TheGoldenTreasury 10448612

U n de r the greenwoo d tree
W h o loves to lie w it h me
,
A n d t u rn h is merry note
T H E G O LD EN TR EA SU R Y
S E LE C T E D F R O M T H E B E S T S O N GS A N D L YR I CAL
PO E MS I N TH E E N GLISH L AN G UAGE
AN D A R RAN G E D WIT H N OTE S
FRA N C I S T . PA LGRA V E/
<
LA T E PRO F ESS O R O F PO ET RY W \ TH E U N I VE RS I T Y O F O X F OR D
E D I TE D F OR TH E U SE OF S C HO O LS
W . P T R ENT
. AN D JO H N ER S K I N E
P RO F ES S O RS I N C O LU M B I A U N I VE RS I TY
G I N N A N D C O M PA N Y
B O ST O N N EW Y O R K C H I C A G O LO N D O N
o
AT L A N T A D A LL A S
0
CO LU M B US
o
SA N F R A N C I S C O 0
CO P Y RI G HT , 19 12 , BY
w . P TREN T A N D
.
JO H N ER S K N E I
A LL RI G H TS RE S E RV D E
P RI NT E D IN TH E UN TE I D A ST TE S O F AM E RI C A
a tben a u m Bu “
GIN N AND CO M PA N Y PR O
P R I ET O R S BO STO N 0
U SA
. . .
ED I T O R I A L N OT E
”
This edition of the Golden Treasury is intended for hi g h school -
students and for the general rea d er We have tried to let the
.
poems speak for themselves a dding only such notes of i nformation

,
as one class of our readers or another might fin d helpful For the m ost
.
part we have avoide d m sth e tic criticism Where all is so excellent th e ,
reader cannot go wrong if he makes his own choices an d discoveries .
I n prepari ng the notes we have consulte d the available annotations ,
an d wish to acknowledge much serviceable guidance especially from

,
the elaborate commentary by M r J H Fowler and M r W Bel l

. . . . .
,
publishe d by the Macmillan Company an d from the e d ition b y M r

, .
H erbert B ates publishe d by Lon g m an s Green an d Co I n the

, , , .
omission of all metrical an d O f most etymological questions we have ,
wished to make clear to teachers an d stu d ents what seem to us the

more important steps in the approach to poetry .
CO N T E N T S
P AG E
I N T R O D U CT I O N
D E D I CA T I O N xvii
P A L GR A V E S P RE F ACE
’
B OO K I
BOOK I I
BOOK I I I
B O OK I V
B I O GR A P H I C A L N O TES
N OT E S
I N DEX OF WR I TE R S
I NDE X OF F I R ST LI NE S
I NT RODU CT I O N
O f all literary types the lyric is perhaps the easiest to recognize and
the hardest to de fi ne I f we say that the lyric is a song — a poem
.
,
whi ch is written to be sung or which sounds as if it might be sung ,
we should have to include under our d efinition the O l d E nglish or

Scotch balla d which has the suggestion of song but which is narra
, ,
tive and belongs rather to the type of the short story Palgrave chose .
for his anthology those poems which turned upon a single thought ,
feeling or S ituation Yet this formula di d not represent his notion

,
.
of the lyric ; for he ad d s that he excluded n arrative d escriptive , ,
and di d actic poems unless accompan i ed by rapidity of movement

“
, ,
b revi ty and the coloring of human passion The heart of his de fi

,
”
.
n iti on really lay in the last modest phras e the coloring of human
,
”
passion .
For the lyric is essentially that literary type which expresses emo
tion j ust as the drama and the novel express active experience and the
, ,
essay expresses thought I n his stu d y of The School Of Giorgione ”

.
"
Walter Pater sai d that all art tends to b ecome music that is to , ,
s tir emotions rather th an to sta te intellectual i d eas A musician is .
annoye d when some one asks what the music means "
to him it is
a feeling not a statement ; it means no more than d oes the taste of
,
sugar So the painter is annoyed at the common attempt to read

.
a story into a picture ; to him the picture is a scheme of color and

an arrangement of lines — a sensation for the eye as music is for
, ,
the ear But the average man looks for an idea

. especially in the
,
”
U nited S tates where intellect has unfo rtunately been rated higher
,
than the gift and training to appreciate beau ty ; and in all art we see
a certai n struggle between the arti st s des ire to set out the loveliness
’
of the world for man s enjoyment and man s contrary desire that art
’
,
’
shall say something that can be translate d into wor d s .

viii TH E G O L D E N TREAS URY
Pater in his famous saying mea nt that the b est of art cannot be
translated into words When we hear a cello or violin the tragic
.
’
,
tones give us a luxurious sadness although we have no reason to be ,
’
sad and cannot tell another man what the tone of the cello is like
, .
The b urdy gurdy in the street playing a dance tune sets the children
-
to waltzing an d the drums and fi fe s of the military band make us

,
feel like marching These different emotions we notice can be in d i

.
, ,
c at e d only by mentioning the ins truments that stimulate them ; if the
reader has experience d the emotions he will understand the reference , ,
otherwise it will mean nothin g to him So the lyric nearest of all .

,
literary types to music says to us many delicious things

, re c og n iz
able but inexpressible emotions — which are over and above what
the actual words mean .
The chief language so to speak which the lyric employs in ad d i

, ,
tion to actual words is rhythm Whether the beat of the l ines is .
strong or weak grave or merry ; whether the measure befits a song

,
or a dance tune or a military march we feel all this before we even ,
attend to the intellectual message of the verse The rhythm the .

,
physical habit of the lyric d enotes the vital energy of its emotion
,
.
Poems with a strongly marke d rhythm like J onson s Hymn to ,

’
Diana ( p suggest and stimulate a well de fi n e d state of feel

.
-
ing wherein the emotion easily dominates as in the lyric it should

— the intellectual content S uch a poem however as C rashaw s
.
, ,
’
Wishes for the Supposed Mistress ( p 8 7 ) indicates at once by its .
less definite rhythm that its emoti onal energy is relaxed an d u n im p or

ta nt al most secondary to the thoughts that make it a poem of intel
,
lect ual conceits rather than of feeling And in the fixed forms like .
,
the sonnet where the rhythm and the number of syllables and lines
,
are prescribed a read er O f even slight experience d etects di fferences

,
of rhythmic energy between Shakespeare s Let me not to the mar ’
riag e of true minds

(p 2 x ) M ilton s When I consider how my life
’
.
,
”
is S pent ( p an d Word sworth s The world is too much with
.
’
us (p .
Withi n the single poem the rhy thm may alter if it parallels some
emotional change O bvi ously such alterati ons occu r most often in
.
’ ’
long poems The changes in D ryden s Song for S t Cecilia s Day
. .
I NT RO D U CT I O N ix
are necessary to express as in page 6 7 line 3 0 the sensation roused

