Page:New Poems by James I.djvu/154



A PAIRT OF DU BARTAS FIRST DAY:

This largenes and this breadth so long, /this highnes so profounde, This bounded infinite, the masse/ confused of all this rounde; This Chaos lourde, I saye, which in /it selfe suche uproares wroght, And sawe it in one moment borne/in nothing made of noght, 5 The brooddie bodie was wherof/the essence pure divine, And foure contending brethren ought/there birth to borrowe sine. Now as to these foure elements,/these twinne sonnes ment by here, Towitt, the subtle aire, the fire,/the earthe, and waters cleere, Composed they are not, bot of them/is all composed and made, 10 That can into our senses fall/or may be thought or saide: Now 3 if there qualities do poure/ there whole effects within Eache part of everie bodie mixed/and so to worke beginne; Or whether that on everie part/ there beings they confounde And so of beings double twaine/one bodie doe compounde; 15 Even as within the bottome/deepe of christall glasses cleene, The wine with the Acheloian sucke /for to be mix'd is seene: Or even as meate which wholesome is,/and subtle liquour fine Doe mixe them selfs within us for/ to change in chilus sine. This by experience may we see/into the stick that burnes, 20 Unto the heaven his native house/his fire full swift returnes,