n saying this. It is not
The nature of thine age, nor of thy blood,
Nor of thy temperament, to talk so coolly,
Or act so carelessly, in that which is 350
The bloom or blight of all men's happiness,
(For Glory's pillow is but restless, if
Love lay not down his cheek there): some strong bias,
Some master fiend is in thy service, to
Misrule the mortal who believes him slave,
And makes his every thought subservient; else
Thou'dst say at once--"I love young Ida, and
Will wed her;" or, "I love her not, and all
The powers on earth shall never make me."--So
Would _I_ have answered.

_Ulr._ Sir, _you_ wed for love. 360

_Sieg._ I did, and it has been my only refuge
In many miseries.

_Ulr._ Which miseries
Had never been but for this love-match.

_Sieg._ Still
Against your age and nature! Who at twenty
E'er answered thus till now?

_Ulr._ Did you not warn me
Against your own example?

_Sieg._ Boyish sophist!
In a word, do you love, or love not, Ida?

_Ulr._ What matters it, if I am ready to
Obey you in espousing her?

_Sieg._ As far
As you feel, nothing--but all life for her. 370
She's young--all-beautiful--adores you--is
Endowed with qualities to give happiness,
Such as rounds common life into a dream
Of something which your poets cannot paint,
And (if it were not wisdom to love virtue),
For which Philosophy might barter Wisdom;
And giving so much happiness, deserves
A little in return. I would not have her
Break her heart with a man who has none to break!
Or wither on her stalk like some pale rose 380
Deserted by the bird she thought a nightingale,
According to the Orient tale.[199] She is----

_Ulr._ The daughter of dead Stralenheim, your foe:
I'll wed her, ne'ertheless; though, to say truth,
Just now I am not violently transported
In favour of such unions.

_Sieg._ But she loves you.

_Ulr._ And I love her, and therefore would think _twice_.

_Sieg._ Alas! Love never did so.

_Ulr._ Then 'tis time
He should begin, and take the bandage from
His eyes,