- 12. Though he appears to fear death, rather is his fear that he shall die before he reaches the water where he expects something.
- 13. At the last his philosophy bears him up, though still he calls for devotion from his faithful knight. The whole speech is matchless. Note these fine passages:
“The old order changeth, yielding place to new,
And God fulfils himself in many ways.”
“And that which I have done
May He within himself make pure!”
“More things are wrought by prayer
Than this world dreams of. Wherefore, let thy voice
Rise like a fountain for me night and day.”
“The whole round earth is everyway
Bound by gold chains about the feet of God.”
- 14. His faith rises triumphant:
“I am going a long way ...
Where falls not hail, or rain, or any snow,
Nor ever wind blows loudly; but it lies
Deep-meadow’d, happy, fair with orchard lawns
And bowery hollows crown’d with summer sea,
Where I will heal me of my grievous wound.”
f. Beauty. All the elements of poetic beauty join to make The Passing of Arthur a masterpiece. Sublime sentiment thrills through the stanzas. A stately meter gives a solemn, rhythmic swing to the noble lines. Sonorous words add to the grandeur. Apt phrases and beautiful figures of speech seize the imagination and enchain the fancy. Rare and choice diction gives artistic finish to every sentence.
Most beautiful are such phrases as the following: