My father! unto thee to whom I owe All that I am, all that I have and can; Who madest me in thyself the sum of man In all his generous aims and powers to know, These first-fruits bring I; nor do thou ...

We here present to the American public a book which has produced no little sensation in England, and which has been, for some time, known to many in this country. But although the first edition was is...

Without all fear, without presumption, he Who wrote this work would speak respecting it A few brief words, and face his friend the world; Revising, not reversing, what hath been. Poetry is itself a th...

Scene⁠—Heaven. God: Eternity hath snowed its years upon them; And the white winter of their age is come, The World and all its worlds; and all shall end. Seraphim: God! God! God! As flames in skies We...

Scene⁠—Wood and water⁠—Sunset. Festus: Festus, alone. Festus: This is to be a mortal and immortal! To live within a circle⁠—and to be That dark point where the shades of all things around Meet, mix an...

Scene⁠—Water and wood⁠—Midnight; Festus: Festus, alone. Festus: All things are calm, and fair, and passive. Earth Looks as if lulled upon an angel’s lap Into a breathless dewy sleep: so still, That we...

Scene⁠—A mountain⁠—Sunrise. Festus: Festus and Lucifer. Festus: Hail beauteous Earth! Gazing o’er thee, I all Forget the bounds of beings; and I long To fill thee, as a lover pines to blend Soul, pass...

Scene⁠—Alcove and garden. Festus: Festus and Clara. Festus: What happy things are youth and love and sunshine! How sweet to feel the sun upon the heart! To know it is lighting up the rosy blood, And w...

Scene⁠—Anywhere. Festus: Festus and Lucifer meeting. Festus: God hath refused me: wilt thou do it for me? Or shall I end with both? remake myself? Lucifer: Now that is the one thing which I cannot do....

Scene⁠—A country town⁠—Marketplace⁠—Noon. Lucifer: Lucifer and Festus. Lucifer: These be the toils and cares of mighty men! Earth’s vermin are as fit to fill her thrones As these high Heaven’s bright ...

Scene⁠—The Surface. Lucifer: Lucifer and Festus. Lucifer: Wilt ride? Festus: I’ll have an hour’s ride. Lucifer: Be mine the steeds! be me the guide! Come hither, come hither, My brave black steed! And...

Scene⁠—A village feast. Evening. Festus: Festus, Lucifer and others. Festus: It is getting dark. One has to walk quite close, To see the pretty faces that we meet. Lucifer: A disagreeable necessity, T...

Scene⁠—The centre. Festus: Festus and Lucifer. Lucifer: Behold us in the fire-crypts of the world! Through seas and buried mountains tomblike tracts, Fit to receive the skeleton of Death When he is de...

Scene⁠—A ruined temple. Festus: Festus and Lucifer. Festus: Here will I worship solely. Lucifer: ’Tis a fane Once sacred to the Sun. Festus: It matters not What false god here hath falsely been adored...

Scene⁠—A metropolis⁠—Public place. Festus: Festus and Lucifer. Festus: What can be done here? Lucifer: Oh! a thousand things, As well as elsewhere. Festus: True; it is a place Where passion, occupatio...

Scene⁠—Air. Lucifer: Lucifer and Festus. Festus: Where, where am I? Lucifer: We are in space and time, just as we were Some half a second since; where wouldst thou be? Festus: I would be in Eternity a...

Scene⁠—Another and a better world. Festus: Festus and Lucifer. Festus: What a sweet world! Which is this, Lucifer? Lucifer: This is the star of evening and of beauty. Festus: Otherwise Venus. I will s...

Scene⁠—A large party and entertainment. Festus: Festus, Ladies, and others. Festus: My Helen! let us rest awhile, For most I love thy calmer smile; We’ll not be missed from this gay throng, They dance...

Scene⁠—A churchyard. Festus: Festus and Lucifer beside a grave. Festus: Let years crowd on, and age bow down My body to the earth which gave, As yon grey, worn out, crumbling stone Dips o’er the grave...

Scene⁠—Space. Festus: Festus and Lucifer. Festus: Listen! I hear the harmonies of Heaven, From sphere to sphere and from the boundless round Re-echoing bliss to those serenest heights Where angels sit...

