| EAGER THAT HEAVENLY FOREST TO SURVEY, ... ... I LEFT THE ROCKY BOUND, AND THERE APPEARED TO ME ... A LADY ALL ALONE: WHO ROVED ABOUT SINGING, AS SHE SELECTED FLOWER FROM FLOWER, WITH WHICH HER PATHWAY PAINTED WAS THROUGHOUT ... LIKE TO A LADY TURNING IN THE DANCE, FOOT BEFORE FOOT FROM EARTH SO SLIGHTLY MOVED, THAT SCARCE PERCEPTIBLE IS HER ADVANCE;— ... TO ME SHE TURNED AROUND, ... “THE STREAMS THOU SEE’ST SPRING NOT FROM EARTHLY VEIN, ... BUT ISSUE FROM A NEVER-FAILING SOURCE, REPLENISHED BY THE WILL OF GOD ... ON THIS HAND, ABLE—SUCH THE POWER ASSIGNED— TO TAKE AWAY THE MEMORY OF SIN; ON THAT—TO CALL EACH VIRTUOUS DEED TO MIND: THIS, LETHE NAMED—THAT EUNÖE.” ... AS THOUGH BY LOVE INSPIRED—HER HEAVENLY LAY TO ITS LAST CADENCE SANG THAT LADY FAIR: “BLESSED ARE THOSE WHOSE SINS ARE WASHED AWAY.” |
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“A LITTLE WHILE AND ME | © V. O. | O SISTERS, MY DELIGHT, A |
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PURGATORIO |
| BEATRICE, |
| AND LO! A VOICE—“COME, SPOUSE FROM LEBANON,” AS THOUGH FROM HEAVENLY MESSENGER ... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “O BLESSED THOU WHO COMEST,” THEY ALL CRIED; “SCATTER WE LILIES WITH UNSPARING HAND”; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . E’EN SO, ENCOMPASSED IN A CLOUD OF FLOWERS, WHICH UPWARD BY ANGELIC HANDS WERE FLUNG, AND ALL ABOUT THE CHARIOT FELL IN SHOWERS— IN VEIL OF WHITE, WITH OLIVE CHAPLET BOUND, A MAID APPEARED BENEATH A MANTLE GREEN, WITH HUE OF LIVING FLAME ENROBED AROUND. AND NOW MY SPIRIT (WHICH FOR MANY A DAY, UNUSED TO FEEL HER PRESENCE) ... FELT, THOUGH SHE WAS NOT FULLY MANIFEST, ... HOW STRONG THE LOVE THAT ERST MY SOUL POSSESSED. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “YES, I AM BEATRICE; REGARD ME WELL:— AND HAS THOUGH DEIGNED AT LAST TO ASCEND THE MOUNT, WHERE JOYS UNSPEAKABLE FOREVER DWELL?” |
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“HIS WILL IS OUR PEACE. | © V. O. | MOVING ALL THINGS |
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PARADISO |
| BEATRICE |
