| Edmund Clarence Stedman, ed. (1833–1908). A Victorian Anthology, 1837–1895. 1895. |
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| The Two Masks |
| | | George Meredith (1828–1909) |
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| MELPOMENE among her livid people, | |
| Ere stroke of lyre, upon Thaleia looks, | |
| Warn’d by old contests that one museful ripple, | |
| Along those lips of rose with tendril hooks, | |
| Forbodes disturbance in the springs of pathos, | 5 |
| Perchance may change of masks midway demand, | |
| Albeit the man rise mountainous as Althos, | |
| The woman wild as Cape Leucadia stand. | |
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| For this the Comic Muse exacts of creatures | |
| Appealing to the fount of tears: that they | 10 |
| Strive never to outleap our human features, | |
| And do Right Reason’s ordinance obey, | |
| In peril of the hum to laughter nighest. | |
| But prove they under stress of action’s fire | |
| Nobleness, to that test of Reason highest, | 15 |
| She bows: she waves them for the loftier lyre. | |
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