Chapter 1

PAGE THE PROLOGUE. 13 CANTO I. THE CATHEDRAL CLOSE 17 Preludes: 1. The Impossibility 17 2. Love’s Really 17 3. The Poet’s Confidence 18 The Cathedral Close 19 II. MARY AND MILDRED 24 Preludes: 1. The Paragon 24 2. Love at Large 26 3. Love and Duty 27 4. A Distinction 28 Mary and Mildred 28 III. HONORIA 32 Preludes: 1. The Lover 32 2. Love a Virtue 34 3. The Attainment 34 Honoria 35 IV. THE MORNING CALL 39 Preludes: 1. The Rose of the World 39 2. The Tribute 41 3. Compensation 42 The Morning Call 42 V. THE VIOLETS 46 Preludes: 1. The Comparison 46 2. Love in Tears 48 3. Prospective Faith 48 4. Venus Victrix 49 The Violets 49 VI. THE DEAN 53 Preludes: 1. Perfect Love rare 53 2. Love Justified 54 3. Love Serviceable 55 4. A Riddle Solved 56 The Dean 56 VII. ÆTNA AND THE MOON 60 Preludes: 1. Love’s Immortality 60 2. Heaven and Earth 61 Ætna and the Moon 62 VIII. SARUM PLAIN 66 Preludes: 1. Life of Life 66 2. The Revelation 67 3. The Spirit’s Epochs 67 4. The Prototype 68 5. The Praise of Love 68 Sarum Plain 69 IX. SAHARA 74 Preludes: 1. The Wife’s Tragedy 74 2. Common Graces 75 3. The Zest of Life 76 4. Fool and Wise 76 Sahara 77 X. CHURCH TO CHURCH 81 Preludes: 1. The Joyful Wisdom 81 2. The Devices 84 Going to Church 84 XI. THE DANCE 89 Preludes: 1. The Daughter of Eve 89 2. Aurea Dicta 91 The Dance 93 XII. THE ABDICATION 97 Preludes: 1. The Chace 97 2. Denied 100 3. The Churl 101 The Abdication 102