The Lantern

Book 147

PG

It matters nothing where thou post thyself,

In whatsoever regions of the same;

Even any place a man has set him down

Still leaves about him the unbounded all

Outward in all directions; or, supposing

A moment the all of space finite to be,

If some one farthest traveller runs forth

Unto the extreme coasts and throws ahead

A flying spear, is't then thy wish to think

It goes, hurled off amain, to where 'twas sent

And shoots afar, or that some object there

Can thwart and stop it? For the one or other

Thou must admit and take. Either of which

Shuts off escape for thee, and does compel

That thou concede the all spreads everywhere,

Owning no confines. Since whether there be

Aught that may block and check it so it comes

Not where 'twas sent, nor lodges in its goal,

Or whether borne along, in either view

'Thas started not from any end. And so

I'll follow on, and whereso'er thou set

The extreme coasts, I'll query, "what becomes

Thereafter of thy spear?" 'Twill come to pass

That nowhere can a world's-end be, and that

The chance for further flight prolongs forever