A Meaning of Idyls of the King [pp. 43-54]

46 A MEAArJKc OF TKE "IDYLS OF TllE KING." [April,
and when he speaks "large, divine, and comfortable words" to
them in order to confirm them in their vows, she beholds
"From eye to eye through all their order flash
- A momentary likeness of the king:
And ere it left their faces, through the cross
And those around it and the Crucified,
Down from the casement over Arthur, smote
Flame color, vert, and azure, in three rays,
And falling upon each of three fair queens,
Who stood in silence near his throne, the friends
Of Arthur, gazing on him, tall, with bright,
Sweet faces, who will help him at his need."
Merlin was there,
"And near him stood the Lady of the Lake Who knows a subtler magic than his own Clothed in white samite, mystic, wonderful;
She gave the king his huge cross-hilted sword,
Whereby to drive the heathen out; a mist
Of incense curled about her, and her face
Well-nigh was hidden in the minster gloom;
But there was heard among the holy hymns
A voice as of the waters, for she dwells
Down in a deep calm, whatsoever storms
May shake the world, and, when the surface rolls,
Hath power to walk the waters like our Lord."
The picture here presented to us is replete with meaning. First
we have a spiritual organization effected by the knights swearing
their vows to the spintual man, and becoming like to him beca~ise
of the vows that lifted them up to his great desire and purpose.
Whilst the vow still trembled on the lip, from above comes a
three-colored light in three rays, falling upon each of three fair
-queens, Charity, Hope, and Faith, according to their respective
colors, flame, vert, and azure. They are Arthur's friends, the
three theological virtues, who are to help the soul in its need.
Merlin is there, but more especially to be noticed is the Lady of
the Lake, typif~ing religion, who possesses a subtler magic even
than Merlin's. She dwells beneath the waters in a deep calm,
and, like her Lord and Founder, has power to walk the troubled
waters. She gives to Arthur his brand Excalibur, wherewith to
drive the heathen out-that is to say, it is religion who gives the
soul the spiritual weapons wherewith to war against the passions
and hell, typified by the heathen. Excalibur is to be used and
then cast away, but not u~ntil the soul itself leaves its earthly
tenement, after which it no longer has need of a weapon, for it