“O Bride, would’st thou refreshèd be, So bend thee to the Virgin’s knee, To the little Babe, and taste and see The milk of joy from the Maid’s breast, That the angels drink, in unearthly rest.” And the soul: “It is but a childish love indeed, Babes to cradle, babes to feed; I am a fair, a full-grown bride, I must haste to my Lover’s side.” And the senses: “O bride, if thou goest thou shalt find, That we are utterly dazzled and blind. Such fiery heat in God doth dwell— Thou thyself knowest it well— That all the flame and all the glow Which in Heaven above and the Saints below Burneth and shineth—all doth flow From God Himself. His divine breath Sighed by the Spirit’s wisdom and power, Through His human lips, born to death, —Who may abide it, e’en for an hour?” And the soul says: “The fish in the water cannot drown, The bird in the air cannot sink down, Gold in the fire cannot decay, But shineth fairer and clearer alway. To all creatures God doth give, After their own natures to live. How can I bind my nature’s wings? I must haste to my God before all things; My God, by His nature my Father above, My Brother in His humanity, My Bridegroom in His ardent love, And I His from Eternity. Think ye, that Fire must utterly slay my soul? Nay—fierce He can scorch—then tenderly cool and console.” “And so did the utterly loved go in to the utterly lovely; into the secret chamber of the Pure Divinity. And there she found the resting place of love, and the home of love, and the Divine Humanity that awaited her.” And the soul said: “Lord, God, I am now a naked soul And Thou art arrayed all gloriously: We are Two in One, we have reached the goal, Immortal rapture that cannot die. Now, a blessed silence doth o’er us flow, Both wills together would have it so. He is given to her, she is given to Him,— What now shall befall her, the soul doth know— And therefore am I consoled.” This is the end of all mysticism. It is the term to which all the artistic efforts of the mystics have striven to lead the hearts of other men. Footnote 1: For the verse-translations in the following extracts I am indebted to the great skill and kindness of Mrs. Theodore Beck, who, possessing a special talent for this difficult art, has most generously made for me these versions of Mechthild’s poetry. THE EDUCATION OF THE SPIRIT