Grief's almighty solace, frolicking Mirth's Purification, 330 For Man's unparagon'd High-pōetess, inseparate Muse Companion, the belov'd most dearly among her sisters, Revivifīer of age, fairest instructor of all grace, His peacemaker alert with varied sympathy, whose speech Not to arede and love is wholly to miss the celestial Consolatries, the divine interpreting of physical life,-- Yoū wince? make exception? allow things musical? admit So many faked viols, penny trumpets, and amateurish Performers? Nay, nay! stand firm, for concession is vain. Music is outmeasurably a barefaced luxury, her plea 340 Will cover art, (--almost to atone art's vile imitations--); My Japanese paintings, my fair blue Cheney, Hellenic Statues and Caroline silver, my beautiful Aldines, Prized more highly because so few, so fondly familiar, Need no tongue to defend them against rude hands, that assail them Only because their name is RARITY; hands insensate, Rending away pitilessly the fair embroideries of life, That close-clust'ring man, his comfort pared to the outskirts Of[v]his discomfort, may share in meanness unenvied But what if I[v]unveil the figure that closely beside you 350 Half hides his Hell-charred skeleton with mysteries obscene, That foul one, that Moloch of all Utopias, ancient Poisoner & destroyer-elect of innumerous unborn? Know you the story of our hive-bees, the yellow honey-makers, Whose images from of old have haunted Pōetry, settling On the blossoms of man's dream-garden, as on the summer-flow'rs, Pictures of happy toil, sunny glances, gendering always Such sweet thoughts, as be by slumbrous music awaken'd? How all their outward happiness,--that fairy demeanour Of busy contentment, singing at their work,--is an inborn 360 Empty habit, the relics of a time when considerate joy Truly possest their tiny bodies; when golden abundance Was not a State-kept hoard; when feasts were plentiful indulg'd With wine well-fermented, or old-stored spicy metheglin: For they died not then miserably within the second moon Forgotten, unrespected of all; but slept many winters, Saw many springs, liv'd, lov'd like men, consciously rejoicing In Nature's promises, with like hopes and recollections. Intelligence had brought them Scīence, Genius enter'd; Seers and sages arose, great Bees, perfecting among them 370 Copious inventions, with man's art worthily compared. Then was a time when that, which haps not in ages of ages, Strangely befel: they stole from Nature's secresy one key, Found the hidden motive which works to varīety of kind; And thus came wondrously possest of pow'r to determine Their children's qualities, habitudes, yea their specialized form Masculine or feminine to produce, or asexual offspring