e y ou curse ,
And what success attends me ? si m ply ta lk

O f passion weakness and remorse ; in short
, , ,
Anythi ng but the naked truth : you choose

Thi s s o despised career and rather praise
-
,
Than take my happines s o r o ther men s ,

’
.
O nce more re tur n ! ,
P ar . And soon Op orinu s .
H as pilfered half my secrets by thi s time :

An d w e depart by daybreak I am weary .
,
I know not how ; not even the wine cup soo thes -
M y brain to night -
.
Do y ou not thoroughl y despise me Fes tus ? ,
N o flattery ! O ne like you needs not be told

We live an d breathe deceiving and deceived .
[ 161 ]
’
BROWNING S PARA C EL S US
D o y ou not scorn me from your heart o f hearts ?
M e and my cant my petty subterf uges
My rhymes and all th is frothy sh ower o f word s
,
My glozing self d ecei t m y ou tward crust

,
-
O f lies whi ch wrap as tetter morp h ew f urfur

, , , ,
Wrap the sound fles h ? so see y o u flatter not ! ,
Why even God flatters ! but my friend at leas t

, , ,
Is true I would dep art secure hence f orth

.
,
Agains t all further insult h ate and wrong , ,
From puny foes : my o ne friend s scorn shal l brand me

’
No fear of sinking deeper !

Fest . N o dear Aureole ! ,
N o no ; I came t o cou ns el fai thf ul l y ;

,
There are ol d rules made long ere we were born

, ,
By which I ju d ge you I so fal lible .

, ,
S o infinitely low besi d e your sp irit

M ighty majestic ! even I can see
,
You own some higher law th an ours which call

S in what is no sin weak ness what is strength ;
, ,
But I have only these such as they are , ,
To guide me ; and I blame you where they blame ,
O nl y s o long as blam ing p ro m ises

To w in peace for your sou l ; the more that sorrow ,
H as fallen on me o f l ate and th ey h ave helped me ,
S o that I faint not under m y distress .
But wherefore shoul d I scru ple to avow

In spite o f all as brother ju dging broth er
, ,
Your fate to me is m ost inexplicable :

And should y ou peris h with out recompense
And satisfaction y et t oo h astil y
I have relied o n love : you m ay h ave sinned ,
But you have loved As a m ere h uman matter

.
As I woul d have G o d deal with fragile men

I n the end I say that you wi l l triumph yet !
P ar H ave y o u felt sorrow Festus ? tis because ’
.
,
You love me S orrow and sweet M ichal yours !

. ,
[ 1 6 92 ]
B R O W N I N G ES P A R A C E L S U S
V PARAC E LSUS ATTAIN S

.
S C EN E . A cell in t he H ospital of S t . S ebas tian , at
S alzbu rg 1541 .
FES TU S , PA RA C EL S U S
Fest . change ! The weary ni ght is well ni g h

No
spent ,
The lamp burns low and through the cas em ent bars
,
-
Gray m orning gl i mmers fee b l y yet no change !

Another nigh t and sti ll no sigh has st i rred
,
Th at fal l en d iscolored mouth no p ang relit ,
Those fixe d eyes quench ed by t h e d ecaying body

, ,
Like torch flam e chok ed in d u st : whi l e all beside

-
Was breaking to t h e last they he l d out bright

, ,
As a stronghold where life intrench e d itself ;

But they are dea d now very b li nd a nd d ead .
H e will drowse into death with out a groan !

M y Aureole my forgotten ruined Aureole ! ,
The days are gone are gone ! H ow grand thou wert

,
And now not one o f those who struck thee d own

Poor gl orious s p irit
. concerns h im even to stay
And satisfy himself his little hand
C oul d turn Go d s image to a l ivi d thing
’
.
Another nigh t and yet no ch ange ! Tis much

,
’
That I should sit by him and bath e his brow , ,
And ch a f e hi s hands tis much ; but he will sure

’
Know m e and l ook on m e an d speak to m e

, ,
Once m ore but only once ! H is hol low c h eek

Looked al l ni gh t long as th ough a creeping laugh
A t hi s o w n state were just about to break
From the d ying man : my brain swam my throat ,
swell e d ,
[ 1 64 ]
T H E POEM , PARA C EL S U S
A nd yet I could not turn away In tru th .

,
They told me how when first brough t here he seemed

, ,
Resolved t o live t o lose no fac ul ty ;

Thus striving t o keep up his shattered s treng th ,
Un t il they bore him to this stifling cell

When straight his features fell an hour made whi te
The flushed face and relaxed the quivering limb ;
O nly the eye rem ained intense awhile ,
As though it recogniz ed the tomb like place ; -
And then he lay as here he lies .
Aye here ! ,
H ere is earth s noblest nobly garlanded

’
,
H er braves t champ ion with hi s well won meed

,
-
H er best achievem ent her sublime amends

,
For countless generations fleeting fas t ,
And followed by no trace ; the creature god -
S he i ns tances when angels would di spute

The title o f her brood to rank with them
Angels this is ou r angel ! those brigh t forms
,
We clothe with purple crown and call t o thrones

, ,
Are human bu t not his : those are but men

,
Whom other men press round and kneel before

Those palaces are dwelt in by mankind ;
Higher provision is for hi m y ou seek
Amid ou r pomps and glories : s ee it here !
Behold ear t h s paragon ! N ow raise thee clay !
’
, ,
God ! Thou ar t L ove ! I build my faith on that !

E ven as I watch beside thy tortured child ,
U nconscious whose h o t te ars fall fas t by hi m ,
S o doth thy right hand guide us through the world

Wherein we stumble G o d ! wha t shall we say ?
.
H ow has he sinne d ? H ow else should he have done ?

S u rely he sought thy praise thy praise for all ,
H e might be busied by t h e task so much

As t o forge t awhile its proper end .
[ 1 65 ]
B R O W N I N G WS P A R A C E L S U S
Dost thou well Lord ? Th ou canst not but p refer

,
That I sh oul d range mysel f up on his sid e

H ow coul d he stop at every step to set
T h y glory forth ? H adst Thou but grante d h im
S uccess thy honor wou l d have crowned success
, ,
A halo round a sta r O r say he erre d

.
,
S ave him d ear God ; it will be like th ee : bathe

,
him
I n l ight and life ! Thou art no t made like us ;
We should be wroth in such a case ; b ut Th ou
Forg ives t s o forgive these passionate th oughts
, ,
Whi ch co m e unsough t and wi ll not p ass awa y !

,
I know thee wh o hast kep t m y p ath an d m ade

, ,
Light for me in t h e darkness te m p ering sorrow ,
S o that i t rea che d me l ike a sol emn joy ;

I t were t oo strange th at I shou l d d ou b t t h y l ove
Bu t what am I ? Thou madest h im an d knowest ,
H ow he w as fashioned I cou l d never err

.
Tha t way : t h e qu i et place besi de t h y feet ,
Reserve d for me w as ever in m y thou gh ts ;

,
But he Thou shoul d st have favored him as well !
Ah ! he wakes ! Aureole I am here tis Fes tus !

,
’
I cast away all wishes save one wish

Let him but know me onl y speak to me !
H e mu tters louder and louder ; any other
Than I with brain less laden coul d col l ect
, ,
What he pours forth Dear Aur eole do but look !

.
,
Is i t talking or singin g thi s he utters fast ?

Misery that he shoul d fix m e with his eye
,
Quick tal king to some other all the while !

If he woul d husband this wil d vehemence ,
Which frustrates its intent ! I heard I know ,
I heard my name am id those rap id words

0 he will know me yet ! C ou l d I divert
This cur rent lead it som ehow gently back
[ 166 ]
’
BROWNING S PARA C EL S U S
Not wh en they set a b out their moun tain p il ing -

,
But wh en anoth er roc k wou l d crown th eir wor k !

An d Ph aeth on doubtless his first radiant p l unge
Astonish ed mortals ; thou g h the g o ds were cal m ,
And Jove prep are d his thun der : all old tales !
Fes t And what are these to you ?
.
P ar . Aye fien ds must laugh ,
S o cruelly so well ; mos t like I never

,
C ou l d tread a single pleasure under foot ,
But they were grinning by my si de were chuckling ,
To see me toil and d rop away by flakes !

,
H ell spawn ! I am glad m ost glad th at thus I fail !

-
, ,
You that hate men and all w h o wish their good

Your cunning has o ersh o t its aim O ne year
’
.
,
O ne m onth p erh aps and I h ad served your turn !

, ,
You sh ou l d h ave curbed your spite awhil e But now .

,
Who will bel ieve twas you th at hel d me back ?

’
Listen : there s shame an d h i ssing and contemp t

’
, , ,
An d none but laughs w h o nam es me none bu t

spits
M easureless scorn upon me me alone ,
The q uac k t h e ch eat t h e l iar all on me

, ,
And th us your famous p l an to si nk mankin d

In sil ence and desp air by teach i ng th em ,
O ne of th e i r race h ad p ro b ed t h e inm ost truth ,
H ad done all m an coul d d o yet fai l ed no l ess ,
Your wise plan proves a b ortive M en desp air ? .
H a ha ! w h y they are hooting t h e em piric

, ,
The ignorant and incapable fool who rushed

M adl y upon a work b eyond hi s wits ;
Nor doubt th ey but t h e simplest of themselves
C oul d bring t h e matter to triumphant issue !
S o pick and choose among them al l Accursed ! ,
Try now persua de som e other to slave for you

, ,
To ruin bo dy an d soul to work your ends :

No no ; I am t h e first and last I th ink !
, ,
[ 1 68 ]
T H E P O EM , PARA C EL S U S
Fes tDear friend wh o are accurse d ? w h o has

.
'
done
P ar What have I done ? Fiends dare ask that ? or
.
you ,
Brave men ? O h you can chi me in bol dly backed

, ,
By the others ! Wha t had you t o do sage peers ? ,
Here s tand my rivals truly Arab Jew , , ,
G reek join dead hands against me : all I ask

,
I s that the world enrol my name with theirs

, ,
An d even this poor privilege i t seems , ,
They range themselves prep ared to disallow ! ,
O nly observe : w h y fiends may learn from them !

H ow they tal k calmly o f my throes my fierce
A sp irings terrible watchings
, each o ne clai mi ng
Its price o f bloo d and brain ; how they dissec t
And sneeringly d isparage the few truths
Got a t a life s cost ; they too hanging the while
’
Abou t my neck their lies mislead ing me

, ,
And their dead names browbeating me ! Gray crew ,
Yet steeped in fresh malevolence from hell ,
Is there a reason for your hate ? M y truths

Have shaken a li ttle the palm about each head ?
Jus t thi nk Aprile all these leering dotards
, ,
Were bent on nothi ng less than being crowned

As we ! That yellow blear eyed wretch in chief -
,
To whom the res t cringe low wi th feigned respec t

G alen o f Pergamos and hell ; nay speak
,
The tale old man ! We me t there face to face

,
I said the crown should fall from thee : once more

We meet as in that ghastly vestibule :
L ook t o my brow ! H ave I redeemed my pledge ?
Fes t P eace peace ; ah see !
.
, ,
P ar . O h emptiness of fam e ,
O h Persic Z oroaster lord of stars !

, ,
Who said these ol d renowns dead long ago , ,
C o u ld make me overlook the l iving wor l d
[ 1 69 ]
’
B R O W N I N G s PARA C EL S U S
To gaze th rou g h gloo m at wh ere th ey stoo d in dee d , ,
Bu t stan d no longer ? Wh at a warm ligh t l i fe

Af ter the sh ad e ! In truth m y delicate witch , ,
M y serp ent queen y ou did b ut well to hide

-
,
T h e jug g les I h a d else detecte d Fire .
M ay well run harml ess o er a breast like yours !

’
The cave w as not s o d arkene d by the smo k e

But that your white li m bs d azz l ed me : O h white , ,
And panting as they twink le d wi l dly dancing ! ,
I cared not for your passionate gestures then ,
But n ow I have forgotten t h e charm o f charms ,
The foolish knowledge which I came to see k ,
While I remember that quaint dance ; an d thus

I am come back not for those mu m meries
, ,
Bu t t o love you and to kiss your little fee t

, ,
S oft as an ermine s win ter coat !

’
Fest. A sense
Will struggle through these thronging words at las t ,
As in the angry an d tu m ultuous west

A soft s tar tre m b l es thr ough the d riftin g clouds .
These are t h e strivings of a spirit which ha tes

S o sad a vault shoul d coop it and calls up ,
The past to stand between it and its fate :

Were he at E insiedeln o r M ichal h ere !
P ar C ruel ! I see her now
. I kneel I shriek
I clasp her vesture but she fades still fades ; ,
And she is gone ; sweet hu m an l ove is gone !

