Schiller, Friedrich

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308 THE OPEN COURT.Wouldst thou learn the world to know;Thou must tempt the dark abjssWouldst thou life's deep meaning wis."Nought but firmness gains the prize,—Nought but fulness makes us wise,—Buried deep, truth ever lies !"Light and Warmth."The world, a man of noble mindWith glad reliance enters;Around him spread, he hopes to findWliat in his bosom centers;And to truth's cause, with ardor warm.He dedicates his trusty arm."But that the world is mean, ere long-Experience shows him ever;Himself to guard amid the throngIs now his sole endeavor.His heart, in calm and proud repose,Sriiiu e'en til lo\-e begins to close."Tiie rays of trutii, though light-bestowing.Not always warmth imparl;P.lest he who gains the boon of knowingNor buys it with his heart!So thou siiouldst worldling's ken uniteTo the idealist's vision bright."The Lay of the Bell.'T-"irnily Ixmnd the mould of clayIn its (lungcon-walls doth stand.Born shall lie the liell to-day!Ciinirades, \^^\ now be at hand!I'"r(ini the brows of all.\ 1 11^1 the sweat-drops fall.Ere in his \\(irk the master live;The blessing (Idd alone can give.'To what we e;irnesll\' prepareNow may an earnest word be said ;When good discourse our labors shareThen merrily the work is sped.Let us consider then with zealWhat feeble strength can do by thought;Contempt for him we e'er must feelWho planned not what his hands have wrought.FRll':i)RICII SCHILLER.'Tis this adorns the human race,For this to man was reason given,That he within his heart may traceThe works that by his hands have thriven."Wood cut from the pine-tree take,But well seasoned let it be,Through the flue the flames thus breakTo the cauldron's molten sea.Boils the copper within,Quick, bring hither the tin !That the bell's tough metal maySmoothly flow in wonted way !'What deeply in earth's hidden cellThe hand with fire's assistance speeds.Will in the steeple's belfry dwellAnd loudly witness of our deeds.In many an ear its thrilling tale'Twill pour, nor heed the flight of Time,'Twill with the child of sorrow wail,And join Devotion's choral chime.Whate'er unto the earthborn crowdThe frown or smile of Fortune bring.The metal tongue proclaims it loud.While far those cheering accents ring."See the silver bubbles glow !Now the molten billows swell.Potash in the furnace throw.For it speeds the casting well.And from frothing freeMust the mixture beThat the bell's metallic \(iiceEvery hearer's heart rejoice.'With festive joyous accents rifeIt greets the well beloved child.Launched on his first career of lifeIn slumber's arm so sweet and mild;In Time's dark womb for him reposesLife's thorny couch, life's bed of roses;A mother's love its guardian wingSpreads o'er his golden days of spring.—The years fly like the winged shaft.The proud boy bids the girl adieu;Out into life's wild storm he flies,A pilgrim, roams the wide world through.Then as a stranger homeward hies.And lo, as some sweet vision breaks3093IO I 111". OI'KN corKT.Out from its natixe niurning skies,Witli rosy blusli on downcast cheeks,I'lie maiden stands liefore his eyes.A nameless yearning now appearsAnd fills his heart: alone he strays,Mis eyes are ever moist with tears,He shuns his brothers' noisy plays;ller steps he hlushingly pursues.And by her greeting is made blest,(lathers the (lowers of fairest hues.With which to deck his true love's breast.( )h. tender yearning, blissful hope.Thou golden time of love's young day!llea\'"n seems before the eye to ope.The heart m rapture melts away.Oh, may it e\er verdant prove.That radiant time of youthful love!"Lo! the pipes already brown!I will dip this rod therein.Doth a glaze the surface crown,We the casting may begin.Quick ! amid the glow.Test the mixture's flow !See if. with a goodly sign.Soft and brittle well ciimbine.'AVhere gentleness with strength we find.The tender with the stern combined.There harmony is sweet and strong.'I'lien ])rove. e'er wedlock's wreath be twinedIt heart to heart its fetters bind!Illusion's brief, repentance long..S\\(.'el <in bridal brow is clingingMyrtle wreath of festive green.When the mellow church bell's ringingI'.iiN Us to the festi\e scene.Ah! life's sweetest festivalImkIs the May of life anon.With the girdle, with the veil.Is the fond illusion gone.The passions soon fly.But love must remain ;The blossoms soon die,Fruit comes in their train.The husband must fight,'Mid struggles and strife.The battle of life:Must plant and create.Watch, snare, and flebate,FRIliDKlCll SCHILLER. 3ITMust venture and stakeHis fortune to make.Then boundless in torrents comes pouring tlie gift.The garners o'erflow with the costhest tlirift,The store-rooms increase, and the mansion expands.Within it reignsThe ])rudent wife.