THE ELEUSINIAN FESTIVAL.

THIS, originally called the "Burgher Lay," is one of the poems which Schiller has devoted to his favorite subject-the Progress of Society.

I.

IND in a garland the ears of gold,

WIND

Let the Cyane's azure1 inwoven be!
Oh, how gladly shall eye behold

The Queen who comes in her majesty!
Man with man in communion mixing,
Taming the wild ones where she went;
Into the peace of the homestead fixing
Lawless bosom and shifting tent.2

II.

Darkly hid in cave and cleft

Shy, the Troglodyte abode;

Earth, was found a waste, and left

Where the wandering Nomad strode:
Deadly with the spear and shaft,

Prowled the Hunter through the land;

Woe the Stranger, waves may waft
On an ever-fatal strand!

III.

Deserts frowned on Ceres, when
Searching for her ravished child
(No green culture smiling then),
O'er the drear coasts bleak and wild,
Never shelter did she gain,

Never friendly threshold trod;
All unbuilded then the Fane,
All unheeded then the God!

IV.

Not with golden corn-ears strewed
Were the ghastly altar stones;
Bleaching there, and gore-imbrued,
Lay the unhallowed human bones'
Wide and far, where'er she roved,
Still reigned Misery over all;
And her mighty soul was moved
At Man's universal fall.

V.

"What! can this be Man-to whom
Our own godlike form was given
Likeness of the shapes that bloom
In the Garden-Mount of Heaven?
Was not Earth on Man bestowed?
Earth itself his kingly home!
Roams he through his bright abode.
Homeless wheresoe'r he roam ?

VI.

!

"Will no God vouchsafe to aid ?—

None of the Celestial choir

Lift the Demigod we made

From the slough and from the mire? No, the grief, they ne'er have known, Calmly the Celestials scan!

I-the Mother-I, alone

Have a heart that feels for Man!

VII.

Let-that Men to Man may soar—
Man and Earth with one another

Make a compact evermore

Man the Son, and Earth the Mother.

Let their laws the Seasons show,

Time itself Man's teacher be;
And the sweet Moon moving slow
To the starry Melody!"

VIII.

Gently brightening from the cloud,
Round her image, vail-like thrown ;
On the startled savage crowd

Lo! the Goddess-glory shone !

Soft, the Goddess-glory stole

On their War-feast o'er the Dead; Fierce hands offered her the bowl

With the blood of foemen red.

IX.

Loathing, turned the gentle Queen,

Loathing, shuddering, turned-and said

"Ne'er a Godhead's lips have been
With the food of tigers fed.
Offering pure that ne'er pollutes,
Be to purer Beings given,
Summer flowers and autumn fruits
Please the Family of Heaven."

X.

And the wrathful spear she takes
From the Hunter's savage hand;
With the shaft of Murder, breaks
Into furrows the light sand;
From her spikëd wreath she singles
Out a golden seed of corn,
With the earth the germ she mingles,
And the mighty birth is born!

XI.

Robing now the rugged ground—
Glints the budding lively green,
Now a Golden Forest-round

Waves the mellow Harvest-sheen!-
And the Goddess blessed the Earth,
Bade the earliest sheaf be bound-
Chose the landmark for a hearth,

And serenely smiling round,

XII.

Spoke in prayer—“ O Father King,
On thine Ether-Hill divine—

Take, O Zeus, this offering,

Let it soften Thee to thine!
From thy People's eyes-away,
Roll the vapor coiled below;
Let the Hearts untaught to pray
Learn the Father-God to know!"

XIII.

And his gentle Sister's prayer,
To the High Olympian came;
Thundering through a cloudless air
Flashed the consecrating Flame :—
On the holy sacrifice,

Bright the wreathëd lightnings leap;

And in circles through the skies,
Doth the sacred Eagle sweep.

XIV.

Low at the feet of the great Queen, low3 Fall the crowd in a glad devotion; First then, first the rude souls know

Human channels of sweet emotionCast to the Earth is the gory spear, Wakened a soft sense blind before; Hush'd in delight, from her lips they hear Mildest accents and wisest lore!