, , ,
by trumpet an d drum ; or as in page 68 line 7 the feeling sti rre d by

, , ,
the soft complaining flute With D ryden and the other essentially
,
.
classical poets the change of rhythm is formal an d for a set purpose ;

the lyrics of this school therefore divi d e into sections which vaguely ,
resemble the movements of a sonata or symphony I n the romantic .
practice of Shelley however the changes are more subtle and seldom
, ,
prepared for ; the rhythm is more sensi tive to veering moods and ,
accommodates itself to its subj ect like mo d ern music measure by ,
measure instead of prescribing the form its su bj ect shall take Line
, .
1 6 of Shelley s famous verses Written among the E u g an e an H ills

’
must for example be rea d by itself not in the rhythm of the preced
, , ,
ing lines ; the e ffect is to express the S inking O f the metaphorical ship
The te m p est fl eet
Hurries on with lightning feet ,
Riving sail an d c ord an d plan k

, , ,
Till the ship has almost d ran k

D eath from the o er brimm in g d e e p ;
’
-
A n d sin k s d own d wn li k e that sleep

, o ,
When the d ream er seems to be

Weltering through ete rnity .
Next after rhythm time the t e mp o of music — is the vehicle of

,
lyric expression I t is an error to think of all verse or of all the lines

.
in one poem as measure d by fixe d time beats The first line of B u rn s s .

’
”
To a Mouse ( p 1 8 2 ) is appreciably slower than the second line or
.
the thir d ; an d the stanz as of Gray s O n a Favorite Cat ( p 1 4 8 )

” ’
.
may be compared with those of Wordsworth s The Education of ’
Nature ( p .
'
— the secon d generally slower in effect full of ,
musical ra l l e n ta n a os although metrically the poems are alike Like

’
, .
rhythm the time may change with subtle variations or more formally
, , ,
as at the end of the intro d uctions to L A l l e gro ( p 1 2 4 ) and I l

“ ’
.
Penseroso (p The length of the syllable or the use of rests

.
concerns the time of verse as vitally as the length O f notes and

rests concerns the tempo of music ; without intelligence i n these ele
mentary divisions neither music nor verse can be read Usually one .
x TH E G O LD E N TREAS U RY
can gues s at the length of a syllabl e from its rhythmic or inte llectua l
emphasis I n the line Toll for the Brave ( p 1 60) it is eas y to see
. .
that the first word represents both a long an d a short syllable and ,
the line has three beats to correspon d with the rhythm of the follow
,
ing li nes
Toll for the B rave !
The brave that are no more !
And in Coleri d ge s Youth an d Age ( p

’
the reverb erati ng
”
.
” ”
words young and old at the end of lines 5 2 2 and 43 oc , ,
cu py the attention that would elsewhere be given to half a line But .
"
in line 3 page 6 8 of the S ong for S t Cecilia s D ay the effect of
, , .
’
the stan z a d epen d s upon the correct reading of the twice repeated -
”
double . Unless these syllables represent ve ry short notes the well ,
d e fi n e d rhythm is confuse d and there is no imitati on of the drum roll
The trumpet s lou d clangor

’
Excites us to arms ,
With shrill notes of anger

A n d mort l alarms
a .
The d
do b l e d ouble d ouble beat
/ /
Of the thu n d ering d rum
C ries Hark ! The foes come ;
Charge charge too late
0
’
, , t 13
Th e t hird vehicle of lyri c expression is tone or what we often call ,
i n a l oose way musical quality ”

The same note playe d upon the
.
p ian o an d the flute an d the violin has in each case a d ifferent appeal ,
whic h li e s i n the tone quality of the instrument The melo d y would .
p rob ab ly se em most appealing most emo tional when played upon

, ,
t h e violi n b ecause that instrument h as the most emotion al tone S O

,
.
t h e t hou gh t o f a lyric stirs us to a greater degree when the very
s ou nd of th e words i s stirring This word music depends upon the

.
I NT RO D U CT I O N Xi
combination of vowels an d consonants ; the liquid consonants l m , ,
n,
r produce the most obvious effect O f smoothness
,
as we se e in ,
many a haunting quotation
That last in fi rmity of noble in in d .

(p 7 5 1
.
, . 2 2 )
He nothing common d i d or mean
U pon that memorable scene .
(p 7 1 l
.
, . 17 )
From Harmony from heavenly H arm ony
,
This universal frame began .

( p 67 , 1 6)
. .
The tone quality of a lyric is hard for some people to appreciate when
the intellectual content of the poem is slight Their problem is then .
much as if they were listening to pure music and trying to discover

” "
its meaning Marlowe s Come live with me and be my Love
.
’
( p 5 ) says very little intellectually ; rhythmically too it is extremely

.
, ,
simple ; but the tone that di stin g uishes it from beginning to end
.
with a faultless consistency rare even in the best lyrics has made ,
it in some respects the most signi fi cant of Elizabeth an songs — sig

n ifi c an t of the worship of ideal b eauty a n d of the gift of music only
at that time characteristic of the E n g l ish race .
Because word rhythm and word melody are conveniently described

in terms of music some confusion is likely to result as to the relation
,
between music and verse The two arts for practical purposes are
.
, ,
di stinct an d cannot be confused without some loss to each or either

, .
The fact that the lyric in Elizabeth s time was rich in melody an d’
rhythm cannot be explained by the public ability at the time to play

’
the lute or the educated gentleman s ability to sing a p art in a mad
,
rigal any more than the frequent harshness of Browning s verse coul d
,
’
be cite d as proof that he was not an accomplishe d musician We .
know of course that his S kill in music was great ; and that Tennyson
, , ,
who excelled him in verse melo dy knew nothing of music ; and that
,
E dward Fitz Gerald who transla ted Omar into liqui d verse was
-
"
,
”
,
a musician S o all combinations of knowledge and ignorance i n the

.
two arts are possible and there is no necessary relation The speak
,
.
ing voice for which poetry is composed is essentially an instrument

, ,
of pe rcussion li ke the piano and its words must b e uttered with a

, ,
x ii T H E GO LD E N TREA SU RY
certain speed b efore they make their effect S ong or ordinary music .
is prolonged sound and nee d s an instrument of sustained tone like

, ,
the singing voice or the organ The old ballads were sung to tunes .
which now are forgotten because the words were much more impor
,
tant Yet the words S how in certai n rhythmic peculiarities that they
.
were fitted to musical exi gencies as is the case with most of Shake ,
s p e are s so n g s like Come away come away Death (p H ad

’
, , , .
the words made no stronger appeal than the notes they would not ,
have found their way into this or any other antholo gy but would ,
have been preserved if at all as incidental to the music

, , .
What music once accompanied the lyric is of little consequence to

the young stu dent Of much greater importance is his ability to feel
.
in the poem the expression of more than the words that app rox i ,
mation to the condition of music which is found in the rhythm the ,
time and the tone O ral readers of poetry may usual ly b e clas sified
,
.
according as they value the intellectual content of the verse reducing ,
it to prose or the melody of it turning it often into a chant I t is s aid

, , .
that the great poets monoton ed their lines in what might seem to b e
a singsong ; so Tennyson in p articul ar read Whatever our tas te, , .
in that matter we should retain our grip on the one important truth
,
that the lyric above all other l iterature is emo tional ; and we are not
, ,
reading it wisely if it does not reach our emotions b efore it reaches

our brain .
When a lyric is composed the process in the poet s mind is perhaps ’
something like this : an emoti on is aroused in him by some stimulus ;

that emotion possesses him until it begins to take a de fi nite rhythm in
his mind as the photographic fi lm is develope d and takes form in the
,
chemical b ath ; when the rhythm is unmista kable to his inner e ar ,
the poet w rites his lyric To him the terms in the process are sti m
.
ulus emotion and rhythm To the reader however the poem must
, ,
.
, ,
present itself in a di fferent order H e perceives the rhythm first and .

