and the third, by Mrs. Lowell, I quote for its sincerity of tone, its womanly insight, and polished rhythmical ease. "These rugged wintry days I scarce could bear, a a When wild March winds upon their errands sing, Bid my heart bloom, and sing, and break all care : d .. d a I must here bring this essay to a close. It is necessarily imperfect. The difficulty of obtaining material, and the still greater difficulty of properly digesting and arranging it, have caused me much care and trouble. Then, the general character of the sonnets themselves, so few of which possess the vigor and originality which offer salient points for criticism, has embarrassed me through out. I trust, therefore, that my readers will make the due allowances. Had I exercised a severe critical judgment, the American portion of the volume would have been greatly reduced; but in that case, many hundred lines of really respectable verse would have been excluded, leaving hardly a sufficient number of sonnets to justify their publication in connection with a work like that by Mr. Hunt. S. A. L. BRUNET AND PHYLLIS. F waker care, if sudden pale color, If many sighs with little speech to plain, — For hope of small, if much to fear therefore, - If thou ask whom, sure, since I did refrain My heart alone well worthy she doth stay, See Essay, p. 67. The first part of this sonnet is supposed to have been suggested to Wyatt by the sonnet of Petrarca beginning, "S' una fede amorosa, un cor non finto,". |