Emma Tatham

“ Anguish and bliss ennoble: either proves The greatness of its subject, and expands Her nature into power; her every pulse Beats into new-born force, urging her on To conquering energy. – Then was I cast Into hot fires and flaming furnaces, Deep in the hollow globe; there did I burn Deathless in agony, without murmur, Longing to die, until my patient soul Fainted into perfection: at that hour, Being victorious, I was snatch'd away To yet another lesson. I became A date-tree in the desert, to pour out My life in dumb benevolence, and full Obedience to each wind of heaven that blew. ”

“ Then, first I felt my wings Wave into immortality, and flew Across the ocean with a shouting host Of thunders at my heels, and lit up heaven, And earth and sea, with one quick lamp, and crown'd The mountains with a momentary gold, Then cover'd them with blackness. ”

“ Rejoicing in His strength; yea, I found rest In the unbounded roar, and fearless sang Glad echo to the thunder, and flash'd back The bright look of lightning, and did fly On the dark pinions of the hurricane spirit In rapturous repose; till suddenly My soul expanded, and I sprang aloft Into the lightning flame, leaping for joy From cloud to cloud. ”

“ Therefore the winds arose, And shook me from the rainbow where I hung, Into the dephts of ocean; then I dived Down to the coral citadels, and roved Through crystal mazes, among pearls and gems, And lovely buried creatures, who had sunk To find a jewel of eternal life. Sweet babes I saw clasp'd in their mothers' arms; Kings of the north, each with his oozy crown; Pale maidens, with their golden streaming hair Floating in solemn beauty, calm and still, In the deep, silent, tideless wave ”

“ «The soul was not then imprisoned in a gross mortal body, as it is now: it was united to a luminous, heavenly, ethereal body, which served it as a vehicle to fly through the air, rise to the stars, and wander over all the regions of immensity.» ”

“ I bid thee free thyself, and know Thou hast the fount of life in thy own breast, And need'st no guiding: be a child no longer; Throw off thy fetters, and with me enjoy Thy native independence, and assert Thy innate majesty; Truth binds not me, And yet I am immortal ”

“ O'er their heads A lofty oak spread out his hundred hands Umbrageous, and a thousand slant sunbeams Play'd o'er them; but beneath all was obscure And solemn, save that, as the sun went down, One pale and tremulous sunbeam, stealing in Through the unconscious leaves her silent way, Fell on the forehead of Pythagoras Like spiritual radiance; all else wrapt In gloom delicious; while the murmuring wind, Oft moving through the forest as in dreams, Made melancholy music. ”

“ Then, once more, My life was joyous, for the kingly sun Carried me up into the firmament, And hung me in rainbow, and my soul Was robed in seven bright colors, and became A jewel in the sky. So did I learn The first great lessons; mark ye them, my sons. Obedience is nobility; and meek Humility is glory; self alone Is base; and pride is pain; patience is power ”

“ And now first brought To know myself and feel my littleness, I was to learn what greatness is prepar'd For virtuous souls, what moghty war they wage, What vast impossibilities o'ercome, What kingdoms, and infinitude of love, And harmony, and never-ending joy, And converse, and comminion with the great And glorious Mind unknown, - are given to high And godlike souls. ”