The Works of Lord Byron. Vol. 5: PoetryByron, George Gordon Byron, Baron
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The Works of Lord Byron. Vol. 5: Poetry
Byron, George Gordon Byron, Baron
English drama; English poetry
_Cain_. And if
I _have_ thought, why recall a thought that----
(_he pauses as agitated_)--Spirit!
_Here_ we are in _thy_ world; speak not of _mine_.
Thou hast shown me wonders: thou hast shown me those
Mighty Pre-Adamites who walked the earth
Of which ours is the wreck: thou hast pointed out 360
Myriads of starry worlds, of which our own
Is the dim and remote companion, in
Infinity of life: thou hast shown me shadows
Of that existence with the dreaded name
Which my sire brought us--Death;[cj] thou hast shown me much
But not all: show me where Jehovah dwells,
In his especial Paradise--or _thine_:
Where is it?
_Lucifer_. _Here_, and o'er all space.
_Cain_. But ye
Have some allotted dwelling--as all things;
Clay has its earth, and other worlds their tenants; 370
All temporary breathing creatures their
Peculiar element; and things which have
Long ceased to breathe _our_ breath, have theirs, thou say'st;
And the Jehovah and thyself have thine--
Ye do not dwell together?
_Lucifer_. No, we reign
Together; but our dwellings are asunder.
_Cain_. Would there were only one of ye! perchance
An unity of purpose might make union
In elements which seem now jarred in storms.
How came ye, being Spirits wise and infinite, 380
To separate? Are ye not as brethren in
Your essence--and your nature, and your glory?
_Lucifer_. Art not thou Abel's brother?
_Cain_. We are brethren,
And so we shall remain; but were it not so,
Is spirit like to flesh? can it fall out--
Infinity with Immortality?
Jarring and turning space to misery--
For what?
_Lucifer_. To reign.
_Cain_. Did ye not tell me that
Ye are both eternal?
_Lucifer_. Yea!
_Cain_. And what I have seen--
Yon blue immensity, is boundless?
_Lucifer_. Aye. 390
_Cain_. And cannot ye both _reign_, then?--is there not
Enough?--why should ye differ?
_Lucifer_. We _both_ reign.
_Cain_. But one of you makes evil.
_Lucifer_. Which?
_Cain_. Thou! for
If thou canst do man good, why dost thou not?
_Lucifer_. And why not he who made? _I_ made ye not;
Ye are _his_ creatures, and not mine.
_Cain_. Then leave us
_His_ creatures, as thou say'st we are, or show me
Thy dwelling, or _his_ dwelling.
_Lucifer_. I could show thee
Both; but the time will come thou shalt see one
Of them for evermore.[120]
_Cain_. And why not now? 400
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