’
Tis onl y when they spring to heaven th at angels
Reveal the m selves to y ou ; they sit all d ay
Beside you and lie down at nigh t b y you
, ,
Who care not for their p resence muse o r sleep

And all at once th ey leave you and y ou know th em !
We are so fool e d s o ch eated ! Why even now
, ,
I am not too secure against foul p l ay

The shadows deepen and the wal ls contrac t
,
No doub t some treachery is go i ng on !

BROWNING ’
S PARA C EL S U S
We are so weak we know our motives leas t

,
In their confuse d beginning : if at fir st

I sough t But wherefore bare my hear t to thee ?
I know thy mercy ; and al read y th oughts
Flock fast about my soul to comfor t it ,
A n d inti m ate I cannot w h oll y f ail ,
For love and praise woul d c l asp me willingly

C ould I resolve to seek them : Th ou ar t g oo d ,
A n d I shoul d be content ; yet yet first show

I have done wrong in daring ! Ra ther give
The sup ernatural consciousness o f strength
That fe d my youth one onl y hour o f that
With thee to help 0 what shoul d bar me then !
Lost ,los t ! Thus things are ordered here ! God s ’
creatures ,
And yet he takes no pride in us ! none none ! ,
Truly there needs anoth er lif e to come !

If this be a l l ( I must tell Festus that)
And other l if e await us not fo r o n e ,
I say tis a poor cheat a stu p i d bun g le

’
, ,
A wretched fa i lure I for one p rotest

.
, ,
Against it and I hurl i t back with scorn !
Well onward though alone : small time remains

, ,
And much to do : I must have f ruit must reap ,
S ome p rofit from my toil s I doubt m y bo dy .
Wil l hardl y serve me through : while I have labored

It has d ecaye d ; an d now tha t I demand
I ts best assistance it will crum b le fast :
,
A sad th ought a sad fate ! H ow very full

O f wor m wood tis that just at altar service
’
,
-
,
The rap t hymn rising with t h e roll i ng smo k e ,
Wh en glory dawns an d all is at t h e best

,
The sacred fire may flicker and grow faint , ,
A n d die fo r want o f a woo d p iler s hel p !

’
-
,
Thus fades the flagging body and the soul ,
Is p u lled down in t h e overthrow : well well ,
Le t men catch every word le t th em lose naugh t

O f wha t I s ay ; some thi ng may yet be done .
They are ruins ! Trus t me w h o am one o f y o u !

All ruins glorious once but lone l y now , .
I t makes my heart sick to behold y ou crouch

Beside your desolate fane ; t h e arches dim ,
The crumbling columns grand against the moon

C ould I bu t rear them up once m ore but that
M ay never be so leave th e m ! Trust me friends
, , ,
Why should you linger here when I have buil t

A far resplenden t te m ple all your o w n ? ,
Trus t me they are but ruins ! S ee April e

, , ,
M en will not heed ! Yet were I not prepared

Wi th better refuge for them t ongue o f mine ,
S hould ne er reveal how blank their dwelling is ;

’
I would s it down in silence with the rest .
H a wha t ? y ou spi t a t me y ou grin and shriek

, ,
C ontempt into my ear my ear whi ch drank

God s accen ts once ? you curse m e ? Why m en men
’
, ,
I am not formed for it ! Those hi deous eyes

Follow me sleeping wakin g praying Go d
, , ,
And wil l not le t me even die : spare spare me , ,
S inning or n o forge t that only s p are m e

, ,
Tha t horrible scorn ; you though t I could suppor t i t ,
Bu t now y ou s ee what silly fragile creature

C owers thus I am no t good nor bad enough
.
,
N o t C hrist nor C ain yet even C ain was saved

, ,
From hate like thi s : let me bu t t otter back ,
Perhaps I shall elude those jeers which creep

Int o my very brain and shut these scorched ,
E yelids and keep those mocking faces out

, .
1 73
B R O W N I N G MS P A R A C E L S U S
Listen Ap rile ! I
, very calm a m
Be not deceived there is no passion here , ,
Where the blood leaps l ike an imprisone d thing

I am calm ; I will exterminate the race !
E nough of that : tis sai d and it sh al l be ’
.
A n d no w be merry safe and soun d am I ,
Wh o broke thr ough their best ranks to ge t a t y ou ;

And such a havoc such a rou t Aprile ! , ,
Fes t H ave you no thought no memory for m e

.
, ,
Aureole ? I am so wr etched my pure M ichal

I s gone and y ou alone are lef t to me
, ,
And even you forget me : take my hand

Le an on me thus Do y ou not know me Aureo l e ?
, .
,
P ar Festus my ow n friend y ou are come at last ?

.
, ,
As y ou s ay tis an awful enter p rise

’
,
Bu t you believe I shall go th rough with it

T is like you and I th ank y ou ; thank him for me
’
, ,
Dear lVIich al ! S ee how bright S t S aviour s spire .

’
Fl ames in the sunset ; all it s figures quain t

Gay in the glancing light : y ou might conceive them
A troop of yellow vested whi te haired Jews -
,
-
,
Bound for their o wn land where rede m ption dawns !

Fest Not that bles t t ime
.
— n o t o ur youth s time
’
dear God !
P ar H a
. s t ay ! true I forge t all is done since ! ,
And he is come t o judge me : how he speaks ,
How calm how well ! yes it is true all true ;

, , ,
All quackery ; all deceit ! myself can laugh

The first at it if y o u desire : but still
,
Yo u know the obstacles which taught me tricks

S o foreign t o my nature envy and hate ,
Blin d opposition bru tal prejudice

Bald ignorance what wonder i f I sunk
To humor men the way they most approved ?
M y cheats were never palmed on such as you ,
Dear Festus ! I will knee l if you require me ,
[ 1 74 ]
BROWNING ’
S PARA C EL S U S
Th e windin g sh eet of subterraneous fire

Which pent and writhing sends no less at las t
, ,
Huge islands up am i d t h e si mm ering sea !

Behol d t h y mi g ht in me ! th ou has t infused
Thy soul in mine ; and I am gran d as th ou ,
S eeing I compreh end th ee I so simple ,
Thou so au gust ! I r ecognize th ee first ;

I saw thee rise I watche d thee earl y and late
, ,
An d though no glance reveal th ou d ost accep t

My homage thus no less I proffer it ,
And bid the e en ter gloriously thy res t !

P ar Festus !
.
Fest. I am for noble Aureole God ! ,
I am upon his side come weal or woe ! ,
His portion shall b e mine ! H e h as done well !

I woul d have sinned h ad I been strong enough
, ,
As he h as sinned ! Rewar d him or I waive

Rewar d ! If thou canst fin d no p l ace for hi m ,
H e sh all be king elsewhere an d I will be ,
H is slave for ever ! There are t wo of us !

P ar Dear Fes tus !
.
Fes t
. H ere dear Aureole ! ever by you ! ,
P ar Nay speak on o r I dream again

.
, S peak on !
, .
S ome story anything onl y your voice

, .
I shall dream else Sp eak on ! aye lea ning so !

.
,
Fest S oftly the M ayne river gl idet h

.
C lose by where my love abi deth ;

Sleep s no softer : it procee d s
’
O n through lawns on th rough meads , ,
O n an d o n whate er befall
,
’
M ean dering and musical ,
Though the niggar d p as ture s edge ’
Bears not on its shaven l edge

Aught but weeds an d waving gras s es
To view the river as it passes ,
S ave here an d there a scanty p atch
[ 1 76 ]
T H E POEM , PARA C ELSU S
O f primroses , t oo fain t to ca tch

A weary bee
P ar M ore more ;
.
, s ay o n !
Fes t .The river pushes

Its gentle way thr ough strangling rushes ,
Where the glossy kingfisher

Flutters when noon heats are near -
,
Glad the shelving banks to shun ,
Re d and steaming in the s u n ,
Where the shr ew mouse with pale t hroa t -
Burrows and the speckled stoat

, ,
Where the quick sandpipe rs flit

I n and ou t the marl and grit
Tha t seems to bree d th em brown as they , .
Nough t disturbs the river s w ay ’
S ave some lazy stork that springs ,
Trail ing it with legs and wings ,
Whom the sh y fox from the hill

Rouses creep he ne er so still
,
’
.
P ar M y hea r t ! they l oose my hea r t those simple

. ,
words ;
I ts darkness passes which nough t else could touch ;
,
L ike some dark snake that force may not expe l ,
Which glidet h ou t to music swee t and low .
Wha t were y ou doing when your voice broke thr ough

A chaos of ugly images ? You indeed ! ,
Are y ou alone here ?

Fest All alone : y ou know me ?
h
This cell ?
P ar An unexcep tionable vaul t
.
Good brick and stone the bats kep t ou t the ra ts ,
Kep t in a snug nook : h ow should I mis take it ?

Fes t Bu t wherefore am I here ?
.
P ar . Ah ! well remembered
Why for a purpose for a purpo se Festus !
, ,
’
Tis like me : here I trifle while time fleets ,
[ 1 77 ]
And th is occasion lost will ne er return !

, ,
’
You are h ere to b e instructe d I will tell .
God s message ; bu t I h ave so much to s ay

’
I fear t o leave half o u t : all is confuse d

No doubt ; but d oubtless y ou will learn in time .
H e would no t else have brought y ou here : no doub t

I shall see clearer soon .
Fes t . Tell me but this

You are not in des pair ?
P ar . I ? and for wha t ?
Fes t Al as alas ! he knows no t as I feared !
.
, ,
P ar What is it y o u would as k me with tha t earnes t

.
,
Dear searchi ng face ?

,
Fest . H ow feel y ou Aureole ? ,
P ar . Well !
Well : t is a s trange thing I am dying Fes tus
’
.
, ,
And no w that fast the sto rm of life subsides ,
I firs t perceive h o w grea t the whirl has been

I w as calm then who am s o d izzy now
,
C alm in the thick of the tempest but no les s ,
A partner of i ts motion and mixed u p ,
With it s caree r The hurricane is spent

.
And the g oo d boat spee ds through the brightening

weather ;
Bu t is i t earth or sea that heaves below ?
For the gu lf rolls l ike a meadow overstrewn ,
With ravaged bou ghs and remnants o f t h e shore ;

And now some islet loosened from the land , ,
S wims past with all its trees sailin g to ocean ; ,
And no w the air is full of u p torn canes -

,
Light strippings from the fan trees tamarisks -

,
U nrooted with their birds still clinging to th em

, ,
All high in the wind E ven so my varie d l ife .
Dri f ts by me I am young ol d hap p y sad

.
, , , ,
H op ing d esp onding acting taking rest

, , , ,
A nd a l l at once : tha t is those pas t conditions ,
[ 1 78 ]
BROWNING ’
S PARA C EL S U S
C o m pl ete with its l d tones : that l i ttle laugh

o
C oncl u ding every ph rase with up turned e y e , ,
As thou gh one stoop ed a b ove hi h ead to whom s ,
H e l ooked for confir m ation and applause

Where w as it gone so l ong being k ept so well ? ,
Th en the forefin g er pointing as he speaks

, ,
Li ke one w h o traces in an o pen book

T h e matter h e d ec l ares ; tis m any a year
’
S ince I remarked it last : and this in him ,
But no w a ghastly wreck ! )

can it be A nd ,
Dear Aureo l e you have th en foun d ou t a t las t

,
That worldl y things are utter vani ty ?

That man is made f or weakn ess and should wai t ,
In patient ignorance till God ap point

P ar H a the purp ose ; t h e true purpose : that is it !
.
H ow coul d I fail to apprehend ! You here ,
I thus ! But no more trifling ; I see all ,
I know all : m y last m ission sh all be done

If strength s u flice No triflin g ! S ta y ; this pos ture
.
Har dly befits o ne thus about to speak :

I wi ll arise .
Fes t Nay Aureole are you wild ?

.
, ,
You canno t lea ve your couch .
P ar . No help ; no help
Not even your hand S o ! there I s tand once more !
.
,
Speak from a couch ? I never lectured thus .
M y gown the scarlet lined with fur ; now put ,
The chain about my neck ; m y signet ring -
Is still upon m y han d I thi nk even so ; ,
L ast my good sword ; h a trusty Az oth l eap es t

, , ,
Beneath t h y master s grasp f or t h e l ast time ?

’
This couch s h all be m y thr one : I bid these wall s

Be co ns ecrate ; this wretched cell become
A shrine ; for here God s peaks to men through me !
Now Festus I a m ready to begin
, , .
[ 180 ]
Fes t I am dumb wi th wonder

. .
P ar . Listen therefore Fes tus ! , ,
There will be time enough but none to spare , .
I must content m yself with telling only

The most important points You doubtless feel .
That I am happy Festus ; very happ y , .
Fes t Tis no d elusion which up l i fts him thus !

.
’
Then y ou are pardone d Aureole all your sin ? , ,
P ar Aye pardoned ! yet wh y par d oned ?

.
,
Tis G od s prai s e
’ ’
Fes t .
Tha t man is bound t o s eek and you ,
P ar . Have lived !
We have t o live alone t o set forth well
God s praise Tis true I sin ned much as I thought
’
.
’
, , ,
And in e flect need mercy for I strove

'
T o do that very thi ng ; b u t do your bes t ,
O r worst praise rises and will rise forever

, , .
Pardon from H im because o f praise denied ,
Wh o calls me t o H imself to exal t H imself ?

H e migh t laugh as I laugh !
Fes t . Then all comes
T o the same thing Tis fruitless for mankind ’
.
T o fret themselves with what concerns them no t ;

They are no u se that w ay : they should lie down
C onten t as God has made them n or go mad ,
In thr iveless cares to bet ter wha t is ill .
P ar N o no ; mistake me no t ; le t me no t work
.
,
M ore harm than I have done ! This is my cas e :

If I go joyous back t o Go d ye t bring ,
No offering if I render up my soul

,
Wi thout the fruits it w as ordain ed t o bea r ,
If I ap p ear the be tter t o love God

For s in as o ne w h o has n o claim on him
,
Be not deceived : i t may be surely thus

With me while hi gher priz es still awai t
,
The mor tal persevering to the end .
[ 181 ]
BROWNING ’
S PARA C ELSU S
Fo r I too have been someth i ng th ough t oo soon ,
I left the ins tincts o f th at happ y ti m e !

Fest What happy time ? For God s sake for man s
’ ’
. ,
sake ,
Wh at time w as happ y ? All I hope to know

That answer will d ecide What h appy time ? .
P ar When but t h e ti m e I vowed m y help to man ?

. ,
Fes t Great G o d thy ju d gments are inscruta bl e !

.
,
P ar Yes it was in m e ; I w as born for it

.
,
I Paracelsus : it w as mine by rig ht

, .
Doubtless a searching an d imp etuous soul

lVIigh t learn from its o w n motions th at some tas k
Like thi s awaited it about the world ;
M ight see k somewhere in this blank l ife of ours
For fit delights to stay its longings vast ;
And grap pling Nature so p revail o n her
, ,
T o fill t h e crea ture full s h e d ared to frame

H ungry for j oy ; and bravely tyr annous , ,
Grow in demand still craving more and more

, ,
And make each joy conce d ed p rove a pledge

Of other joy t o follow bating nough t
O f its d esires still seizing f resh pretens e
,
To turn the knowle dge and t h e rap ture wrung

As an extrem e last boon from Destiny
, , ,
Into occasion for new covet ings ,
New strifes new triumph s : d oubtless a s trong soul

,
Alone unaided migh t attain to th is

, ,
So glorious is our nature so august ,
M an s inborn uninstructed impul ses

’
,
H is naked s p irit so m ajestical !

But this was born in me ; I was made s o ;
Thus much time save d : the feverish appetites ,
T h e tumult o f un p roved desires t h e unaimed ,
Uncertain yearnings as p irations b l ind , ,
Distrust mistake an d all that end s in tears

, ,
Were save d me ; thus I entered on my course !
[ 1 82 ]
’
G od tastes a p l easure in th eir uncouth p ride !

Th en all i s still : earth is a wintry c l o d ;
But s p r i n g win d l ik e a dancing p saltres s passes
-
, ,
O ver it s b rea st to waken it ; rare verdure

Bu ds tend erly u p on rou gh banks betwee n ,
T h e with ered tree roots a n d t h e cracks of frost

-
,
Like a smile striving with a wr inkl ed face ;

The gr as s grows bright the boughs are swoln with
,
blooms ,
L ike chrysalids impatient for the air ;

The shining dorrs are busy ; beetles run
Along the furrows ants m ak e their ado ;
,
Above b irds fly in merry flocks t h e lark

,
S oars up and u p shivering f or very joy

,
Afar the ocean s l ee ps ; white fis hi ng g ulls -
Flit where t h e strand is p u rp l e with it s tribe

O f nes ted lim pets ; savage crea tures seek
Th eir loves in wood an d plain ; an d G od renews
His ancient rapture ! Th us he d wel l s i n al l ,
From lif e s minute beginnings u p at last

’
,
To man the consumm ation o f this schem e

O f bein g t h e compl etion of this sph ere
,
O f lif e : whose attri b utes h ad h ere and there

Bee n scattered o er the vis ib l e worl d before
’
,
Asking to be combined dim fragments m ean t

To be u nited in some wondr ous whole
Imperfec t qualities throu gh out crea tion ,
S ugges ting some one creature yet to make

S ome p oint where all those scattered rays should mee t
C onvergen t in the faculties o f man .
Power ; neither p u t forth b l indly nor con trolled ,
C al mly by p erfect knowled ge ; to b e used

At ris k ins p ired or checked by h op e and fear
,
Knowled ge ; not intuition but the slow ,
U ncerta in fru i t of an enh ancing toil ,
S trength ened b y love : l ove ; not serenely pure ,
[ 1 84 ]
T H E POEM , PARA C EL S US
But strong from weakness like a chance sown p lant ,
-
Which cast o n stubborn soil puts forth changed buds

, , ,
And softer stains unknown in hap p ier climes ;

,
L ove which en d ures and doubts and is oppressed

, , ,
And cherished suffering m uch a nd much sustained

, , ,
A blind oft fai l ing y e t b elie ving love

,
-
,
_
,
A hal f enlightene d often ch eckered trus t

-
,
-
H ints and previsions of wh ich faculties ,
Are s trewn confusedl y everywhere about

The inferior natures ; and a l l lead up higher ,
All shap e o u t di mly the superior race ,
The heir of hopes too fair to turn out false ,
And M an appears at last : so far the seal

Is pu t o n life ; o ne s tage o f being complete ,
O ne scheme wound up ; and from the grand resul t

A supplementary refl ux o f ligh t ,
Illus tra tes all the inferior grades explains ,
E ach back step in the circle Not alone .
For their possessor dawn those qualities ,
But the new glory mixes wi th the heaven

And earth : M an once descried imprints forever
, ,
H is presence on all lifeless things ; the winds

Are henceforth voices in a wail or shou t , ,
A querulous mutter o r a quick gay laugh ,
Never a senseless gust now man is born !

The herded pines co mm une and have deep though ts , ,
A secre t they assemble to discuss ,
When the sun drops behin d their trunks which glare

L ike grates o f hell : the peerless cup afloa t
O f the lake lily is an urn some nym ph
-
,
S wims bearing high above her hea d : no bird

Whistles unseen but through the gaps above
,
That let light in upon the gloomy woo ds ,
A shape peeps from the breezy forest top -

,
Arch with small puckered mou th and mocking eye

The morn has enterprise deep quiet d roops
[ 1 85 ]
BROWNING ’
S PARA C EL S U S
W i th evening ; triumph takes the sun set h our -

,
V ol up tuous transport rip ens with t h e corn

Beneath a warm m oon l ik e a hap p y face
And th is to fi l l us with re g ar d f or m an ,
With appreh ension for h is pass i ng worth ,
Desire to wor k h is proper nature out ,
A nd ascertain h is ran k and final p l ace

For these th ings ten d st il l u p ward p rogress is
The law o f li f e m an s self is not yet Man !
’
N or shall I d ee m his o b ject serve d h is e n d ,
Attaine d his g enuine strength p u t f airly forth

, ,
While only here an d th er e a star d i spel s

The d ar k ness here an d th ere a towering m ind
,
O e rl ooks its prostrate fe ll ows : w h en t h e host

’
Is out at once to t h e despair of ni gh t ,
When al l m ank ind al i ke is per f ected ,
E qual in ful l blown powers th en no t till then

-
, ,
I s ay begins man s general in fancy !

,
’
For wherefore m ake account o f feveris h starts

O f restless me m bers o f a dormant wh ole
Impatient nerves which quiver while t h e body
S lumbers as in a grave ? O long ago ,
The brow w as twitche d t h e tre m u l ous lids astir

, ,
The p eaceful mouth d i stur b e d ; half uttere d s p eech -
Ruffle d t h e l ip and th en the teeth were set

, ,
The breath d rawn sh arp t h e strong right hand ,

-
clenched stronger ,
As i t woul d p l uck a lion by the jaw ;

The glorious creature laughed ou t even in sleep !
But wh en full rouse d each giant li mb awak e
,
-
,
E ach sinew strung the great heart p ulsing fast

, ,
H e shal l start up an d stand on his o wn earth

, ,
And so begin his long triump hant m arch ,
And date his being th ence th us who ll y roused ,
What he achieves sh al l be set d own to him !

When al l t h e race is p erfecte d alike
[ 186 ]
Ye t const i tuted thus and thus endowe d

, , ,
I faile d : I gazed on p ower t ill I g rew b l ind

O n power ; I coul d not take my eyes from tha t
That only I thought should be preserve d increased
, , ,
A t any risk displayed struck ou t at once

, ,
The sign and note and character of man

, , .
I saw no use in the p ast : only a scene

O f degradation i m b ecility ,
The record of disgraces best forgotten ,
A sullen page in human chronic l es

Fit to erase : I saw no cause w h y man
S hould not be al l s u ffi cient even now ; -
O r wh y his annals shoul d be force d to tell

That once t h e ti de of ligh t a b out to break ,
Upon the world w as seal e d with in its s p ring ;

,
I would have had o ne day o ne m o m ent s sp ace ,

’
C hange man s condition push each slumbering claim

’
,
To mastery o er t h e elemental world

’
A t once to full maturity then roll ,
O blivion o er the tools and hi de from man

’
, ,
What night had ushere d m orn Not so dear child .

,
O f af ter d ays wil t thou reject the Past

-
, ,
Big with deep warnings o f the p roper tenure

By which thou hast the earth : the Present for thee
S hall have distinct and tremb l ing beauty seen ,
Beside that Past s o w n shade whence in relief

’
, , ,
Its brightness shall s tan d ou t : nor on thee yet

Shall burs t the Future as successive zones ,
O f several wonder open on so m e spirit

Flying secure and glad from heaven to heaven ;
Bu t thou shalt painf ul l y attain to joy ,
While hope an d fear and love sh al l keep thee man !

, , ,
All th is was hid fro m me : as one by one

My dreams grew d im my wide aims circumscribed , ,
A s actual goo d with in m y reach decreased ,
While obstacles sp rung u p thi s w ay and th at '
[ 1 88 ]
To keep me fro m effec ting half the su m ,
S mal l as it proved ; as objects mean withi n ,
The primal aggregate see m e d even the leas t

, , ,
Itself a match for my concentered s trength

What wonder if I saw no way to shun
Despair ? The power I sought for man seemed G od s ! ,
’
In this conjuncture as I praye d to die

, ,
A strange adventure made me know O ne S in ,
H ad s p otte d my career from i ts uprise ;

I saw Aprile m y Aprile there !
And as the poor melodious wre tch disbur thened
H is hear t and moaned his weakness 111 my ear
, ,
I learned my ow n deep error ; love s und oing ’
Taught me the worth of love in man s estate ’
And what proportion love should hold with power

I n his right constitution ; love preced ing
P ower and with much power always much more love ;
, ,
Love s till t oo straitened in its present means ,
And earnest for new power t o set it free .
I learned thi s and supposed the whole was learned ;

,
And thus when men received wi th s tupid wonder

,
M y firs t revealings would have worshiped me

, ,
And I despised and loathed their proffered praise

When with awakened eyes they took revenge
, ,
For pas t credulity in casting shame

O n my real knowledge and I hated them ,
It w as no t strange I saw no good in man ,
T o overbalance all the wear and waste

O f facul ties displayed in vain bu t born
, ,
To prosper in so m e better sphere : and wh y ?

