11. To the far-off happy islands She directs the passing sail, 12. Then a symbol and a token Let this vigorous drink remain, What, with Will and Power united, Man may for himself attain. Die Vier Weltalter. 1802. WF now revert to a class of productions of which two very distinguished ones—the Künstler and the Spaziergang— belong to earlier periods, while that now before us is later in point of composition than either of the two next succeed. ing-that, namely, which has already been designated under the title of Kultur-Historische-Gedichte-but which, under whatever designation, constitutes a splendid series of Philosophical Poems, ending with the Eleusische Fest, and the Lied von der Glöcke. The Saturnian period, or Infancy of the World-the Heroic Age-the Era of Grecian Art and Civilization-and that of Mediæval Christendom-are the four stages of human progress, which a Bard is here introduced (in a manner resembling the commencement of the Ballad of the Graf von Habsburg) as in the act of celebrating before a festal assembly of our own Fifth-Age listeners. The lofty station of the Poetical Art, and its power over the Gods themselves, are here brought forward as in |