FullReads

Now come, let’s backward to the starting-place.
See my way: we’re two college friends, suppose.
Prepare together for our voyage, then;
Each note and check the other in his work–
Here’s mine, a bishop’s outfit; criticise!
What’s wrong? why won’t you be a bishop too?

Why first, you don’t believe, you don’t and can’t, 150
(Not statedly, that is, and fixedly
And absolutely and exclusively)
In any revelation called divine.
No dogmas nail your faith; and what remains
But say so, like the honest man you are?
First, therefore, overhaul theology!
Nay, I too, not a fool, you please to think,
Must find believing every whit as hard:
And if I do not frankly say as much,
The ugly consequence is clear enough. 160

Now wait, my friend: well, I do not believe–
If you’ll accept no faith that is not fixed,
Absolute and exclusive, as you say.
You’re wrong–I mean to prove it in due time.
Meanwhile, I know where difficulties lie
I could not, cannot solve, nor ever shall,
So give up hope accordingly to solve–
(To you, and over the wine). Our dogmas then
With both of us, though in unlike degree,
Missing full credence–overboard with them! 170
I mean to meet you on your own premise:
Good, there go mine in company with yours!

And now what are we? unbelievers both,
Calm and complete, determinately fixed
To-day, to-morrow and forever, pray?
You’ll guarantee me that? Not so, I think!
In no wise! all we’ve gained is, that belief,
As unbelief before, shakes us by fits,
Confounds us like its predecessor. Where’s
The gain? how can we guard our unbelief, 180
Make it bear fruit to us?–the problem here.
Just when we are safest, there’s a sunset-touch,
A fancy from a flower-bell, some one’s death,
A chorus-ending from Euripides–
And that’s enough for fifty hopes and fears
As old and new at once as nature’s self,
To rap and knock and enter in our soul,
Take hands and dance there, a fantastic ring,
Round the ancient idol, on his base again–
The grand Perhaps! We look on helplessly. 190
There the old misgivings, crooked questions are–
This good God–what he could do, if he would,
Would, if he could–then must have done long since:
If so, when, where and how? some way must be–
Once feel about, and soon or late you hit
Some sense, in which it might be, after all.
Why not, “The Way, the Truth, the Life?”

–That way
Over the mountain, which who stands upon
Is apt to doubt if it be meant for a road;
While, if he views it from the waste itself, 200
Up goes the line there, plain from base to brow,
Not vague, mistakable! what’s a break or two
Seen from the unbroken desert either side?
And then (to bring in fresh philosophy)
What if the breaks themselves should prove at last
The most consummate of contrivances
To train a man’s eye, teach him what is faith?
And so we stumble at truth’s very test!
All we have gained then by our unbelief
Is a life of doubt diversified by faith, 210
For one of faith diversified by doubt:
We called the chess-board white–we call it black.