I n my ow n hear t love had not been made wise
T o trace love s faint beginnings in mankind
’
T o know even hate is but a mask of love s

’
T o se e a good in evil and a hope ,
I n ill success ; t o sympathize be proud

-
,
O f their half reasons faint as p irin gs dim

-
, ,
[ 1 89 ]
B R O W N I N G
’
s PARA C ELSU S
S trug gles truth th eir poores t fallacies

fo r , ,
Their prejud i ce and fears and cares and doub ts ;

, , ,
Which all touch u p on nob l eness d es p ite ,
Their error all tend up war dly th ou gh weak

, ,
Like p l ants in m ines which never saw t h e sun ,
But dream o f h im and guess where h e m ay be

, ,
And d o th eir best to cli m b an d get to hi m .
Al l this I knew not an d I failed Let m en , .
Regard me an d t h e p oet d ead long ago

,
Who once l oved rash l y ; and shape forth a third ,
And be t ter tempere d s p irit warned by both : ,
As from the over ra d iant star too mad -
To drink the light s p rings beam less thence i tself

-
,
And the dark o rb which borders the abyss ,
E ngulfed in icy nigh t migh t have its cou rse

A te mperate and equ i d istant worl d .
M eanwhi l e I have d one wel l though not all well

, , .
As yet men canno t d o without contemp t

’
Tis f or th eir goo d and th erefore fit awh i le
,
That th ey reject the weak and scorn the f al se , ,
Rather than p raise the strong and true in me , .
But after they will know me ! If I stoop

,
I nto a d ark trem endous sea o f c l oud ,
It is but for a time ; I p ress God s lamp ’
C lose to my breas t its Sp lendor soon or late , ,
Will pierce t h e gl oo m : I s h all e m erge one d ay !

You understan d me ? I have said enough ?
Fes t N ow die d ear Aureole !
.
,
P ar . Festus let my hand ,
This hand lie in your o wn my own true frien d !

,
Aprile ! H and in hand with you April e ! ,
Fes t . And this was Paracelsus !

GENE RA L R E VI EW O F TH E P O EM
PARA C E LS U S
T H E P O EM
PARA C E LS U S A S P IR ES
S C EN E 1
ARA C ELSUS a stu d ent an d p u p i l of

, ,
the learned A b b ot T rit h em iu s reso l ves ,
t o give up the monastery cell an d an

c i ent b ooks and go ou t into the world
,
to seek knowledge of a wider sort O n t h e .
eve of h i s departure he i s talking with his

,
’
frien d s F estus and the lat ter s wife M ichal .
P ar .C ome close t o me dear friends ; s t ill closer ;

,
thus !
C lose t o the hear t which thou gh long time roll by
,
E re it again beat quicker pres sed to yours

, ,
As now it beats perchance a long long time ,
At least hencefor th your memories shall make

Quie t and fragran t as befits their home .
Nor shall my memory wan t a home in yours

Alas tha t it requires t oo well such free
Forg i ving love as shall embalm i t there !
[ 193 ]
BROWNING ’
S PARA C ELSU S
For if you would remember me aright

As I w as born to b e y ou m ust f orget
All fi t fu l stran g e and moody waywar dnes s
, ,
Which e er confused my better sp irit t o d well

’
O nly on moments such as these d ear friend s ! ,
M y heart no truer but my words and ways ,
M ore true to it : as M ichal some months hence , ,

“
Will say thi s autumn was a pleasant time
,
”
,
For some few sunny days ; an d over l ook

I t s bleak wind hankering after p ining leaves
, .
Mi chal weeps at this and in the next few ,
lines that P aracelsus speaks we have pai nted ,
for us a landscape of exq u i s i te charm .
Look up swee t M ichal nor esteem the less

, ,
Your stained and d roop in g vines th eir grapes bow

d own ,
Nor b l ame those creakin g trees ben t with their frui t ,
That apple tree with a rare after birth

- -
O f p eep i ng blooms s p rinkled its weal th among !

Then for the win ds what win d that ever raved
Shall vex that ash that overlooks you both ,
S o proud it wears its berries ? Ah ! at length ,
The old s mil e meet for h er the lad y of this ,
S equestered nest ! This king dom limited ,
Alone by one ol d populous green wall ,
Tenanted by t h e ever busy flies -

,
Gray crickets and sh y lizard s and quick spiders

, , ,
E ach famil y o f the sil ver thr ead ed moss -
Which look through near this way and it appears

, , , ,
A stubble fi eld or a cane brake a marsh

-
,
-
O f bulrush whitening in the su n : lau gh n ow !

Fancy the crickets each one in his house , ,
Looking ou t wondering at the worl d or bes t

, ,
Yo n painte d snail with his gay shell of d ew

, ,
[ 194 ]
BROWNING ’
S PARA C ELSU S
not p u rsue i t i n a fast retreat some one of ,
Learn i ng s many palaces after approved

’
”
example ? Then P aracels u s i n what i s o n e ,
of the most pregnant passages of the poem ,
i s made to tell of the development in

self of cosm i c consc i ousness 1
.
And I smil ed as o ne never smiles but once ;

Then first di scovering m y own aim s extent ’
,
Whi ch sought to com prehend the works of God ,
An d Go d hi mself an d all Go d s intercourse

’
With t h e human mind ; I und erstoo d no less , ,
My fellow s studies whose true worth I saw

’
, ,
But smiled not well aware w h o stood by m e

, .
“
And softer came the voice There is a way
’
Tis har d for flesh to tread therein imbued ,
With frail ty hopeless if in dul g ence first ,
Have rip ened inborn germs of sin to stren g th

Wilt thou ad ventur e f or m y sake and man s ’
Ap ar t from all reward ? ”

And last it breathed
“
Be happy my good soldier ; I am by thee
, ,
Be sur e even to the en d !

,
”
I answered not ,
Knowing Him As H e spoke I was en dued

.
,
With comp rehension and a steadfast will ;

And wh en H e ceased m y brow was sealed H is own , .
If there took place no special change in me ,
H ow comes it all things wore a d iff erent hue

Thenceforwar d ? p regnant with vast consequence
Teeming with grand results loaded with fate ;
1
i i
C os m c c onsc ou sness or t h e enl ar ement of natu re is n g , i
i i
c ontra di st n ct on t o t h e s en se c on sc o u s ne s s In rel g on t i . i i , i
b l
h as een ca l e d t h e B
ap t s m o f t h e H o iSp r t ly ii .
Wl i
a t Wh tm an , wh o h a d d eve op e d th s c ons c ou sn ess l i i ,
k i i
s p o e of t n t h e s am e w a :
y Al l th n s w ore a d e ren t hu e i g iff
y i g
Ever th n in natu re s ee me d so mu ch ran der ”
g .
[ 196 ]
REVIEW OF T H E POEM
So tha t when quailing a t the migh ty range
O f secre t truths which yearn for birth I h as te ,
To contempla te undazzled so m e o ne tru th ,
I ts bearings and eflec t s alone at once

’
Wha t was a speck expands into a s tar ,
Asking a life t o pass exploring thus ,
Till I near craze I go to prove my soul !

.
I s ee my w ay as bir d s their trackless w ay

I shall arrive ! what time what circuit firs t
, ,
I ask not : bu t unless God send his hail

O r blinding fire balls slee t or stifling snow
-
, , ,
In some time his good time I shall arrive

H e guides me and the bird I n his good t ime !
.
H is frien d s t hink this a d e l usion . Fes tus

says
And ye t
As s trong delusions have prevailed ere now :
M en have s e t o u t as gallantly t o seek
Their ruin ; I have heard of such yourself
Avow all hither t o have failed and fallen .
To which P aracelsus answers in what

a no t her and subtle p assag e of the poem :
Aye s ounds i t not like s ome old well known tale ?

,
-
For me I es timat e their works and them

,
So righ tly tha t at t imes I almost dream

,
I t oo have spe n t a life the sages way ’

,
An d tre ad once more familiar paths Perchanc e .
I perished in an arrogant self reliance -
An age ago ; and in that act a p rayer ,
For on e more chance wen t up s o earnes t s o ,
Instinc t with bet ter ligh t le t in by Death ,
Tha t life w as blo tted ou t n o t s o comple t ely
Bu t scattered wrecks enough of i t remain ,
[ 1 97 ]
BROWNING ’
S PARA C EL S US
D im memories ; as n o w , when see m s once more
T h e g oal in sight again : all which indeed , ,
Is foo lish and only means the flesh I wear ,

,
T h e earth I trea d , are not more clear to me

Than my belief explained to you or no
, .
1
Festus advises h i m that who dares one
effect l i fe s service to h i s k i nd cannot thr i ve

’
i f cut o ff from them unbo u nd by any t i e , .
That a b eing not know i ng what love i s ,
would be a monstrous spectacle o n earth

b eneath the pleasant sun H e says .
You are endowed with faculties which bear

Annexed to them as twere a disp ensation ’
T o summ on meaner s p iri ts to do the ir will ,
And gather round them at their need ; inspiring

S uch with a love themselves can never feel
Passionless mid their passionate vo taries
’
.
I know not if you joy in thi s or no ,
O r ever dream that common men can live

O n objects you prize lightly bu t which make ,
Their heart s sole treasure : the affections seem

’
Beauteous at mos t to you which w e mus t tas te ,
O r die : and thi s strange quality accords ,
I know not how with you ; sits well upon

,
That lu m inous brow th ough in another it scowls

,
An eating brand a shame I dare not judge you .
T h e ru les o f right and wrong thus s e t aside ,
There s no alternative I own y ou one

’
O f higher order und er other laws

,
Than bin d us ; therefore curb not one bold glance !

,
’
Tis best aspire O nce mingled with u s all
. .
1
This su gg t es s Paracelsu s ’
b li f
e e in t h e so ul s
’
p as t births .
[ 198 ]
’
O f what he was by his wild talk alone , ,
You first collect how great a spirit he hid .
Therefore set free t h e soul alike in all

, ,
Discovering the true laws by which the flesh

Bars in the spiri t ! We may not be doomed
T o cope wi th seraph s but at least the res t ,
S hall cope wi th u s M ake no more gian ts God ! .

,
Bu t elevate the race a t once ! We ask

T o pu t forth jus t ou r strength our human s treng th , ,
All sta rting fairly all equipped alike , ,
Gifted al ike all ea gle eyed true hearted

,
-
,
-
S ee if we canno t beat thy angels ye t !

S uch is my tas k I go t o gather thi s .
The s acred knowledge here and there di spersed ,
Abou t the world long lost or never found , .
And why should I be sad or lorn o f hop e ? ,
Why ever make man s good dis tinct from God s ? ’ ’
O r find ing they are one why dare mis t ru st ?

, ,
H e asks
D o y ou believe I shall accomplish this ?
Fes t . I do believe !
Mich . I ever did believe !
1
Th is bring s ou t Parace lsu s
belief in t h divine prin ipl ’
e c e
of m n aH y Th divin p rin iple in m n whi h n

. e sa s, e e c a , c co
st it t him
u es h m n b i ng n d by whi h h
a u i am in ntly e , a c e s e e
d i ting i h d fr m t h
s u s ni m l
e i n to pr d t f t h rth
e a a s, s o a o uc o e ea ,
n ori i t gen r ted by t h

s ni m l king d m b t i t
e a m fr m e a a o , u co es o
G d ; it i G d
o nd i si mm rt l b
o , a ming fr m s o a , e ca u s e , co o a
d ivin s r e i t
e nn t b e
ou c th rwi e th n di vin M n
, ca o o e s a e . a
sh l d th r f r li v in h rm ny wi th hi di vin e p rent n d
ou , e e o e, e a o s a , a
n t in t h
o ni m l l ment f hi
e a l a e e s o s so u .
M n h a n etern l F th r w h
as a nt him t r i d nd a a e , o se o es e a
g in exp ri n e in t h nim l p rin ipl b t n t f t h p

a e e c e a a c e s, u o or e ur
p e f b in g
os o b rb d by th m b
e a in t h l tt r
so e e , ec au se e a e c ase
m n w ld b
a m
ou n ni m l whil e t h
eco ni m l prin ipl
e a a a , e a a c e
w l d h v n th ing t g in
ou a e o o a .
”
[ 9 00 ]
P ar Those words shall never fade from ou t
.
brain !
This earnes t of the end shall never fade !
Are there not Fes tus are there no t dea r Michal
, , , ,
T w o poin ts in the adventure o f the diver

O ne when a beggar he prepares t o plunge ?
, ,
O ne when a prince he rises wi th his pearl ?

, ,
Fes tus I plung e !

