ASA G I I W W C U D I ND O S. A

a 190m .

EL IZ ABE H B RRE BRO IN T A TT WN G .

L OND O N

CH P A L A M N 8L H AL L AD IL Y. , 1 9 3 , PICC

1 8 51 .

D V A ERTISEMENT .

TH I S Poem contains the ” impressions of the writer

up on events in Tuscany of which she w as a witness .

" ” ‘ the oriticm u a . From a window, y dem r She bows

i l to the objection n the very tit e of her work . No

u u s l l l contin o s narrative, nor expo ition of po itica phi o

is l e . m sophy, attempt d , by her It is a si p e story of

l m n nl lu is persona i pressio s, whose o y va e in the

e as n int nsity with which they were received, provi g

‘ her warm affection for a beautifuland unfortunate country ; and the sincerity with which they are

6 v i AD VERTI SEMENT.

lt re a ed, as indicating her own good faith and freedom

ll from a partisanship .

fir w as Of the two parts of this Poem, the st

e l l re writt n near y three years ago, whi e the second u ual s mes the act situation of 1 8 51 . The discrepancy between the two parts is a sufficient guarantee to

u l u ul e the p b ic of the tr thf ness of the writ r, who,

" though she certainly escaped the epidemic falling

n u as a sickness of e th si m for Pio Nono, t kes shame u l she l l pon herse f that be ieved, ike a woman, some

al s l bl con se roy oath , and ost sight of the proba e

en s ul e qu ce of so me obvious pop ar def cts . If the

ul ai ul let discrepancy sho d be p nf to the reader, him

understand that to the writer it has been more so .

But such discrepancy w e are called upon to accept at e very hour by the conditions of our natur e the D ERTI SEME v ii A V NT .

ma discrepancy between aspiration and perfor nce,

- dis llu hO e . between faith and i sion, between p and fact

0 ust k n tr ed, bro e prophecy,

O s un s u s riche t fort e o rly cro t,

B n the u u the u u s or for f t re, to f t re lo t

l u The u u u . not ost to the, f t re in this case f t re

l ll r of Ita y sha not be disinhe ited .

F L O REN E 1 5. C , 8 1

OA A GUID D S I W IN OW S.

ART I P .

I H EARD go ’ ui ur Neath Casa G di windows, by the ch ch,

0 ballet Mafi a 0 bezza, t in n , s r gi g

The same words stillon notes he went in search

ou lu u So high for, y conc ded the pspringing

Of such a ni mble bird to sky from p erch

Must leave the whole bush in a tremble green

An d al u that the heart of It y m st beat, 2 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

While such a voice had leave to rise serene ’ Twixt chur ch and palace of a Florence street 1

A l l l l itt e chi d, too, who not ong had been ’ By mother s fin ger steadi ed on his feet ;

‘ An d ll0 b sti ella libertar he sang .

u u n u u Then I tho ght, m si g, of the inn mero s

Sweet songs which for this Italy outrang

’ l l who u From o der singers ips, sang not th s

ul l u l Ex ting y and p re y, yet, with pang

us u us Sheathed into m ic, to ched the heart of

So fin ely that the pity scarcely pained "

u Filica a led I tho ght how j on others, l l Bewai ers for their Ita y enchained,

An d ll ll how they ca ed her chi d ess among mothers, C S A A GUIDI WINDOWS . 3

r a Widow of empi es, y, and scarce refrained

ur i u as C s ng her bea ty to her face, brothers l Might a shamed sister, Had she been ess fair

l ”— She were ess wretched, how, evoking so

From congregated wrong and heaped despair

hin un l Of men and women writ g der b ow,

u fil l Harrowed and hideo s in their thy air,

I A personating mage, wherein woe

" W as b ff u wrapt in eauty from o ending m ch, ll l They ca ed it Cybe e, or Niobe,

l - l u Or aid it corpse ike on a bier for s ch,

Wh ere the whole world mi ght drop for Italy

Those cadenced tears whi ch bur n not where they

u to ch,

ul u as - we J iet of nations, canst tho die

An d w as the violet crown that crowned thy head

B 2 4 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS

l h u u u So over arge, t o gh new b ds made it ro gh,

l h l It s ipped down and across t ine eye ids dead,

” uli ? u O sweet, fair J et Of s ch songs enough ;

u ln l I Too many of s ch comp ai ts Beho d, nstead, ’ ul l u " Void at Verona, J iet s marb e tro gh

An d alli void as that is, are mages

l u l Men set between themse ves and act a wrong,

To catch the weight of pity, meet the stress ’ Of conscience ; though tis easier to gaze long

efii ies On personations, masks, and g ,

Than to see live weak creatures crushed by strong .

who al - For me stand in It y to day,

Wh ere worthier poets stood and sang before,

r r w I kiss thei footsteps, yet thei ords gainsay W CASA GUIDI INDOWS .

1 can b ut muse in hope upon thi s Shore

l A Of go den rno, as it shoots away ’ u l Straight thro gh the heart of F orence, neath the

offl B ent bridges, seeming to strain ike bows,

An d l hil u tremb e, w e the arrowy ndertide l l Shoots on and c eaves the marb e as it goes,

An d u al - ll strikes p p ace wa s on either side,

An d out l froths the cornice in g ittering rows,

’ and win d ow s u l ul l With doors q aint y m tip ied,

An d - u all terrace sweeps, and gazers pon ,

out By whom if flower or kerchief were thrown ,

l ul ll From any attice there, the same wo d fa

u u Into the river nderneath, no do bt, ’ It u l r ns so c ose and fast twixt walland wall.

How beautiful" The mountains from without l Listen in si ence for the word said next, 6 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS

(What word willmen say here where Giotto planted

nil lk u l His campa e, i e an nperp exed

u n hin "estion to Heaven, concer ing the t gs granted l l To a great peop e, who, being great y vexed

a u un " In act, in spiration keep nda ted ’ (What word says God ?"The sculptor S Night and

An d T ili in mar l r Dawn and w ght, wait b e sco n,

u u h ll l Like dogs co ched on a d ng i , on the c ay

’ di s u From whence the Me cean Stamp o tworn,

The finalputting offof allsuch sway

all u h d u By s ch an s, and freeing of the nborn

l l u l . In F orence, and the wor d o tside his F orence ’ That s MichelAngelo "his statues wait

ll l In the sma chape of the dim St . Lawrence ’ Day s eyes are breaking bold and passionate CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

his ul w ll a Over sho der, and i fl sh abhorrence

l ll On darkness, and with eve ooks meet fate,

When once loose from that marble film of theirs

The Night has wild dreams in her sleep ; the Dawn

Is haggard as the sleepless : Twilight wears

A sort of horror as the veilwithdrawn ’ ’ Twixt the artist s soul an d works had left them

heirs

ou hi ul u l Of the deep th ghts w ch wo d not q ai nor fawn,

his l His angers and contempts, hope and ove

For not without a meanin g di d he place

Princely Urbino on the seat above

With everlasting shadow on hi s face ;

While the slow dawns and twili ghts disapprove

s l - n u The a hes of his ong exti g ished race,

Which never shallclog more the feet of men . 8 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS

l di v A l I do be ieve, inest nge o,

- ur That winter ho , in Via Larga, when

Thou wert commanded to build up in snow

l hi hi Some marve of t ne art, w ch ’ Dissolved beneath the sun s Italian

l ill l Whi e thine eyes, st broad with the p astic

passion,

dr u Thawed, too, in ops of wo nded manhood,

lik di n Mocking a e thine art and in g ation,

u l - La ghed at the pa ace window the new prince,

" Aha hi u n al t s geni s eeds for ex tation, ’ ’ ll u When a s said, and howe er the pro d may wince,

A little marble from our princely mines

l h ur u lau hed st I do be ieve t at ho tho g too,

I O CASA GUI DI WINDOWS .

n ul I thi k thy so said then, I do not need

A u all princedom and its q arries, after 5

i For if I write, pa nt, carve a word, indeed,

u ll On book or board or d st, on floor or wa ,

The same is kept of God who taketh heed

h l ll T at not a etter of the meaning fa , ’ u a l Or ere it to ch and te ch His wor d s deep heart,

u l all ur l ds " O t asting, therefore, yo or hips, Sir

u ou u So keep yo r stone, beseech y , for yo r part,

To cover up your grave - place and refer

The proper titles I live by my art

The thought I thr ew into thi s snow shallstir

This gazing people when their gaze is done ;

An d di u mi the tra tion of yo r act and ne,

all l sun When the snow is me ted in the ,

all u u Sh gather p , for nborn men, a sign CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 1 1

u "a Of what is the tr e princedom y, and none

alllu un w . Sh a gh that day, except the dr k with ine

A A l men, great nge o the day is come 5

An d lu llw e ? , if we a gh not on it, sha weep

Thr u u ulhum Much more we shallnot . o gh the mo rnf

Of poets sonneteering in their sleep

’ , le l w r l Neath the pa o ives, hich d oop, tick ing some

i r m dr On ch n and forehead f o a eam too deep,

r u all hum Th o gh that drowsy of voices smooth,

The hopefulbird moun ts carolling from brake ;

ul l l The hopef chi d, with eaps to catch his growth, ’ Sings open - eyed for liberty s sweet sake

An d I, who am a singer too, forsooth,

who Prefer to sing with these are awake, 1 2 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

ll With birds, with babes, with men who wi not fear

l n The baptism of the ho y mor ing dew,

An d u ( many of s ch wakers now are here,

l nh Comp ete in their anointed ma ood, who

Willgreatly dare and greatlier persevere ""

old hi Than join those t n voices with my new,

An d sigh for Italy with some safe sigh

’ u u wi ab Cooped p in m sic t xt an oh and ,

wi u l Nay, hand in hand th that yo ng chi d,

" ‘ ” n Bella lilertcr Rather go singi g ,

Than, with those poets, croon the dead or cry

' Se lu men lella osslI lalz a f ,

l u Less wretched if ess fair, perhaps a tr th

l — l Is so far p ain in this that Ita y, CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 1 3

Long trammelled with the purple of her youth

° ’ n st d ue her age s activity ,

llu u u Sate sti pon her graves, witho t the r th

but al u Of death, so witho t energy

" ’ ” A nd l l? hope of ife . What s Ita y men ask

An d l others answer, Virgi , Cicero,

” t ullu a . An d ? Cat s, C esar wha more to task

l Wh memory c oser y, Boccaccio,

ca — ll Dante, Petrar , and if sti the flask

A i l n l ppears to y e d its wi e by drops too s ow,

”— A l RaflaelPer olese all nge o, , g ,

Wh t u ose strong hear s beat thro gh stone, or charged,

again,

l - r fir e ul l l C oth th eads with of so s e ectrica ,

Or broke up heaven for music . What more

then P 1 4 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

’ . l l ll Why, then, no more The chap et s ast beads fa

i l hi hin In nam ng the ast saints p wit ken,

An d a l , fter that, none prayeth in the and .

