lovelinesses infinitely beyond the most gorgeous of such phantasmagoric
idealization of her beauties; and the most wretched condition of humanity
struggling for existence contains elements of worth and future
development inappreciable by the philanthropy that would elevate them by
cultivating their self-love.

At the foot of a crystal cliff, on the opposite side of the river, which
he cannot cross, he sees a maiden sitting, clothed and crowned with
pearls, and wearing one pearl of surpassing wonder and spotlessness upon
her breast. I now make the spelling and forms of the words as modern as I
may, altering the text no further.


"O pearl," quoth I, "in perlés pight, _pitched, dressed._
Art thou my pearl that I have plained? _mourned._
Regretted by myn one, on night? _by myself._
Much longing have I for thee layned _hidden._
Since into grass thou me a-glyghte; _didst glide from me._
Pensive, payred, I am for-pained,[25] _pined away._
And thou in a life of liking light _bright pleasure._
In Paradise-earth, of strife unstrained! _untortured with strife._
What wyrde hath hither my jewel vayned, _destiny: carried off._
And done me in this del and great danger? _sorrow._
Fro we in twain were towen and twayned, _since: pulled: divided._
I have been a joyless jeweller."

That jewel then in gemmés gente, _gracious._
Vered up her vyse with even gray, _turned: face._
Set on her crown of pearl orient,
And soberly after then gan she say: