by John Addington Symonds (1840 - 1893)
The passing stranger
Language: English
Of all the mysteries wherethrough we move, This is the most mysterious - that a face, Seen peradventure in some distant place, Whither we can return no more to prove The world - old sanctities of human love, Shall haunt our waking thoughts, and gathering grace Incorporate itself with every phase Whereby the soul aspires to God above. Thus are we wedded through that face to her Or him who bears it; nay, one fleeting glance, Fraught with a tale too deep for utterance, Even as a pebble cast into the sea, Will on the deep waves of our spirit stir Ripples that run through all eternity.
Authorship:
- by John Addington Symonds (1840 - 1893) [author's text not yet checked against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Ian Venables (b. 1955), "The passing stranger", op. 22 no. 2 (1994-1995), first performed 1995 [ voice and piano ], from Venetian Songs - Love's Voice, no. 2 [sung text checked 1 time]
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website between May 1995 and September 2003.
Line count: 14
Word count: 107