Al al l as, this It y has too ong swept

Herow ashes up for hour - glass sand ;

l Of her own past, impassioned nympho ept

Consenting to be nailed by the hand

To the same bay- tree under which she stepped

A u old lu l q een of , and p cked a eafy branch

An d l l l icensing the wor d too ong, indeed,

To use her broad phylacteries to staunch

An d o l li hi st p her b oody ps, w ch took no heed

How one quick breath would draw an avalanche

l r u u Of iving sons a o nd her, to s cceed

ul The vanished generations . Co d she count

oil- l l l u Those eaters, with arge, ive, mobi e mo ths CASA GUID I WINDOWS . 1 5

A u gape for maccaroni, in the amo nt

’ Of consecrated heroes of her south s

ar ? u Bright ros y The pitcher at the fo nt,

- wh l The gift of gods, being broken, y, one oathes

To let the ground - leaves of the place confer

d u ur l l. An A nat a bow th s, She chose to seem ’ but No nation, the poet s pensioner,

With alms from every land of song and dream ;

hil l W e her own pipers sweet y piped of her,

l Unti their proper breaths, in that extreme

5 i hi l h l " Of sig ng, sp it the reed on w ch they p ayed

h but Of w ich, no more never say no more

To Italy Her memories undismayed — Say rather evermore her graves implore

Her future to be strong and not afraid

Her very statues send their looks before 1 6 D CASA GUI I WINDOWS .

— We do not serve the dead the past is past "

l l s hi s l us ni u God ives, and ift g orio mor ngs p

l Before the eyes of men, who wake at ast,

An d ut us su p away the meats they ed to p,

An d on the dry dust of the ground o utcast

cu The dregs remaining of the ancient p,

An d tur n to wakefulprayer and worthy act .

u ul un The dead, pon their awf vantage gro d,

sun — ll The not in their faces, sha abstract

No more our strength : we willnot be discrowned

u u i ns Thro gh treas ring the r crow , nor deign transact

u A barter of the present, in a so nd,

For what w as coun ted good in foregone days .

ll l u us O Dead, ye sha no onger ch g to

1 8 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

An d our unl bear age as far, imited

l sea- By the ast mark so, to be invoked

u u By f t re generations, as the Dead .

’ ‘ Tis true that when the dust of death has choked ’ m d A great man s voice, the com on wor s he said

u l — h k T rn orac es, the meanings w ich he yo ed

lk riffin s —hi is u Like horses, draw i e g t s tr e

An d l. Als acceptab e o I desire,

W s hen men make record, with the flower they

’ Savonar ola s soulwent out in fir e ’ our - u ur Upon Grand d ke s piazza, and b ned through fi A moment rst, or ere he did expire, l The vei betwixt the right and wrong, and showed

u u How near God sate and j dged the j dges there, CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 1 9

u Desire, pon the pavement overstrewed,

l wi as To cast my vio ets th reverent care,

An d prove that allthe winters whi ch have snowed

' n out the Ca not snow scent, from stones and air, ’ vi u h was Of a sincere man s rt es . T is he,

l who l k Savonaro a, , whi e Peter san

W his l - l all u u l ith who e boat oad, c ed co rageo s y — Wake Christ, wake Christ who, having tried

Of the chur ch - waters used for baptistry

u l ll " Ere L ther ived to spi them, said they stank

W ho l l a so, by a prince y deathbed, cried

l ll l ul Loose F orence, or God wi not oose thy so ,

While the Magnificent fellb ack an d died

Sa - l tin l Beneath the t r ooks, shoo g from the cow ,

Which turned to wormwood bitterness the wide

0 2 20 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

ul Deep sea of his ambitions . It were fo

To grudge Savonarola and the rest

Their vi olets rather pay them qui ck and fresh "

The emphasis of death makes manifest

The eloquence of action in our flesh

An d l but ml u men who, iving, were di y g essed, ’ h r r lif l W en once f ee from thei e s entang ed mesh,

ulll Show their f ength in graves, or even indeed

ur Exaggerate their stat e, in the flat,

To noble admir ations which exceed

l sin u . Nob y, nor in s ch excess For that

us . who Is wise and righteo We, are the seed

u ur u Of b ried creat es, if we t rned and spate

our l. Upon antecedents, we were vi e

Bring violets rather If these had not walked

u l ul w l our l? Their f r ong, co d we hope to a k mi e CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 21

Vi ls l- ulk Therefore bring o et Yet if we, se f ba ed,

lla- vi l all il Stand sti strewing o ets the wh e,

ll u l l These had as we not moved, o rse ves not ta ked

u fulml Of these . So rise p with a cheer s i e,

An d l , having strewn the vio ets, reap the corn,

An d a , having re ped and garnered, bring

plough ’ An d fu l draw new rrows neath the hea thy morn,

An d plant the great Hereafter in this Now .

’ ld s w as o o . Of twas How step by step worn,

As ur l — each man gained on each, sec e y how

his u l Each by own strength so ght his own idea ,

The ultimate Perfection leaning bright

out sun l l l From the and stars, to b ess the ea IN 22 CASA GUIDI W DOWS .

I An d all earnest search of for Fair and Right,

u dim u l" Thro gh the forms, by earth acco nted rea

Becaus e old Jubalblew into delight

ul i l - ld The so s of men, w th c ear piped me o ies,

What if young Asaph were content at most ’ Jubals l To draw from grave, with istening eyes, ’ Traditionary music s floating ghost

? Into the grass - grown silence ? were it wise ’ Jubals l Is it not wiser, breath being ost,

That Miriam clas hed her cymbals to surprise

sun e e u The betw en her whit arms fl ng apart, ’ l l un ? h With new, g ad, go den so ds t at David s

strings ’ O erflowed his hand with music from hi s heart ?

r ull So ha mony grows f from many Springs,

n d l A happy accident turns ho y art . CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 23

in ur l Or enter, yo F orence wanderings,

ll ur You Santa Maria Nove a ch ch . pass

l l u - m Macchi avel The eft stair, where, at p ag e ti e,

set i as las Saw one with fa r face in a g s,

out ll Dressed against the fear of death and he ,

Bustlin lk u g her si s in pa ses of the mass,

’ u ofl u ll To keep the tho ght how her h sband fe ,

h she lt W en ef home, stark dead across her feet

The stair leads up to what Orgagna gave ’ a a s but ou n Of D nte s d emon ; y , passi g it,

A scend the right stair of the farther nave,

To muse in a smallchapelscarcely lit ’ i u . r By Cimab e s Virgin B ght and brave,

tur was u old " That pic e acco nted, mark, of 24 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

A king stood bare before its sovran grace ;

A reverent people shouted to behold

ur l The pict e, not the king ; and even the p ace

ni u l l Contai ng s ch a mirac e, grew bo d,

l u us Named the G ad Borgo from that bea teo face,

hi ill a hi nk W ch thr ed the artist, fter work, to t

That hi s idealMary ~ smile should stand

hi m —he wi the n So very near , thin bri k

all l let hi s Of that g ory, in by hand

With too divine a rashness " Yet none shrink

Who gaze here now—albeit the thing is planned ’ u l l u l S b ime y in the tho ght s simp icity .

r l at The Virgin, th oned in empyrea st e,

Minds only the young babe upon her knee ;

h l ls al W i e, each side, ange bear the roy weight,

e l mil l Prostrat d meek y, s ing tender y

W 2 6 CASA GUID I INDOWS .

An d ull so f er insight, and overcome

H is chapel-Virgin with a heavenli er sweep

l un sum Of ight . For thus we mo t into the

l Of great things known or acted . I ho d, too,

i u il u lad That C mab e sm ed pon the ,

At fir as ul the st stroke which p sed what he co d do, ’ Or else his Virgin s smile had never had ’ u e All who S ch sw etness in t. great men foreknew ’ ar l Their heirs in art, for t s sake have been g ad,

An d r old as un bent thei white heads if crowned,

i u als ill Fanatics of the r p re ide st ,

Far more than of their laurels which were foun d ll With some less stalwart struggle of the wi .

old l n If Margheritone tremb ed, swoo ed,

An d died despairing at the open sill ’ Of other men s achievements, (who achieved, CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 27

By loving art beyond the master ""he

W as old Margheritone and conceived

u ever, at yo ngest and most ecstasy,

l one A Virgin ike that dream of , which heaved

- hi s r wi ull death sigh from hea t . If stf y

Margheritone sickened at the smell ’ ma u lu llet him " Ci b e s a re , go

Strong Cimabue stood up very well ’ s— An l spite of Giotto and ge ico,

- mili in his ll The artist saint, kept s ng ce

The smile with which he welcomed the sweet slow

l ni u Inbreak of ange s, (white ng thro gh the

he might paint them ""while the sudden sense

' ’ Of Raflaels future w as revealed to him ’ force of his own fair works competence .

same blue waters where the dolphins swim D I 28 CASA GUI I W NDOWS .

u T lu . u m S ggest the ritons Thro gh the b e I mense,

Strike out allswimmers cling not in the way

but l Of one another, so to sink ; earn ’ ’ ul The strong man s imp se, catch the fresh ning

spray

hr u hi s He t ows p in motions, and discern

hi s l e . By c ear, west ring eye, the time of day

0 u set us ft God, tho hast worthy gi s to earn,

Beside thy heaven and Thee "and when I say

" ‘ Iis worth while for the weakest man alive ’ l — s To ive and die, there room too, I repeat,

all l ll For the strongest to ive we , and strive

own vi u l Their way, by their indi d a heat,

Like a new bee - swarm leaving the old hive

- Despite the wax which tempteth violet sweet .

let l l a So the iving ive, the de d retain CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 29

’ Flowers on cold graves honour s best

u l s pp ied, ’ When we bring actions, to prove their s not vain .

l sa ? ll fi Co d graves, we y it sha be testi ed

l who h at iving men throb in eart and train, l u . Witho t the dead, were co der If we tried

0 our ur sink the past beneath feet, be s e

The future would not stand . Precipitate

old r — u This roof f om the shrine and, insec re,

ll ofl The nesting swa ows fly , mate from mate .

Scant were the gardens, if the graves were fewer

An d l l the green pop ars grew no onger straight,

W l T . W h who ul hose tops not ooked to roy y, wo d

A For thens, and not swear by Marathon ? 30 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

ul uil l u Who wo d b d temp es, witho t tombs in sight ? ’ l u Who ive, witho t some dead man s benison ?

u Who seek tr th, hope for good, or strive for right,

l u sun If, ooking p, he saw not in the

l all l Some ange of the martyrs, day ong

Standing and waiting your last rhythms willneed

- l a l . u The e r iest key note Co d I sing this song,

If my dead masters had not taken heed

l h To he p the heavens and eart to make me strong,

s willfin d out A the wind ever some reed,

And touch it to such issues as belong

u lhin ? W ho To s ch a frai t g denies the dead,

Libations from fullcups ? Unless we choose

l lls hi us To ook back to the hi be nd spread,

The plains before us sadden and confuse ;

w e . If orphaned, are disinherited CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 3 1

ul but u l h m l use I wo d t rn these ac ry a s to ,

ll oil l Fi them with fresh from the o ive grove,

l ull ll sa To feed the new amp f er . Sha I y

ul l What made my heart beat with ex ting ove,

A few weeks back ?

The day was such a

k As l sun . T he s F orence owes the y above,

Its i u un la we ght pon the mo tains seemed to y,

An d al l l p pitate in g ory, ike a dove

full- ar t has . flown too fast, he ed Take away

The image "for the heart of man beat higher

l all s That day in F orence, flooding her street 3 2 CAS A GUIDI WINDOWS .

