The English Lyric \y 



lay of the First Shaping, finding for the first time cosmical 

 metaphor comparable to the old Hebrew and in his Genesis 

 already prophecying Milton; while Cynewulf, uttering the 

 passionate yearning of the sea-saddened Teuton, struck the 

 master-motiv of the long symphony of English poetry. 



I have cited Browning for the Saxon, but he knows other modes 

 as well : 



The gray sea and the long black land ; 

 And the yellow half moon large and low; 

 And the startled little waves that leap 

 In fiery ringlets from their sleep. . . . 



Here is a spirit altogether new. " Natural magic," Arnold calls 

 it, and he tells us that it is the characteristic mode of Celtic poetry. 

 It belongs to an atmosphere of wizardries and night-breaths, of 

 glimmering wonders and mysteries of dreams. The Celt sees 

 Nature animate : the sea teems with sprites, playful or malicious, 

 the forest is denizened with pixie and fay, every inch of ground is 

 outlandishly agog with goblin and gnome. The reason is doubt- 

 less to be sought in the high-wrought Celtic sensitiveness to im- 

 pressions, especially to those of a will-o'-the-wisp sort. 



Arnold characterizes : " An organization quick to feel im- 

 pressions, and feeling them very strongly; a lively personality 

 therefore keenly sensitive to joy and sorrow; this is the main 

 point. If the downs of life too much outnumber the ups, this 

 temperament, just because it is so quickly and nearly conscious 

 of all impressions, may no doubt be seen shy and wounded ; it may 

 be seen in wistful regret, it may be seen in passionate penetrating 

 melancholy; but its essence is to aspire ardently after life, light, 

 and emotion, to be expansive, adventurous, gay." 



Taliessin in a Song to the Great World celebrates this aspira- 

 tion after light, this joy in mere wealth of sensation: 



I will adore my Father, 



My God, my strengthener, 



Who infused through my head 



A soul to direct me ; 



Who has made for me in perception 



My seven faculties : 



359 



