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And yet they all must give place to the wonder

       Which this mysterious castle guards.

      Countess. And what 60

       Can this be then? Methought I was acquainted

       With all the dusky corners of this house.

      Thekla. Ay, but the road thereto is watched by spirits,

       Two griffins still stand sentry at the door.

      Countess (laughs). The astrological tower! — How happens it 65

       That this same sanctuary, whose access

       Is to all others so impracticable,

       Opens before you even at your approach?

      Thekla. A dwarfish old man with a friendly face

       And snow-white hairs, whose gracious services 70

       Were mine at first sight, opened me the doors.

      Max. That is the Duke’s astrologer, old Seni.

      Thekla. He questioned me on many points; for instance,

       When I was born, what month, and on what day,

       Whether by day or in the night.

      Countess. He wished 75

       To erect a figure for your horoscope.

      Thekla. My hand too he examined, shook his head

       With much sad meaning, and the lines methought,

       Did not square over truly with his wishes.

      Countess. Well, Princess, and what found you in this tower? 80

       My highest privilege has been to snatch

       A side-glance, and away!

      Thekla. It was a strange

       Sensation that came o’er me, when at first

       From the broad sunshine I stepped in; and now

       The narrowing line of daylight, that ran after 85

       The closing door, was gone; and all about me

       ‘Twas pale and dusky night, with many shadows

       Fantastically cast. Here six or seven

       Colossal statues, and all kings, stood round me

       In a half-circle. Each one in his hand 90

       A sceptre bore, and on his head a star;

       And in the tower no other light was there

       But from these stars: all seemed to come from them.

       ‘These are the planets,’ said that low old man,

       ‘They govern worldly fates, and for that cause 95

       Are imaged here as kings. He farthest from you,

       Spiteful, and cold, an old man melancholy,

       With bent and yellow forehead, he is Saturn.

       He opposite, the king with the red light,

       An arm’d man for the battle, that is Mars: 100

       And both these bring but little luck to man.’

       But at his side a lovely lady stood,

       The star upon her head was soft and bright,

       And that was Venus, the bright star of joy.

       On the left hand, lo! Mercury, with wings. 105

       Quite in the middle glittered silver-bright

       A cheerful man, and with a monarch’s mien;

       And this was Jupiter, my father’s star:

       And at his side I saw the Sun and Moon.

      Max. O never rudely will I blame his faith 110

       In the might of stars and angels! ‘Tis not merely

       The human being’s Pride that peoples space

       With life and mystical predominance;

       Since likewise for the stricken heart of Love

       This visible nature, and this common world, 115

       Is all too narrow: yea, a deeper import

       Lurks in the legend told my infant years

       Than lies upon that truth, we live to learn.

       For fable is Love’s world, his home, his birthplace;

       Delightedly dwells he ‘mong fays and talismans, 120

       And spirits; and delightedly believes

       Divinities, being himself divine.

       The intelligible forms of ancient poets,

       The fair humanities of old religion,

       The Power, the Beauty, and the Majesty, 125

       That had their haunts in dale, or piny mountain,

       Or forest by slow stream, or pebbly spring,

       Or chasms and wat’ry depths; all these have vanished.

       They live no longer in the faith of reason!

       But still the heart doth need a language, still 130

       Doth the old instinct bring back the old names,

       And to yon starry world they now are gone,

       Spirits or gods, that used to share this earth

       With man as with their friend; and to the lover

       Yonder they move, from yonder visible sky 135

       Shoot influence down: and even at this day

       ‘Tis Jupiter who brings whate’er is great,

       And Venus who brings every thing that’s fair!

      Thekla. And if this be the science of the stars,

       I too, with glad and zealous industry, 140

       Will learn acquaintance with this cheerful faith.

       It is a gentle and affectionate thought,

       That in immeasurable heights above us,

       At our first birth, the wreath of love was woven,

       With sparkling stars for flowers.

      Countess. Not only roses, 145

       But thorns too hath the heaven; and well for you

       Leave they your wreath of love inviolate;

       What Venus twined, the bearer of glad fortune,

       The sullen orb of Mars soon tears to pieces.

      Max. Soon will his gloomy empire reach its close. 150

       Blest be the General’s zeal: into the laurel

       Will he inweave the olive-branch, presenting

       Peace to the shouting nations. Then no wish

       Will have remained for his great heart! Enough

       Has he performed for glory, and can now 155

       Live for himself and his. To his domains

       Will he retire; he has a stately seat

       Of fairest view at Gitschin; Reichenberg,

       And Friedland Castle, both lie pleasantly —

       Even to the foot of the huge mountains here 160

       Stretches the chase and covers of his forests:

       His ruling passion, to create the splendid,

       He can indulge without restraint; can give

       A princely patronage to every art,

       And to all worth a Sovereign’s protection. 165

       Can build, can plant, can watch the starry courses —

      Countess. Yet I would have

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