An d piazzas with a tumult and desire .

l w u ul The peop e, ith acc m ated heats,

An d u fir e faces t rned one way, as if one

u l i old Did draw and fl sh them, eaving the r beats,

u l ll Went pward to the pa ace Pitti wa ,

nk r - u who u ur To tha thei Grand d ke, , not q ite of co se,

u l ll Had gracio s y permitted, at their ca ,

The citiz ens to us e their civic force

u r . all To g ard thei civic homes So, one and ,

The Tuscan cities streamed up to the source l Of this new good, at F orence ; taking it

As ul good so far, presagef of more good,

fi l li t The rst torch of Ita ian freedom,

’ To toss in the next tiger s face who should

A u lfit pproach too near them in a cr e ,

fi ul l The rst p se of an even flow of b ood,

A I 34 CAS GUIDI W NDOWS .

ldl- The priesthood passed the friars, with wor y wise

K l l u een, side ong g ances from their beards, abo t

u e " The street, to see who sho t d many a monk

l was Who takes a ong rope in the waist, there

Whereat the popular exultation drunk

” w l un With indra n vivas, the who e s ny air,

While through the murmuring windows rose and sunk

" A cloud of kerchiefed hands the chur ch makes fair

’ ” l u Her we come in the new Pope s name . Ens ed

l " The b ack Sign of the martyrs name no name,

t Bu u l . v co nt the graves in si ence Next, were iewed

The artists next, the trades ; and after came

ul o The pop ace, with flag and rights as go d ;

An d very loud the shout was for that same

” Il l I L P L 0 Motto, popo o, PO O ,

u The word meant d kedom, empire, majesty, CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 35

u u mi so An d kings in s ch an ho r ght read it .

An d his next, with banners, each in degree,

u a- Dep ted representatives row,

Of every separate state of Tuscany ’ she- l l l Siena s wo f, brist ing on the fo d ’ fir Of the st flag, preceded Pisa s hare ’ An d l al l Massa s ion floated c m in go d,

’ Pien z a s following with hi s silver stare

’ A e l r l- l rezzo s ste d pranced c ear f om brid e ho d,

An d ll u our l t we might sho t F orence, gree ing there

r " l had These, and more breth en Last, the wor d

The various childr en of her teeming flanks

l — li Greeks, Eng ish, French as to some par ament

l l nk Of overs of her Ita y, in ra s, ’ Each bearin g its land s symbols reverent ;

At which the stones seemed breaking into thanks

D 2 W 3 6 CASA GUIDI WINDO S .

An d l u u un s ratt ing p to the sky, s ch so d in proof

A u - all rose the very ho se w s seemed to bend,

wi u The very ndows, p from door to roof,

l out u to F ashed a rapt re of bright heads, mend, ’ t l ur hir l off With passiona e ooks, the gest e s w ing

A hurricane of leaves Three hours did end

l all in Whi e these passed ; and ever the crowd,

u u us R de men, nconscio of the tears that kept

u lu lu Their beards moist, sho ted ; and some a ghed a o d,

An d none asked any why they laughed and wept ’ s l Friend kissed each other s cheeks, and foes ong

vowed ’ Did it more warmly ; two - months babies leapt ’ u i r l Right pward in the r mother s a ms, whose b ack,

l l e l l Wide, g ittering eyes ook d e sewhere ; overs pressed l Each before either, neither g ancing back CASA GUIDI WI NDOWS. 37

’ An d hl peasant maidens, smoot y tired and tressed,

Forgot to fin ger on their thr oats the Slack

l- hil old l ul Great pear strings w e b ind men wo d not rest,

But pattered with their staves and with their shoes

t ll il saw S i on the stones, and sm ed as if they .

O Heaven I thi nk that day had noble use ’ A mong God s days . So near stood Right and Law,

u u ll ul u Both m t a y forborne Law wo d not br ise,

Nor Ri ght deny ; and each in reverent awe ’ fn e rth ur . ha i e eless Hono ed the other W t , ,

sun l u vi s The did, that day, eave pon the ne ’ l l u x No charta, and the ibera D ke s e cess ’ ’ Did scarce exceed a Guelf s or Ghibelline s

In the specific actualrighteousness

Of what that day he granted stillthe signs

in e w en the c n s i u i nalon e ssi n s av e b een com le e i n Tus an S c h o t t t o c c o h p t c y ,

as all w kn w s The ev en b eaks in u n me i a i n an d i s to o the orld o . t r po the d t t o , f — fas i n n E B . B or e se s a e imes . t proph cy the tr g t . 3 8 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

Ar e ull mi u good, and f of pro se, we m st say,

h ul u W en m tit des thank kings for granting prayers, ’ An d kin gs concede their people s right to

pray,

u hi " Both in the s ns ne Griefs are not despairs,

u alli d So ttered ; nor can roy c a ms ismay,

u l u l When men, from h mb e homes and d ca chairs,

w as Hate wrong together . It wellto view

’ uffl - uk Those banners r ed in a Grand d e s face ,

u all ru Inscribed, Live freedom, nion, and t e

’ Brave patriots who are aided by God s grace

w as ill l Nor it , when Leopo do drew

His little children to the window - place

u He stood in at the Pitti, to s ggest

ite ul l ll T . y , too, sho d govern as the peop e wi ed

What a cry rose then some, who saw the best, CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 3 9

w hi s fill u overfilled S are that eyes ed p , and

u a unr e With good warm h man te rs, which

pressed ’ Ran n lik hi s u l dow . I e face : the forehead s b i d

H as u n u no capacio s ge i s, yet perhaps

u fi i — il sad S f cient comprehens on, m d and ,

An d ful l— w w care nob y, not ith care that raps

l- lvi i Se f o ng hearts, to st fle and make mad,

But carefulwith the care that shun s a lapse

u — udi u Of faith and d ty, st o s not to add

ur A b den in the gathering of a gain .

An d u t so, God save the D ke, I say wi h those

u hil u Who that day sho ted it, and w e d kes reign,

all l May wear, in the visib e overflows

u l ul Of spirit, s ch a ook of caref pain

Methinks God loves it better than repose . 40 CASA GUID I WINDOWS .

An d allthe people who went up to let

a s out u ashas l Their he rt to that D ke, been to d

u a l l Where g ess ye th t the iving peop e met,

K r l fir unr ll ept t yst, formed ranks, chose eaders, st o ed

Their banners ?

In the Loggia ? Where is set ’ Cellini s dl u —or l go ike Perse s, bronze go d

l u fli n s (How name the meta , when the stat e g

Its soulso in your eyes ?"wi th brow and sword

u l l all hi S perb y ca m, as opposing t ngs l S ain with the Gorgon, were no more abhorred

Since ended ?

No the people sought no wings

u l From Perse s in the Loggia, nor imp ored

42 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

— u From others in the pavement, where pon

u hi s u out u d He sed to bring q iet chair , t rne ’ Brun elleschi s ur u al To ch ch, and po r one

The lava of his spiri t when it burned

It l - is not co d to day . O passionate

w ho l Poor Dante, , a banished F orentine,

u u Didst sit a stere at banq ets of the great,

An d u u hi - off m se pon t s far stone of thine,

An d think how oft the passers used to wait ’ A l li moment, in the go den day s dec ne,

ni — ll With good ght, dearest Dante we , good

u i l I m se now, Dante, and th nk, veri y,

’ u ll b ew a Tho gh chape ed in Ravenna s y y, might

ur ll Thy b ied bones be thri ed to ecstasy,

’ ’ Could st know thy favour ite stone s elected right

A s tryst - place for thy Tuscans to foresee CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 43

li ni eir ear est chartas from good ght, good morn,

" ul ur Henceforward, Dante now my so is s e

m at thine is better co forted of scorn,

An d l ta ull ur ooks down from the s rs in f er c e,

ur l han when, in Santa Croce ch ch, for orn

Of any corpse, the architect and hewer

Did pile the empty marbles as thy tomb

u n o l l For now tho art onger exi ed, now

— ' Best honoured w e salute thee who art come

Back to the old stone with a softer brow

u ll Than Giotto drew pon the wa , for some

Good lovers of our age to track and plough

’ u u fi Their way to, thro gh Time s ord res strati ed,

An d startle broad awake into the dull ’ ll u rt l Barge o chamber . Now, tho mi der eyed ,

An d Beatrix may leap up glad to cull 44 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

fir l n Thy st smi e, eve in heaven and at her side,

a i old l u Like th t which, n ne years , ooked bea

tiful

At u - li " T scan May game . Foo sh words I meant

nl l d hi s l ll O y that Dante ove F orence we ,

An d l l hi m " F orence, now, to ove is content

e ll I mean too, cert s, that the sweetest sme

’ l e l Of ove s dear incens , by the iving sent

fi n d d is l To the dea , not accessib e

u low li " o - To yo r vers no narc tic, not

u l u Sw ng in a censer to a s eepy t ne,

But r out the t od in morning air, by hot

ui ri who firm " ck spi ts, tread to ends foreshown,

An d use unf the name of greatness orgot,

To meditate what greatness may be done . CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 45

in t For Dante sits heaven, and ye s and here,

An d all u l more remains for doing, m st fee ,

his ( Than trysting on stone from year to year l l To Shift processions, civic hee to hee , ’ Are The town s thanks to the Pitti . ye freer

For what w as felt that day A chariot wheel

Ma ll y spin fast, yet the chariot never ro .

But d a u if that y s ggested something good,

An d u ul ul bettered, with one p rpose, so by so , ’ A ln Better means freer . a d s brotherhood

Is u u l most p issant Men, pon the who e,

Are be — what they can , nations, what they would .

XVI I .

ll u l Wi , therefore, to be strong, tho Ita y 46 CASA G UIDI WINDOWS

Willto be noble A ustrian Metternich

Can fix no yoke un les s the neck agree ;

’ An d thine is like the lion s when the thick

u ul Dews Sh dder from it, and no man wo d be

u l ul The stroker of his mane, m ch ess wo d prick

il His nostr with a reed . When nations roar

li h ll u Like ons, who s a tame them, and defra d

Of the d ue pasture by the river - shore

- o " ur l . R ar, therefore shake yo dew aps dry abroad

The amphitheatre with open door

Leads back upon the benches who applaud

The last spear - thr uster

XVI II .

Yet the Heavens forbid

That we should callon passion to confront CASA GUID I WINDOWS . 47

u al u l The br t with the br ta , and, amid

l u li - u This ripening wor d, s ggest a on h nt

An d lion - vengeance for the wrongs men di d

An d u lu . do now, tho gh the spears are getting b nt

l ll u We on y ca , beca se the sight and proof

Of lion - strength hur ts nothing ; an d to Show

' l - su aw A ion heart, and mea re p with hoof,

l hi will u He ps somet ng, even, and instr ct a foe

ll lau al We as the ons ght, how to stand oof

Or else the world gets past the mere brute blow

l Given or taken . Chi dren use the fi st

Untilthey are of age to use the brain

An d so we needed Caesars to assist

’ u l l Man s j stice, and Napo eons to exp ain

’ u l w as l God s co nse , when a point near y missed,

Untilour generations should attain 48 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

’

u . h we al Christ s stat re nearer Not t at , as

Attain already ; but a single inch

ll l l ’ Wi he p to ook down on the swordsman s pass,

As Roland on a coward who could flinch

An d l - , after ch oroform and ether gas,

We fin d out slowly what the bee and finch ’ a un u u l Have re dy fo d, thro gh Nat re s amp in each,

How to our races we may j ustify

Our i u llms indiv d a c ai , and, as we reach

O ur ow n ben d u l grapes, the top vines to s pp y ’ The children s uses how to filla breach

With olive branches how to quench a lie

ru u With t th, and smite a foe pon the cheek

’ t u " With Christ s mos conq ering kiss why, these

’ fi Worth a great nation s nding, to prove weak

5 W 0 CASA GUIDI WINDO S .

Whi ch reach thee through the net of war

h Disband thy captains, c ange thy victories,

Be henceforth prospero us as the angels are

l u l . He ping, not h mb ing

Drums and battle cries

Go out in music of the morning star

An d soon we shallhave thinkers in the place

Of fighters ; each found able as a man

l u r u To strike e ectric infl ence th o gh a race,

- Unstayed by city walland barbican .

