Algernon Charles Swinburne

Name: The Heptalogia — John Jones
Author: Algernon Charles Swinburne

Summary

“The Heptalogia — John Jones”, published in 1880, is a work by Algernon Charles Swinburne. It explores elements such as flesh, crab and shift.

Quotes from The Heptalogia — John Jones (Algernon Charles Swinburne)

Algernon Charles Swinburne, The Heptalogia — John Jones (1880)

“ Moons' ends match roses' ends: men by beasts' noses' ends mete sin's stink's cure.
VI.
Leaves love last year smelt now feel dead love's tears melt—flies caught in time's mesh!
Salt are the dews in which new time breeds new sin, brews blood and stews flesh;
Next year may see dead more germs than this weeded and reared them afresh.
VII.
Old times left perish, there's new time to cherish; life just shifts its tune;
As, when the day dies, earth, half afraid, eyes the growth of the moon;
Love me and save me, take me or waive me; death takes one so soon! ”

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Source: Wikisource

Algernon Charles Swinburne, The Heptalogia — John Jones (1880)

“ Earth keeps good yet, the sun goes on, stars hold their own,
And you'll change, climb past sight of the world, shift your skin,
Never heeding how life moans—"more flesh now, less bone!"
For that cheek's worn waste outline (death's grin)
XVIII.
Pleads with time still—"what good if I lose this? but see—"'
(There's the crab gone!) '"I said, 'Though earth sinks,'"' (you perceive?
Ah, true, back there!) your soul now—'"'yet some vein might be
(Could one find it alive in the heart's core's pulse, cleave
Through the life-springs where 'you' melts in 'me') ”

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Source: Wikisource

Algernon Charles Swinburne, The Heptalogia — John Jones (1880)

“ Burn our souls out, shift spirits, turn skins and change zones;
V.
Then the heart, when all's done with, wakes, whimpers, intones
Some lost fragment of tune it thought sweet ere it grew sick;
(Is it life that disclaims this, or death that disowns?)
Mere dead metal, scrawled bars—ah, one touch, you make music!
Love's worth saving, youth doubts, but experience depones. ”

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Source: Wikisource

Algernon Charles Swinburne, The Heptalogia — John Jones (1880)

“ But love; being love, it was not (understand)
Such a thing as the years let fall (believe)
Like the rope's coil dropt from a fisherman's hand
When the boat's hauled up—'by your leave!'
II.
So—well! How that crab writhes—leg after leg
Drawn, as a worm draws ring upon ring
Gradually, not gladly! ”

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Source: Wikisource

Algernon Charles Swinburne, The Heptalogia — John Jones (1880)

“ Laughing lightly,—my crab's life's the wise life!
X.
Ah, now, look you—tail foremost, the beast sets seaward—
The sea draws it, sand sucks it—he's wise, my crab!
From the napkin out jumps his one talent—good steward,
Just judge! So a man shirks the smile or the stab,
And sets his sail duly to leeward!
XI.
Trust me? Hardly! I bid you not lean (remark)
On my spirit, your spirit—my flesh, your flesh—
Hold my hand, and tread safe through the horrible dark—
Quench my soul as with sprinklings of snow, then refresh
With some blast of new bellows the spark! ”

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Source: Wikisource

Algernon Charles Swinburne, The Heptalogia — John Jones (1880)

“ Read love's litanies over—his age was not our age!
No more flutes in this world for me now, dear! trombones.
III.
All that youth once denied and made mouths at, age owns.
Facts put fangs out and bite us; life stings and grows viperous ”

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Source: Wikisource

Algernon Charles Swinburne, The Heptalogia — John Jones (1880)

“ Time's crimes mark dark men's types, in stripes
Broad as fen's lands men's hands were wont
Leave grieve unploughed, though proud and loud
With birds' words—No! he won't!
X.
One never should think good impossible. ”

[↩︎]

Source: Wikisource

Algernon Charles Swinburne, The Heptalogia — John Jones (1880)

“ One life? a million of lives!
Why choose one sail to watch of these infinite sails?
Time's a tennis-play? thank you, no, fives!
XX.
'"Stop life's ball then!" Such folly! melt earth down for that,
Till the pure ore eludes you and leaves you raw scoriæ?
Pish, the vein's wrong!' But you, friends—come, what were you at
When God spat you out suddenly? what was the story He
Cut short thus, the growth He laid flat?
XXI.
Wait! the crab's twice alive, mark! Oh, worthy, your soul,
Of strange ends, great results, novel labours! Take note,
I reject this for one! ”

Algernon Charles Swinburne

Summary

Quotes from The Heptalogia — John Jones (Algernon Charles Swinburne)

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