Literary Wanderings: George MacDonald

I've always been intrigued by the quotes I see from George MacDonald. I almost bought one of his books online once - but hesitated over the checkout button long enough to convince myself that I shouldn't make the purchase. I recently stumbled over a stanza from his long poetic work "The Diary of an Old Soul" and was inspired once again to read something he's penned. After a bit of research I discovered that "The Diary of an Old Soul" is available free online.

The work is divided into sections by month, so I read the January section during my coffee shop time on Sunday. Here's the lines that I loved the most:

25.
Not in my fancy now I search to find thee;
Not in its loftiest forms would shape or bind thee;
I cry to one whom I can never know,
Filling me with an infinite overflow;
Not to a shape that dwells in my heart,
Clothed in perfection love and truth assigned thee,
But to the God thou knowest that thou art.

26.
Not, Lord, because I have done well or ill;
Not that my mind looks up to thee clear-eyed;
Not that it struggles in fast cerements tied;
Not that I need the daily sorer still;
Not that I wretched, wander from thy will;
Not now for any cause to thee I cry,
But this, that thou art thou, and here am I.