The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
| Table of Contents | |
| Section | Page |
| Start of eBook | 1 |
| THE IMPOSSIBLE THING | 1 |
A
demon, blacker in his skin than heart,
So
great a charm was prompted to impart;
To
one in love, that he the lady gained,
And
full possession in the end obtained:
The
bargain was, the lover should enjoy
The
belle he wished, and who had proved so coy.
Said
Satan, soon I’ll make her lend an ear,
In
ev’ry thing more complaisant appear;
But
then, instead of what thou might’st expect,
To
be obedient and let me direct,
The
devil, having thus obliged a friend,
He’ll
thy commands obey, thou may’st depend,
The
very moment; and within the hour
Thy
humble servant, who has got such pow’r,
Will
ask for others, which at once thou’lt find;
Make
no delay, for if thou art so blind,
Thou
comprehend’st, thy body and thy soul
The
lovely fair no longer shall control,
But
Satan then upon them both shall seize,
And
with them do-whatever he may please:
’Gainst
this the spark had not a word to say;
’Twas
pleasing to command, though not obey.
Hesallied forth the beauteous belle to seek,
And
found her as he wished:—complying-meek;
Indulged
in blisses, and most happy proved,
Save
that the devil always round him moved.
Whatever
rose within the whirl of thought
He
now commanded:—quickly it was brought;
And
when he ordered palaces to rise,
Or
raging tempests to pervade the skies,
The
devil instantly obeyed his will,
And
what he asked was done with wondrous skill.
Large sums his purse received;—the devil went just where commanded, and to Rome was sent, From whence his highness store of pardons got; No journey long, though distant was the spot, But ev’ry thing with magick ease arose, And all was soon accomplished that he chose. So oft the spark was asked for orders new, Which he was bound to give the fiend at view, That soon his head most thoroughly was drained, And to the fair our lover much complained, Declared the truth, and ev’ry thing detailed, How he was lost, if in commands he failed.
IS’T
this, said she, that makes thee so forlorn?
Mere
nothing!-quickly I’ll remove the thorn;
When
Satan comes, present his highness this,
Which
I have here, and say:—You will not miss
To
make it flat, and not its curl retain
On
which she gave him, what with little pain
She
drew from covert of the Cyprian grove,
The
fairy labyrinth where pleasures rove,
Which
formerly a duke so precious thought;
To
raise a knightly order thence he sought,
Illustrious
institution, noble plan,
More
filled with gods and demi-gods than man.
Thelover to the crafty devil said:-
’Tis
crooked this, you see, and I am led
To
wish it otherwise; go, make it straight;
A
perfect line: no turn, nor twist, nor plait.
Away
to work, be quick, fly, hasten, run;
The
demon fancied it could soon be done;
No
time he lost, but set it in the press,
And
tried to manage it with great success;
The
massy hammer, kept beneath the deep,
Made
no impression: he as well might sleep;
Howe’er
he beat: whatever charm he used:—
’Twas
still the same; obedience it refused.
His
time and labour constantly were lost;
Vain
proved each effort: mystick skill was crossed;
The
wind, or rain, or fog, or frost, or snow,
Had
no effect: still circular ’twould go.
The
more he tried, the ringlet less inclined
To
drop the curvature so closely twined.
How’s
this? said Satan, never have I seen
Such
stubborn stuff wherever I have been;
The
shades below no demon can produce,
That
could divine what here would prove of use:
’Twould
puzzle hell to break the curling spring,
And
make a line direct of such a thing.
Onemorn the devil to the other went:
Said
he, to give thee up I’ll be content;
If
solely thou wilt openly declare
What
’tis I hold, for truly I despair;
I’m
victus I confess, and can’t succeed:
No
doubt the thing’s impossible decreed.
FriendSatan, said the lover, you are wrong;
Despondency
should not to you belong,
At
least so soon:—what you desire to know
Is
not the only one that’s found to grow;
Still
many more companions it has got,
And
others could be taken from the spot.