One Moment in Annihilation's Waste, One Moment, of the Well of Life to taste-- The stars are setting, and the Caravan Starts for the Dawn of Nothing--Oh, make haste! The inspiration for this richly varied quatrain comes from O. 60. This caravan of life passes by mysteriously; Mayest thou seize the moment that passes happily! Cup-bearer, why grieve about the to-morrow of thy patrons?[58] Give us a cup of wine, for the night wanes. _Ref._: O. 60, C. 135, L. 245, B. 242, P. 223, S.P. 106, B. ii. 146, T. 139.--W. 136, N. 106, V. 251. Ll. 3 and 4 of C. 368 may also be quoted: (Man is) a toil-stricken being, fashioned in the clay of affliction, He tasted of Earth for a time and passed away. _Ref._: C. 368, L. 566, B. 559, S.P. 301, B. ii. 404, T. 242.--W. 338, N. 302, V. 606. XLIX.* Would you that spangle of Existence spend About THE SECRET--quick about it, Friend! A Hair perhaps divides the False and True-- And upon what, prithee, may life depend? L.* A Hair perhaps divides the False and True; Yes; and a single Alif were the clue-- Could you but find it--to the Treasure-house, And peradventure to THE MASTER too; This pair of quatrains must also be considered together. The idea contained in them is, I think, collected from C. 482 and 19, and from O. 28. Oh Boy! since thou art learned in all secrets, Why grieve so much after vain cares? If things will not shape themselves according to thy desire, At any rate be happy in this moment of thy existence. _Ref._: C. 482, L. 714, B. 703, S.P. 414, B. ii. 560.--W. 458, N. 419, V. 766. From the state of infidelity to that of faith is but a breath, And from a state of doubt to that of certainty is but a breath, Hold thou dear this one precious moment, For of the outcome of our being there is but a moment. _Ref._: C. 19, L. 131, B. 127, S.P. 20, B. ii. 22, T. 20.--W. 24, N. 20, V. 130. My Heart said to me: «I have a longing for inspired knowledge, Teach me if thou art able,» I said the Alif. My Heart said: «Say no more. If One is in the house, one letter is enough.»[59] _Ref._: O. 28.--W. 109. LI.* Whose secret Presence, through Creation's veins Running Quicksilver-like eludes your pains; Taking all shapes from Mah to Mahi; and They change and perish all--but He remains; In this quatrain FitzGerald has made a masterly conversion of C. 72. That Moon which is by nature skilled in metamorphosis Is sometimes animal and sometimes vegetable, Do not imagine that it will become non-existent--away with thought! It is always possessed of its essence though its qualities cease to be.[60] _Ref._: C. 72, L. 179, B. 176, S.P. 73, B. ii. 31, T. 51.--W. 75, N. 73, V. 175. C. 40 may also be cited.