Among
the people which, untimely ripe, was become of all the most scornful and
insolently hostile to the blessed innocence of youth, appeared the New
World, in guise never seen before, in the song-favouring hut of poverty, a
son of the first maid and mother, the eternal fruit of mysterious embrace.
The forseeing, rich-blossoming wisdom of the East at once recognized the
beginning of the new age; a star showed it the way to the lowly cradle of
the king. In the name of the far-reaching future, they did him homage with
lustre ond odour, the highest wonders of Nature. In solitude the heavenly
heart unfolded itself to a flower-chalice of almighty love, upturned to
the supreme face of the father, and resting on the bliss-boding bosom of
the sweetly solemn mother. With deifying fervour the prophetic eye of the
blooming child beheld the years to come, foresaw, untroubled over the
earthly lot of his own days, the beloved offspring of his divine stem. Ere
long the most childlike souls, by true love marvellously possessed,
gathered about him. Like flowers sprang up a new strange life in his
presence. Words inexhaustible and tidings the most joyful fell like sparks
of a divine spirit from his friendly lips. From a far shore came a singer,
born under the clear sky of Hellas, to Palestine, and gave up his whole
heart to the marvellous child:--
The youth art thou who ages long hast stood
Upon our graves, lost in a maze of weening;
Sign in the darkness of God's tidings good,
Whence hints of growth humanity is gleaning;
For that we long, on that we sweetly brood
Which erst in woe had lost all life and meaning;
In everlasting life death found its goal,
For thou art Death, and thou first mak'st us whole.
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