,
by the rhythm he is prepared for the emotion that produced it ; by a

solemn rhythm he is prepare d for a solemn emotion ; by a j oyous
rhy thm he is prepared for j oy I f the emotion is to be altog ether .
I NTRO D U CT I O N x iii
intel l igi ble the reader must come at once upon some explanation of
,
the stimulus ; otherwise he cannot appropriate to himself imagina

tiv e l y the poet s experi ence Therefore the s timulus in the average
’
.
,
lyric must be the second thing that the reader or hearer perceives
,
.
Afte r the emotion has b een felt and explained the lyric is occupied
wi th develo ping it .
I n the average successful lyric the stimulus is made clear in the

opening li nes I n Lovelace s T O Lu cas ta ( p 9 4) it is evident that
.
’
.
the lady has just accused the lover of u nkindness and the taunt has ,
stirred him to this spirited defense I n the O penin g paragraph of .
Lycidas ( p 7 3 ) the occasion of the poet s grief is sta ted more elab
.
’
orat e l
y ; so the patriotic stimulus is announced at the beginning of
”
Campbell s Battle of the B altic ( p
’
The sti mulus may be .
found in any human experience — in conversation as in Lovelace s , ,

’
song in nature as in Shelley s O d e to the West Wind ( p

,
’
or .
" ”
'
in art as I n Keats s O de on a Grecian U rn ( p

,
’
I n all these .
cases the read er is aware of the cause of the emotion in the poet and ,
it becomes the cause of emoti on also in himself ; it makes concrete

and rational what woul d otherwise be only a vague atmosphere of
feeling created by the rhythm .
The experience of an emo tion however has sometimes other phe , ,
n om e n a which to the poet seem more important even than its s tim
,
ulus For example he may find some aspect of nature in remarkable

.
,
sympathy with an habitual emotional state of his and that sympathy ,
may appear to him of vastly more importance than the original cause
of his mood To express his mood he may then d epend upon the
.
rhythm an d the context of the poem ; he perhaps will not try to ex

pl ai n it I n the O d e to a Nigh tingale ( p 3 0 2 ) Keats tells us that
.
“
.
he is extremely unhappy an d that the nightingale sin gi ng near b y

,
seems to be the very voice of his soul The intention of the poem .
is to make us feel Keats s recognition of his own moo d and aspi

’
rations in the nightingale We know from other sources that the.
sorrow which beset him at the moment was the death of a favorite
brother b ut that fact is not important to the poem and is therefore
, ,
”
omitted I n Wordsworth s The Daffodils ( p 3 1 4) the poet s mood
.
’
.
’
,
b efore the d affodils have gladdened him is peculiarly empty H e , .

x iv TH E G O LD E N T REAS U RY
was walking alone we are told b ut whether he was sad or gay or

, ,
j ust absent min d ed we are not tol d ; it is not necessary to the poem
-
, .
Lyrics intende d to be sung in d rama often omit the stimulus alto

gether because it is implied in the d ramatic situation or ex pl ai ne d in
,
the character of the singer Such lyrics of course would be u n in te l li

.
gi b l e if we were not thoroughly familiar with the play ; the two fairy
songs from The Tempest ( p 2 ) woul d seem the most arrant non
”
.
sense if we d i d not know A riel and the other characters i n that most
poetic drama ; an d what ver d ict would a fearless rea d er pass upon the
famous Tell me where is fancy bre d ( p if he d id not know .
of Portia s desperate craft to eva d e her father s command and hint

’ ’
to Bassanio the relative worth of the caskets ?

S ome very short poems are classe d as lyrics whi ch not only
are narrative but seem at first to be absolutely without emotion ,
— poems like Scott s P roud Maisie is in the woo d ” ( p

’
or
Campbell s Earl March l ook d on his d ying chil d ( p
’ ’
The .
fact is this type of lyric consists of the expression of the stimul us

,
rather than of the emotion it stimulates The most important part of

.
.
the lyric is in the feelings of the reader To be sure all art arouses .
,
emotion in the behol d er or hearer and to that extent all art is lyrical ;
,
but the apparent detachment of this kind of song the impersonal ,
manner that at first appears to be the very absence of feeling is the ,
actor s skill i n making the spectator live the part Success in this
’
.
kind of lyric is r are and the examples of it include d in The Gol d en

,
“
”
Treasu ry especia lly the selections from Scott are among the most
, ,
artistic lyrics in the language .
I mportant as the stimulus is in the inw ard stru cture of the lyric ,
the d evelopment of the emotion is usually of course the chief obj ect , ,
of the poem A ny emotion is short lived ; it subsides gra d ually until

.
-
the mind is re e sta blishe d in a state of normal calm Therefore the .
recor d of the d evelopment of emotion in the lyric must be brief and ,
i t concern s itsel f with the reestablishment of the intellect over the

feelings A S the lyric progresses the emotion is likely to run thin
.
, ,
an d unless the poet has the ta ste to stop in time the end of his song ,
will be d idactic or morali z ing or narrative — anything b ut lyrical ,

.
O ur habitual ways of thought are matters O f convention ; we think

x vi T H E G O LD E N TREAS U RY
emotions an d few occasions in any one man s life when hi s feel

,
’
ings are deeply stirre d Therefore the o riginality of the lyric is to be

.
sought not in the stimulus but in the character of the poet upon whom
the sti mulus acts We read a love s ong by Burns and one by Byron
.
,
and the ch arming one say by Graham of G artrn ore ( p

, ,
The .
s ti mulus i n all three is the same but the poems express Burns and,
Byron and Graham Therefore it has been the fashion of recent

.
decades to emphasize the subj ective personal note in the definition ,
of the lyric an d at least so much truth is i n the convention as is

,
here in d icate d ; the di fficulty with the point of Vi ew is that to day -
many other ki nds of literature besides the lyric are subj ective .
An emotion a mere feeling is the most fleeting of human e x p e ri

, ,
e n ce s no matter how permanent its e ffect

,
The lyri c poets in s ti n c .
tiv e l y try to give their emotions a kind of immortali ty in the close of

the song Their methods are infinite i n variety ; it is important only
.
to be aware of the attempt and to match the instinct in our own feel
" ”
ings I n his poem to The H ighland Girl (p 3 0 8 ) Wordsworth ends
. .
with the imperishable landscape picture which is his memory of the

incident ; in The Reaper ( p 3 1 0 ) he bears a song in his heart j ust as
.
imperishably ; Burns creates a similar immortality for his Highl and

M ary and Keats in his great o d es closes upon a general truth or a
”
,
state of mind which j ustly immortali z es our experience of the poem .
I t is this p assion of all ar tists and most of the lyric poets

to make permanent a beauty that is l earned only in its vanishing ,
which Shelley expresses in the little son g a p tly set at the en d of

this anthology °
M usic when soft voices d ie

, ,
V ibrates in t h e memory
O d ors when sweet violets S ic k en
, ,
Live within the sense they q uic k en .
Rose leaves when the rose is d ead

, ,
A re h e ap d for the belove d s be d ;

’ ’
A n d so thy thoughts when Thou art gone , ,
Love itself shall slumber on .