The poet shalllook grander in the face

h e l old Than ever ooked of , when he began

To sing that Achillean wrath whi ch slew

” — n ll So many heroes, seei g he sha treat CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 51

The deeds of sOuls heroic toward the true

The oracles of life—previsions sweet

An d full d l u aw , ike ivine swans g idingthro gh

W hi as hi lll te arms of Led , w ch wi eave the heat

Of their escaping godship to endue

The human medi um with a heavenly flush .

a l in s l Me nwhi e, this ame Ita y we want

ul u Not pop ar passion, to arise and cr sh,

But ul cOnscience h pop ar , w ich may covenant

For what it knows . Concede without a blush

To grant the civic guard is not to grant

li e. The civic spirit, iv ng and awak

l u ul i Those appets on yo r sho ders, cit zens,

u ll a Yo r eyes strain after sideways ti they che,

il ll mir Wh e sti , in ad ations and amens,

The u - s crowd comes p on festa day , to take 52 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

in — ll The great sight are not inte igence,

ur — l if Not co age even a as, not the Sign

hi l Of Somet ng very nob e, they are no

For every day ye dr ess your sallow kine

u u u With fringes down their cheeks, tho gh nbeso ght

lll h s They o their eavy head and drag the wine,

An d bear the wooden yoke as they were taught

fir li — The st day . What ye want is ght indeed — Not sunlight (ye may welllook up surprised

To those unfathomable heavens that feed — ’ Your purple hills but God s light organised

ul n l l In some high so , crow ed capab e to ead

u l— u The conscio s peop e, conscio s and advised,

w e l ll l For if ift a peop e ike mere c ay,

llthe . u un . It fa s same We want thee, O nfo d

— ' An d sovran teacher ifthy beard be grey CASA GUIDI WINDOWS 53

l u u Or b ack, we bid thee rise p from the gro nd

~ An d v sa speak the word God gi eth thee to y, ns n all l u I piri g into this peop e ro nd,

t u hi Instead of passion, ho ght, w ch pioneers

All u u fi sin genero s passion, p ri es from ,

d An strikes the hour for . Rise thou teacher"hero

A crowd to make a nation —best begin

llall By making each a man, ti be peers ’ Of earth s true patriots and pure martyrs in

K n u nowing and dari g . Best nbar the doors

’ Which Peter s heirs keep looked so overclose

llet They on y the mice across the floors,

While every churchman dangles as he goes

his l The great key at gird e, and abhors ’

I n kl. u Christ s name, mee y Open wide the ho se ’ a Cln'ist s li e lmi Concede the entr nce with b ra nd, I 54 CASA GU DI WINDOWS .

An d set l His the tab es with wine and bread .

” What commune in both kinds ? In every kind

l u unli Wine, wafer, ove, hope, tr th, mited,

hi n . l Not g kept back For, when a man is b ind

li will see ? To star ght, he the rose is red ’ A bondsman shivering at a Jesuit s foot

Vac meaculpa is not like to stand ’ A u freedman at a despot s, and disp te

His l l tit es by the ba ance in his hand,

”

hi suo ur . Weig ng them j e Tend the root,

If carefulof the branches and expand

n ul ou The i ner so s of men, before y Strive

For civic heroes .

But a ? the te cher, where CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 55

all alll From these crowded faces, a ive,

own l l Eyes, of their ids flashing themse ves bare,

An d brows that with a mobile life contrive

A — w e w1 5e deeper shadow, may no dare

fin out u man To point a ger , and to ch a ,

" An d i l s l . h a l cry this the eader W at, these

l - ul Broad heads, b ack eyes, yet not a so that ran

? All l From God down with a message , to p ease

a u The donna w ving meas res with her fan,

An d not the judgment- angelon hi s knees

The trumpet just an inch offfrom hi s lips

ll ut out sun ? Who when he breathes next, wi p the ’ l u l Yet mankind s se f were fo ndered in ec ipse,

l If acking, with a great work to be done,

A l di doer . No, the earth a ready ps — ’ Back into light a better day s begun AS 56 C A GUIDI WINDOWS .

An d s will l soon thi doer, teacher, stand p ain,

An d build the golden pipes and synthesize

This people - organ for a holy strain

An d w e hO e u ll all who p th s, sti in these eyes,

Go sounding for the deep look which shalldrain

Suffused thought into channelled enterprise "

h ? W ere is the teacher What now may he do,

W ho shalldo greatly ? Doth he gir d his waist

’ l u ? u u With a monk s rope, ike L ther or p rs e

li ll? hi s The goat, ke Te or dry nets in haste,

Like Masani ello when the sky was blue ?

K u l inla eep ho se ike any peasant, with ced,

u ur l Bare, brawny arms abo t his favo ite chi d,

An d medi tative looks beyond the door . ’ (But not to mark the kidling s teeth have filed

The green shoots of his vine whi ch last year bore

58 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

No leaf the earth Shallgrow for him; and Death

ll him u la f Sha cast back pon the p of Li e,

l ur l l - To ive more s e y, in a c arion breath

- u u u nif Of hero m sic Br t s, with the k e,

Rienzi, with the fasces, throb beneath ’ ’ who fife Rome s stones and more, threw away joy s

all u ul Like P as, that the bea ty of their so s

Might ever shin e untroubled and entire "

But if it can be true that he who rolls ’ The Chur ch s thunders willreserve her fire

For only light ; from eucharistic bowls

. ll u li Wi po r new fe for nations that expire,

An d rend the scarlet of hi s Papalvest

To gird the weak loins of his coun trymen

I hold that man surpasses allthe rest

OfRo — mans, heroes, patriots, and that when CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 59

sat di He down on the throne, he spossessed

fi l rst graves of some g ory . See again,

This country- saving is a glorious thing

b sa ? ll y, y a common man achieved it We

? ll A ? Say, a rich man did Exce ent king

at grows subli me A priest ? Improbable "

A ? Ah w e o Pope , there st p and cannot bring ’ a u l hi r ll f ith p to the eap, with sto y s be

' — So heavy roun d the neck of it albeit

We fain would grant the possibility M For y sake, Pio Nono

Stretch thy feet — In that case I willkiss them reverently

AS any pilgrim to the Papalseat " 60 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

An d u l , s ch proved possib e, thy throne to me ’ Shallseem as holy a place as Pelli co s ’ a u l Veneti n d ngeon or as Spie berg s grate,

Where the fair Lombard woman hung the

rose

ul d Of her sweet so , by its own ewy weight,

(Because her sun shone i nsid e to the close

An d i so l le pin ng , died ear y, yet too at

she uff lln ot For what s ered Yea, I wi choose

h us Betwixt thy t rone, Pope Pi , and the spot

Marked red for ever spite of rains and dews, ’ Where two fellriddled by the Austrian s shot

us The brothers Bandiera, who acc e,

With one same mother - voice and face (that what

i l They speak may be inv ncib e", the sins

’ s ust Of earth s tormentor before God, the j , G CASA UIDI WINDOWS . 6 1

Untilthe un conscious thunder- bolt begins

l His oosen in grasp .

An d yet w e must

an d ur l Beware, mark the nat a kiths and kins

u fi u Of circ mstance and of ce, and distr st ’ A rich man reasoning in a poor man s hut

A poet who neglects pure truth to prove

Statistic fact a child who leaves a rut

For the smooth road ; a priest who vows

Exhales no grace a prince who walks a- foot ;

A woman who has sworn She willnot lov e ’ n u n r Ni th Pi s sitti g In Seventh G egory s chair, ’ With Andrea Doria s forehead " 6 2 CASA G UIDI WINDOWS .

Coun t what goes

u To making p a Pope, before he wear

l- wi r That triple crown . We pass the wor d de th oes

h a — W ich went to m ke the Popedom, the despair

r s Of f ee men, good men, wise men the dread Show ’ ’ a Of women s f ces, by the faggot s flash,

out m u r Tossed , to the in test stir and th ob

hi l l l l Of the w te ips, east tremb e of a ash,

To glut the red Stare of the licensed mob

u l — l The short mad cries down o b iettes, the p ash

l off So horrib y far priests, trained to rob

An d s li ur king that, ke enco aged nightmares, sate ’ On nations hearts most heavily distressed

u With monstro s sights and apophthegms of fate . CASA GUIDI W INDOWS . 63

" s — u t We pa s these things, beca se the imes are prest

With necessary charges of the weight

all l Of the sin ; and Ca vin, for the rest,

l u n u —Ah Made bo d to b r Servet s , men err

An d so Clureles hi all , do w ch is we mean

To bring to proof in any register

Of theologicalfat kine and lean

So dr ive them back into the pens refer

ld w ln O sins ith o g beards, and I wis and ween,

Entirely to the times—the times—the times

ask wh Nor ever y this preponderant,

nflll u r; u ul set i I a ib e, p r Ch rch co d her ch mes

lu l us u l Most o d y then, j t then ; most j bi ant, — Precisely then when mankind stood in crimes ’ Full - u heart deep, and Heaven s j dgments were not

' scant . 64 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

u lll nifi u Inq ire sti ess, what sig es a Ch rch

u l Of perfect inspiration and p re aws,

u fir Who b rns the st man with a brimstone torch,

An d u grinds the second, bone by bone, beca se

u " The times, forsooth, are sed to rack and scorch

is l ur u l she What a ho y Ch ch, n ess awes

The times down from their sins Did Christ select

u l i s S ch amiab e t me , to come and teach

to an d ? W h l Love , mercy y, the wor d were wrecked, l If every mere great man, who ives to reach

A l ll ul itt e eaf of pop ar respect,

Attained not simply by some specialbréach ’ his l u —b In and s c stoms, y some precedence

u h — hi him In tho g t and act w ch, having proved higher

n hi s own im hi s Tha t es, proved too competence

Of helping them to wonder and aspire .

6 6 CASA GUIDI WI NDOWS .

