FACILE credo, plures esse Naturas invisibiles quam visibiles in rerum universitate. Sed horum omnium familiam quis nobis enarrabit, et gradus et cognationes et discrimina et singulorum munera? Quid agunt? quæ loca habitant? Harum rerum notitiam semper ambivit ingenium humanum, nunquam attigit. Juvat, interea, non diffiteor, quandoque in animo, tanquam in tabulâ, majoris et melioris mundi imaginem contemplari: ne mens assuefacta hodiernæ vitæ minutiis se contrahat nimis, et tota subsidat in pusillas cogitationes. Sed veritati interea invigilandum est, modusque servandus, ut certa ab incertis, diem a nocte, distinguamus.-T. BURNET. ARCHEOL. PHIL. p. 68 Mariner is real. THE RIME OF THE ANCIENT MARINER.* IN SEVEN PARTS. PART I. It is an ancient Mariner, And he stoppeth one of three. An ancient Mariner meeteth three gal "By thy long gray beard and glittering lants bidden eye, Now wherefore stopp'st thou me? The Bridegroom's doors are opened wide, And I am next of kin ; The guests are met, the feast is set : May'st hear the merry din." He holds him with his skinny hand, “Hold off! unhand me, gray-beard Eftsoons his hand dropt he. to a wedding-feast, and detaineth one. * See Note. The Wed- He holds him with his glittering eye ding-Guest is spellbound by the eye of the old sea faring man, and constrained to hear his tale. The Mariner tells how the ship sailed The Wedding-Guest stood still, And listens like a three years' child: The Wedding-Guest sat on a stone: And thus spake on that ancient man, "The ship was cheered, the harbour cleared, Merrily did we drop Below the kirk, below the hill, Below the light-house top. The sun came up upon the left, Out of the sea came he! southward And he shone bright, and on the right with a good wind and fair weather, till it reached the Line. The Wed- The bride hath paced into the hall, ding-Guest heareth the Red as a rose is she; bridal mu sie; but the Nodding their heads before her goes Mariner continueth The merry minstrelsy. his tale. 32 |