To comprehend! Once more--no idle vaunt
'Man comprehends the Sun's self!' Mysteries
At source why probe into? Enough: display,
Make demonstrable, how, by night as day,
Earth's centre and sky's outspan, all's informed
Equally by Sun's efflux!--source from whence
If just one spark I drew, full evidence
Were mine of fire ineffably enthroned--
Sun's self made palpable to Man!"

XI

Thus moaned
Man till Prometheus helped him,--as we learn,--
Offered an artifice whereby he drew
Sun's rays into a focus,--plain and true,
The very Sun in little: made fire burn
And henceforth do Man service--glass-conglobed
Though to a pin-point circle--all the same
Comprising the Sun's self, but Sun disrobed
Of that else-unconceived essential flame
Borne by no naked sight. Shall mind's eye strive
Achingly to companion as it may
The supersubtle effluence, and contrive
To follow beam and beam upon their way
Hand-breadth by hand-breadth, till sense faint--confessed
Frustrate, eluded by unknown unguessed
Infinitude of action? Idle quest!
Rather ask aid from optics. Sense, descry
The spectrum--mind, infer immensity!
Little? In little, light, warmth, life are blessed--
Which, in the large, who sees to bless? Not I
More than yourself: so, good my friend, keep still
Trustful with--me? with thee, sage Mandeville!

The second "Reverie" has the effect of a triumphant swan song,
especially the closing stanzas, the poem having been written very near
the end of the poet's life.

"In a beginning God
Made heaven and earth." Forth flashed
Knowledge: from star to clod
Man knew things: doubt abashed
Closed its long period.

Knowledge obtained Power praise.
Had Good been manifest,
Broke out in cloudless blaze,
Unchequered as unrepressed,
In all things Good at best--

Then praise--all praise, no blame--
Had hailed the perfection. No!
As Power's display, the same
Be Good's--praise forth shall flow
Unisonous in acclaim!

Even as the world its life,
So have I lived my own--
Power seen with Love at strife,
That sure, this dimly shown,
--Good rare and evil rife.

Whereof the effect be--faith
That, some far day, were found
Ripeness in things now rathe,
Wrong righted, eac