A LF R ED TEN N Y S O N
P O ET L A U R E A TE
This book in its progress has recalle d often to my memory a

man with whose friendship we were once honored to whom no ,
region of English literature was unfamiliar and who whilst rich in , ,
all the noble gifts of nature was most eminently distinguished by the
,
noblest and the rarest j ust j u d gment and high—

,
hearted patriotism .
I t woul d have been hence a peculiar pleasure and pride to de d icate

what I have endeavore d to make a true national antholog y of three
1
centuries to H en ry H allam But he is beyond the reach of any .
human tokens of love an d reverence ; and I desire therefore to place

before it a name unite d with his by associations which while poetry ,
retains her hol d on the minds of Englishmen are not likely to be ,
forgotten .
Your encouragement given while traversing the wild scenery of

,
T re ry n Dinas 2 led me to begin the work and it has been completed

, ,
under your advice and assistance For the favor now asked I have .
thus a second reason ; and to this I may a dd the homage which is

your ri ght as poet and the gratitude due to a friend whose regard
, ,
I rate at no com m on value .
P ermit me then to inscribe to yourself a b ook which I hO pe may , ,
be foun d by many a lifelong fountai n of innocent an d exalte d pleasure ;

a source of animation to friends when they meet ; and able to sweeten
solitude itself with best society with the companionship of the wise
,
1 T h e we ll kn own
-
l
E n g ish h is t o rian ( 1777 a u th o r o f
e w of t h e S at e Vi t
o f E u ro p e d u ri g t e M
n h i d dl e ge s,
” “
A
C on t i t o
s t u i n a l H is t o ry o f E n g a n d ,
”
In l
”
d h i
t ro u c t ion t o t e L t e ra t u re o f E u op e in h
t e 1 5t ,h r1 6 ,
t h an d 1 7 t h Ce n t u rie s ,
a n d a A r
f t he r o f rth u H a l am , t h e s u b e c o f T e
l n n s o n
’
s j t I n M e m y o ia m .
”
r
9 O n th e we st c oas t of Cornwall .
xv iii T H E G O LD E N T REAS U RY
'
and the good with the beauty which the eye cannot see and the
, ,
music only heard in silence I f this collection proves a storehouse

.
of delight to labor an d to poverty if it teaches those in d i fferent to the

,
poets to love them an d those who love them to love them more the
, ,
aim and the desire entertained in t rai ning it will b e fully accomplished .
F T
. . P .
M ay, 1 86 1
PREFA C E
This little collection di ffers it is believed from others in the, ,
attempt made to include in it all the best original lyrical pieces and
songs in our language ( save a very few regretfully omitted on account
of length ) by writers not living
, and none besides the best Many,
-
.
familiar verses will hence be met with ; many also which shoul d be
familiar The editor will regard as his fittest readers those who love
.
poetry so well that he can offe r them nothing not alrea d y known
and valued .
The editor is acqu ainted with no strict and exhaustive definition

of lyrical poetry ; but he has found the task of practical d ecision
increase in clearness and in facility as b e advanced with the work ,
whilst keeping in view a few simple principles Lyrical has been .
here held essentially to imply that each poem shall turn on some
single thought feeling or situation I n accordance with this nar
, , .
,
rat iv e, descriptive and didactic poems — unless accompanied by ra

,
p idity of movement brevity and the coloring of human passion

, ,
have been excluded H umorous poetry except in the very u n fre

.
,
quent insta nces where a truly poetical tone pervades the whole with ,
what is st rictly personal occasional and religious has been con

, , ,
s ide re d foreign to the idea of the book Blank verse and the ten .
syllable couplet with all pieces marke d ly dramatic have been rej ecte d
, ,
as alien from what is commonly un d erstood by song and rarely

“ ”
,
conforming to lyrical con d itions in treatment But i t is not antici .
pated nor is it possible that all readers shall think the line accurately
, ,
” " ”
drawn Some poems as Gray s Elegy the Allegro an d Pense
.
,
’
,
roso Wordsworth s Ruth or Campbell s Lord Ullin might b e

,
” ” ’ ” ’
,
claimed with perhaps equal j ustice for a narrative or descriptive selec

ti on ; whilst with reference especially to ballads and sonnets the editor ,
can only state that he has taken his utmost p ains to decide without
caprice or partiality .
xx T H E G O LD E N T REA S URY
This also is al l he can plead in regard to a point even more li able

to question — What degree of meri t should gi ve rank among the
,
best That a poem shall be worthy of the writer s genius ; that it

.
’
shall reach a perfection commensurate With its aim ; that we should

require finish in proportion to brevi ty ; that passion color and origi , ,
n al it
y cannot atone for serious imperfections in clearness unity or , ,
truth ; that a few goo d lines d o not m ake a good poem ; that p opu
lar esti mate is serviceable as a g u idepost more than as a compass ;
above al l that excellence should be looked for rather in the whole
,
than in the parts — such an d other such canons have b e e n always

,
steadily reg arded H e may however ad d that the pieces chosen and
.
, , ,
a far larger number rej ected have been carefully an d repeatedly ,
considered ; and that he has been aided throughout by two friends

of independent and exercised j udgment besides the distingu ished ,
'
person add re sse d in the D edication I t i s hoped that by this pro .
ce du re the volume h as been freed from that one side d nes s w hich -
must beset indivi d ual d ecisions ; but for the final choice th e e ditor is
alone respo n sible .
C hal m e rs s vast collection 1 with the whole works of all accessi

’
,
b le poets not contai ned in it and the best anthologi es of di fferent ,
periods have been twice systemati cally read through ; an d it is hence

,
improbable that any omissions which may be regrette d are due to

oversight The poems are printe d entire except in a very few in
.
,
stances where a stanz a or passage has been omitte d These omissions .
have been riske d only when the piece could be thus brought to a
closer lyrical unity ; an d as essentiall y oppose d to this unity extracts
, , ,
o b viously such are exclu d e d I n regard to the text the purpose of

