A STRANGE BOOK 359 And every fibre heaves With perfume in its leaves, And every part doth thrill With perfume from its will. But when men sing on earth, Song hath no heavenly birth. 'Tis bred and born alone Within the bosom's stone ; Comes from the lyre of one, And not from unison ; And on the horse of pride. With vizor down doth ride. This is the horse of flesh ; Its hoof is in a mesh Of swampy wants and wishes : It hath the tail of fishes : * Cold in reality ; Hot in mere fantasy : It dreams of heavens of singing : But hell is in it springing. Now then choose well the choir That hath the numerous lyre ; The song with fellows mated, By others' songs completed : And let the horse of flesh Be lifted from the mesh ; For heaven is melody, And is society." It will be observed that the didactics do not
- " Tails sig. scientific sensual principles. . . . Ap. Ex. 559, &c.
" Fish sig. sensual affections which are the ultimate affections of the natural man. Also, those who are in common truths, which are also ultimates of the natural man. Also those who are in external falses. A.R. 405. . . , Fishes sig. scientifics. A.C. 42; 991. Fishes (Hab. i. 14-16) sig. those who are in faith separate from charity. A. R. 405. To make as the fishes of the sea, sig. to make altogether sensual. A, R. 991. " — A pretty kettle of fish for the reader's digestion.