,
Fes t . I wai t y ou when y ou ris e !
S C EN E 2
PARA C E LS U S A T TAIN S
Over the wa ters in the vaporous wes t
The su n goes down as in a sphere of gold ,
Behind the ou ts tre tched city which be twee n , ,
Wi th all tha t leng th of domes and minare ts ,
A thwar t the splendor black and croo ked ru ns

,
L ike a Turk verse along a scime tar .
There lie thou saddes t wri ting and awhile

, ,
Relieve my achin g sigh t Tis done a t las t ! .

’
S trange and the juggles of a s allow chea t

C ou ld win me t o this ac t !
Th e scene is l ai d in a G ree k conj urer s
’
h ouse a t C ons t antinop l e nine years l a ter , .
P aracelsus is m entall y t ak ing stock of the

g ains an d losses of the pas t nine years H e .
has gaine d some knowledge b ut o n the ,
who l e he has not accomplishe d what he ha d

h ope d H e d ecides t o learn by magic the
.
know l edge h e s ou ght b ut fai l e d t o l earn ,
o t herwise .
[ 20 1 ]
BROWNING ’
S PARA C EL S U S
He can seek no l onger ; his overwrought

b rain and overtasked b ody need rest and he ,
will have it even in fa i lure H e consoles .
h imself by thinking a t the worst he p er ,
form ed h i s share o f the t ask that the res t ,
was G od s concern tha t he had su b dued

’
his life to the one purp ose whereto he h a d

or d aine d i t .
There w as a time
When ye t this w olfi sh hunger after knowledge
S e t not remorselessly love s claims aside ; ’
Thi s hear t was human once or w hy recall ,
E insiedeln now and Wurzburg which the M ayne

, , ,
Forsakes her cour se t o fold as wi th an arm ?
B ut love and strength are gone now an d ,
h i s l i fe s one ambition wh i ch has b een al l

’
absorbing has not b een realized

, .
And ye t t is surely much t is very much

’
,
’
,
Thus t o have emptied youth of all it s gif ts ,
T o feed a fir e meant to hold o u t till morn

Arrive wi th inexhaustible light ; and lo ,
I have heaped up my last and day dawns not ! ,
While I am left with gray hair faded hands , ,
An d furrowed brow H a have I after all

.
, , ,
Mis taken the wil d nursling of my breast ?

Kn owledge i t seemed and Power and Recompense !
, ,
Was sh e who glided through my room o f nights ,
Who laid my head on her soft knees and s m oothed ,
The damp locks whose sly soothi ngs just began

,
When my sick spiri t craved repose awhile

God ! w as I fi ghting S leep o ff for Death s sake ?
’
[ 2 02 ]
Great g ifts t o bu t w ho proud refused
, , ,
T o do h is work or li g htly used ,
Those g ifts or failed through weak endeavor

, ,
And mou rn cas t 0 3 by him forever

, ,
As if these leaned in airy ring

To call me ; this the song they s ing .
Los t los t ! ye t come

, ,
With ou r wan troupe make thy home

C ome come ! for we
,
Will not breathe s o much as breathe ,
Reproach t o thee !
Knowing what thou si nk s t benea th ’
So we s ank in those old yea rs ,
We who bid thee come ! thou l as t ,
Who a living man has t life o erp as t

, ,
’
,
And all toge ther we thy peers , ,
Will pardon as k for thee the las t ,
Whose trial is done whose lot is cas t ,
Wi th those wh o watch bu t work no more ,
Who gaze on life bu t live no more : ,
And yet w e trus t ed th ou shouldst speak

G od s message which ou r lip s t oo weak
’
, ,
Refused to utter shoul dst redeem ,
O ur fault : such trus t and all a dr eam ! , ,
So we chose thee a bright bir th place -
Where the richn es s ran to flowers

C oul dst not sing one song for grace ?
N or make one blossom man s and ours ?
’
Must one more recreant t o his race

Die with unexerted powers
And join u s leaving as he found ,
The world he was t o loosen bound ?

, ,
Anguish ! ever and for ever ;

S till beg inn ing ending never ! ,
Ye t lost and las t o ne come !

, ,
[ 204 ]
REVIEW O F T H E POEM
H ow coulds t unders tand alas , ,
Wh at ou r pale ghos ts s trove t o say ,

As their shades did glance and p as s
Before thee nigh t and day ?
,
Thou wer t blind as w e were dumb ;

,
O nce more therefore come 0 come !

, , ,
H ow shall we better arm the sp irit

Who nex t shall thy pos t o f life inheri t
H ow guard him from thy r u in ?
Tell us of thy sad undoing
Here where we s it ever pursuin g
, ,
O ur weary ta sk ever renewin g

,
S harp sorrow far from God who gave

,
”
O ur powers and man they coul d not s ave !
,
P arace l sus d e m an d s tha t A pri l e acknowl

e dg e h im as k i ng and do o b eisance to him ,
b u t A prile refuses to acknowledge the king

ship of one who knows not the b eauties of
nature .
P arace l sus
Be calm I charge thee by thy feal ty !
, ,
Tell me wha t thou woulds t be and what I am , .
A p ril e
I would love infi ni tely and be loved , .
Firs t : I would carve in s t one o r cas t in brass , ,
The forms o f earth No an cien t hun ter raised

.
,
U p t o the gods by his renow n ; no nymph

S upposed the sweet soul of a woo dland tree ,
O r sapphirine spirit of a twiligh t s tar ,
S hould be t oo hard for me ; n o shepherd king -

,
Regal with his whi te locks ; no youth wh o s tand s

S il en t and very calm amid the throng ,
[ 205 ]
BR O WNING ’
S PARA C ELSU S
H is right hand ever hid benea th his robe

Un t il the tyran t pass ; no law giver ; -
No swan soft woman rubbed with lucid oils

-
, ,
G iven by a love of her t oo hard !

g od for
Each passion sprung from man conceived by man , ,
Would I express and clothe i t in its ri ght form ,
O r blend with o thers s truggling in one form ,
O r show repres sed by an ungain ly form .
For if you marveled a t some mighty sp iri t

,
With a fi t frame t o execute h is will

Aye even unconsciously to work h is will
,
You shoul d be move d no less besid e some s trong ,
Rare sp irit fettered to a stubborn body

,
E ndeavorin g to subd ue it and inform it ,
With its ow n sp lendor ! Al l this I would do ,

“
And I would s ay t his done God s spri tes being , ,
’
made ,
He grants to each a sphere to be it s world ,
Ap pointed with the various objec ts needed

T o satis fy it s sp iritual d esires ;
S o I crea t e a world for th ese my shapes
,
”
Fit t o sus tain their beauty and their streng th !
An d a t their wor d I wou ld con trive and p ain t
, ,
Woods valleys rocks and plain s d ell s sands and

, , , , , ,
wastes ,
Lakes which when morn breaks on their q u ivering

,
bed ,
Blaze like a wyvern flying round the su n ;

And ocean isles so small the d o g fi s h tracking
-
,
-
A dead whale w ho should fi n d th em would swim, ,
thrice
Around them and fare onward all to hold ,
The o flspring o f my brain N or th ese alone .
Bronze la byr inths palace pyram id an d crypt , , , ,
Baths g alleries courts te mples and terraces

, , , , ,
Marts theaters an d wharfs all fil led with m en !

, ,
[ 2 06 ]
’
ofa dissevered world and learn i ng no w i n ,
what he fa i led he feels tha t he has atta ined

, .
Paracelsus
L ove me henceforth Aprile while I learn , ,
To love ; and merciful God forgive us both !

, ,
We wake at leng th from weary dr eams ; but both

Have slept in fairy lan d : though d ark and drear
-
Ap pears the world before us we no less ,
Wake wi th o ur wrists and ankles jeweled s till .
I too have sought to KN O W as thou to LO VE

, ,
E xcludin g love as thou refusedst knowled g e .
S till thou has t bea uty and I power We wake , .
What pe nan ce ca ns t devise for bo th of us ?
S C EN E 3
A C H AMB ER HO U S E O F PARA C ELS US

I N TH E
'
Ar BAS E L F IV E Y EAR S LAT ER
,
P ar . Heap logs and le t the blaze laugh

, ou t !
True tru e ! ,
Tis very fi t tha t all time chance and change

’
, , ,
H ave wrought sin ce last we sate thus face to face , ,
And soul t o soul al l cares far looking fea rs ,

-
,
Vague apprehensions all vain fancies bred ,
By your long absence sh ould be cas t away , ,
Forgo tten in this g lad unhoped renewal

Of our aflec t ions .
Fes tushis w ay fro m W i ttenb erg where

on ,
h e carrie d news to L uther stops a t B asel to ,
a sk the pleasure o f ( Eco l am p adiu s concern
ing cer t ain missives sent to him and Zu ingliu s .
[ 2 08 ]
H e learned from ( Ecol amp a diu s that the fa

m ous teacher at the U n i vers i ty was his fr i end ,
“
the wondrous P aracelsus l i fe s d i spenser ,
’
fate s commissary idol of the schools and

’
,
”
court s Together they talk over the old
.
days at Wiirzb u rg The only change is .
M ichal s added grace o f motherhood Fes

’
.
tus speaks of his children and h i s hopes for

his b oy whom he has named A ureole after
his friend H e tells P aracelsus how kind he
.
“
is in showin g i nterest i n hi s qu i et life you , ,
who of ol d could never tame yourse l f to

”
tranquil pleas u res .
P aracelsus ans wers
Fes t us s trange secre ts are le t o u t by Dea th ,

,
Wh o blabs s o o ft the follies of this world :

And I am Dea th s familiar as y o u know
’
, .
I helped a man t o die some few weeks S ince

, ,
Warped even from his go cart t o one end -
The living on princes smiles reflec ted from

’
,
A mighty herd of favorites N o mean trick .
H e left un tried ; and trul y well ni gh wormed

Al l t races o f God s finger ou t of hi m
’
.
Then died grown old ; and jus t an hour be fore

,
H aving lain long with blank and soulless eyes

H e sa te up suddenly and wi th natural voice
,
S aid that in spite of thi ck air and closed doo rs

,
God told him it w as June ; and he knew well ,
Withou t such telling hare bells grew in Jun e ;

,
-
And all tha t kings could ever give or take

Would no t be precious as those blooms t o him .
[ 9 09 ]
BROWNING ’
S PARA C ELSU S
Festus has heard P aracelsus lecture from

’
hi s professor s cha i r ; has seen the n u mb er of
eager listeners has gathered from their faces
,
and m urmurs full corroborat i on of h i s hopes

his p up i ls worsh ip him P aracelsus ad .
m its his outward success but confides to his ,
frien d his disap p ointment and h i s m isery .
H e aspire d t o kno w G od ; he atta i ned a

professorship at B asel H e has worked cer .
tai n cures by drugs he has discovered ; he has

patents l i censes d ip lo m as titles from G er
, , ,
m any F rance Sp ain an d I taly and that

, , , ,
which he va l ues most of a ll the ackno wle dg ,
men t of his ab ility from E rasmus of R otter

dam Ye t he feels in al l th i s the turn i ng to
.
most accoun t th e m ere w reck of the p as t

, .
H e say s
Well then : y o u kn ow my hopes
,
I am assured a t length those h opes were vain ;

, ,
Tha t truth is jus t as far from me as ever ;

Tha t I have thr o w n my li f e away ; that sorrow
O n that accou n t is vain and further effort ,
To mend and patch what s marred beyond repairin g ’
As u seles s : and all this was taught to me

By the convincing good ol d fas hi oned m ethod
,
-
Of force by shee r compu lsion Is that plain ? .
H e h as fall en in his se lf -es teem ; he is now
amb itionl ess .
I simply kn ow
[ 9 10 ]
BROWNING ’
S PARA C ELSU S
S C EN E 4
Two YEAR S LAT E R

P aracelsus to Johannes O p orinu s his sec ,
”
re t ary : S uch is the way to i mmortal i ty !
Dear Von Vis enb u rg
Is scandaliz ed and poo r T orinu s p aralyzed
, ,
And every honest soul that Basel hol ds

Aghas t ; and yet we live as one may s ay
, ,
Jus t as though Liec h t en fels h ad never set

So true a value on his sorry carcas s ,
And learned P iit t e r h ad not frowned u s dumb .
We l ive ; and shall as surely star t to morrow -
For Nuremberg as we drink s p eedy sca the

,
To B as el in this mantling wine suffused ,
—
Wi th a delicate blush no fainter t inge is born
I t h shu t hear t o f a bud : p ledge me good John
’ ’
Bas el ; a ho t plague ravage it wi th P ii t t er

,
”
To stop the plague ! E ven so ? Do y ou t oo share
Their panic the rep tiles ?
Parace l sus has been forced to leave B asel ;
with h i s secretary he is at an i nn at C olmar ,
in A lsatia H e has sent for h i s friend Festus

.
to tel l him of his e xp osure as an egregious

quack — about h i s be ing cast o ff by those
who l ately worshiped h im and how when he ,
tri ed to teach not amaze them t o im par t

,
the spir it which should instigate the secret of

”
truth he foun d him self w i th an empty class
,
room how the faculty tur ned their b acks on

,
[ 9 19 ]
REVIEW O F T H E P O EM
him when they found their conservative

methods i nterfered with an d how he ha d ,
saved the l i fe of a church d i gnitary L iech ,
t e n fe l s by name who not only refused to ,
pay h i s fee but made B asel i mposs i ble for

,
h i m F estus asks h i s plans for the future

.
,
to which P aracelsus answers

Bu t I bu t I now Fes t us shall divine !
,
Am merely setting o u t in life once more ,
E mbracing my o l d aims ! Wha t thinks he now ?
The aims not the ol d means You kn ow wha t made .
me
A laughing s tock ; I w as a fool ; you know
-
The when and the how : hardly those mea ns again !