Of un d ersprings of silent Deity

l ul l I ho d the artic ated gospe s, which

us u fi e Show Christ among , cr ci ed on tr e

l all l u I ove who ove tr th, if poor or rich

In what they have won of truth possessively

No altars and no hands d efiled with pitch

" ll ofl but ll Sha scare me , I wi pray and eat — With allthese taking leave to choose my ewers

An d l ur vi l u say at ast, Yo sib e Ch rches cheat

Their inward types ; and if a Church assures

Of Stan ding without failur e and

That Chur ch both fails and lies

To leave which lur es

u u a - l Of wider s bject thro gh p st years, beho d, CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 6 7

We come back from the Popedom to the Pope,

must l To ponder what he be, ere we are bo d

ma our For what he y be, with heavy hope

l l u u hi s ul. To tr st pon so So, fo d by fo d,

Explore thi s mummy in the priestly cope

i u Transm tted thro gh the darks of time, to catch

w w di The man ithin the rappage, and scern

u How he, an honest man, pon the watch

ullfi for l F fty years, what a man may earn,

Contrived to get just there ; with what a snatch

Of old world oboli he had to earn

The passage through with what a drowsy Sop

To drench the busy barki ngs of hi s brain

ltraditi on wreathed What ghosts of pa e , with hop

’ s ul u Gain t wakef tho ght, he had to entertain

For heavenly visions and consent t o stop 68 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS

l let u m The c ock at noon, and the ho r re ain

u d u vi l (Witho t vain win ings p"in o ate,

Against allchimin gs from the belfry . Lo

ou u From every given pope, y m st abate,

Al ou l him — ou w beit y ove , some things good, y kno

Which every given heretic you hate l i hi s own l l . C a ms for , as being p ain y so

A us l l l— pope m t ho d by popes a itt e, yes,

u l— N a u By co nci s, from ic ea p to Trent,

hi a l By erocr tic empire, more or ess

l —he u Irresponsib e to men, m st resent ’ ul Each man s partic ar conscience, and repress

ui u Inq ry, meditation, arg ment,

A s Al u tyrants faction . so, he m st not

u u l but Love tr th too dangero s y, prefer

" ur u l The interests of the Ch ch, beca se a b ot W CASA GUIDI INDOWS . 69

Is better than a rent in miniver,

' Submit to see the people swallow hot

Husk- porridge whi ch hi s chartered chur chmen stir

' ’ u l ru "oting the on y t e God s epigraph,

l " — u Feed my ambs, Peter m st consent to sit

A hi s al ff ttesting with pastor ring and sta ,

u u our hit To s ch a pict re of Lady,

Off ll l u l we by artist ange s, tho gh not ha f

As fair as Giotto would have painted it ;

’ u l l To s ch a via , where a dead man s b ood ’ Runs yearly warm beneath a churchman s finger ;

u l us To s ch a ho y ho e of stone and wood,

Whereof a cloud of angels was the bringer

From Bethlehem to Loreto - Were it good

For any pope on earth to be a fli nger

? Of stones against these high- ni ched counterfeits 70 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

Apostates only are iconoclasts .

hil l ab t He dares not say, W e this fa se thing e s

u hi al " as That tr e t ng, this is f se he keepeth f ts

An d a l pr yers, as prayers and fasts were si ver frets

u a l To change a note pon a string th t asts,

d li e u An . make a a virt e Now, if he — Did more than this, higher hoped and braver dared,

r I think he were a pope in jeopa dy,

Or no pope rather for hi s soulhad barred

ul hi s l . An d nl The va ting of ife certai y, ’ nl k If he do o y this, man ind s regard

at n ew Moves on from him once, to seek some

Teacher and leader He 1 s good and great

According to the deeds a pope can do

l l aflectionate Most ibera , save those bonds ; ,

As u princes may be ; and, as priests are, tr e CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 7 ]

But l u te on y the ninth Pi s af r eight,

ll’ . At hO efullest When a s praised most best and p ,

’‘ S o e—we hi s He p p want a man heart beats warm,

' But l the rin ce , ike p enchanted to the waist

h He sits in stone, and hardens by a c arm

Into the marble ofhi s throne hi gh - placed

'

‘ l waves his sain tl Mi d benediction, y ’ "but w e So good what want s a perfect man,

' ‘ Complete an d allalive : half travertine

l ui our an d ill u v our l . Ha f s ts need, s bser es p an

di Feet, knees, nerves, sinews, energies vine

Were never yet too much for men who ran

u l hi i In s ch exa ted ways as t s of th ne, ’ l w e whoe er u art De iverer whom seek, tho ,

" fi Pope, prince, or peasant If, indeed, the rst, l " The nob est, therefore since the heroic heart CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

Within thee must be great enough to bur st

Those trammels buckling to the baser part

l u Thy saint y peers in Rome, who crossed and c rsed

fi With the same nger .

u Come, appear, be fo nd,

If pope or peasant, come we hear the cock,

The courtier of the mountains when fir st crowned

With golden dawn and orient glories flock

s u To meet the un pon the highest ground .

Take voice and work we wait to hear thee knock

At our l some one of F orentine nine gates,

On each of which w as imaged a sublime

’ u ni us w Face of a T scan ge , hich, for hate s

’ An d l our l i ove s sake both, F orence in her pr me

74 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

lif see His one poor e, when that great man we ,

H as fiv e un l u given h dred years, the wor d being j dge,

To help the glory of hi s Italy ?

W ho Al ll u , born the fair side of the ps, wi b dge,

Ari When Dante stays, when osto stays,

W h ? en Petrarch stays, for ever Ye bring swords,

Tu My scans Why, if wanted in this haze,

but fi ul — u Bring swords, rst bring so s bring tho ghts

and words ’ r us e Un t d by a tear of yesterday s,

ul cut d Yet awf by its wrong, and these cor s

An d hi lu l mow t s green sh fa seness to the roots,

An d shut the mouth of hellbelow the swathe ’ An d let lu if ye can bring songs too, the te s

Recoverable music softly bathe ’ u h all ur ru t Some poet s hand, that, thro g b sts and b i s N CASA GUIDI WI DOWS . 75

— Of popular passion allun ripe and rathe

Convictions of the popular intellect

Ye l fi u may not ack a nger p the air,

A u r n u nn nciative, eprovi g, p re, erect,

To Show which way your first Idealbare

its l The whiteness of wings, when, sore y

l u i u By fa cons on yo r wr sts, it naware

A u out . rose p overhead, and of sight

xxv m.

l let all l Meanwhi e, the far ends of the wor d

old l Breathe back the deep breath of their de ight,

To swellthe Italian banner just unfur led .

l l ur Au fi He p, ands of E ope for, if stria ght,

dr u ll lu ur l The ms wi bar your s mber . Who had c ed ’ lu l ur u The a re for yo tho sand artists brows, 76 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

If these Italian hands had planted none ?

An d sit lin u who can down id e the ho se,

’ Nor hear appeals from Buon arotti s stone

’ ? An d f l usi us Ra fae s canvas, ro ng and to ro e ’ ’ Where s Poussin s master ? Gallic Avignon ’ ur Vaucluse s u Bred La a, and fo nt has stirred F l— l The heart of rance too strong y, as it ets ’ l l out l S Its itt e stream , ike a wizard bird

h u u l W ich bo nds pon its emera d wings, and wets — The rocks on each side that she should not gir d

l l ’ Her oins with Char emagne s Sword, when foes beset ll The country of her Petrarch . Spain may we

al she u Be minded how from It y ca ght,

n l ln ll To mi g e with her tink i g Moorish be ,

A fuller cadence and a subtler thought

An d l e l even the New Wor d, the r ceptac e 1 l CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . ~~

l men u Of freemen, may send g ad , as it o ght, ’ To greet Vespucci Amerigo s door

' W hil l lm u e Eng and c ai s, by tr mp of poetry,

ni nn a Verona, Ve ce, the Rave Shore, ’ An d dearer holds her Milton s Fiesole

’ Than Malvern wi th a sun set running o er .

XXI X.

An d ll w e Va ombrosa, two went to see

s u l — u l La t J ne, be oved companion, where s b ime

u l l mli The mo ntains ive in ho y fa i es,

An d the slow pinewoods ever climb an d climb

Halfup their breasts ; just stagger as they seize — Some grey crag drop back with it many a time,

An d straggle blin dly down the precipice "

The Vallombrosan brooks were strewn as thick 78 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

Th Jun e- da - wi e l at y, knee deep, th d ad beechen eaves,

A s l Mi ton saw them ere his heart grew sick,

An d hin his eyes blind . I t k the monks and beeves

Are allthe same too : scarce they have changed the wick ’ l rt l . G ua be s hi On good St a tar, w ch receives

’ The convent s pilgrims and the poolin front

hill- u Wherein the stream tro t are cast, to wait

beatifi c the u The vision, and gr nt

Used at refectory, keeps its weedy state,

affl l ul u To b e saint y abbots, who wo d co nt ’ fi sh The across their breviary, nor bate

sur ll The mea e of their steps . 0 waterfa s

An d u l u forests so nd and si ence mo ntains bare,

l u ll That eap p peak by peak, and catch the pa s

u l l m Of p rp e and si ver ist, to rend and share

l ll With one another, at e ectric ca s CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 7 9

lfin u —ll Of i e the s nbeams, ti we cannot dare

ur l u u u Fix yo shapes, earn yo r n mber we m st

Your beauty and your glory helped to fill ’ cu l ul r The p of Mi ton s so so to the b ink, ’ That he no more w as thirsty when God s will

Had shattered to his sense the las t chain - link ’ By which he drew from Nature s visible

- fi hi ll . The fresh we water Satis ed by t s, ’ A mil He sang of dam s paradise and s ed,

l Remembering Va lombrosa . Therefore is

The place divine to Engli sh man and child

alll l We ove Ita y .

XXX.

’ O ur Italy s

l the — u l The dar ing of earth the treas ry, pi ed U 8 0 CASA G IDI WINDOWS .

ll u With reveries of gent e adies, fl ng ’ A l ll l l uff side, ike rave ed si k, from ife s worn st ’ l un With coins of scho ars fancy, which, being r g

- u ll u l - On work day co nter, sti so nd si ver proof

I n all u short, with the dreams of dreamers yo ng,

Before their heads have time for slipping off ’

ll un . Hope s pi ow to the gro d How oft, indeed,

all our ul out We have sent so s from the north,

i hi ul l On bare wh te feet w ch wo d not print nor b eed,

l Al l To c imb the pine passes and ook forth,

Where the low murmur ing Lombard rivers lead

Their bee - like way to gardens almost worth

The sight which thou and I see afterward

u ll u From T scan Be osg ardo, wide awake,

n u l l When standi g on the act a , b essed sward

Where Galileo stood at ni ghts to take

8 2 CAS A GUIDI WINDOWS

l i our ul The b ess ng of so s, and wish them strong

To bear it to the height where prayers arrive,

When faithfulspirits pray against a wron g

u u men who r To this great ca se of so thern , st ive ’ ’ ll l In God s name for man s rights, and sha not fai

l ll l. u Beho d, they sha not fai The sho ts ascend

A l l. bove the shrieks, in Nap es, and prevai

Rows of shot corpses, waiting for the end

u al to lu l Of b ri , seem smi e p straight and pa e

o u Int the az re air, and apprehend ’ fi al un - flash l That n g from Pa ermo s coast, l Whi ch lightens their apoca ypse of death .

So let them die The world shows nothing lost

l A u Therefore, not b ood bove or nderneath, CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 8 3

our What matter, brothers, if we keep post ’ ’ u u s ? As a Or tr th s and d ty side sword to She th, l u tur but uls fi nd . D st ns to grave, so p ace in Heaven

r ds is u O f ien , heroic daring s ccess,

The eucharistic bread requires no leaven

A nd u u l ul ls tho gh yo r ends were hope ess, we sho d b es

u u l i — i Yo r ca se as ho y Str ve and, hav ng striven, ’ u for God s recompense, that righteo sness 4 8 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

A P RT II .

R TE I W O a meditation and a dream,

Hearing a little child sing in the street

l u his us as I eant pon m ic a theme, ’ ll ull Ti it gave way beneath my heart s f beat,

Whi ch tried at an exultant prophecy

But dropped before the measure was complete

Al u as, for songs and hearts O T scany,

’ ? l la O Dante s F orence, is the type too p in

u nl l Didst tho , too, o y sing of iberty,

A s little children take up a high Strain

unintention ed With voices, and break off 8 5 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

’ To sleep upon their mothers knees again ?

