CUERVO - Biblioteca Nacional de Colombia

PARACELSUS
And having this within me and about me
'Vhile Einsiedeln, its mountains, lakes, and woods
Confined me-what oppressive joy was mine
When life grew plain, and I first viewed the thronged,
The ever-moving concourse oi mankind I
Believe that ere I joined them-ere I knew
The purpose 01 the pageant, or the place
Consigned to me within its ranks-while yct
Wonder was freshest and delight most pure-
'Twas then that least supportable appeared
A station with the brightest of the crowd,
A portion with the proudest of them aliI
And from the tumult in my breast, this only
Could I collect-that I must thenceforth die,
Or elevate myself far, far above
The gorgeous spectacle. I seemed to long
At once to trample on-yet save mankind­
To make some unexampled sacrifice
In their behalf-to wring some wondrous good
From heaven or earth for them-to perish, winninci
Eternal weal in the act: as who should dare
Pluck out the angry thunder from its cloud,
That, all iLs gaLhered name discharged on him,
No sLorm might threaten summer's azure sleep:
Yet never to be mixed with men so much
As to have part even in my own work-share
In my own largess. Once the feat achieved,
I would withdraw from their officious praise,
Would gently put aside their profuse thanks:
Like some knight traversing a wilderness,
'Vho, on his way, may chance to free a tribe
Of desert-people from their dragon-foe;
"Vhen all the swarLhy race press round to kiss
His feet, and choose him for their king, and yield
Their poor tents, pitched among the sand-hills, for
His realm; and he points, smiling, to his scarf,
Heavy with riveled gold, his burgonet,
Gay set with twinkling stones-and to the east,
Where these must be displayed I
Festus. Good: let us hear
No more about your nature, " which first shrank
" From all that marked you out apart from men I "
Paracelsus. I touch on that: these words but analyse
That first mad impulse-'twas as brief as fond;
POI' as I gazed again upon the show,
1 soon distinguished here and there a shape
Palm-wreathed and radiant, forehead and full eye.
Well pleased was I their state should thus at once
Interpret my own thoughts :-" Behold the clue
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