, .
,
the bo ok has appeared to j ustify the choice of the most poetical

version wherever more than one exi sts ; an d much labor has been
,
given to present ea ch poem in disposition spelling an d punctuation

, , , ,
to the greates t a d vantage .
I n the arrangement the most poetically e ffective or d er has been

attempted The English min d h as passed th rough phases of thought
.
an d cultivation so various an d so opposed during these three centuries

1 Al xe d e r C h al m e rs ( 1 7 5 9 1 8 34) coll e ct e d t h e
an -
or wk s of a l arg e num b e r of
B ritis h p oe ts in twe n ty -o n e vo l u me s , p u b l is h e d in 1 8 1 0 .
P RE FA CE x x i
of poetry that a rapi d passage between ol d and new like rapid alter
, ,
ation of the eye s focus i n looki ng at the landscape will always be

’
,
we arisome and hurtful to the sense of beauty The poems have been .
therefore distributed into b ooks corresponding I to the ninety years , ,
closing about 1 6 1 6 ; I I thence to 1 7 00 ; I I I to 1 8 00 ; I V to the h al f

, , ,
century j ust en d ed O r looking at the poets who more or less gi ve

.
,
each portion its d istinc ti ve character they might be called the books ,
of Shakespeare Milton Gray and Wordsworth The volume in this

, , ,
.
respect so far as the limitations of its range allow accurately reflects

, ,
the natural growth and evolution of our poetry A rig id ly chron ol ogi .
cal sequence however rather fits a collection aimi ng at instruction

, ,
than at pleasure an d the wi s d om which comes through pleasure ;

,
within each book the pieces have therefore been arranged in grada
tions of feeling or subj ect And it is hoped that the contents of this .
”
Anthology will thus be found to present a certain unity as episodes , ,
in the noble language of Shelley to that great poem which all poets , ,
like the co operating thoughts of one great mind have built up since ,
the beginning of the worl d ” 1

.
A s he closes his long survey the e ditor trusts he may add wi thout
ego tism that he has found the vague general ver d ict of popular fame
more j ust than those have thought who with too severe a criticism , ,
would confine j udgments on poetry to the selecte d few of many

generati ons
,
”
Not many appear to have gai ned reputa tion without
.
some gi ft or performance that in d ue degree deserved it ; and if no , ,
verses by certai n writers who S how less strength than sweetness or ,
more thought than mastery of expression are printe d in this vol ,
ume it should not be imagine d that they have been exclu d ed without
,
much hesitation and regret far less that they have been slighte d , .
Throughout this vast and pathetic array of singers now silent few ,
have bee n honored with the name poet an d have not possesse d a ,
s kill in words a sympathy with beauty a ten d erness of feeling or

, , ,
seriousness in reflection which render their works although never

,
perhaps attaining that loftier an d fi ner excellence here required

better worth reading than much of what fills the scanty hours that
1 F ro m “
ADf f P t y by
e e n se o oe r ,
”
th e E n g is h l ly rical p oe t P e rcy By ss h e
S he l l e y . Se e A S C k dit i ( G i
. . oo
’
s e on n n an d C o m p an y ) , p . 2 3 .
xx ii T H E G O L D E N TREAS U RY
most men spare for self improvement or for pleasure in any of its -
,
more elevated and permanent forms And if this be true of even .
me d iocre poetry for how much more are we indebted to the best !
,
1
Like the fabled fountain of the Azores but with a more v arious ,
power the magic of this art can confer on each perio d of life its
,
appropriate blessing : on early years expe ri ence on matu ri ty calm ; , ,
on age youthfulness Poetry gives treasures more golden than

, .
”
gold leading us in higher and healthier ways than those of the
,
world and interpreting to us the lessons of nature But she speaks

, .
best for herself H er true accents if the plan has been execute d with
.
,
success may be heard throughout the following pages ; wherever

,
the poets of England are honored wherever the dominant language ,
of the world is spoken it is hoped that they will find fit audience

, .
1 86 1
Some poems especially in Book I have been ad d e d — either on

, , ,
b etter acquaintance in d eference to critical suggestions or unknown

, ,
to the e d itor when first gathering his harvest For ai d i n these .
after gleanings he is specially indebted to the excellent reprints of

-
rare early verse given us by D r H annah D r Grosart M r Arber .

, .
, .
,
M r Bullen and others ; and ( in regard to the a d ditions of 1 8 8 3 ) to

.
2
,
the advice of that distinguished friend by whom the fi nal choice has ,
b een so largely gui d ed 8 The text has also been c arefully revised
.
'
from authoritative sources I t h as still seeme d best for many re asons

.
, ,
to retain the original limit by whic h the selection was confine d to

those then no longer living But the e d itor hopes that so far as in .
,
him lies a complete and definitive collection of our best lyrics to

, ,
the central year of this fast closing century is now offered -

,
.
1 88 3 —89 1 0- 1 8 9 1
[ PA L G RAVE ]
1 T he d it ors h av e b e e n u n ab le t o l o ca t e th is re fe re n c e
e .
2 N o t e d E n g l ish s c ho l ars an d an th o l og ists , th e rs t two fi of wh o m d ie d b e

fore 19 1 1.
3 Lo rd T e n n yson .
ma a s,
’
El ; 1 6 1: Ae t u é wa Ka ’
’
g op e r e v gr e p o v é d) é r é p cp
'
a l p bp e vo s d ype vp
‘
. d vfl é wz '
d d o u é v q tI/ v x fi
Sitting in the mea d ow he gathere d spoil of fl owers ,
plucking one after another with happy heart

, .
E u rip i de s F ragm ent < 4 ,

T H E G O L D EN T R EA S U RY
BO O K F I R S T
T h e E l izab e t h an p oe try, as it is ra th e r vagu e ly t e rm e d , fo r m s t h e s u b s tan ce

k
o f th is B oo , whic h c o n t a in s p ie ce s from Wy at , u n d e r H e n ry I I I , t o S ha e s p e are V k
J
m id way t h ro u g h t h e re ig n o f am e s I , an d D ru m m on d , wh o carrie d o n th e e a rl y
m an n e r t o a s t il l l ate r p e rio d T h e re is h e re a wid e ran g e o f s tyle ,
. fro m —
k
s im p l ic ity e xp re s s e d in a l an g u ag e h ardl y y e t b ro e n -in t o ve rs e , t h rou g h t h e
p as t oral fan c ie s an d I ta l ian c on ce it s o f t h e s t ric t ly E l izab e th an t im e , t o t h e

k
p as s ion at e re al ity o f S h a e s p e are ; y e t a g e n e ral u n ifo rm ity o f t on e p re vail s .
F e w re ad e rs c an fail t o o b s e rv e t h e n at u ra l s we e t n e s s o f t h e ve rs e , t h e s in g l e
h e art e d s t raig h t fo rw ard n e ss of t h e t h o u g h t s ; n o r l e ss , t h e l im ita t ion o f s u b e c t j
t o t h e m an y
p h as e s o f on e
p as s io n , w h ic h t h e n c h aract e rize d o u r ly ri ca l p o e t ry,
l
u n e ss wh e n , as in k
e s p e c ia l w it h S h a e s p e a re , th e u
p p r l e l ig h t o f l ove
”1
is
t e m p e re d by rn e r re fle ct ion F o r th e d id actic ve rs e o f th e c e n tu ry
a s p irit o f s t e .
,
a l t h ou g h ly rical in form ye t ve ry rare ly ris e s t o t h e p e rvad in g e m o t ion t h e

