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The Rhythm of Life and Other Essays
The Rhythm of Life and
Other Essays
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The Rhythm of Life and Other Essays
THE RHYTHM OF LIFE
If life is not always poetical； it is at least metrical。 Periodicity rules
over the mental experience of man； according to the path of the orbit of his
thoughts。 Distances are not gauged； ellipses not measured； velocities not
ascertained； times not known。 Nevertheless； the recurrence is sure。 What
the mind suffered last week； or last year； it does not suffer now； but it will
suffer again next week or next year。 Happiness is not a matter of events；
it depends upon the tides of the mind。 Disease is metrical； closing in at
shorter and shorter periods towards death； sweeping abroad at longer and
longer intervals towards recovery。 Sorrow for one cause was intolerable
yesterday； and will be intolerable tomorrow； today it is easy to bear； but
the cause has not passed。 Even the burden of a spiritual distress unsolved
is bound to leave the heart to a temporary peace； and remorse itself does
not remainit returns。 Gaiety takes us by a dear surprise。 If we had made
a course of notes of its visits； we might have been on the watch； and would
have had an expectation instead of a discovery。 No one makes such
observations； in all the diaries of students of the interior world； there have
never come to light the records of the Kepler of such cycles。 But
Thomas e Kempis knew of the recurrences； if he did not measure them。
In his cell alone with the elements'What wouldst thou more than these？
for out of these were all things made'he learnt the stay to be found in the
depth of the hour of bitterness； and the remembrance that restrains the soul
at the coming of the moment of delight； giving it a more conscious
welcome； but presaging for it an inexorable flight。 And 'rarely； rarely
comest thou；' sighed Shelley； not to Delight merely； but to the Spirit of
Delight。 Delight can be compelled beforehand； called； and constrained to
our serviceAriel can be bound to a daily task； but such artificial violence
throws life out of metre； and it is not the spirit that is thus compelled。
THAT flits upon an orbit elliptically or parabolically or hyperbolically
curved； keeping no man knows what trysts with Time。
It seems fit that Shelley and the author of the IMITATION should both
have been keen and simple enough to perceive these flights； and to guess
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The Rhythm of Life and Other Essays
at the order of this periodicity。 Both souls were in close touch with the
spirits of their several worlds； and no deliberate human rules； no
infractions of the liberty and law of the universal movement； kept from
them the knowledge of recurrences。 Eppur si muove。 They knew that
presence does not exist without absence； they knew that what is just upon
its flight of farewell is already on its long path of return。 They knew that
what is approaching to the very touch is hastening towards departure。 'O
wind；' cried Shelley； in autumn；
'O wind； If winter comes； can spring be far behind？'
They knew that the flux is equal to the reflux； that to interrupt with
unlawful recurrences； out of time； is to weaken the impulse of onset and
retreat； the sweep and impetus of movement。 To live in constant efforts
after an equal life； whether the equality be sought in mental production； or
in spiritual sweetness； or in the joy of the senses； is to live without either
rest or full activity。 The souls of certain of the saints； being singularly
simple and single； have been in the most complete subjection to the law of
periodicity。 Ecstasy and desolation visited them by seasons。 They
endured； during spaces of vacant time； the interior loss of all for which
they had sacrificed the world。 They rejoiced in the uncovenanted
beatitude of sweetness alighting in their hearts。 Like them are the poets
whom； three times or ten times in the course of a long life； the Muse has
approached； touched； and forsaken。 And yet hardly like them； not always
so docile； nor so wholly prepared for the departure； the brevity； of the
golden and irrevocable hour。 Few poets have fully recognised the
metrical absence of their Muse。 For full recognition is expressed in one
only waysilence。
It has been found that several tribes in Africa and in America worship
the moon； and not the sun； a great number worship both； but no tribes are
known to adore the sun； and not the moon。 For the periodicity of the sun
is still in part a secret； but that of the moon is modestly apparent；
perpetually influential。 On her depend the tides； and she is Selene；
mother of Herse； bringer of the dews that recurrently irrigate lands where
rain is rare。 More than any other companion of earth is she the Measurer。
Early Indo…Germanic languages knew her by that name。 Her metrical
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phases are the symbol of the order of recurrence。 Constancy in approach
and in departure is the reason of her inconstancies。 Juliet will not receive
a vow spoken in invocation of the moon； but Juliet did not live to know
that love itself has tidal timeslapses and ebbs which are due to the
metrical rule of the interior heart； but which the lover vainly and unkindly
attributes to some outward alteration in the beloved。 For manexcept
those elect already namedis hardly aware of periodicity。 The individual
man either never learns it fully； or learns it late。 And he learns it so late；
because it is a matter of cumulative experience upon which cumulative
evidence is lacking。 It is in the after…part of each life that the law is learnt
so definitely as to do away with the hope or fear of continuance。 That
young sorrow comes so near to despair is a result of this young ignorance。
So is the early hope of great achievem