"The Prodigal" once more

[herm melville]

All,

  The prodigal sings a good night. His song sounds like something from Puck in Midsummer Nights Dream:

     "But, if magic none prevail

            Mocking in untrue romance;

       Let your Paradise exhale

            Odors; and enlink the dance;

             And, ye rosy feet, advance

        Till ye meet morn's ruddy Hours

         Unabashed in Shushan's bowers."    ll. 302-8

Then Clarel dreamed "A spell came down." In dream he seems torn between the Lyonese and Salvaterra.  Clarel rises and from the roof sees and hears the prodigal:

                  "Rules, who rules?

          Fools the wise, makes wise the fools---

                Every ruling overrules?

          Who the dame that keeps the house,

                 Provides the diet, and oh, so quiet,

          Brings all to pass, the slyest mouse?

                     Tell, tell it me:

                  Signora Nature, who but she!"     ll. 331-38

 Nature rules!

[Scott Norsworthy]

Both stanzas of the Prodigal's good night song were reprinted in one contemporary review, the notice of Clarel that appeared in the Albany Argus on July 17, 1876. Interesting selection, unique to the anonymous Albany reviewer.

https://melvilliana.blogspot.com/2015/10/clarel-noticed-and-quoted-in-daily.html