Yet the one metaphor is every whit as sensible and brilliant as the other.
The second of the four poems is the "bubble" poem from "The House of Life." The third is from "Eden Bower," a production which I would gladly quote entire. "Here again," it is observed, "no reference is given, and naturally the reader would suppose that a human embrace is described. The embrace, on the contrary, is that of a fabled snake-woman and a snake." Exactly; but will Mr. Rossetti describe a single passage in his poems where a human embrace is described? The lovers of the Fleshly School are invariably snake-like in their eternal wriggling, lipping, munching, slavering, and biting; and indeed, on reflection, "Eden Bower" may be fairly considered as a complete epitome of the art of love as practised by the coterie poets. Since Mr. Rossetti is dissatisfied, let us try again. His book is a lottery-bag—we draw blindfold—but are always sure of a prize:—
"Bring thou close thine head till it glisten
Along my breast, and lip me, and listen!"
Once more,—conjugal bliss of Adam and Lilith:—
"What great joys had Adam and Lilith!
Sweet close rings of the serpent's twining,
As heart in heart lay sighing and pining."[1]
The result (next verse):—
"What bright babes had Lilith and Adam?
Shapes that coiled in the woods and waters," &c.
All this is savoury, and the whole poem is still more so; so
- ↑ Compare Carew:—
"Now in more subtle wreaths I will entwine
My sturdy limbs, my legs and thighs, with thine!"
