THE HOUND OF HEAVEN

When she lit her glimmering tapers
Round the day's dead sanctities Page 52]

THE HOUND OF HEAVEN

By FRANCIS THOMPSON

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY
STELLA LANGDALE

NEW YORK
DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY
1926

COPYRIGHT, 1922,
BY DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY, INC.

PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

INTRODUCTION

The Rev. Mark J. McNeal, S. J., who was one of the successors ofLafcadio Hearn in the chair of English Literature at the Tokyo ImperialUniversity, in an interesting article recounts the following incidentof his experience in that institution. "I was seated on the examiningboard with Professor Ichikawa, the dean of the English department...There entered the room a student whom I recognized as among the best inthe class, a sharp young chap with big Mongolian eyes, and one who hadnever to my knowledge given any hint of even a leaning towardChristianity. I remembered, however, that his thesis submitted for adegree had been a study of Francis Thompson. Following the usualcustom, I began to question him about his thesis.

"'Why did you choose Thompson?'

"'Well, he is quite a famous poet.'

"'What kind of poet is he?'

"'We might call him a mystic.'

"'Is he a mystic of the orthodox sort, like Cynewulf or Crashaw; or anunorthodox mystic, like Blake or Shelley?'

"'Oh, he's orthodox.'

"'Well, now, what do you consider his greatest production?'

"'Why, I should say "The Hound of Heaven."

"'Well, what on earth does Thompson mean by that Hound?'

"'He means God.'

"'But is not that a rather irreverent way for Thompson to be talkingabout God, calling Him a hound? What does he mean b

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