Acts XIX. 19
[" Many of them also which used curious arts brought their books together and burned them before all men."] BROUGHT them and burnt them—but no magic here ; Instead just so much stuff as comes to brain, When brain gives up its waste with Roman leer, Book-gorged, book-vomiting to feast again. On us the ends of world are come, of all Past hope, past thought, past folly pressing down, Clamour of many tongues and creeds, the call Of wisdom and the cackle of the clown.
They brought their books and burnt them.—With lamp late I, book encircled, dream of some lone hill Onto whose sloping flank small trees must soon Spill blossom ; grazing beasts ; blue hearth smoke straight ; And (for they burnt them) one who, dumb, would feel The nightly wonder of the uprisen moon.
ISIONE GIBBON.
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