TEL Thave no mind to hear
'ELL me not how fair she is;
the story of that distant bliss
I never shall come near: by sad experience I have found that her perfection is my wound. And tell me not how fond I am to tempt my daring fate from whence no triumph ever came, but to repent too late:
there is some hope ere long I may in silence dote myself away.
I ask no pity, Love, from thee, nor will thy justice blame, so that thou wilt not envy me the glory of my flame:
which crowns my heart whene'er it dies, in that it falls her sacrifice.
THE RESTORATION OF HELLAS
S an eagle, fed with morning, scorns the embattled tempest's warning, when she seeks her aerie hanging in the mountain-cedar's hair, and her brood expect the clanging of her wings through the wild air, sick with famine ;-Freedom so to what of Greece remaineth now returns; her hoary ruins glow like orient mountains lost in day; beneath the safety of her wings her renovated nurselings play, and in the naked lightnings
of truth they purge their dazzled eyes. Let Freedom leave, where'er she flies, a Desert, or a Paradise;
let the beautiful and the brave,
share her glory, or a grave.
THE TREASURES OF THE DEEP
HAT hidest thou in thy treasure-caves and cells, thou hollow-sounding and mysterious main? pale glistening pearls, and rainbow-coloured shells, bright things which gleam unrecked of and in vain. Keep, keep thy riches, melancholy sea!
We ask not such from thee.
Yet more! the billows and the depths have more! high hearts and brave are gathered to thy breast! they hear not now the booming waters roar, the battle-thunders will not break their rest: keep thy red gold and gems, thou stormy grave— give back the true and brave!
Give back the lost and lovely! those for whom the place was kept at board and hearth so long; the prayer went up through midnight's breathless gloom,
and the vain yearning woke midst festal song! Hold fast thy buried isles, thy towers o'erthrown, -But all is not thine own!
OUR SORROWES STILL PURSUE
TO MY HONOURED Friend, sir E. P. KNIGHT
OE find some whispering shade neare Arne or Poe, and gently 'mong their violets throw
your weary'd limbs, and see if all those faire
enchantments can charme griefe or care. Our sorrowes still pursue us, and when you the ruined capitoll shall view
and statues, a disordered heape; you can not cure yet the disease of man,
and banish youre owne thoughts. Goe travaile where another Sun and starres appeare,
and land not toucht by any covetous fleet,
and yet even there youre selfe youle meete.
Stay here then, and while curious exiles find new toyes for a fantastique mind; enjoy at home what's reall: here the Spring by her aeriall quires doth sing
as sweetly to you as if you were laid vnder the learned Thessalian shade.
OVELY, lasting peace of mind!
heavenly-born and bred on high, to crown the favourites of the sky with more of happiness below than victors in a triumph know; lovely, lasting peace appear! this world itself, if thou art here, is once again with Eden blest, and man contains it in his breast." 'Twas thus, as under shade I stood, I sung my wishes to the wood: it seemed as all the quiet place confessed the presence of the Grace; when thus she spoke :-" "Go rule thy will: bid thy wild passions all be still; know God, and bring thy heart to know the joys which from religion flow: then every grace shall prove its guest, and I'll be there to crown the rest."
SK me no more, my truth to prove,
As what I would suffer for my love:
with thee I would in exile go to regions of eternal snow; o'er floods by solid ice confined: thro' forest bare with northern wind: while all around my eyes I cast where all is wild and all is waste. If there the timorous stag you chase, or rouse to fight a fiercer race, undaunted I thy arms would bear and give thy hand the hunter's spear: beneath the mountain's hollow brow, or in its rocky cells below,
thy rural feast I would provide ;
nor envy palaces their pride;
the softest moss should dress thy bed, with savage spoils about thee spread: while faithful love the watch should keep, to banish danger from thy sleep.
Folly boasts a glorious blood, she is noblest being good.
She sails by that rock, the court, where oft honour splits her mast; and retiredness thinks the port where her fame may anchor cast; virtue safely cannot sit
where vice is enthroned for wit.
HE shall be sportive as the fawn that wild with glee across the lawn or up the mountain springs;
and her's shall be the breathing balm, and her's the silence and the calm of mute insensate things.
The floating clouds their state shall lend to her; for her the willow bend:
nor shall she fail to see
e'en in the motions of the storm
grace that shall mould the maiden's form by silent sympathy.
The stars of midnight shall be dear to her; and she shall lean her ear in many a secret place
where rivulets dance their wayward round, and beauty born of murmuring sound
shall pass into her face.
NE NIMIVM ADOLESCENTIÆ FIDAT
ET not thy youth and false delights
but waste thy time, which posts away like wings unseen and swift as they. Beauty is but meer paint, whose dye with time's breath will dissolve and flye, 'tis wax, 'tis water, 'tis a glass, it melts, breaks and away doth pass.
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