, ,
g o l d e n cad e n ce p ro p e r t o t h e ly ric
, .
I t s h o u l d b e ob s e rve d t h at t his an d t h e fo l l owin g s u m m a ri e s app ly in th e

m ain t o th e c o ll e c t ion h e re p re s e n t e d in wh ic h ( b e s id e s it s re s t ric t ion t o lyri ca l
,
p oe try ) a s t rict ly re p re s e n tat ive o r h ist o ric al an t h o l o g y h as n o t b e e n a im e d at .
Gre at e xce l le n ce in h u m an art as in h u m an c h aract e r h as fro m t h e b e g in n in g o f

, ,
t h in g s b e e n e ve n m ore u n ifo rm t h an m e d ioc rity b y virt u e o f t h e c l os e n e s s of it s

,
app roach t o n at u re ; an d s o far as t h e s tan d ard of e xce ll e n c e k e t in vie w h as

p
b e e n a tt a in e d in th is vo l u m e a c o m p arat iv e ab s e n c e o f e xt re m e con t e m p ora ry
,
p h as e s in s tyl e a s im il arity o f t o n e an d m an n e r wil l b e fou n d t h rou g ho u t

, , ,
s o m e t h in g n e it h e r m o d e rn n or an c ie n t b u t t ru e an d s e akin
g t o t h e h e art o f
m an alike t h ro u g h ou t a l l ag e s —
, p
T a m fe rre d f am P a lg ra ve : N t e s
. r r
’
o .
SPRI N G
Spring the sweet Spring is the year s pleasant king
, ,
’ °
Then blooms each thing then maids dance in a ring , ,
Col d doth not s ting the pretty bir d s d o sing

,
we to —
,
Cuckoo jug j ug p u —
, witta—
-
woo !, ,
1 F or this p h ras e se e infra , p . 171, G ray s’

P rog re ss of P oe sy ” .
TH E G O LD E N T REA S U RY
The palm and may make country hou ses gay ,
Lambs frisk and play the shepherds pipe all day

, ,
And we hear aye birds t u ne this merry lay ,
Cuckoo j ug j ug p u we to witta woo

,
-
,
-
,
- -
.
The fields breathe sweet the daisies kiss our feet , ,
Young lovers meet old wives a sunning sit

,
-
,
I n every street these tunes our e ars do greet ,
Cuckoo jug j ug p u —
,
-
we to witta—
,
woo ' ,
-
Spring ! the sweet Spring !
THE F A I R Y LI FE
Where the bee sucks there suck I ,
I n a cowslip s bell I lie ;

’
T here I couch when owls do cry

,
O n the bat s b ack I do fly

’
After summer merrily .
Merri ly merrily shall I live now

, , ,
Under the blossom that hangs on b ough !
Come unto these yellow sands ,
And then take hands

C ou rts ie d when you have an d kis s d
’
,
The wild waves whist ,
Foot it featly here and there ;

And sweet Sprites the burthen bear
, , .
H ark hark ! ,
Bow b ow -
.
The watch dogs bark -
Bow wow -
.
B O O K FI RST
H ark hark ! I hear ,
The s train of strutting chanticleer

Cry Cock a di ddle dow '
,
- - -
I/V S i d
. es
-
p ad re
S UMM O N S TO LO V E
t b u s, ari se !
An d paint the sa ble skies
With azure white and red
, ,
Rouse M e m n on s mother from her Tithon s bed

’ ’
That she may thy career wi th roses sprea d

The nightingales thy coming each where sing -
M ake an eternal Spring !

Give life to this dark worl d which lieth dead ;
spread forth thy golden h ai r
I n larger locks than thou wast wont b efore ,
And emperor like decore -
With di a d em of pearl thy temples fair

Chase hence the ugly night
Which serves but to make dear thy glorious light .
This is that happy morn ,
That day long wished day

,
-
O f all my li fe so dark
’
( I f cruel stars have not my ruin sworn

And fates my hopes betray) ,
W hich purely white deserves

, ,
An everlasti ng diamond S hould it m ark .
This is the m om should b ring unto this grove

My Love to hear and recompense my love
, .
Fai r King who al l pre serves

, ,
But show thy b lushing b eam s ,
And thou two sweeter eyes

Shalt see than those w hich by Pen eus streams ’
Di d once thy heart surprise .

T H E G O LD E N TREAS URY
Now Flora deck thyself in fairest g uise

, ,
I f that ye winds would hear

A voice surpassing far Amphion s lyre ’
,
Your fu ri ous chiding stay ;

Let Z ephyr only breathe ,
And wi th her tresses play .
— The winds all silent are ,
And Phoebus in his chai r

E n saffro n in g sea and air
Makes vanish every S tar
Night like a drunkard reels
Beyond the hills to shun his flaming wheels
,
The fields with flowers are d e ck d in every hue

’
,
The clouds with orient gold S pangle their blue ;

Here is the pleas ant place
And nothing wanting is save S he alas !
, ,
W . D m m m on d
TI M E AN D LO V E
I
When I have seen b y Time s fell hand deface d
’
The rich proud cost of outworn bu ried age ;

When sometime lofty towers I see down raz ed -
,
And brass etern al slave to mortal rage ;
When I have seen the hungry O cean gai n

Advantage on the kingdom of the shore ,
And the firm soil win of the watery main ,
I ncreasing store with loss and loss with store ;

,
When I have seen such interchange of state ,
Or state itself confounde d to decay ,
Ruin hath taught me thus to ruminate

That Time wi ll co m e and ta ke m y Love away
B O O K FI R ST
This thought i s as a death which cannot choose

,
But weep to have that which it fears to lose .
W Sh a ke sp e a re
Since brass nor stone nor earth nor boun d less sea
, , ,
But sa d mortality o e rsways their power

’
,
H ow with t his rage shall beauty hold a plea ,
Whose action is no stronger than a flower ?

“
0 h ow shall summer s honey breath hold out

’
Agai nst the wreckful siege of battering d ays ,
When rocks impregnable are not so stout

Nor gates of steel so strong but time decays ?
,
O fearful meditation ! where alack ! ,
Shall Time s best j ewel from Time s chest lie hid ?

’ ’
Or what strong hand can hold his swift foot back ,
O r who his spoil of beauty can forbid ?