N o t but they h ad their beauty w h o should know
Their pas sing beauty if no t I ? But s till ,
They were dreams so le t them vanish : ye t in bea u ty

, ,
I f tha t may be S tay thus they pas s in s ong !

.
(He s ings .
)
Heap cas sia sandal buds and s tripes
,
-
,
O f labdanum and aloe balls ,

-
S meared w ith dull nard an Indian wipe s

From her hair : ( such balsam falls
ou t
Down s ea side m oun ta in pedes tals

-
,
From summits where tired winds are fain ,
S pent wi th the vast an d howling main ,
To treas ure half their island gain ) -

.
And s trew fain t swee tness from some ol d
E gyp tian s fine worm ea ten Shroud

’
-
,
[ 2 13 ]
BROWNING ’
S PARA C EL S US
Which breaks t o dust when once unrolled ;
And shr ed dim perfume like a cloud ,
From chambe r long to quiet vowed ,
With mothed and d ropping arr as hung ,
M oldering the lute and books among

O f queen long dead w ho lived there young
, , .
A nd so he is going to set out once m ore

with the ol d a i ms but no t the same methods ;
he i s going to live his l i fe out seek ing knowl
edge gained through joy and bel i evi ng j oy
’
,
s h ou ld b e linked to knowledge H e ackno wl .
edges his degraded appet i tes and his base

del ights Festus warns h i m that the de
.
l ights that supersede h i s nobler a ims w i ll

never content h i m P aracels u s declares that
.
he has cast away al l remorsele ss care that

c l ogged his sp i rit b orn to soar so free an d
, ,
h e sing s the song

O ver the galleys wen t
s ea o u r ,
With cleaving prows in order brave ,
To a speeding wind and a boun di ng wave

A gal lan t armament :
E ach bark built ou t of a fores t tree -
,
Le ft leafy and rough as first it g rew ,
An d nailed all over the gaping si d es ,
Within and withou t with black bull hi des

,
-
,
S eethed in fa t and suppled in flame ,
T o be ar the playful bil lows game ;

’
So each good ship w as rude to s e e ,
Rude and bare to the outward View ,
Bu t each u p bore a stately tent ;
[ 9 14 ]
’
BROWNING S PARA C ELS U S
And s tee red ri ght into the harbor thus ,
With pomp and p aean glorious .
An hundred shapes of lucid s t one !

All day we buil t a shrine for each
A shrine o f rock for every one
N or paused we till in the wes terin g su n
We sate together o n the beach
To sing because ou r ta sk w as done ;
,
When 10 ! what sh outs and merry songs !

What lau ghter all the dista nce stirs !
What raft comes loaded with i ts throngs
Of gentle islanders ?
“
The isles are just at hand they cried ; ,
“
Like cloudlets faint at even sleeping ,
O ur temple gates are op ened wide

-
,
O ur olive groves thick shade are keeping

-
”
For the lucid shap es you bring they cried .
Oh then we woke with sudden s ta rt

,
From o u r d eep dream ; w e knew t o o la te , ,
H o w bare the rock h ow desolate

, ,
T o which w e had flung ou r precious freigh t

“
Yet w e called ou t Depart !
O ur gifts once given must here abide
, ,
O ur work is d one ; we have no hear t

”
To mar our work though vain
, we cried .
Festus alarmed at his impie ty b eseeches

, ,
him to renounce the past and g i ve u p the

future and to return w i th h i m to Ei ns i edeln
,
and wait death am i dst holy S ights P aracel .
s u s declares that h i s lusts forb i d such a t hing ,
that he feels sneering dev i ls possess him H e .
has sunken to the lowest de pths Festus .
[ 9 16 ]
advi ses him k ind l y and aga i n asks h i m to

retu rn to E insiedeln w i th him ; he tells him
o f h i s wife s Bl ic h al s d eath wh i ch seems to
’ ’
, , ,
rouse P aracelsus an d here he expresses his ,
b el i ef in the im m orta l ity of th e sou l .
P ar S tone dead ! then you have laid her

.
Among the flowers ere this Now do y ou know .

, ,
I can reveal a secre t which shall comfor t

E ven y ou I have no julep as men think
.
, ,
T o cheat the grave ; bu t a far be tter secre t .
Kn ow then y ou did not ill t o trust your love

,
To the cold earth : I have thought much of i t

For I believe we do no t wholly die .
Fes t . Aureole
P ar . Nay do n o t laugh ; there is a reas o n
,
Fo r wha t I say : I thi nk the so ul ca n never

Tas te dea th I am jus t n ow as y ou may see
.
, ,
V ery unfi t to put so strange a thought

In an intel ligible dress of words ;
Bu t take i t as my trus t sh e is no t dead , .
Fest Bu t no t o n thi s accoun t alone ? y ou surely

.
,
Aureole you have believed thi s all along ?

,
P ar An d M ichal sleeps among the roots and dews

.
,
While I am m oved at Basel and fu ll o f schemes ,
For Nuremberg and hoping and despairing, ,
A s though it mattered how the farce plays ou t ,
So it be quickly played Away away ! .

,
H ave your w ill rabble ! while w e figh t the prize

, ,
Troop y o u in safe ty t o the snug back seats -

,
And leave a clear arena for the brave

Abou t t o perish for your spor t ! Behold !
[ 217 ]
B R O W N I N G
’
s PARA C EL S U S
S C ENE 5
PARA C E LS US A TTAINS
S alz b urg a cell in the hospi tal a t S t S ebas
, .
tian th i rteen years later

, .
P aracelsus l i es dy i ng H is fa i thf u l friend

.
Festu s i s by h i s side an d as h e w atches he, ,
s ends u p this p rayer :
G od ! Thou ar t L ove ! I build my faith on that !

E ven as I wa tch beside thy tortured chil d ,
U nconscious whose hot tears fall fast by him ,
So doth thy righ t hand gui d e us through the world

Wherein we stumb l e Go d ! what shal l we s ay ?
.
H ow has he sinned ? H ow else should he have done ?

S urely he sought thy praise thy p raise for all ,
H e might be busied by the ta sk so much

A s to forget awhile its proper end .
Dost thou well Lord ? Thou canst no t bu t prefer

,
That I should range myself upon his side

H ow coul d he stop a t every step to set
Thy glory forth ? H adst Thou but granted him
S uccess thy honor woul d have crowned success
, ,
A halo round a sta r O r say he erre d

.
,
S ave him d ear G od ; it will be like thee : bathe him

,
In ligh t and life ! Thou art not mad e li ke u s ;

We should be wroth in such a case ; but Thou
Fo rgives t so forgive these p assionate though ts
, ,
Whi ch come u nsought and will not p ass away !

,
I know thee who hast kept my path and made

, ,
Ligh t for me in the darkness tempering sorrow ,
So that it reached me lik e a solemn j o y ;

I t were t oo strange that I should doubt thy love
[ 9 18 ]
’
BROWNIN G S PARA C EL S U S
Augh t but weeds and waving gras s es

T o view the river as i t p as ses ,
S ave here and there a sca nty patch

O f primros es t oo faint to ca tch
,
A weary bee
P ar M ore more ; say on !
.
,
'
Fes t . The river pushes

Its gentle w ay thr ough strangling rushes ,
Where the glossy king fis h er -
Flutte rs when noon hea ts are near -

,
G l ad the shelvin g banks to shun ,
Red and steaming in the s u n ,
Where the shr ew mouse with p ale throat

-
Burrows and the sp eckled stoat

, ,
Where the quick sand pipers fli t -
In and ou t the marl and grit

That seems to breed the m brown as they , .
Nought di sturbs the river s way ’

,
S ave some lazy stork that springs ,
Trailing it with legs and wings ,
Whom the sh y fox from the hill

Rouses cree p he ne er so still
,
’
.
These simp l e words seem to arouse in

P ar acel s u s fu ll consc i ousness : he w i shes to
'
speak ; he wil l arise he wil l no t speak from

,
a couch :
S peak from a couch ? I never lec tured thus .
M y gown the scarlet lined with fur ; now pu t ,
T h e chain about my neck ; m y S igne t ring -
I s stil l upon my han d I thi nk even s o ;

,
L ast m y goo d swor d ; ha trusty Azoth leapes t

, , ,
Beneath thy master s grasp for the last ti m e ?

’
This couch shall be my throne : I b id t h ese walls
[ 99 0 ]
Be consecrate ; thi s wretch e d cell become
A shrine ; for here God speaks t o men through me !
Then we have Parace l sus dyin g s p eech ’
wh i ch has b een sa i d and j ustly to conta i n , ,
some of the most bea u t i ful passages in the

E nglish language as well as a foresha d owing
of t he science which to d ay is d a wning o n -
the h orizon o f humanity .
P ar . Y es it was in me ; I
, born for i t w as
I Paracelsus : it was mine by right
, .
Doub tless a searchi ng and impetuous soul

Bl igh t learn from its ow n motions that some tas k
Like this awaite d it abou t the world ;
Bl igh t seek somewhere in this blank life o f ours
Fo r fi t deli ghts to stay its longin gs vas t ;
And grappling Nature so prevail on her
, ,
T o fill the creature full s h e dared t o frame

Hu ngry for j oy ; and bravely tyr annous , ,
Grow in demand still craving more and more

, ,
And make each joy conceded prove a pledge

—
Of o ther j oy t o fo l low bating nought
O f i ts desires still seizing fresh pretense
,
T o turn the knowledge and the rap ture wrung

As an extreme last boon from Destiny
, , ,
I nt o occasion for new c o vet ings ,
New strifes new trium phs : doub tless a s trong soul

,
Al one unaide d might attain to this

, ,
SO glorious is o u r na t ure so augus t ,
M an s inborn uninstructed impulses

’
His naked S p irit so majestical !

Bu t thi s w as born in me ; I was made so ;
Thus much ti m e save d : the feverish appetites ,
The tu m ult o f unproved desires the unai m ed ,
[ 99 1 ]
’
BROWNING S PARA C ELSU S
Uncertain yearnings as p irations blind , ,
Distrus t mistake and all that ends in t ears

, ,
Were saved me ; thus I entered on my course !

