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thou causedest the guilty to be losed
from bands wherein are innocents inclosed,

causing the guiltless to be strait reserved

and freeing those that death had well deserved. But by her envy can be nothing wrought, so God send to my foes all they have thought. QUEEN ELIZABETH

30

THE GOOD LIFE LONG LIFE

T is not growing like a tree

IT

in bulk, doth make Man better be;

or standing long an oak, three hundred year,
to fall a log at last, dry, bald and sere:
a lily of a day

is fairer far in May,

although it fall and die that night—
it was the plant and flower of Light.
In small proportions we just beauties see;
and in short measures life may perfect be.

B. JONSON

31

ON A GRECIAN URN

HO are these coming to the sacrifice?

WHO

to what green altar, O mysterious priest, lead'st thou that heifer lowing at the skies, and all her silken flanks with garlands drest? what little town by river or sea-shore,

or mountain-built with peaceful citadel,

is emptied of its folk, this pious morn?
and, little town, thy streets for evermore
will silent be; and not a soul to tell,
why thou art desolate, can e'er return.

J. KEATS

32

IN

GOOD PRECEPTS

N all thy need, be thou possest
still with a well-prepared breast;
nor let thy shackles make thee sad;
thou canst but have, what others had.
And this for comfort thou must know,
times that are ill wont still be so:

Clouds will not ever pour down rain:
a sullen day will clear again :

first peals of thunder we must hear,

then lutes and harps shall stroke the ear.

R. HERRICK

33

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TO MR WILLIAM BROWNE

much a stranger my severer Muse

is not to love-strains or a shepherd's reed, but that she knows some rites of Phoebus' dues, of Pan, of Pallas and her sister's meed. Read and commend she durst these tuned essays of him that loves her (she hath ever found her studies as one circle). Next she prays his readers be with rose and myrtle crowned! no willow touch them! As his bays are free from wrong of bolts, so may their chaplets be! J. SELDEN

34

AGAI

MIDNIGHT SOUNDS

GAIN those sounds sweep on
crushing the air to sweetness;
they came and they are gone;
again my dreams desert me;
I sit once more alone.

When from some doomed city
her gods depart, such sound

of mixed reproof and pity,

in refluent airs half drowned,

is heard at night among the crowds,
by kneelers on the ground.

A. DE VERE

35

LIFE THROUGH DEATH

DEW-DROP, falling on the wild sea-wave,

A exclaimed in fear I perish in this grave;

but in a shell received, that drop of dew
unto a pearl of marvellous beauty grew;
and, happy now, the grace did magnify

which thrust it forth, as it had feared, to die ;—

36

until again, 'I perish quite,' it said,
torn by rude diver from its ocean bed:
O unbelieving!—so it came to gleam,
chief jewel in a Monarch's diadem.

R. C. TRENCH

THE

SONG

HE lark now leaves his watery nest, and climbing shakes his dewy wings; he takes his window for the east,

and, to implore your light, he sings,
awake, awake, the moon will never rise,
till she can dress her beauty at your eyes.

The merchant bows unto the seaman's star,
the ploughman from the sun his season takes;
but still the lover wonders what they are,

that look for day before his mistress wakes:
awake, awake, break through your veils of lawn,
then draw your curtains and begin the dawn.
SIR W. D'AVENANT

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39

40

Enough I reckon wealth:

a mean, the surest lot,

that lies too high for base contempt,

too low for envy's shot.

My wishes are but few,

all easy to fulfil,

I make the limits of my power

the bounds unto my will.

I feel no care for coin,
well-doing is my wealth;

my mind to me an empire is,
while grace affordeth health.
I clip high climbing thoughts,
the wings of swelling pride;

their fall is worst, that from the height
of greatest honours slide.

Sith sails of largest size

the storm doth soonest tear;

I bear so low and small a sail

as freeth me from fear.

I envy not their hap,
whom favour doth advance;

I take no pleasure in their pain,
that have less happy chance.
No change of Fortune's calms

can cast my comforts down:

when Fortune smiles, I smile to think

how quickly she will frown.

And when in froward mood

she proves an angry foe,

small gain I found to let her come,

less loss to let her go.

41

R. SOUTHWELL

ΤΗ

HVMILIBVS DAT GRATIAM

HE mountains huge, that seem to check the sky, and all the world with greatness over-peer, with heath or moss for most part barren lie; when valleys low doth kindly Phoebus cheer, and with his heat in hedge and grove begets the virgin primrose or sweet violets.

So God oft-times denies unto the great

the gifts of nature or his heavenly grace, and those that high in honour's chair are set do feel their wants: when men of meaner place, although they lack the others' golden spring, perhaps are blest above the richest king.

H. PEACHAM

42

43

44

TO THE VIOLET

HILD of the Spring! thou charming flower, no longer in confinement lie;

arise to light, thy form discover,

rival the azure of the sky!

The rains are gone, the storms are o'er,
winter retires to make thee way:
come then, thou sweetly-blooming flower,
come, beauteous stranger, come away!
The sun is dressed in beaming smiles,
to give thy beauties to the day;
young zephyrs wait with gentlest wiles
to fan thy bosom, as they play.

LORD

TO THE CLYDE

ORD of the vale! astounding Flood;
the dullest leaf in this thick wood
quakes-conscious of thy power;
the caves reply with hollow moan;
and vibrates to his central stone
yon time-cemented Tower!

And yet how fair the rural scene!
for thou, O Clyde, hast ever been
beneficent as strong;

pleased in refreshing dews to steep
the little trembling flowers that peep
thy shelving rocks among.

TELL

W. WORDSWORTH

THE WORLD'S WANDERERS

'ELL me, thou Star, whose wings of light
speed thee in thy fiery flight,

in what cavern of the night

will thy pinions close now?

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