The Equinox (Volume I, Number VI)

THE RITE OF MERCURY Verily, O thou littlest babe, too weak Το stir or speak, Capable hardly of a thought, yet seed Of word and deed ! Το thine assured fruition we may trust This weary dust. We who are old, and palsied (and so wise !) Lift up our eyes To little children, as the storm~tossed bark Hails in the dark Some hardly visible harbour light; we hold The hours of gold To our own breasts, whose hours are iron and brass :— So swift they pass And grind us down :—we hold the wondrous light Our scattering sight Yet sees, the one star in a night of woe. We trust, and so Lift up our voices in the dying day Indeed to pray : 0 little hands that are so soft and strong, Lead us along! [5012. GEMINI plays aceom’zngly.* [A fame FR. GEMINI. Brother Virgo, wilt thou not join us who love not Speech? VIRGO. Hail unto Mercury. He killeth Sol at the Close of every Twilight, and hangeth up the sky of Night on the Tree of Heaven, fastened up with the Star—headed nails. of thy Virginal Sister. [At Με ena’ ofhis dance, þafa/!: before the altar. GEMINI ana’ all PROBATIONERS circnmmnbn/ate round MERCURY. Brother Gemini, do Thou perform the dance [FR. GEMINI dances. him, Men staþ,facing MERCURY.] * Berceuse: César Cui. a SOROR