'Spite of this flesh today
I strove, made head, gained ground upon the whole!'
70 As the bird wings and sings,
Let us cry, 'All good things
Are ours, nor soul helps flesh more, now, than flesh helps soul!'
'3
Therefore I summon age
To grant youth's heritage,
75 Life's struggle having so far reached its term:
Thence shall I pass, approved
A man, for aye removed
From the developed brute; a god though in the germ.
14
And I shall thereupon
Take rest, ere I be gone
Once more on my adventure brave and new;4
3. The hody, which holds the soul in its net. 4. In the next lile.
.
1308 / ROBERT BROWNING
Fearless and unperplexed, When I wage battle next, What weapons to select, what armor to indue.0 put on
15 85 Youth ended, I shall try My gain or loss thereby;
Leave the fire ashes,5 what survives is gold:
And I shall weigh the same,
Give life its praise or blame: 90 Young, all lay in dispute; I shall know, being old.
16
For note, when evening shuts, A certain moment cuts The deed off, calls the glory from the gray: A whisper from the west 95 Shoots?'Add this to the rest, Take it and try its worth: here dies another day.'
17
So, still within this life, Though lifted o'er its strife, Let me discern, compare, pronounce at last, 100 'This rage was right i' the main, That acquiescence vain: The Future I may face now I have proved the Past.'
18
For more is not reserved
To man, with soul just nerved 105 To act tomorrow what he learns today:
Here, work enough to watch
The Master work, and catch
Hints of the proper craft, tricks of the tool's true play.
19 As it was better, youth 110 Should strive, through acts uncouth,
Toward making, than repose on aught found made:
So, better, age, exempt
From strife, should know, than tempt0 attempt
Further. Thou waitedst age: wait death nor? be afraid! and do not
20
115 Enough now, if the Right
And Good and Infinite
Be named here, as thou callest thy hand thine own,
With knowledge absolute,
Subject to no dispute 120 From fools that crowded youth, nor let thee feel alone.
5. If the fire leaves ashes.
.
RABB I BE N EZRA / 1 30 9 Re there, for once and all, Severed great minds from small, Announced to each
