Verseggiando d'amor, e come t'osi? Canzon dirotti, e tu per me rispondi IV. Quel ritroso io ch'amor spreggiar soléa Gia caddi, ov'huom dabben talhor s’impiglia. Ne treccie d'oro, ne guancia vermiglia M'abbaglian sì, ma sotto nova idea Portamenti alti honesti, e nelle ciglia . 10 E’l cantar che di mezzo l'hemispero Traviar ben puo la faticosa Luna, E degli occhi suoi auventa si gran fuoco 5 Per V. . 5 Per certo i bei vostr'occhi, Donna mia Eser non puo che non sian lo mio sole Per l'arene di Libia chi s’invia, Da quel lato si spinge ove mi duole, Chiaman sospir; io non so che si sia: Quivi d'attorno o s'agghiaccia, o s’ingiela; . Ma quanto a gli occhi giunge a trovar loco Tutte le notti a me suol far piovose VI. Poi che fuggir me stesso in dubbio sono, Faro divoto; io certo a prove tante De pensieri leggiadro, accorto, e buono; S'arma di se, e d'intero diamante, Quanto d'ingegno, e d' alto valor vago, . E di cetra sonora, e delle muse : Sol 10 Sol troverete in tol parte men duro Ove Amor mise l'insanabil ago. VII. On his being arriv’d to the age of 23. How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth, Stoln on his wing my three and twentieth year! My hasting days fly on with full carreer, But my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th. Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth, 5 That I to manhood am arriv'd so near, That some more timely-happy spirits indu'th. Yet be it less or more, or soon or flow, It shall be still in strictest measure even 10 To that same lot, however mean or high, Toward which Time leads me, and the will of Hea All is, if I have grace to use it so, (ven; VIII. Guard them, and him within protect from harms. He can requite thee, for he knows the charms 5 That call fame on such gentle acts as these, What Whatever clime the sun's bright circle warms. Lift not thy spear against the Muses bow'r: The great Emathian conqueror bid spare '10 The house of Pindarus, when temple' and tow'r Went to the ground: And the repeated air Of sad Electra's poet had the pow'r IX. To a virtuous young Lady. Lady that in the prime of earliest youth Wifely haft shunn'd the broad way and the green, And with those few art eminently seen, That labor up the hill of heav'nly truth, The better part with Mary and with Ruth 5 Chosen thou hast; and they that overween, And at their growing virtues fret their spleen, No anger find in thee but pity' and ruth. Thy care is fix'd, and zealously attends To fill thy odorous lamp with deeds of light, 10 And hope that reaps not shame. Therefore be sure Thou, when the bridegroom with his feastful friends Passes to bliss at the mid hour of night, X. To the Lady Margaret Ley. Daughter to that good Earl, once President Of England's Council, and her Treasury, Who Who liv’d in both, unstain'd with gold or fee, And left them both, more in himself content Till sad the breaking of that Parlament 5 Broke him, as that dishonest victory At Chæronea, fatal to liberty, Kill’d with report that old man eloquent. Though later born than to have known the days Wherein your father florish’d, yet by you, 10 Madam, methinks I see him living yet? That all both judge you to relate them true, XI. On the detraction which follow'd upon my writing certain treatises. A book was writ of late call'd Tetrachordon, And woven close, both matter, form and stile; The subject new : it walk'd the town a while, Numbering good intellects; now seldom por'don. Cries the stall-reader, Bless us! what a word on 5 A title page is this! and some in file End Green. Why is it harder Sirs than Gordon, Colkitto, or Macdonnel, or Galasp? 9 Those rugged names to ourlike mouths grow sleek, That would have made Quintilian stare and gasp. Thy age, like ours, O Soul of Sir John Cheek, Hated |