Love and Death.
Behold the flashing waters,
A cloven, dancing jet,
That from the milk-white marble
For ever foam and fret;
Far off in drowsy valleys
Where the meadow-saffrons blow,
The feet of summer dabble
In their coiling calm and slow.
The banks are worn for ever
By a people sadly gay:
A Titan, with loud laughter,
Made them of fire and clay.
Go ask the springing flowers,
And the flowing air above,
What are the twin-born waters,
And they'll answer Death and Love.
With wreaths of withered flowers
Two lonely spirits wait,
With wreaths of withered flowers,
'Fore paradise's gate.
They may not pass the portal,
Poor earth-enkindled pair,
Though sad is many a spirit
To pass and leave them there
Still staring at their flowers,
That dull and faded are.
If one should rise beside thee,
The other is not far.
Go ask the youngest angel,
She will say with bated breath,
By the door of Mary's garden
Are the spirits Love and Death.
Altiora Spero.
Upon the billowy bosom of the night,
As babe on mother's breast, my spirit drooped,
With warfare worn: around me seemed there trooped
An angel-band of spirits, pure and bright,
From God's own mirror imaged to my sight;
And as with mystic cadence round they grouped
One form of radiant firmness o'er me stooped,
And voice of silver softness smote delight.
'Peace!' sang it; and thereat my spirit leapt
To the sweet music, and my veins ran fire;
But its next breath great calm around me swept.
'Be not afraid, nor let thy spirit tire;
Climb on, and ever climb to something higher;
God's eye will follow where thy feet have stept.'
Sophocles, Antig. 781-790.
Ἔρως ἀνίκατε μάχαν.
Love, unconquered in the fray,
Love, who dost extend thy sway
Over wealth and poverty,
And by night dost softly lie
Couched in youthful maiden's cheek;
Victims thou alike dost seek
Over loudly-roaring seas,
And from cots deep-bower'd in trees,
Not immortal 'scapes thy power,
Nor the creatures of an hour.
Reviews.
Essays on Economical Subjects. By 'Hibernicus.' Dublin: E. Ponsonby. 1885.
This Collection of Essays will be read with much interest by students of social questions. The work falls into two divisions, the former only being strictly economic. Though attractive and well-written, it is to be regretted that, owing to some serious defects, it contributes little of value to economics. The writer has chosen to ignore the great body of recent economic literature, and therefore, as might naturally be expected, several doctrines are stated as novelties which to the fairly-read student are text-book commonplaces—the discussion of supply and demand (p. 148, seq.) may be pointed to as a good instance—while many difficulties raised by recent controversies are not noticed. The absence of any attempt at verification of the doctrines laid down, or any systematic reference to history or statistics, is also a grave drawback. Thus the problem of 'Rent' is treated by assuming various hypothetical cases, but the causes which have produced the so-called Ricardian theory of rent, its assumptions, and its limitations, are entirely passed over. The undue disposition to question the most ordinary doctrines of 'political economists'—by which the writer seems to mean J. S. Mill and Fawcett, with the possible addition of Mr. George—is also, I cannot help thinking, a cause of some mistakes.
The author has, with considerable courage, placed the weakest of the essays at the opening of his work. In it he handles the well-worn subject of free trade and fair trade, and thereby affords pleasant reading to those who believe in the soundness of a free trade policy, since, though able vigorously to expound his views, and evidently anxious to discredit free trade, he is reduced to the most curious shifts to make even the appearance of a case against it. The very term 'free trade', in opposition to the express statements of Cobden and the Merchants' Petition of 1820, is assumed to mean the entire abolition of customs and excise duties, instead of the equalization of duties on home and foreign commodities, a confusion which vitiates a discussion filling several pages. The incidence of duties on commodities is treated in a hesitating manner. Such duties are sometimes described as