You may be sure I w as not all exemp t
From human trouble ; just so much of doub t
As bade me plant a sur er foot upo n
The su n ro ad kept my eye unruined mid
-
The fierce and flashing sp lendor s et my hear t

Trembling s o much as warned me I s tood there
O n sufferance not to idly gaze bu t c as t ,
Ligh t on a darkling race ; save for tha t doub t ,
I stood a t firs t where al l as pire at last

To s tand ; the secret o f the world w as mine .
I knew I felt ( perception unexpresse d

, ,
Uncomprehen ded by our narrow though t ,
But somehow felt and known in every shift

And change in spirit nay in every pore ‘
O f the body even) wha t Go d is what we are

, , ,
What l ife is h ow God tastes an infini te joy

In infi nite ways o ne everlasting bliss ,
From whom all being emanates all power ,
Proc eeds ; in whom is life for evermore ,
Ye t whom exis tence in its lowest form

Includes ; where dwell s enjoymen t there is He !
With still a flying point of bl iss remo te ,
A happiness in store afar a sphere ,
O f dis tant glory in full view; thus climbs

Pleas ure it s heigh ts for ever and for ever !
The center fire hea ves underneath the earth
- l
,
1
Of ssage beginning with this l ine and ending wi th
t he pa
His anci ent raptu re M Sh arp in his Life of R obert Brown
” “
, r. ,
ing
”
, y : And where in m d rn p try is there a superbe r
sa
“
s o e oe
uni on of t he c i nt ifi c
s nd t h e p oe ti c vis i n th n in thi s mag
e a o a
nific ent p as s age t he q uintessence of t h e poe t s c oncep ti on

’
of t h e rap tu re of lif e
”
.
In thes e lines p arti cul rly in their cl o se is manifest t h e

, a ,
B R O W N I N G Ki P A R A C E L S U S
From life be g inning s u p a t last

’
s m inute ,
T o man t h e consu mm ation of this scheme

O f being the comp l etion of this sphere
,
O f l ife : whose attributes h ad here an d th ere

Been scattered o e r t h e visible worl d before ’
Asking to be combine d dim frag m ents mean t

T o be united in some won d rous whol e
I m perfect qualities th rough out creation ,
S u g gesting some o n e creature yet to m ake

S ome p oint where al l those scattered rays should mee t
C onvergent in the faculties of m an .
Power ; neither p u t forth blin dly nor controlled ,
C al ml y by perfect k nowle dge ; to be used

A t risk inspired or checke d b y hope and fear
,
Knowled ge ; not intuition but the slow ,
Uncertain fruit of an enh ancing toil ,
S trengthene d by love : love ; not serenely pure ,
them bri ng o t so well P r cel su s kn wle dge o f t he

, s u a a
’
o
S r t D tri ne n d h i un der t n ding of t h e c mi c order

ec e oc , a s s a os
f t he n iv r e He s y : M n i s t h high t
“
o u e s . u ch a s a , as s , e es
b eing in exi ten becau e in him N t h re ch ed t h

s ce , s a ur e as a e
c l mi nati n
u f h er ev l u ti n ry eff rt
o o In him a e con o o a o s . r
t aine d all t h e p ow rs n d ll t h b t nces th t xi t in t he

e a a e su s a a e s
world and h e c n tit t s w orl d of his wn In him wis o s u e a o

—
.
,
b
d om m y ecom m a ea n if t a n d t h p wer of hi l g od
es , e o s s sou o
as w ell as evil m y b d v l p d t an xtent little dream ed a e e e o e o e
o f by ur sp ec l tive p h il p h rs I n h im ar c nt ine d
” “
o u a os o e . e o a
t i T rr tri Un d s an d Aeri th t i t o
”
al l t h e C oel es a, e es a, o a, a a s
say al l t h e f rce
, an d b ing n d f rm
o th t m ay b f nd
s e s a o s a e ou
in t h fou r l m ents u t f whi h t h e U ni v r e i c n tru t d

e e e o o c e s s o s c e .
M n i t h Mi r o m cont ining in h i m lf t h typ e f l l

a s e c oc s a se e s o a
t h e cr at re th t xi t in t h w rl d nd it i gr at truth
“
e u s a e s e o , a s a e ,
wh i ch y u sh ul d ri u ly n i d r th t th re i nothing in
o o se o s co s e , a e s
he v n oa ep n arth w h
r u i h d n
o t l e x i t in M an nd c oes o a so e s , a
G d w h i in h ven xi t
o o s l in m n nd t h t w
ea , e s s a so a , a e o are
b u t On
” “
M n i b ing n d ntain m ny b ing with in
e . a s a e a co s a e s
hi constitu ti n ; neverth l
s h i nly ne i n d i vi d l
o Th e
e ess e s o o ua . es
[ 2 24 ]
REVIEW O F T H E P OEM
But s trong from weakness like a chance sown p lant ,

-
Whi ch cas t on s tubborn soil pu ts forth changed buds

, , ,
And softer stains unknown in happier climes ;

,
Lo ve which endures and doubts and is Op p ressed , , ,
And cherished suffering much and much sus ta ined

, , ,
A blind o ft failing yet bel ieving love

,
-
, ,
A half enl igh tene d often checkered trus t

-
,
-
Hints and previsions o f which faculties ,
Are strewn confuse dly everywhere about

The inferior natures ; and al l lea d up higher ,
All shape ou t di m ly t h e s u perior race ,
The heir of hopes too fair to turn ou t false ,
And M an appears at last : so far the seal

I s pu t o n life ; one stage o f being complete ,
O ne scheme wound up ; and from the gran d resul t

A supp lemen tary reflux o f light ,
Illustrates all the inferior grades explains ,
E ach back step in the circle No t alone .
b eings within hi m are h mse an d i

et the are not his tru e lf , y y
se lf T h ey
. are m an y i i
d st nct ves w th n one e and in t h e li i i lif ,
y
s ame sense th ere are m an de t es n t he wor d b u t on one ii i l ly ,
G od Each man in his ca p a c t as a mem er of t he reat

. iy b g
g i
or an sm of t h e wor d ca n e trul n own onl l b
oo e d u p o n yk y if l k
i
in h is connect on wi th un vers a i
at u re a n d n o t as a s ep a lN ,
bi gi l f
rate e n so ated rom atu re Man s dep endent for his N . i
i
ex stence on N atu re and t h e state of atu re dep en ds o n t he
, N
ii
c o n d t on o f m an ki
nd as a wh o e I we now atu re we l f k . N ,
k n ow Man an d if
we now Man we now atu re
, k ”
Wh oever k
, N .
i b i l
d e s res t o e a p rac t ca p hi os oph e r ou h t t o e a e t o ndl g b bl i i
c ate h eaven and h e ll
in t h e M crocos m an d t o fi nd ever th n i y i g
,
i i i
n Man th at ex sts n h e ave n or u pon t he earth ; s o that t he
c orres p on d n i g i g
th n s of t h e one an d t he other app ear t o h im
as o ne s ep arate d
, by i g l
noth n e se b u t t h e orm He mu st e f . b
abl e to tu rn t h e exte r o r nto t h e i i
nte r o r b u t th s is a n a r t i i , i
i
wh ch he c an on ac u re ly q i by
exp er ence and t he ht o f i by lig
N atu re wh ch is s h n n
, i i i gbf
e ore t he e es of ever man b u t y y ,
i
wh ch s seen i ew ”
by f .
[ 995 ]
’
For th eir possessor dawn those qualities ,
But t h e new glory m ixes with the heaven

And earth : M an once d escrie d imp rin ts forever
, ,
His presence o n all l if eless things ; t h e win d s

Are henceforth voices in a wail or shout , ,
A querul ous mutter or a quick gay laugh

,
Never a senseless gus t now man is born !

The herded p ines commune and have deep though ts , ,
A secret they as semble t o discuss ,
When the su n drops behind their tru nks which glare

Like grates o f hell : the peerless cu p afloat
O f the lake lily is an urn some nymp h
-
,
S wims bearing high above her head : no bird

Whistles unseen bu t through t h e gaps above
,
Th a t let light in upon the gloo m y woods ,
A shape peeps from the breezy forest t o p -

,
Arch with small puckered mouth and mocking eye

The mom has enter prise deep quiet droo p s
With evening ; trium ph takes t h e su n se t hour -
,
Voluptuous transport ripens with the corn

Beneath a warm moon like a happy face
And this to fi l l us with regard for man ,
With apprehension for his passing worth ,
Desire to work his proper nature ou t ,
And ascertain his rank and final place ;

For these things tend still upward progres s is
The law o f life man s self is not ye t M an !
’
Nor shall I deem h is object served his end ,
Attained his genuine strength pu t fairly forth

, ,
While on l y here and there a star d ispels

The darkness here and there a towering mind
,
O erl oo ks its prostrate fel lows : when the hos t

’
Is ou t at once to the despair of night ,
Wh en all mank in d alike is perfected ,
E qual in full blown powers then not till then

-
, ,
I s ay begins man s general infancy !

,
’
[ 22 6 ]
B R O W N I N G HS P A R A C E L S U S
Free as I sai d but now fro m m uch that chains

, ,
S pirits hi gh dowere d but l i mited and vexed

,
-
,
By a d ivided and d el usive aim ,
A shadow mocking a reality

Whose truth avail s not wholly to dis p erse
The flitting mimic call ed u p b y itse lf ,
And s o remains p erp l exe d an d nigh p u t ou t

By it s fantastic fel l ow s waverin g gl ea m ’
.
I from the first was never ch eated so ;

, ,
I never fashioned ou t a fancied goo d

Distinc t from man s ; a service to be done ’
A glory to be ministere d unto ,
With powers p u t forth at m an s exp ens e withdr awn ’
From laboring in his b eha lf ; a stren g th

Denied that mi gh t avai l him ! I cared no t
Lest hi s success ran counter to succes s
E lsewhere : for G o d is glori fied in m an ,
And t o man s glory vowe d I soul an d limb

’
, .
Yet constituted thus an d thus en dowed

, , ,
I fai l ed : I gaze d on p ower till I g rew b l ind

O n power ; I coul d not take my eyes from th at
That only I thought sh ou l d be pres erved in creased
, , ,
At any risk displayed struck out at once

, ,
The S ign and note and character o f man

, , .
I saw no use in t h e past : onl y a scene

O f degradation i m becility ,
The record of di sgraces b est forgotten ,
A sullen page in human ch ronicl es

Fit to erase : I saw no cause w h y m an
Shoul d not be all su fli c ient even now ; -
O r why his annals sh ould be forced to tell

That once the ti d e of light a b out to break ,
Upon the worl d was seal ed withi n its sprin g ;

,
I woul d have had one day on e m o m ent s s p ace ,

’
C hange man s con dition p ush each slumbering claim

’
,
To mastery o er the ele m ental world

’
[ 22 8 ]
A t once t o full maturi ty then roll ,
O blivion o er the t oo ls and hide from man

’
, ,
Wha t nigh t h ad ushered morn N ot s o dear ch ild .

,
Of after days wilt thou rejec t the Pas t

-
, ,
Big with deep warnin gs of the proper tenure

By which thou has t the earth : the Presen t for thee
S hall have dis tinc t and trembling beauty seen ,
Beside that Pas t s o wn shade whence in relief

’
, , ,
I t s brigh tness shall s tand ou t : nor o n thee ye t

S hall burs t the Futur e as successive zones ,
O f several wonder open on some spiri t

Flying secure and glad from heaven t o hea ven ;
But thou shal t painfully atta in t o joy ,
While hope and fear and love shal l kee p thee man !
, , ,
Al l this w as hid from me : as o ne by o ne

M y dreams grew dim my wide aims circumscribed
, ,
A s actual goo d withi n my reach decreas ed ,
While obs ta cles sprung up this way and tha t ,
T o kee p me from effecting half the s u m ,
S mall as it proved ; as objects mean with in ,
The primal aggregate seemed even the leas t

, , ,
Itself a match for my concent ered s treng th

Wha t wonder if I saw no w ay to shun
Despair ? The power I sought for m an seemed G od s ! ,
’
In this conjuncture as I prayed to die

, ,
A s trange adven ture made me know O ne S in ,
Had spo tted my career from it s uprise ;

I saw Aprile my April e there !
And as the poor melodious wretch disburthened
His hear t and moaned hi s weaknes s in my ear
, ,
I learned my own deep error ; love s undoing ’
Taugh t me t h e worth of love in man s es t ate ’

,
And wha t proportion love should hold wi th power

In his righ t cons ti tu tion ; love preceding
Power and with much power always much more love ;
, ,
Love sti ll t oo s traitened in it s presen t means ,
[ 2 29 ]
And earnes t for new power to set it free .
I learned this and supposed t h e whole was learned

,
And thus when men received wi th s tupi d wonder

,
M y first revea lings woul d have worsh iped me

, ,
And I despised and loathed their proffered praise

When with awakened eyes they took revenge
, ,
For past cre d u l ity in casting shame

O n my real knowledge and I hated them ,
I t was not strange I s aw no goo d in man ,
To overbalance all the wear and waste

O f faculties displayed in vain but born
, ,
T o prosper in some better sphere : and why ?

In my own heart love had not been made Wise
T o trace love s fain t beginnings in mankind
’
,
T o know even hate is but a mask of love s

’
To se e a good in evil and a hope ,
In ill success ; t o sympathize be proud

-
,
O f their hal f reasons faint aspirings dim

-
, ,
S truggles for truth their poorest fallacies , ,
Their prejudice and fears and cares and doub ts ;

, , ,
Which all touch upon nobleness despite ,
Their error all tend upwardly th ough weak

, ,
Like plants in mines which never s aw the su n ,
Bu t dream o f him and guess where he may be

, ,
And do their best to cl imb and get to him .
All th i s I knew not and I failed Le t men , .
Regard me and the poet dead long ago

,
Wh o once loved rash ly ; and sh ape forth a third ,
And better tempered spirit warne d by both : ,
As from the over radian t star t o o mad

-
T o drink the li gh t s p rings beaml ess thence itself

-
,
And the dark orb which bor ders the abyss ,
E ngulfe d in icy nigh t might have its course

A temp erate an d equidistant worl d .
M eanwhi l e I have done wel l th ough not all well

, , .
As yet men cannot d o without contemp t
[ 23 0 ]
G LO SS AR Y
OT ES To SC EN E 1 N
Wurzb rg Th pi t l uf L wer Franc ni

: Bavari
e ca a o o o a, a,
sit ted n t h M in Th Univer ity f Wurzb rg w s

ua o e a . e s o u a
f n ded in 1 403 b t w
ou n di ntin ed n d w ref n ded
, u a s soo s co u , a as ou
in 15 82 It bec me n ted espe i lly f it medi l dep rt

. a o c a or s ca a
ment .
Trit h emiu s of Sp anh eim w as a bbot of W rzb rg u u , and was

a gre t tr l g a l
as i o o er and a chem st .
Ein iedeln A t wn in t h
s nt n f S hwyz Swi tzerl nd
: o e ca o o c , a ,
twenty two miles e st f L erne It i s n f t h m st

- a o uc . o e o e o
c elebr ted f pilgri m res rt Th m n tery w f nded in

a o o s . e o as as ou
th ninth ent y nd in 1 294 re eived t h st nding f

e c ur , a c e a o a
p rin ip lity fr m t h
c a emper r R d lph In it p rtrait
o e o u o . s o s,
libr ry nd material re o rce t h venerable m n ste y i s

a , a s u s, e o a r
stil l ri h c .
Zwingli w p ri est h ere in 15 15 1 9

as a nd n t f from t h -
, a o ar e
t wn i s t h h e wh ere Para els s was b rn Pop l tion

o e ous c u o . u a
in 1888 w 85 06 as .
G ier e gle A v lt re A bi d menti ned in t h a thor

-
a : u u . r o e u
i d ver i n f L vi ti s X 18 ( v l t re in t h revi ed ver

ze s o o e cu I . u u e s
si n) s pp ed t b t h N p h n p n pt
o , u os o e e eo ro er c o erus .
Th St gir ite Ari st tle wh

e a w b rn at St gira in
: o , o as o a
Macedon .
OT ES To SC EN E 2 N
A T rk verse l ng s i mi t r Th Ar bic Persian

u a o a c a . e a , ,
a nd T rki h l etters l end th m l ves well t

u s de r ti ve p e se o co a ur
[ 23 5 ]
BROWNING ’
S PARA C EL S U S
p os e s T he Ar a s u se
. q t ti n fr m t h K r
s s and b ver e uo a o s o e o an
for r ti t ir t ry nd rm t
dec o a ng h e h o mes , p o t e , a a s, e c.
Ar h gen thli c A genet hli

c - is eter f n ti viti e
a : ac a cas o a s
a n tr l ger
as o o .
OT E S To SCEN E 3 N
Rh i Rh e B rn t R j P r i di d b t 9 32
as s or az s : o a a , e s a: e a ou .
An Ar bi n phy i i n
a th r f n n y l p di n m di in
a s c a , au o o a e c c o e a o e c e.
( E l mp dico a A D ivinity Pr fess r t B sel

a us : o o a a .
C t ll n
as e A Fr n h pr l t wh w bi h p f T ll
a us : e c e a e o as s o o u e
in 1 5 3 9 f M c n in 15 44
, ond f Orl in 1 55 1
a o Whil , a o ea n s . e
at B lh w
ase rre t r f t h pr with Fr b ni
e as c o c o o e es s o e us .
M n t u A Chri ti n
s eru s : i li t nne ted with t h s a so c a s co c e
Peasants War ; execu ted ’

1525 .
Fro b ni s w
e u as a f a mous p rinter at B as e l . He was a friend
of Erasmu s .
C ross - g ined
il in my w rd Th i f m
ra de vw rd s o . s a ou s s o of
Parace l w n l ghin g m tt r in th d y nd i t
su s as o au a e os e a s, a is
now a m te i l f t re in t h p p l r i de
a r a f P r
ea u l e o u a a o a ac e sus .
B mb t k pt d vil bi d
u as u s e a e
’
s r ,
Sh t in t h p mm l f hi w rd
u e u e o s s o ,
T h t t gh t him ll t h a nning p r nk
au a e cu a s
Of p t nd f t re m nt b nk as a u u ou e a s .
H u dibr as '
, Part II , C ant 3 . .
y i
The m ster ous power of t he s word was th ou ht t o be in g
l
Azoth or au danum su u m which he u s u a l ca rr ed w th
“
, ly i i
, i i
him an d w th wh ch h e wor e d wonde r ul cures k f .
Su da ry of t h Virgin e A h ndk r hi f reli of t h

a e c e , c e Virgin
Mary .
Eras mu s : orn at R o tterdam a ou t 1465 : d e d at

B ase b i B l ,
153 6 . Af
amou s D u tch c a s s ca an d th e o og ca s ch o ar a n d l i l l i l l
ii
s at r st i
H e a me d t o re orm w thou t d sme m er n t h e
. f i i b i g
R oman C ath o c C hu rch and at first avored b u t s u b se
li , f ,
q u e nt opp o se d t h e R e orma t on an d e ng a e d in a c ontro

ly f i , g
vers y w th Lu t h er i .
[ 986 ]
BROWNING ’
S PARA C EL S US
C as s i a: A
r e v riety of c inn mon ; ca ssi a bark
co a s a a - .
S ndal bu ds : T he mos t i mp ortan t sp eci es of t he s andal

a -
tree i n evergreen twenty or thirty fe t hi gh with t h aspect

s a e , e
o f p ri vet I t s wood i s very fragrant ; i t is s y s t m ti cally cul

. e a
t iv t d in I ndi a where i t is us ed for m ki ng p erf u m s nd for

a e , a e a
medi in l p urp oses

c a .
Strip es of l a bd nu m or ladanu m i a re s inou s j u i ce that

“
a , s
exu d s fr m t h e Cest us l ada nif

e o h u b w hi h gr w in eru s , a s r c o s
Sp i n n d P rtu g l and from C C etic s nd C al vifolius

a a o a , . r u a . s ,
whi ch gr w in C rete Syri et c An inf ri or rt is in l ng

o , a, . e so o
roll c l d u p I t is used in perfumery and in fu migating

s ur e .
,
p stil s
a .
Aloe b ll s : Aloes There are several kinds kn wn t o c m

- a . o o
mer Th t rm h re p r b bly m e ns t h fr gr nt r i n of
ce . e e e o a a e a a es
t h e ag l l och u m ; lign l oes t h e u sual meanin g in t h e Bible

a -a
.
N rd : Indi n spikenard An arom tic ungu ent pr p red

a a . a e a
fr m thi s pl nt
o a .
Sweetn from some ol d Egyp tian s fine worm e ten

e ss
’
- a
shr Th e o dor from t he sp i ces which emb l m t he

”
d
ou . s a
mu mmy .
Arr as tapestry , specifically t he u se as hang n i gs or
cu rt in
a s .
Fiat exp erientia corp ore vil i . Le t t he exp eri ment be made
on a b dy o o f no v lue
a ( a hosp ital pa ti ent ,
NOTE S To SC EN E 5
S lzb rg C p i t l f t h r wnl nd f S lzb rg in A tri ;
a u : a a o e c o a o a u us a
n t d f it pi t re q e l ti n
o e or s c u s u oca o .
J v trike t h Tit ns d wn
o e In G r k my th l gy
s s e a o ee o o
a r e f pri m rdi l d itie hil dr n f Ur n s nd G

ac o o a e s, c e o a u a aea
( He v n nd E rth ) Whil e th y w r f g ig nti i

a e a nd a . e e e o a c s ze a
e n rm o tr ngth ft r t rribl w th y w r v r m
ous s e , a e a e e ar e e e o e co e
by t h th nderb lt f Z ( J piter)
e u o s o e us u .
Ph t n In G re k myth l gy t h n me f t h
“
ae o : n g d e o o e a o e su - o
H li ; l t h
e os n f H li nd Pr te
a so Th l tt r b t in d e so o e os a o . e a e o a e
[ 238 ]
GLO S S ARY OF WOR D S
permis i on from his father t o drive his ch ri ot ( t he sun)

s a
acro s t h e h ea vens
s b u t b eing un bl e t
, ch ec k hi horses
a o s ,
nearly se t t he earth on fire and w as slain by Zeu s with a

,
Persic Zoroaster or Zarat h u sh t ra : Th e f ounder of t he

Pe rso-Irani an nati onal religi on wh i ch preva ile d at t he time
,
—
of t h e Achaemeni dae ( 5 5 9 330 t o t h e cl os e of t h e Sas
sa ni
a n dyn ty
as ( 226-
64 1 The Zend-Avesta is t h e Zo~
roas r a t i n bible .
[ 9 39 ]

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THE PA RA C E L S U S

C H RI STIN A P O LLO C K D EN I SON

some knowledge of the man P arace l

an historical note an d co mm ent B ro wnin g ,

l eave this volu m e t o s p eak for i t se l f For .

v aluabl e information I wish t o gra t efu lly

L ife o f R o b ert B rownin g

known as P arace l sus ( a name coine d

imply that he was greater than C elsus ) was ,

born in the year 1 4 9 3 in the V icinity of

a place called E insiede l n a v i llage some ,

leagues d i stan t from the c i ty o f Zurich in ,

S witzerland H is father Wi ll i am B o m bas t

o f H ohenheim was o n e O f the descendants o f

the O ld and celebrated fam i ly B ombast an d ,

they were called O f H ohenheim after their ,

anc i ent residence known as H ohenheim a

castle near the V i llag e o f P linn igen in the ,

v i c i nity of S tuttgart in Wurtemb urg H e

was a relative O f the G rand M aster O f the

t i mes whose name was G eorg e B omb ast of

H ohenheim H e es t ablished himse l f in his

capac i ty of a physician near E insie deln ; ,

and in the year 1 4 9 2 he married the matron

of the hosp ital b elong i ng to the ab bey of that

Theo phrastus the ir only ch i ld I t may be

ment i oned that P aracelsus i n cons i deration ,

O f the place o f h i s bi rth has also been called ,

H elvetius E rem i ta and furthermore we ,

someti mes ﬁnd him called Germ anu s Su evu s , ,

and Arp inu s .

A n O l d tradition says that P aracelsus was

beard gre w o n his face and h i s sku ll wh i ch , ,

is st i ll i n exi stence resembles the formation

o f a female rather that t hat of a male He !

is painted nowhere w i th a beard H is por .

trai t in l i fe size can st i ll be seen at S alzb u rg

pai nted on the wall o f his res i dence ( Li nzer

A ndrew) O ther portraits o f P aracelsus are

The head of P aracelsus pa i nted by Kaul ,

b ach i n h i s celebrated p i cture at the Museum ,

is i deal i zed an d b ears litt l e resemblance to

I n his ear l y youth P aracelsus O btained

t augh t him the rud i ments o f alchemy sur ,

gery and med i cine H e always honored the

memory of h i s father and always spoke in the,

kindes t terms O f h i m who was not only his ,

father b ut also h i s friend and i nstructor

H e afterwards continued his studies under

under t he guidance O f the learned b i shops ,

E berhardt B aumgartner M ath i as Sch ey dt , ,

o f R o t t g ac h an d M ath i as S chacht O f F reis

ingen H aving atta i ned h i s s i xteenth year

he was sent to st u dy at the U n i vers i ty o f

celebrated Johann T rit h e m iu s of Sp anh e im , ,

abbot O f S t Jacob a t W urzburg ( 1 4 6 1

o ne o f the greatest adepts O f magic alchemy , ,

and astrology an d it was under this teacher

that h i s talents for the study o f occultism

l ed h i m to enter the labor atory O f the ri ch

like the ab bot was a celebrated alchem i s t

and able to teach to h i s discip l e many a

L ater on P aracelsus traveled a g reat deal