0! none unless this miracle have might
, ,
That in black ink my love may still shine b right .
I/V S fi a é e sp e a re
.
THE P A SS I O N A TE SHEP H ER D TO H I S LO V E
Come live with me and be my Love ,
An d we will all the pleasures prove

That hills an d valleys d ale an d fi el d
,
And all the cragg y m ountains yiel d .
There will we Sit upon the rocks

An d see the shepherds feed their flocks ,
By sh allow rivers to whose falls

,
M elodious birds sing madrigals .
There will I make thee beds of roses

An d a thousand fragrant posies ,
6 TH E G O L D E N T REAS URY
A cap of flowers and a kirtle ,
E m b roide r d all wi th l eaves of myrtl e

’
.
A gown made of the finest wool ,
Which from our pretty lambs we pull ,
Fair lin ed slippers for the cold ,
With buckles of the purest gold .
A belt of straw and ivy buds

With coral clasps an d amber studs
And if these pleasures may thee move
’
Come live with me and be my Love .
Thy silver d ishes for thy meat

As precious as the gods do eat ,
Shall on an ivory table be

Prepare d each day for thee and me .
The shepherd swains shall dance and sing

For thy delight each M ay morning -
I f these delights thy mind may move ,
Then li ve wi th me and be my Love .
C M a rl ow e
.
V III
O MN I A V I N C IT 1
Fain would I chan ge that note
To which fond Love hath c harm d me ’
Long long to S ing by rote ,
Fancying that that harm d me ’
Yet when this thought d oth come

Love is the pe rfect sum
”
O f all del ight ,
I have no other choice

Either for pen or voice
To sing or wri te .
r
1 F om a J ac ob e an s on g b oo k ,
T o b ias H ’
um e s T h e F irs t P art of Ai rs F re n ch
,
P olis h, an d o th e rs t o g e th e r, ” 1 60 5 .
T H E G O LD E N TREA S U RY
U nder the greenwoo d tree

Who loves to li e with me ,
And turn his merry note

Unto the sweet bir d s throat
’
Come hither c ome hither come hither !

, ,
H ere shall he see

No enemy
But winter an d rough weather .
Who doth ambition shun

An d loves to live i the sun
’
,
Seeking the food he eats

An d pleased with what he gets
Come hither come hither come hither !
, ,
H ere shall he see

No enemy
But winter and rough weather .
W S ha ke p e m e
s
'
I t was a lover and his lass

With a hey and a ho and a hey n on in o !
,
That o er the green cornfield d id pass

’
I n the S pringtime the only pretty ring time

, ,
When birds do sing hey ding a di ng

Sweet lovers love the Spring .
Between the acres of the rye

These pretty country folks would lie
Thi s carol they began that hour ,
H ow that life was but a flower
And therefore take the present time

With a h e y an d a ho and a hey no mino
For love is crown e d with the prime
I n springtime the only pretty ring time
, ,
B O O K FI RST
When bir d s do sing hey ding a ding

Sweet lovers love t h e Sp ri ng .
W S na ke sp e a re
PRESENT IN A B SEN CE
Absence hear thou this protestation
,
Agai nst thy strength ,
Distance and len g th ;

,
D o what thou canst for al teration

For hearts of truest mettle
Absence doth j oin an d Time d oth s ettle
,
.
Who loves a mistress of such quality ,
H is min d hath fou rid

Affection s ground
’
Beyon d time place and mortality

“
.
, ,
To hearts that cannot vary

Absence is present Time d oth tarry
, .
By ab sence this good means I gai n ,
That I can Catch her ,
Where none can match her ,
I n some close corner of my brain

There I embrace an d kiss her ;
And so I b oth enj oy and miss her .
j D on n e
.
VIA AM O RI S
H ighway since you my chief P arnassus be

,
An d that my Muse to some ears not unsweet

, ,
’
Tempers her words to trampling horses feet
M ore oft than to a chamber melo d y ,
Now blessed you bear onward bless ed me

,
To her where I my heart safe left shall meet ;

, ,
-
,
I O T H E GO LD E N TR EAS URY
My M use an d I must you of duty greet

With thanks and wishes wishing t hankfully ; ,
Be you still fair ho mor d by pu b lic hee d ;

,
’
By no encroachment wron g d nor time forgot ; ’

,
Nor b lamed for bloo d nor shamed for S inful deed ;

,
And that you kn ow I envy you no lot
O f highest wish I wish you so much bliss

, ,
H undreds of years you Stella s feet may kiss ! ’
S ir P .
A B SEN CE
Being your slave what shoul d I do but tend
,
Upon the hours an d times of your desire ?

I have no precious time at all to spend
Nor services to do till you require
,
N or dare I chi d e the world without end hour - -
Whilst I my sovereign watch the clock for you

, , ,
Nor think the bitterness of absence sour

When you hav e bid your servant once adieu
.
Nor dare I questi on with my j ealous thought

Where you may be or your affairs suppose
, ,
But like a sad slave stay an d think of nought

,
Save where you are how happy you make t hose ;

, ,
So true a fool is love that in your will ,
Though you do anything he thinks no ill , .
W S na t e sp e a re
H ow like a wi nter hath my absence been

From Thee the pleasure of the fleeti ng year !
,
What freezings have I felt what d ark d ays seen , ,
What old December s b areness everyw here !

’
B O O K FI R ST 1 1
’
And yet this time removed was summer s time
The teeming autumn big wi th rich increase
, ,
Beari ng the wanton burden of the prime

Like widow d wombs after their lords d ecease
’ ’
Yet this abundant issue se e m d to me ’
But hope of orphans and u n fat he r d fruit ;

,
’
For summer and his pleasures wait on thee ,
And thou away the very birds are mute

, ,
O r if they sing t is with so dull a cheer

,
’
,
’
That leaves look pale dreading the winter
,
S near .
W Siza ke sp e a re
A CO N SO L A TI O N
When in disgrace with fortune and men s eyes ’
I al l alone beweep my outcast state ,
And trouble deaf heaven with my boo tless cries ,
And look upon myself and curse my fate ;,
Wishing me like to one more rich in hope ,
Feature d like him like him wi th friends posse s t ,
’
Desiring this man 5 art and that man s scope, ,
With what I most enj oy contented least ;
Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising ,
H aply I think on Thee an d then my state ,
Like to the lark at break of d ay arising

From sullen earth sings hymns at heaven s gate ;
,
’
For thy sweet love re m e m b e r d such wealth brings

’
,
That then I scorn to change my state with kings .
W Sl za ke sf e a re
12 TH E G O LD E N T REAS U RY
XV II
THE U N CH A N G EA B LE
0 never say that I was false of he art ,
Though absence se e m d my flame to qualify ’
As easy might I from myself d epart

As from my soul which in thy breast doth lie ;
,
That is my home of love ; if I have ranged ,
Like hi m that travels I return ag ai n , ,
J ust to the time not with the time exchanged

, ,
So that myself b ri ng water for my stain .
Never believe though in my nature re ign d

,
’
All frail ti es that besiege all kinds of blood ,
That it could so preposterously be stai n d ’
To leave for nothing al l thy sum of good

For nothing this wi de universe I call ,
Save thou my rose : in it thou art my

, al l .
W Snake sp e a re
XV III
To me fai r Fri end you never can b e old
, , ,
For as you were when first your eye I eyed

Such seems your beau ty still Three wi nters cold .
H ave from the fores ts shook three summers p ri d e ; ’
Three beauteous springs to yellow autumn t u rn d ’
I n process of the seasons have I seen ,
Three April perfumes in three hot J un e s b u rn d ’

,
Since first I saw you fresh which yet are green , .
Ah ! yet doth beauty like a di al han d , ,
Ste al from hi s figure and no pace perceived ;

,
So your sweet hue which methinks still d oth stand

, ,
H ath mo tion and m ine eye may be deceived

,
For fe ar of which hear thi s thou age unbred

, , ,
Ere you were born was b eauty s summer dea d

,
’
.
W Snake s/neo n
B O O K FI R S T I S
RO S A LI N E
Like to the clear in hi ghest sphere
Where al l imperial glory shines ,
O f selfsame color is her hair

Whether unfolded or in twi nes
,
Heigh ho fai r Rosaline !