’ u u ? Could st tho not watch one ho r Then,

l t u That s eep may has en manhood, and s stain

The faint pale spiri t with some mus cular

But who lu as u we, cannot s mber tho dost,

t nk who u l We hi ers, have tho ght for thee and fai ed,

h l We hopers, who ave hoped for thee and ost,

u b * l We poets, wandered ro nd y dreams, who hai ed ’ From this Atrid es roof (with lin tel- post

ll l d - l Which sti drips b oo , the worse part hath prevai ed"

fir e- l The voice of the beacons, to dec are

a — u Troy t ken, sorrow ended, cozened thro gh

Referrin g to the w ell- known openin g passage of the Ag amemn on of CASA GUIDI WINDOWS

A m u mi cri son s nset in a sty air,

u w e ? What now remains for s ch as , to do ’ — u u ll God s j dgments, peradvent re, wi He bare

un l sue ? To the roots of th der, if we knee and

ui di l From Casa G windows I ooked forth,

An d saw ten thousand eyes of Florentines

l u F ash back the tri mph of the Lombard north,

fi i Saw fty banners, freighted with the S gns

An d ul ex tations of the awakened earth,

l ul u l F oat on above the m tit de in ines,

Straight to the Pitti . So, the vision went .

And so ulu u , between those pop o s ro gh hands

a sun uk l outleant R ised in the , D e Leopo d ,

’ s An d took the patriot oath, which henceforth stands A C SA GUIDI WINDOWS . 8 7

A ur m mong the oaths of perj ers, e inent

l ni l To catch the ight ngs ripened for these ands .

I V .

Wh all u ale uk l? y swear at , tho f s D e Leopo d

What need to swear ? What need to boast thy blood

l Au u l Taint ess of stria, and thy heart nso d

Away from Florence ? It w as understood

v us l God made thee not too igoro or too bo d,

An d e w ui men had pati nce ith thy q et mood,

An d women, pity, as they saw thee pace

Their festive streets with prematur e grey hairs

We turned the mild dejection of thy face

l w in kln To prince y meanings, took thy r i g cares

ruffli n ll . For g hopes, and ca ed thee weak, not base

Better to light the torches for more prayers 8 8 CASA GUI DI WINDOWS .

An d l r smoke the pa e Madonnas at the sh ine,

" ” " t ll our - u our Being s i poor Grand d ke, good Grand

” u d ke,

n l Au in hi s l Who can ot he p the strian ine, ’ Than write an oath upon a nation s book

’ For men to spit at with scorn s blurring brine

Who dares forgive what none can overlook ?

hi u For me, I do repent me in t s d st l l Of towns and temp es, which makes Ita y,

I Sigh amid the sighs which breathe a gust

u u Of dying cent ry to cent ry,

Aroun d us on the uneven crater - crus t

old l —I bow ul Of the wor ds, my so and knee,

An d sigh and do repent me of my fault

9 0 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

ul l u ? Fo smoke, by prince y perj ries, kept hot

— u u u Forgive me, ghosts of patriots, Br t s, tho ,

Who trailest d ownhillinto life again

l - l to l Thy b ood weighed c oak, indict me with thy s ow — Re proachfuleyes for bein g taught

That while the illegitimate Caesars show

ur fir ull Of meaner stat e than the st f Strain,

(Confessed incompetent to conquer Gaul"

They swoon as feebly and cross Rubicons

A s rashly as any Julius of them all.

u Forgive, that I forgot the mind that r ns

hr u lu uns l" T o gh abso te races, too ceptica

saw his li l I the man among tt e sons,

l w i il His ips warm ith their k sses wh e he swore,

An d us I, beca e I am a woman, I, ’ Who felt my own child s comin g life before I CASA GUID WINDOWS . 9 1

ul l The prescience of my so , and he d faith high,

ul hi I co d not bear to t nk, whoever bore,

l s ul h o a l lie . That ips, warmed, co d S pe so co d a

Gu d l out From Casa i i windows I ooked ,

’ A d l- ff l a . gain ooke , and behe d di erent sight

’ The Duke had fled before the people s shout

L On li uk A l g ve the D e peop e, to speak right,

ul as u l u Sho d speak soft as co rtiers, est a do bt

u u n ur l T rn gracio s sovereig brows to c d ed white .

Moreover that same dan gerous shouting meant

u u ur u hi Some gratit de for f t e favo rs, w ch

' — Were only promised ; the Constituent — Implied the whole being Subject to the hitch

u V d In mot proprios, ery inci ent A 9 2 C SA GUID I WINDOWS .

ll a r ul Paulovitch. To these Czars , f om Pa to

Whereat the people rose up in the dus t ’ uk u ll Of the D e s flying feet, and sho ted sti ,

An d lu l nl i u o d y, o y, th s time, as was j st,

” uk ill Not Live the D e, who had fled, for good or

” But l who a u Live the Peop e, rem ined and m st,

un u un l The reno nced and renounceab e .

Long live the people "How they lived ' and boiled

An d bubbled in the cauldron of the street

un lu old l How the yo g b stered, nor the recoi ed,

An d what a thun derous stir of tongues and feet

al lls l Trod flat the p pitating be , and foi ed

- u " The joy g ns of their echo, shattering it ’ How they pulled down the Duke s arms everywhere

CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

all l ul How the nob es fled, and wo d not wait,

bl" Because they were most no e which being so,

ur l How the mob vowed to b n their pa aces, l Because they were too free to have eave to go .

’ Aus How grown men raged at tria s wickedness,

An d - hil fift l smoked, w e y strip ings in a row ’ Marched straight to Piedmont for the wr ong s redr ess

l u who Who says we fai ed in d ty, we wore

l l l l B ack ve vet ike Ita ian democrats,

Wh o las our l l s hed s eeves ike patriots, nor forswore

The true republic in the form of b ats ?

We chased the archbishop from the duomo door

We chalked the walls with bloody caveats

A gainst alltyrants . If we did not fight

l fir u u Exact y, we ed m skets p the void,

was ur To Show that victory o s of right . CASA GUIDI WINDOWS 9 5

dis u l l- u We met, c ssed in every p ace, se f b oyed i’ Except, perhaps, the chambers, day and night

all ul l We proved that the poor sho d be emp oyed,

An d yet the rich not worked for anywise,

fi Pay certi ed, yet payers abrogated,

ull u d l li F work sec re , yet iabi ties — To over -work excluded riot one bated

allour l a ll Of ho id ys, that sti , at twice

- a W l . Or thrice eek, are moderate y rated

Aus was l W ul We proved that tria dis odged, or o d

ul and Tu Or sho d be, that scany in arms

ul ul l in Sho d, wo d, dis odge her, high hardihood

An d l our yet, to eave piazzas, Shops, and farms,

fi was d . For the bare sake of ghting, not goo

We proved that also Did we carry charms

A ll u l w e ul u gainst being ki ed o rse ves, that sho d r sh 9 6 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

— O ur wives and mothers w as that duty ? Tush "

At hi hi . w ch we shook the sword wit n the sheath, — Like heroes only louder and the flus h ’ Ran up our cheek to meet the victor s wreath .

ha we u — u e Nay, w t proved, we sho ted how we sho t d,

(Especially the little boys di d "planting

That tree of liberty whose fruit is doubted

’ Because the roots are not of natur e s granting

A t l— u ree of good and evi none, witho t it, — l men . Grow gods a as, and, with it, were wanting

l l ll t O ho y know edge, ho y iber y,

O holy rights of nations If I speak

These bitter things against the jugglery

CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

a l u u u For wh t himse f co nts precio s, whether tr e

Or false the appreciation it implies .

k l n u " Here, was no now edge, no conceptio , no ght

Desire was absent, that provides great deeds

From out the greatness of prevenient thought ;

An d i lik act on, action, e a flame that needs

A u l u steady breath and f e , being ca ght

lik ur m Up, e a b ning reed fro other reeds,

l u F ashed in the empty and ncertain air, l l out. Then wavered, then went Beho d, who b ames

A u al h crooked co rse, when not a go is t ere,

To round the fervi d striving of the games ?

An ignorance of means may minister

but c To greatness, an ignoran e of aims

Makes it impossible to be great at all.

our u " So, with T scans Let none dare to say, 9 9 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

tu l Here vir e never can be nationa ,

Here fortitude can never cut its way

Au u out ll. Between the strian m skets, of thra

ll ou I te y rather, that whoever may

ru d ll ur u Discern t e en s here, Sha grow p e eno gh

l a u ri To ove them, br ve eno gh to st ve for them,

An d u s u strong to reachthem, tho gh the road be ro gh — That having learnt by no mere apophthegm

' Not the mere draping of a gracefulstufl

A u u bo t a stat e, broidered at the hem,

e t ll Not the mer ri ing on an opera stage,

l a —a Of ibert to bravos ( fair word,

Yet too allied to inarticulate rage

And l u breath ess sobs, for Singing, tho gh the chord

u —but u Were deeper than they , str ck it the ga ge

l u a Of civi wants s st ined, and wrongs abhorred,

B 2 1 00 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

u n n ulluse The serio s, sacred mea i g and f — Of freedom for a nation, then, indeed,

O ur u un l T scans, derneath the b oody dews

n u Of a new mor ing, rising p agreed

An d l ill ul bo d, w want no Saxon so s or thews, ’ l us To sweep their piazzas c ear of A tria s breed .

Al al " was so . as, as It not this time

vi w as u l u Con ction not, co rage fai ed, and tr th

u Was something to be do bted of. The mi me

a us i as Ch nged masks, beca e a m me ; the tide smooth

In run ning in as out ; no sense of crime

u Beca se no sens e of virtue . Sudden ruth

Seized on the people they would have again

- u l Gueraz z i u Their good Grand d ke, and eave , tho gh

D 1 02 CASA GUI I WINDOWS .

By the bare poles of freedom Smooth the way ’ u l For the D ke s carriage, est his highness sigh

l ” Here trees of iberty grew yesterday .

l u — Long ive the D ke How roared the cannonry,

l hr u How rocked each campani e, and t o gh a spray

hi Of nosegays, wreaths, and kerc efs, tossed on high,

ar u l ll How m ched the civic g ard, the peop e sti — Shouting especially the little boys

Al l unfled ed as, poor peop e, of an g

Most fitly expressed by such a callow voice

Al ll u l as, sti poorer D ke, incapab e

Of being worthy even of that noise "

You l think he came back instant y, thanks

An d his tears in faint eyes, and hands extended D CASA GUI I WINDOWS . 1 03

To stretch the franchise thr ough their utmost ranks ?

n l h That havi g, ike a fat er, apprehended,

He came to pardon fatherly those pranks

l out fill n ? P ayed , and now in ia service e ded l l That some ove token, ike a prince, he threw, ’ ls l - ll u ? To meet the peop e ove ca , in ret rn

llhow ll l ou We , he came I wi re ate to y ;

An d ur ul ur wh mast u if yo hearts Sho d b n, y, hearts b rn,

To make the ashes which things old and new — l Shallbe washed clean in as this Duke willearn .

u di From Casa G i windows, gazing, then,

saw u I and witness how the D ke came back .