Scene⁠—Heaven. Lucifer: Lucifer and Festus, entering. The Archangels: Infinite God! Thy will is done: The world’s last sand is all but run: The night is feeding on the sun. Lucifer: All-being God! I c...

Scene⁠—A visit. Festus: Festus and Helen. Helen: Come to the light, love! Let me look on thee! Let me make sure I have thee. Is it thou? Is this thy hand? Are these thy velvet lips⁠— Thy lips so lovab...

Scene⁠—Home. Festus, and Helen at her piano.⁠—Dusk. Helen: I cannot live away from thee. How can A flower live without its root? Festus: I, too, Must love or die. Helen: But I must have. Attend! I am ...

Scene⁠—Garden and bower by the sea. Lucifer: Lucifer and Elissa. Lucifer: Night comes, world-jewelled, as my bride should be. The stars rush forth in myriads as to wage War with the lines of Darkness;...

Scene⁠—Everywhere. Lucifer: Lucifer and Festus. Festus: Why, earth is in the very midst of Heaven! And space, though void of things, feels full of God. Hath space no limit? Lucifer: None to thee. Yet,...

Scene⁠—Hell. Lucifer: Lucifer and Festus entering. Lucifer: Behold my world! Man’s science counts it not Upon the brightest sky. He never knows How near it comes to him; but, swathed in clouds, As tho...

Scene⁠—Colonnade and lawn. Festus: Festus and Clara. Clara: What is it thou wilt tell me? Festus: I have seen What ne’er again may be, nor e’er till now hath been. Clara: Where didst thou see⁠—and wha...

Scene⁠—The Sun. Festus: Soul of the world, divine Necessity, Servant of God, and master of all things! Here, in the Heaven of light’s eternal noon, First see I all things clear: from end to end The di...

Scene⁠—A drawing room. Festus: Festus and Elissa. Festus: Who says he loves and is not wretched, lies; Or that love is madness came mad from his mother. ’Tis the most reasonable thing in nature. What ...

Scene⁠—Garden and bower by the sea. Elissa: Alone. Come, Festus, let me think on thee, my love! And fold the thought of thee unto my soul, Until it fills it, and is one with it. Ah! these poor arms ar...

Scene⁠—A library and balcony⁠—A summer night. Festus: Alone. The last high upward slant of sun on the trees, Like a dead soldier’s sword upon his pall, Seems to console earth for the glory gone. Oh! I...

Scene⁠—Elsewhere. Festus: Alone. I feel as if I could devour the days Till the time came when I shall gain mine end; God shall have made me ruler, and all worlds Signed the sublime recognizance. Till ...

Scene⁠—A gathering of kings and peoples. Festus: Throned. Princes and Peoples! Powers once, of earth! It suits not that I point to ye the path By which I reached this sole supreme domain⁠— This mounta...

Scene⁠—The skies. God: God, Angels, Angel of Earth, Lucifer. God: The age of matter consummates itself. All things that are shall end, save that is mine. As with one world, so shall it he with all; Fo...

Scene⁠—The Millennial Earth. Saints: Saints and Angels conversing; Festus. Angel: The Earth is all one Eden. Pity, sure, That it should ever end. Saint: I say not so; Although I have a thousand plans ...

Scene⁠—Hades. Archangel: Archangel, Festus, Death, Lucifer. Festus: Almighty God! sustain me. This is Death;⁠— And this⁠—I knew not, angel! he was here⁠— Is Lucifer⁠—the fallen, like a bolt Of thunder...

Scene⁠—Earth. Angels: Angels and Saints⁠—An Angel descending; Festus. Saint: Whence art thou? Angel: I? from Heaven, and thither tend;⁠— One moment here to bid ye to prepare. Our Lord the Eternal Son ...

Scene⁠—The judgment of Earth. Son of God: The Son of God, the Archangel, Saints and Angels. Archangel: Let all the dead rejoice! their Saviour comes; With clouds of angels circled like a sun, Belted w...

Scene⁠—The Heaven of Heavens. The Recording Angel: The Recording Angel, Lucifer, Festus, Angels. The Recording Angel: All men are judged save one. Son of God: He too is saved. Immortal! I have saved t...

Read this, world! He who writes is dead to thee, But still lives in these leaves. He spake inspired: Night and day, thought came unhelped, undesired, Like blood to his heart. The course of study he We...