•Tlie tender motiier,In wisdom's waysHer house she sways,Instructing the girls.Controlling the hoys.With diligent handsShe works and connnands.Increases the gainsAnd order maintains:With treasures the sweet smelling wardrobe she stores.And busily over the spinning wheel pores.She hoards in the bright polished presses till fullThe snowy white linen, the shimmering wot>l,The bright .and tlie showy to good she disposes.And ne\er reposes."Now the sire with joyful mien.From the house's lofty gable.Gazes on the prosperous scene :Sees the beams around him soar..\nd the barn's abundant store.Garners l.ile^t fiy Plenty's horn.And the waxing sea of corn.Thus he fondly prides himself:"I'^irm and strong as earth itself.Gainst misfortune's whelming shock.Stands the house, as on a rock I'But with Fate O ! ne'er believeAn eternal bond to weave.Swiftly on Misfortune comes."Now the casting may begin.Jagg'd the fracture is and fair.But before we run it inOtter up a pious prayer!Let the plug now- tly IMay God's help be nigh !Smoking in the hollow caveRushes forth the glowing wave."How genial is fire's tnight.When tamed and watched by man aright IWhate'er he forms, or shapes, its source312 THE OPEN COURT.He owes to this celestial force.But fearful this celestial forceWhen, bursting forth in madden'd course,Unshackled on its path so wild.It rushes. Nature's free-born child!Woe, when bursting forth it flies.Spreading with unbridled ire!In the busy street ariseMountain waves of raging fire;For the elements despiseWealth that human hands acquire.From the cloudBlessings rush.Waters gush;Where it listeth lightning flashes,Thunder crashes.Hear ye that wail from yon tower's walls?The tocsin calls!Red as bloodGlow the skies :That is not the sunlight's flood!Hark ! what criesIn the street!Smoke clouds rise!Surging upwards, higher, higher!Through the streets the pillared UrcRushes with the whirlwind's ire.Like the blast in furnace jicntGlows the air, now beams are rent,Windows rattle, rafters creak.Mothers wander, children shriek,Kine are lowing,L'nderncath the ruins glowing;Running, rushing, coming, going.Night vies with the daylight's glowing.\s the zealous chain expands.Through the hands.Flies the bucket : arching o'er.Streams the jet, the torrents pour.Then the storm, 'mid howl and roar.With the raging flames dispute;Crackling 'mid the grain and fruit.Through the garner's space they gleam,Seize the dry and massive beam.And, as though they'd in their flightEarth from its foundation tear,Upwards sweeping through the air.Surge they to the heaven's height,Huge in scope!Stripped of hope,FRIEDRICH SCHILLER. 3I3Man submits as he surveys,Wond'ring with an idle gaze,What was done by Heaven's might.'Waste is nowThe place and dread,Of wild storms the rugged bed.In the hollow window-cellsHorror dwells.And the clouds from Heaven's sphereDownwards peer.'One fond look, the last,'Mid the gloom,At the tombOf his wealth man turns to cast.—Then takes his staff, nor wails his doom. ;What though bereft by fire's wrath, 1One comfort still his heart may cheer.He counts the forms to him so dear,Lo ! all are left to cheer his path."Being in the earth received.The mould the mingled metals fill;Will the work when 'tis achievedRecompense our toil and skill?li the cast should fail?If the mould be frail?While wc hope, e'en now. alas.Mischief may have come to pass!"Unto the lap of holy earthDo we confide our work and deed.The sower sows the earth with seed,And hopes 'twill give to blessings birth,Of Heaven's grace the grateful meed.More precious seeds in earth's dark wombWe sow with sorrow's trembling hand.And hope that, rising from the tomb.They'll blossom in that Better Land."From the steepleTolls the bell.Deep and sadly,Death's last knell.Mournful dirges from the lofty domeGuide a wand'rer to his last long home."'Tis the wife, the well belov'd one,'Tis, alas! the faithful mother,314 liili Ul'EX COURT.W'lioni the Prince of Shadows chases]''roni her husband's fond embraces.P'rom his children in their bloom.Born of her, those lov'd ones, whomOft she to her faithful breastWith a mother's rapture pressed—Now, alas ! home's tender tiesE'er are sever'd from each other;In tile Land of Shadow liesOf that home the gentle mother;Now her faithful rule is gone.Watchful, tender as the dove;At the widow'd heart rules oneWho a stranger is to love."Till the bell can cool, away!Let us leave our toil awhile !As the feather'd songsters play.So may each his time beguile.When the stars appear.Free from care and fear.The workman hears the vesper belThe master cannot care dispel."Cheerful, through the forest's gloom.Wends the wanderer his stepsBack to his dear cottage home.Bleating seek the sheep their fold.And the herdOf the broad-brow'd cattle come.I loniewards lowing.The accust(Mn'<l stables knowing.Through the galeReels the wain.'Neath the grain ;On the ^heaves,With their many-color'd leases.Garlands lie.To the dance the youthful reapersJoyful hie.Street and market now are silent.Round the taper's social flameSit the inmates of the house.And the creaking town-gates clo.se.Darkness spreadsO'er the earth ;But no honest burgher dreadsNight's dark tide.Though it woo to fearful deeds,For the law is eagle-eyed.|-Kli:i)KKll Sril ILLKK. 3^5iloly Order. Heaven's child.Rich in hlessings, wlio. s(i mild.Like to like so hlithely calls.Who hath raised the city's walls,Who to quit his desert wasteBade th' unsocial savage haste.Who in human dwellings stealing.Taught mankind a softer feeling.And tliat liest. that dearest hand.\\'o\e. the love of h'atherland."Countless hands to toil unfold.Cheerfullx- each other aid.And in \ ying zeal, hehold.All their varied strength displa\ed!Man and master join'd appearWith pure freedom in alliance.Each, reioicing in his sphere.To the scotTer hids defiance.Lahor is the suhject's crown,l?lessings are his labor's guerdon;Honor to the king's renown!1 |on(U- to the worker's burden!"Gentle peace,Concord blest.Never ceaseKindly o'er our town to rest!O may ne'er that day appear.When the savage hords of warDevastate this silent vale!When the sky.O'er which Eve her rosy shadesSweetly throws.With the wild and fearful glareOf the burning city glows."Break asuniler now the nioidd,Eor its work is done at last.Let both heart and eye beholdProudly the successful cast!Wield the hammer, wield.Till it split the shield!Before the bell can rise on high,The mantel must in pieces fly."The master, when it seemeth good.With prudent hand may break the mould ;But woe, when in a flaming floodThe glowing metal bursts its hold!3l6 THE OPEN COURT.Blind, frantic, with the thunder's swell,It bursts its fractur'd prison's side,And as from out the jaws of Hell,It vomits Ruin's flaming tide.Where brutal strength insensate reigns,No pictured beauty man obtains;When nations free themselves by forceNe'er prosper can their welfare's course."Woe, when within the city's wallThe smould'ring sparks in silence burn.The people, bursting from their thrall.To savage wilfulness return!Then peals the bell upon its throne,And howls on high, rebellion calls.And, vow'd but to a peaceful tone.The signal gives for savage brawls."Now Freedom's cry is heard around;The peaceful burghers fly to arms,The streets fill fast, the halls resound,And murd'rous bands spread dire alarms.Now like hyenas in their lair,'Mid horrors women jeer and jest;As with the panther's teeth they tearThe heart from out their foeman's breast.Now all that's sacred men efface.And break all bonds of pious fear,Good now to evil givcth place.And vice runs on its mad career.Wake not the lion in his den!Destructive is the tiger's jaw.But far more terrible are menWhom passions in their vortex draw.Woe be to him who, to the blind.The heav'nly torch of light conveys !It throws no radiance on his mind.But land and town in ashes lays."God hath filled me with delight!Like a golden star, behold.Like a kernel smooth and bright.Peels the metal from the mould!How the whole doth gleamLike the sunny beam !And in the escutcheon's shieldIs a master hand revealed."Come in and see!Stand, comrades, round, and lend your aidFRIEDRICH SCHILLER. 317To christen now the bell we've made!Concordia her name shall be.In bonds of peace and concord may licr pealUnite llie lovinp; congregation's zeal.'And this be henoefortli her vocation,The end and aim of lier creation ;HL BELL.'Pull boys, pull boys, raise!See, she moves, she sways!()\t our town let gladness reign,reacc, be this her first refrain!"Above this nether world shall sheTn Heaven's azure vault appear.The neighbor of the thunder be.And border on the starry sphere;A voice of Heaven from aboveLike yonder host of stars so clear.Who laud their maker as they move,3l8 THE OPEN COURT.And usher in the circling year.Tun'd be her metal mouth aloneTo things eternal and sublime,And as the swift-wing'd hours speed on,May she record the flight of time!Her tongue to Fate she well may lend:Heartless herself and feeling nought,May with her warning notes attendOn human life, with change so fraught.And, as the strains die on the earThat she peals forth with tuneful might.So let her teach that nought lasts here.That all things earthly take their flight!"Now then, with the rope so strong.From the vault the bell upweigh.That she gain the realm of song.And the heav'nly light of day!Pull boys, pull lioys, raise!See, she moves, she sways!O'er our town let gladness reign.Peace, be this her first refrain!"

The Lay of the Bell.

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The Lay of the Bell.

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