The regular tramp of horse and tread of men

Did Smite the silence like an anvilblack 1 04 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

An d l . ull spark ess With her wide eyes at f strain,

O ur Tu u l Al al scan n rse exc aimed, ack, ack,

ll A ” a u . Signora these sh be the strians Nay,

” u u l" H sh, h sh, I answered, do not wake the chi d ’ - s l la For so, my two month baby s eeping y

In milky dreams upon the bed and smiled

An d u lll hil I tho ght he sha s eep on, w e he may, ’ d filed h u l . e T ro gh the wor d s baseness Not being yet ,

” Wh y should he be disturbed by what i.done ?

l l - w Then, gazing, I behe d the ong dra n street

out ull sun Live , from end to end , f in the , ’

W Au u ds . ith stria s tho san Sword and bayonet,

t ll — ns lln Horse, foot, ar i ery, canno ro i g on,

l l - luds Like b ind, s ow storm c o gestant with the heat

u l l Of ndeve oped ightnings, each bestrode

i l u - l By a s ng e man, d st white from head to hee ,

1 06 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

Ye played like childr en : die like innocents

Ye mimicked lightnin gs with a torch the crack

ual l ur u Of the act bo t, yo pastime, circ mvents .

ll u l l Ye ca ed p ghosts, be ieving they were S ack

ll l ’ To fo ow any voice from Gi boa s tents, ’ — u l so - u c Here s Sam e and, , Grand d kes come ba k

A n d u . yet, they are no prophets tho gh they come

ul l dr w n l That awf mant e they are a i g c ose,

ll d a Sha be searched, one y, by the Shafts of Doom,

Through double folds now hoodwinking the brows .

Resuscitated monarchs disentomb

- l l - Grave repti es with them, in their new ife throes

u l l Let s ch beware . Beho d, the peop e waits,

i As his L ke God . He, in serene of might, CASA GUID I WINDOWS . 1 07

u l So they, in their end rance of ong straits .

out u ni Ye stamp no nation , tho gh day and ght

Ye tread them with that absolute heelwhich grates

An d grin ds them flat from allattempted height .

You killworms sooner with a garden- spade

Than you killpeoples : peoples willnot die ;

The tailcurls stronger When you lop the head ;

u an d uli l They writhe at every wo nd m t p y, ’ An d Shudder into a heap of life that s made ’ u al Th s vit from God s own vitality .

” ‘ ’ I is hard to Shrivelback a day of God s ’ Once fixed for judgment : tis as hard to change

l’ l The peop e s, when they rise beneath their oads

An d vi l h heave them from their backs with o ent wrenc , ’ s To crush the oppressor . For that j udgment rod

u hi ul The meas re of t s pop ar revenge . 1 08 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

r ui w e Meantime, f om Casa G di windows

Beheld the armament of Austria flow

Into the dr owning heart of Tuscany . ’ An d u yet none wept, none c rsed ; or, if twas

l l They wept and cursed in silence . Si ent y

O ur noisy Tuscans watched the invading foe

l ll They had learnt si ence . Pressed against the wa

An d u u u - gro ped pon the ch rch steps opposite,

A few pale men and women stared at all.

lin God knows what they were fee g, with their

a — al Constrained f ces they, so prodig

ur l Of cry and gest e when the wor d goes right,

But n Or wrong indeed . here, was depth of wro g,

An d ll l here, sti water they were si ent here

D 1 1 0 CASA GUI I WINDOWS .

m lun d ecid uous r Of im emoria , t ees,

ul as l use u ll Wo d write, overs , pon a scro

l set The ho y name of Peace, and it high

lu Where none Should p ck it down . On

— Not upon gibbets With the greenery

Of dewy branches and the flowery May, ’ i Sweet mediation tw xt the earth and sky, ’ i l " Prov ding, for the Shepherd s ho iday — Not upon gibbets though the vulture leaves

Some quiet to the bones he fir st picked bare .

Not upon dun geons though the wretch who grieves

An d wi in u groans th , stirs not the o ter air

- As much as little fi eld mi ce stir the sheaves . ’ Not upon chain - bolts though the slave s despair

H as ull his ll s s l d ed he p es , mi erab e brain, CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 1 1 1

’ An d lt him lnk ef b a beneath the freeman s whip,

u ou To sing and la gh t idiocies of pain .

Nor yet on starving homes where many a lip

Has sobbed itself asleep thr ough curses vain

l hi ll I ove no peace w ch is not fe owship,

ul An d which includes not mercy . I wo d have

a u Rather, the r king of the g ns across

’ l ai The wor d, and shrieks ag nst Heaven s architrave .

S u l l Rather, the tr gg e in the s ippery fosse,

Of dying men and horses, and the wave — ’ - u B Blood bubbling . Eno gh said y Christ s own

cross,

An d nh by the faint heart of my woma ood,

Such thin gs are better than a Peace which sits

l- m Beside the hearth in se f co mended mood,

An d takes no thought how wind and rain by fits D 1 1 2 CASA GUI I WINDOWS .

Ar e howling out of doors against the good

h ur Of the poor wanderer . W at yo peace admits

Of outside anguish while it Sits at home ?

I loathe to take its name upon my tongue

" ‘ I is stifl w It is no peace . treason, ith doom,

” ‘ I is ul gagged despair, and inartic ate wrong,

An nihil l ifl ated Po and, st ed Rome, ’ l u Dazed Nap es, H ngary fainting neath the thong,

An d Austria wearing a smooth olive - leaf

u l u On her br te forehead, whi e her hoofs o tpress

lif l ul . The e from these Ita ian so s, in brief

a who ar t us O Lord of Pe ce, Lord of Righteo ness,

n u l sin Co strain the ang ished wor ds from and grief,

ur Pierce them with conscience, p ge them with

dr re ess,

A n d give us peace whi ch is no coun terfeit

1 1 4 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

s ui From Ca a G di windows, what is done

u Or ndone . Whatsoever deeds they be,

POpe Pius willbe glorified in none .

xvrr.

n ni —it ll Record that gai , Mazzi sha top ’

. t Some heights of sorrow Pe er s rock,

lllu v l Sha re no esse , any more, to drop ’ Among the breakers . Peter s chair is shamed

Like any vulg ar throne the nations 10 p

To pieces for their fir ewood unr eclaimed ;

An d ur too llsee as ll , when it b ns , we Sha we

t l as l In I a y e sewhere . Let it burn .

u e ll l The cross, acco nt d sti adorab e, ’ — ’ I s Christ s cross only ifthe thief s would earn

eal enuflexions l Some st thy g , we rebe ; CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 1 1 5

’ An d s had its u n here the impenitent thief has t r ,

A S God knows ; and the people on their knees

' Scofl l and toss back the croziers, stretched ike yokes

To press their heads down lower by degrees .

So al l It y, by means of these ast strokes,

hi Escapes the danger w ch preceded these,

Of leaving captur ed hands in cloven oaks

Of leaving very souls within the buckle

Whence bOdies struggled outward of supposing

e ma l l u l That fr emen y ike bondsmen knee and tr ck e,

An d u as u ualwi u l then stand p s , tho t osing

An of ur . inch , stat e

Those whom she- wolves suckle

ll as l l- l Wi bite wo ves do, in the grapp e c osing

i : la Of adverse nterests this, at st, is known,

ank u ls l (Th Pi s for the e son"that a beit, 1 1 6 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

’ Among the Popedom s hundred heads of stone ’ Which blink down on you from the roof s retreat ’ - l— In Siena s tiger striped cathedra , Joan ’ An d mi d ll ou Borgia their fe ows y may greet,

A l l ou ll har ot and a devi , y wi See

lll a l dl set Not a man, sti ess nge , gran y

ul . With open so , to render man more free

fi ll The shers are sti thinking of the net,

An d if not thinking of the hook too, we

Are counted somewhat deeply in their debt ’ But S —so that a rare case , by hook and crook

hr They take the advantage, agonizing C ist ’ u n l Cedr on s By r stier ai s than those of brook, ’ ’ I the people s body very cheaply priced ;

u out l "oting high priesthood of Ho y book,

An d u - fi ld fi b ying death e s with the sacri ced .

1 1 8 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

u u al Was on that Head, and po red for b ri ’ An d not for domination in men s sight .

What are these churches The old temple wall

Doth overlook them juggling with the sleight

- l] ur l l al a . Of s p ice, cand estick, and tar p

ur u a u East ch ch and west ch rch, y, north ch rch

’ ’ ur l —let all Rome s ch ch and Eng and s, them repent, ’ An d i ul u make concordats twixt the r so and mo th,

u ul S cceed St . Pa by working at the tent,

lll u u Become infa ib e g ides by speaking tr th,

An d excommunicate their own pride that bent

An d cramped the souls of men .

Why, even

u out l la Priestcraft b rns ; the twined inen b zes,

l s t l Not, ike a bes os, to grow white and c ear, A C SA GUIDI WINDOWS . 1 1 9 — But allto perish while the fir e- smellraises l l To ife some Swooning spirits who, ast year,

ur - stifled l Lost breath and heart in these ch ch p aces .

W h lm u us l y, a ost, thro gh this Pi , we be ieved

ul an il The priesthood co d be honest thing, he sm ed

So saintly while our com w as being sheaved

" is d efiled For h own granaries . Showing now ’ H is l l s hire ing hands, a better he p achieved

- Than if he blessed us shepherd like and mild .

l l Fa se doctrine, strang ed by its own amen,

Dies in the throat of allthis nation . Who

’ ll a as ? Wi spe k a pope s name, they rise again

What woman or what child willcount him true ?

What dreamer prai se him with the voice or pen ?

fi — u has due What man ght for him Pi s his . 1 20 CA SA GUIDI WINDOWS .

z — but fi Record that gain, Ma zini Yes, rst ’ — Set down thy people s faults Set down the want

ul- set Of so conviction down aims dispersed,

An d ns and lu incoherent mea , va o r scant

u a is u Beca se of sc nty faith, and sch ms acc rsed

That wrench these brother - hearts from covenant

With fr eedom and each other . Set down this

An d hi see t s, and to overcome it when

The seasons bring the frui ts thou wilt not miss

If wary . Let no cry of patriot men

Distract thee from the stern analysis

Of masses who cry only : keep thy ken l ’ l C ear as thy soulrs Vi rtuous . Heroes b ood

l Sp ashed up against thy noble brow in Rome .

1 22 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

’ At u w W as u ulfill na ares i the throat . th s f ed

An lA l omen of great Miche nge o,

u ru u l When Marc s B t s he conceived comp ete,

An d strove to hurlhim out by blow on blow ’ l A thun d erheat Upon the marb e, at rt s ,

Tillhaply some pre - shadow rising slow

Of what hi s Italy would fancy meet

ll R T his las To be ca ed B U US, straight p tic hand

ll k ul lt Fe bac before his p rophet so , and ef

A im rutu —but fragment a ma ed B s, more grand

so w as " Than this, named of Rome,

Let thy

i — Be of one woof and warp, Mazz ni stand

With no man of a spotless fame bereft

l a Not for Ita ia Neither stand part, — u l from. those ur No, not for the rep b ic p e A C SA GUIDI WIND OWS . 1 23

Brave men who hold the levelof thy heart

In ri u as l pat ot tr th, over and as doer,

Albeit they willnot follow where thou art

As u u extreme theorist . Tr st and distr st fewer ;

An d so bind strong and keep unstained the cause ’ alw ar - rum l l Which, at God s sign , t ps new y b own ’ ll u the l lu Sha yet ann ntiate to wor d s app a se .

u l is u has J st now, the wor d b sy it grown

A - l l l dr Fair going wor d . Imperia Eng and aws

The flowing ends of the earth, from Fez, Canton,

lhi l A d De and Stockho m, thens and Madri ,

Am The Russias and the vast ericas,

As a queen gathers in her robes amid

l u — l n ul Her go den cinct re, is es, pe ins as, 1 24 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

t nl u Capes, con inents, far i and co ntries hid

s hill By jaspar sand and s of chrysopras,

Alltrailing in their splendour s thr ough the door

r al l Of the new C yst Pa ace . Every nation,

To every other nation, strange of yore,

all lu Sh face to face give civic sa tation,

An d hold up in a proud right hand before

hi she ul hi That congress, the best work w ch co d fas on

s l ll ou l s By her be t means These cora s, wi y p ea e

To match against your oaks ? They grow as fast

” Within my wildern ess of purple seas .

