The Poems of Schiller - Third period Part 24

Not without thee the streams--there the dull seek them;--No!

Look within thee--behold both the fount and the flow!

THE POWER OF WOMAN.

Mighty art thou, because of the peaceful charms of thy presence; That which the silent does not, never the boastful can do.

Vigor in man I expect, the law in its honors maintaining, But, through the graces alone, woman e'er rules or should rule.

Many, indeed, have ruled through the might of the spirit and action, But then thou n.o.blest of crowns, they were deficient in thee.

No real queen exists but the womanly beauty of woman; Where it appears, it must rule; ruling because it appears!

THE TWO PATHS OF VIRTUE.

Two are the pathways by which mankind can to virtue mount upward; If thou should find the one barred, open the other will lie.

'Tis by exertion the happy obtain her, the suffering by patience.

Blest is the man whose kind fate guides him along upon both!

THE PROVERBS OF CONFUCIUS.

I.

Threefold is the march of time While the future slow advances, Like a dart the present glances, Silent stands the past sublime.

No impatience e'er can speed him On his course if he delay; No alarm, no doubts impede him If he keep his onward way; No regrets, no magic numbers Wake the tranced one from his slumbers.

Wouldst thou wisely and with pleasure, Pa.s.s the days of life's short measure, From the slow one counsel take, But a tool of him ne'er make; Ne'er as friend the swift one know, Nor the constant one as foe!

II.

Threefold is the form of s.p.a.ce: Length, with ever restless motion, Seeks eternity's wide ocean; Breadth with boundless sway extends; Depth to unknown realms descends.

All as types to thee are given; Thou must onward strive for heaven, Never still or weary be Would'st thou perfect glory see; Far must thy researches go.

Wouldst thou learn the world to know; Thou must tempt the dark abyss Wouldst thou prove what Being is.

Naught but firmness gains the prize,-- Naught but fulness makes us wise,-- Buried deep, truth ever lies!

HUMAN KNOWLEDGE.

Since thou readest in her what thou thyself hast there written, And, to gladden the eye, placest her wonders in groups;-- Since o'er her boundless expanses thy cords to extend thou art able, Thou dost think that thy mind wonderful Nature can grasp.

Thus the astronomer draws his figures over the heavens, So that he may with more ease traverse the infinite s.p.a.ce, Knitting together e'en suns that by Sirius-distance are parted, Making them join in the swan and in the horns of the bull.

But because the firmament shows him its glorious surface, Can he the spheres' mystic dance therefore decipher aright?

COLUMBUS.

Steer on, bold sailor--Wit may mock thy soul that sees the land, And hopeless at the helm may droop the weak and weary hand, Yet ever--ever to the West, for there the coast must lie, And dim it dawns, and glimmering dawns before thy reason's eye; Yea, trust the guiding G.o.d--and go along the floating grave, Though hid till now--yet now behold the New World o'er the wave!

With genius Nature ever stands in solemn union still, And ever what the one foretells the other shall fulfil.

LIGHT AND WARMTH.

In cheerful faith that fears no ill The good man doth the world begin; And dreams that all without shall still Reflect the trusting soul within.

Warm with the n.o.ble vows of youth, Hallowing his true arm to the truth;

Yet is the littleness of all So soon to sad experience shown, That crowds but teach him to recall And centre thought on self alone; Till love, no more, emotion knows, And the heart freezes to repose.

Alas! though truth may light bestow, Not always warmth the beams impart, Blest he who gains the boon to know, Nor buys the knowledge with the heart.

For warmth and light a blessing both to be, Feel as the enthusiast--as the world-wise see.

BREADTH AND DEPTH.

Full many a s.h.i.+ning wit one sees, With tongue on all things well conversing; The what can charm, the what can please, In every nice detail rehearsing.

Their raptures so transport the college, It seems one honeymoon of knowledge.

Yet out they go in silence where They whilom held their learned prate; Ah! he who would achieve the fair, Or sow the embryo of the great, Must h.o.a.rd--to wait the ripening hour-- In the least point the loftiest power.

With wanton boughs and pranksome hues, Aloft in air aspires the stem; The glittering leaves inhale the dews, But fruits are not concealed in them.

From the small kernel's undiscerned repose The oak that lords it o'er the forest grows.

THE TWO GUIDES OF LIFE.

THE SUBLIME AND THE BEAUTIFUL.

Two genii are there, from thy birth through weary life to guide thee; Ah, happy when, united both, they stand to aid beside thee?

With gleesome play to cheer the path, the one comes blithe with beauty, And lighter, leaning on her arm, the destiny and duty.

With jest and sweet discourse she goes unto the rock sublime, Where halts above the eternal sea [57] the shuddering child of time.

The other here, resolved and mute and solemn, claspeth thee, And bears thee in her giant arms across the fearful sea.

Never admit the one alone!--Give not the gentle guide Thy honor--nor unto the stern thy happiness confide!