Myself when young did eagerly frequent Doctor and Saint, and heard great argument About it and about: but evermore Came out by the same door wherein I went. XXVIII. With them the seed of Wisdom did I sow, And with mine own hand wrought to make it grow; And this was all the Harvest that I reap'd-- «I came like Water, and like Wind I go.» These two quatrains must be considered together. They are inspired by O. 121, C. 281, and O. 72. For a while, when young, we frequented a teacher, For a while we were contented with our proficiency; Behold the end of the discourse:--what happened to us? We came like water and we went like wind. _Ref._: O. 121, L. 544, B. 538, B. ii. 420, P. v. 99.--W 353, V. 584. Being (once) a falcon, I flew from the World of mystery, That from below I might soar to the heights above; But, not finding there any intimate friend, I came out by the same door wherein I went.[45] _Ref._: C. 281, L. 429, B. 425, S.P. 224, P. 30, B. ii. 295, T. 184.--W. 264, N. 225, V. 467. A quatrain that probably contributed to FitzGerald's verse is: No one has solved the tangled secrets of eternity, No one has set foot beyond the orbit (of human under-standing), Since, so far as I can see, from tyro to teacher, Impotent are the hands of all men born of women. _Ref._: O. 72, C. 176, L. 357, B. 353, S.P. 175, B. ii. 211, P. v. 210--W. 190, N. 175, V. 356. XXIX. Into this Universe, and _Why_ not knowing Nor _Whence_, like Water willy-nilly flowing; And out of it, as Wind along the Waste, I know not _Whither_, Willy-nilly blowing. The inspiration for this quatrain is to be found in the following: C. 235 and O. 20 (ll. 1 and 2). He first brought me in confusion into existence, What do I gain from my life save my amazement at it? We went away against our will, and we know not what was The purpose of this coming, and going, and being. _Ref._: C. 235, L. 324, B. 320, S.P. 117, T. 153.--W. 145, N. 117, V. 326. Like water in a great river and like wind in the desert, Another day passes out of the period of my existence.[46] _Ref._: O. 20, C. 23 and 55, L. 84, B. 80, S.P. 22, P. ii. 2, P. 162, B. ii. 24 and 88, T. 22 and 305, P. v. 140 and 186, W. 26, N. 22 and 42, V. 83. XXX. What, without asking, hither hurried _Whence_? And, without asking, _Whither_ hurried hence! Oh, many a Cup of this forbidden Wine Must drown the memory of that insolence! This quatrain owes its origin to two ruba'iyat in O., viz., 21 and 151. Seeing that my coming was not in my power at the Day of Creation,[47] And that my undesired departure hence is a purpose fixed (for me), Get up and gird well thy loins, O nimble cup-bearer, For I will wash down the misery of the world in wine. _Ref._: O. 21, C. 49, L. 94, B. 90, B. ii. 86, P. v. 123.--W. 110, V. 94.