This diamond stared upon me as I passed ’ (As a live god s eye from a marble fri eze"

” ls Along a dark of diamonds . Is it c a sed ?

uffso u l l I wove these st s s bt y, that the go d

u lk lik Swims to the s rface of the si , e cream,

W 1 26 CASA GUIDI WINDO S .

This modelof a steam- shi p moves your wonder ?

You ul l ru Sho d beho d it c shing down the brine,

k l l Li e a b ind Jove who fee s hi s way with thun der . ’ s ul ur e Ah we l " Here sc pt , ive too

thr ow

O ur life into our marbles Ar t has place l For other artists after Ange o .

I tried to paint out here a n atur alface

' n ur lu Raflaelas For at e inc des , we know,

ll l ” Not Raffaelnatur e . Wi it he p my case ?

Methinks you willnot match this steelofours

Nor y ou thi s porcelain " One might think the clay

i l ae Reta ned in it the arv of the flowers,

b d l u so u cu o d wa . They , ro nd the p, the spring y

" ou s Nor y these carven wood , where birds in bowers,

”

n lm n u s l . With twisti g snakes and c i bi g c pid , p ay A. CAS GUIDI WINDOWS . 1 27

e s O Magi of the a t and of the west,

ur l ll . Yo incense, go d, and myrrh are exce ent

ll Is ur u Your hands have worked we . yo co rage spent

l? H ou In handwork on y ave y nothing best,

r u ul Which gene o s so s may perfect and present,

An d He shallthank the givers for ? No light

l al n Of teaching, iber natio s, for the poor,

Who Sit i n darkness when it is not ni ght ?

u l ? — u No c re for wicked chi dren Christ, no c re

No help for women sobbing out of sight

Because men made the laws ? No brothel-lur e — Bur nt out by popular lightnings Hast thou found 1 28 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

l u ? No remedy, my Eng and, for s ch woes

u l Aus ur an d u No o t et, tria, for the sco ged bo nd,

l ? No entrance for the exi ed No repose,

us k u e l u u d R sia, for no t d Po es worked ndergro n ,

An d gentle ladi es bleached among the snows

l A No mercy for the s ave, merica

c l ? No hope for Rome, free Fran e, chiva ric France

Al n . as, great natio s have great shames, I say

l u No pity, O wor d, no tender tterance

di Of bene ction, and prayers stretched this way

To poor Italia baffled by mi schance

O u " gracio s nations, give some ear to me

You all u go to yo r Fair, and I am one

W ho at the roadside of humanity

u lm —a s us . Be eech yo r a s, j tice to be done

So, prosper

1 30 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

A l in l u . Aga st each pi ed inj stice y, the east

l has Dead for Ita ia, not in vain died, ’ l li u l However vain y, ere fe s str gg e ceased,

To mad dissimilar ends they swerved aside .

Each grave her nationality has pieced

l an d fi By its own nob e breadth, forti ed,

l lo An d pinned it deeper to the soi . For rn

Of thanks, be, therefore, no one of these graves

’ — u Not Hers, who, at her h sband s side, in scorn,

u hi ln O tfaced the w st i g shot and hissing waves,

Untilshe felt her little babe unborn

e l hi l R coi , wit n her, from the vio ent staves

An d l u l : b oodho nds of the wor d at which, her

ll Dropt inwards from her eyes, and fo owed it

’ ld Beyond the hunters . Gariba i s wife

d - fit An d l . An chi d died so now, the sea weeds CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 1 3 1

lik u Her body e a proper shro d and coif,

usly the ebbing waters grit

l l l l li The itt e pebb es, whi e she es interred

- . u In the sea sand Perhaps, ere dying th s,

She looked up in his face which never stirred

l u u From its c enched ang ish, as to make exc se

l hi m hi so she . For eaving for s, if erred

ll she ul We he remembers that co d not choose .

A memorable grave Another is

At fitllie Genoa, where a king may y ,

W ho bur sting that heroic heart of his

At l ul ost Novara, that he co d not die,

’ Though thrice into the cannon s eyes for this

lu u l He p nged his sh ddering steed, and fe t the sky

Reelback between the fi re- shocks - stripped away

lr l The ancestra e mine ere the smoke had c eared,

K 2 1 3 2 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

An d ul naked to the so , that none might say

His kingship covered what was base and bleared

out l ea With treason, he went an exi e, y ,

n A exiled patriot " Let him be revered .

xxi rr.

l l Al has d ll Yea, veri y, Char es bert ied we

An d l allso as if he ived not , one spoke,

The sin pass softly wi th the passing bell.

hi a For he was shriven, I t nk, in c nnon smoke,

An d n ofl v l taki g his crown, made isib e ’ ’ A A hero s forehead . Shaking ustria s yoke

‘ ’ hi s He Shattered own hand and heart . So best,

l u l l His ast words were pon his one y bed,

‘ I do not end like popes and dukes at leas t

’ An d is . d Thank God for it now that he dea ,

1 3 4 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . — in but - u d Noth g death songs Yet, be it nderstoo ,

Life throbs in noble Piedmont "while the feet

’ o l l l Of R me s c ay image, dabb ed soft in b ood,

di lu as m Grow flat with sso tion, and, eet,

ll ll mud Wi soon be shove ed other ,

To leave the passage free In chur ch and street .

An d w ho fir u I, st took hope p in this song,

u l w as n l Beca se a chi d si ging one beho d,

l The hope and omen were not, hap y, wrong

lllk old Poets are soothsayers sti , i e those of

tudi i — u u Who S ed fl ghts of doves, and creat res yo ng

An d l u d . tender, mighty meanings, may nfo

XXV .

sun u u The strikes, thro gh the windows, p the floor

out u l Stand in it, my own yo ng F orentine, CASA GUIDI WINDOWS . 1 3 5

two old let Not years , and me see thee more

al u l It grows ong thy amber c r s, to shine l l . Brighter than e sewhere Now, ook straight before,

An d fix lu l thy brave b e Eng ish eyes on mine,

An d ul fu ur from thy so , which fronts the t e so,

u an d un With nabashed abated gaze,

‘ A l Teach me to hope for, what the nge s know, ’

l l u . When they smi e c ear as tho dost Down God s ways,

With just alighted feet between the snow

An d w l ll snowdrops, here a itt e amb may graze,

u l u Tho hast no fear, my amb, abo t the road,

Albeit in our vain - glory w e assume l l n u G od . That, ess tha we have, tho hast earnt of — out lu - u Stand , my b e eyed prophet tho , to whom

l l- l The ear iest wor d day ight that ever flowed,

u u " Thro gh Casa G idi windows, chanced to come 1 3 6 CASA GUIDI WINDOWS .

l n u Now shake the g ittering imb s of thy hair, ’ — A n d be God s witness that the elemental

n lf us New spri gs of i e are g hing everywhere,

l u all To c eanse the water co rses, and prevent

Concrete obstructions whi ch infest the air ’ s l l u l That earth a ive, and gent e or ngent e

but Motions within her, signify growth

’ l The ground swells greenest o er the labouring mo es .

’ u l Howe er the neasy wor d is vexed and wroth,

u il l ul Yo ng ch dren, ifted high on parent so s,

u wi lu u h Look ro nd them th a smi e pon the mo t ,

An d take for music every bellthat tolls .

W H O said we should be better if like these ?

A n d we u u u despond we for the f t re, tho gh

l our Posterity is smi ing at knees,

Convicting us o ffolly Let us go

N O TE S .

4 . a e 5. P g , l

” V i a & t Ve na c. o d ro ,

They Show Veron a an empty trough of ston e as J of uli et .

a e 6 1 . 1 3 . P g , ’ Tha 3 Mi he A n is ues w a t c l gelo h s ta t it .

I n Sa s a Nu a s a u s D a an d N the gre ti ov , where the t t e of y ight, ’ D a n an d T in on s G uli an M di w wilight, recl e the tomb of i o de e ci, ir son L nz Ma ni fi n an d L n z U n th d of ore o the g ce t, ore o of rbi o, ’ n S z z s n N i Mi his an s . a o gr d o tro i epigr m the ight, w th chel ’ An s n i s kn n . gelo rej oi der, well ow

a e 8 1 . 3 . P g ,

Thou w ert commanded to build up i n snow .

T s k n ask w as set P un su ss hi moc i g t by ietro, the worthy cce or

n n of L oren z o the Mag ifi ce t . NOTES . 1 3 9

a e 1 8 P g .

hen men ma ke e w i h the w e s he s e w W r cord, t flo r t y tr ,

‘ ’ ’ la s u &c Sai ona r o s . o l,

Savon arola w as burn t in martyrdom for his testimon y again st

Pa al u t n s as a as Ma 1 49 8 : an d as a as o ur p corr p io e rly rch, , l te

own d a is a us in F n s vi s o n a y , it c tom lore ce to trew olet the p ve

n suff in a u n n an n iv er me t where he ered, gr tef l recog itio of the

sary.

a e 23 1 . 3 . P g ,

' ’ — - l el aoher e a t a ue i me fi aechz a v . , pl g t ,

See his description of the plague in Floren ce .

Page

i s v an a e A ki ng s tood ba re before ts o r gr c .

C a s An u in hi s assa u F n h rle of j o , whom, p ge thro gh lore ce,

" ” B a Cimabue allowed to see this pictur e while yet in his otteg .

Th e u a al s an d in un sa pop l ce followed the roy vi itor, the iver l

an d a a n ua in delight dmir tio , the q rter of the city which the

" ” a s w a a B A Th e u w as rti t lived s c lled orgo llegri . pict re carried in a u u an d s tri mph to the ch rch depo ited there .

2 a e 51 . 1 3 . P g ,

Yet i h w as un Gi a ke a b u r g tly y o g otto t l d o t,

h m Ci ma n a m t W o bue fou d ong he sheep .

H o w C a u un G s - sketchin a ram im b e fo d iotto, the hepherd boy, g 1 40 NOTES .

his fl k u n a s n is a s Vasa — of oc po to e, pretty tory told by ri, who

" also relates how the elder artist Margh eriton gdied in fas tid ito

s n w s of the successe of the e chool.

a e 1 5. P g .

i n Sa n a C e hu h n t roc c rc , forlor

n se &c Ofa y corp " .

Th e F n n s Rav enn ese n e o f lore ti e , to whom the de i d the body

" ” D an w as ask in a la s a te which ed of them te remor e of love, h ve

n a c n h di n S in give e otap t o their vi e poet in thi s church . ometh g less th an a grave

a e 43 l. 1 3 P g , .

a G ood lovers ofour age to track nd plough .

’ ’ I n lus n Mr Kirku s - kn n s G s al io to . p well ow di covery iotto

- n fresco portrai t of D a te.

1 4 a e 8 0 1 . P g , .

” F 7 om Tus a n Be o s ua o &c c ll g rd ,

’ G alileo s v nla n ear Floren ce is built on an emin en ce called

Bellosguardo .