Patience and hope had parted truce, And, sun-like, Love obscured his ray With dazzling mists, driven up profuse Before his own triumphant way. I thought with prayer how Jacob paid The patient price of Rachel; them, Of that calm grace Tobias said, And Sarah’s innocent ‘Amen.’ Without avail! O’erwhelming wealth, The wondrous gift of God so near, Which should have been delight and health Made heart and spirit sick and sere. Until at last the soul of love, That recks not of its own delight, Awoke and bade the mists remove, And then once more I breathed aright; And I rehears’d my marriage vow, And swore her welfare to prefer To all things, and for aye as now To live, not for myself, but her. Forth, from the glittering spirit’s peace And gaiety ineffable, Stream’d to the heart delight and ease, As from an overflowing well; And, orderly deriving thence Its pleasure perfect and allow’d, Bright with the spirit shone the sense, As with the sun a fleecy cloud. If now to part with her could make Her pleasure greater, sorrow less, I for my epitaph would take ‘To serve seem’d more than to possess.’ And I perceiv’d, (the vision sweet Dimming with happy dew mine eyes), That love and joy are torches lit From altar-fires of sacrifice. 4 Across the sky the daylight crept, And birds grew garrulous in the grove, And on my marriage-morn I slept A soft sleep, undisturb’d by love. CANTO XI. The Wedding. PRELUDES. I. _Platonic Love_. RIGHT art thou who wouldst rather be A doorkeeper in Love’s fair house, Than lead the wretched revelry Where fools at swinish troughs carouse. But do not boast of being least; And if to kiss thy Mistress’ skirt Amaze thy brain, scorn not the Priest Whom greater honours do not hurt. Stand off and gaze, if more than this Be more than thou canst understand, Revering him whose power of bliss, Angelic, dares to seize her hand, Or whose seraphic love makes flight To the apprehension of her lips; And think, the sun of such delight From thine own darkness takes eclipse. And, wouldst thou to the same aspire, This is the art thou must employ, Live greatly; so shalt thou acquire Unknown capacities of joy. II. _A Demonstration_.