... There lived a singer in France of old By de tideless dolorous midland sea. In a land of sand and ruin and gold There shone one woman, and none but she. And finding life for her love's sake fail, Being fain to see her, he bade set sail, Touched land, and saw her as life grew cold, And praised God, seeing; and so died he.

Died, praising God for his gift and grace:

For she bowed down to him weeping, and said „Live“; and her tears were shed on his face

Or ever the life in his face was shed. The sharp tears fell through her hair, and stung Once, and her close lips touched him and clung Once, and grew one with his lips for a space;

And so drew back, and the man was dead.

O brother, the gods were good to you.

Slecp, an be glad while the world endures, Be well content as the years wear through,

Give thanks for life, and the loves and lures; Give thanks for life, O brother, and death, For the sweet last sound of her feet, her breath, For gifts she gave you, gracious and few,

Tears and kisses, that lady of yours.

Rest, and be glad of the gods; but I, How shall I praise them, or how take rest? There is not room under all the sky For me that know not of worst or best, Dream or desire of the days before, Sweet things or bitterness, any more. Love will not come to me now though I die, As love came close to you, breast to breast...

Man sieht, die Art, wie Swinburne die Erzäühlung anfasst, darstellt und deutet, kommt dem Umguss zu einer neuen selbstän- digen Dichtung recht nahe. Ja, man wird kaum bestreiten können, dass diesem hohen Schwung gegenüber die Uhland'sche Romanze Rudello etws nüchtern anmutet. Freilich, Uhland ver- zichtet von vornherein auf alle Symbolik, ihm ist es nur um die anschauliche Darstellung einer„Sängerliebe“ zu tun, be- stimmt, würdig den Reigen einer Gruppe von 5 Gedichten zu eröffnen, die diesen gemeinsamen Obertitel erhalten sollte. ¹)

¹) Gedichte von Ludwig Uhland. Stuttgart und Tübingen, Cotta 1815. S. 229 ff. Sängerliebe, ein Zyklus, umfassend: 1. Rudello. 2. Durand. 3. Der Kastellan von Coucy. 4. Don Massias. 5. Dante.