XXVIII.

With them the seed of Wisdom did I sow, And with mine own hand wrought to make it grow; And this was all the Harvest that I reap'd-- «I came like Water, and like Wind I go.»

These two quatrains must be considered together. They are inspired by O. 121, C. 281, and O. 72.

For a while, when young, we frequented a teacher, For a while we were contented with our proficiency; Behold the end of the discourse:--what happened to us? We came like water and we went like wind.

_Ref._: O. 121, L. 544, B. 538, B. ii. 420, P. v. 99.--W 353, V. 584.

Being (once) a falcon, I flew from the World of mystery, That from below I might soar to the heights above; But, not finding there any intimate friend, I came out by the same door wherein I went.[45]

_Ref._: C. 281, L. 429, B. 425, S.P. 224, P. 30, B. ii. 295, T. 184.--W. 264, N. 225, V. 467.

A quatrain that probably contributed to FitzGerald's verse is:

No one has solved the tangled secrets of eternity, No one has set foot beyond the orbit (of human under-standing), Since, so far as I can see, from tyro to teacher, Impotent are the hands of all men born of women.

_Ref._: O. 72, C. 176, L. 357, B. 353, S.P. 175, B. ii. 211, P. v. 210--W. 190, N. 175, V. 356.