MUSIC OF ASCENT AND TRIUMPH

world, and the splendour of lif e, as the nascent soûl sees it, and illumines il with its own light. It is the music made by the strong beating of the soul's wings as it lises from its buiial-place and wings its way through every mortal drcumstance baçk to Paradise. It is the exultancy of résurrection.

In the poem " Towards Democracy " the words Joy and Laughter — usually in conjunction — ^are constantly recurring. Sometimes they are un^ expectedly slipped into the text in brackets, as a reminder of the nature of the emotional atmosphère from which the song is distilled. The careful reader will note where the words are shpped in. For example,

To realize Freedom — for this hitherto, for you, the universe has rolled ; for this, désires, fears, complica* tiens, bewUderments, sufîerings, hope, regret — ail Êdling away at last duly before the Soûl, before You (O laughter!) arisiiig the full-grown lover, possessor of the password.^

Or again,

O laughter ! the Soûl invading, looking proudly upon its new kiugdom, possessing the ofîerings of ail pleasures, forbidden and unforbidden^ from aU created things— if perchance it vdll stoop to accept them; the everlasting life.'

Sometimes he seems to chuckle, as if the beautiful thing that is in him were bubbling over :

* r. D., p. ^. * Und., f>. 9.