,
H er eyes are sapphires set in snow ,
Resembling heaven by every wink ;

The Gods do fear whenas they glow ,
And I do tremble when I think

H eigh ho would she were mine !
,
Her cheeks are like the blushing cloud

That b e atrtifie s Aurora s face ’
,
O r like the silver c ri mson shroud

That Phoebus smiling looks doth grace ;
’
H eigh ho fair Rosaline !

,
H er lips are like two budded roses

Whom ranks of lilies neighbor nigh ,
Within which bounds she balm encloses

-
Apt to entice a deity

,
H er neck is like a stately tower

Where Love himself im p rison d l ies ’
,
To watch for glances every hour

From her di vi ne and sacred eyes
H eigh ho for Rosal ine !
,
H er paps are centers of delight ,
H er breasts are orbs of heavenly frame ,
Where Nature molds the dew of light

To feed perfec ti on with the same
,
With orient pearl with ruby red

, ,
With marble white with sapphire b lue

,
1 4 T H E G O LD E N TR EA S U RY
H er body every way is fed ,
Yet soft in touch an d sw e et in vi ew

H eigh ho fai r Rosaline !
,
Nature herself her shape adm i re s ;

The Gods are wounded in her sight ;
And Love forsak e s his heavenly fires
And at her eyes hi s b ran d d oth l ight
Heigh ho wo u l d S he were mine !
,
Then muse not Nym phs though I be moan

, ,
The ab sence of fai r Rosal ine ,
Sin ce for a fai r there s fairer none

’
,
Nor for her virtu e s so di vi ne

H eigh ho fai r Rosaline !
,
H eigh ho my h e art ! woul d God that she were mi ne !

,
71
CO LI N
B eauty sat bathing by a spring
Where fai rest shades di d hi d e her
The winds blew calm the birds di d sing
, ,
The cool streams ran beside her .
M y wanton thoughts enti ced mi ne eye

To see wha t w as forbidden
But bett er memory said fie ! ,
So vain des ire w as chi dden

H ey nonny nonny 0 !
H ey nonny nonny !
I nto a slumber then I fell ,
When fond imagination

Seem ed to see but could not tell
,
H er fea ture or her fashion .
B ut ev n as babes in dreams do smi le

’
,
An d sometimes fal l a weeping-

,
1 6 T H E G O LD E N TREA S URY
Rest you then re st sad eyes !

, , ,
Melt not in weeping !

While She lies sleeping
Softly now softly li es
, ,
Sleeping !
A n on .
TO H I S LO V E
’
Shall I compare thee to a summer s day ?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate
Rough winds do shake the d arling buds of May ,
And summer s lease hath all too short a date :

’
S ometime too hot the eye of heaven shines

And often is his gold complexion dim m d ’
And every fair from fair sometime declines ,
By chance or nature s changing course u n trim m

,
’
,
’
d .
But thy eternal summer shall not fade

Nor lose possession of that fai r thou owest ;
Nor shall D eath brag thou wan d erest in his shade ,
When in eternal lines to time thou growe st
S o long as men can b reathe or eyes can see

, ,
So long lives this and this gives l ife to thee

, .
W S nake sp e a re
XXI V
TO H I S LO V E
When in the chronicle of was ted ti me
I see descrip tions of the fairest wights ,
And b eauty making b eauti ful old rhyme

I n praise of ladies dead and lovely knights
,
Then in the bl azon of sweet beauty s b est ’
O f hand of foo t , of lip Of eye of brow

, , , ,
B O O K FI RST 1
7
I see their antique pen would have e x pre st

Ev n such a beauty as you master now
’
.
So all their praises are but prophecies

O f this our time all you pre fig u rin g ;
, ,
’
And for they l ook d but with divining eyes ,
They had not skill enough your worth to sing

For we which now behold these present days
, ,
H ave eyes to wonder but lack tongues to praise

, .
W so k a p
e r e a re
XXV
B ASI A
Turn back you wanton fl y e r
, ,
And answer my desire

With mutual greeting .
Yet bend a little nearer ,
True beauty still shines cleare r

I n closer meeting !
H earts with hearts delighte d
S hould strive to be united ,
Each other s arms with arms enchaining

’
,
Hearts with a thought ,
Rosy lips with a kiss still entertaining .
What harvest half so sweet is

As still to reap the kisses
Grown ripe in sowing ?
And straight to be receiver
O f that which thou art giver ,
Rich in bestowing ?
There is no strict observing
O f times or seasons swe rving
’ ’
,
There is ever one fresh spring abi d ing ;

Then what we sow with our lips
Let us reap love s gai ns dividing
,
’
.
7 1 Ca mp ion
’
T H E GO LD E N T REAS U RY
x x v1
A DV I CE TO A G I RL
Never love unless you can
Bear with all the faul ts of man !
Men sometimes wil l j ealous be
Though but little cause they see ,
And hang the head as discontent ,
And speak what straight they will repent .
M en that but one Saint adore

, ,
M ake a show of love to more ;

’
Beauty must be s corn d in none ,
Though but truly served in one

For what is courtship but d isguise ?
True hearts may have d issembling eyes .
Men when their affai rs require

, ,
M ust awhile themselves retire ;

S ometimes hunt an d sometimes hawk , ,
And not ever sit and talk

I f these and such like you can bear -
,
Then like and love and never fear !

, ,
'
T Ca mp zon
.
XXV II
LO V E S PERJ U RIES ’
O n a day alack the day !

,
Love whose month is ever M ay

, ,
Spied a blossom passing fair

Playing in the wanton air
Throu gh the velvet leaves the wind ,
All unseen gan passage fin d ;

,
’
That the lover sick to death , ,
Wish d himself the heaven s bre ath

’ ’
.
Air quoth he thy cheeks may blow ;

, ,
Air would I might triumph so !

,
‘
B O O K FI RS T I9
But alack my hand is sworn

, ,
Ne er to pluck thee from thy thorn

’
V ow al ack for youth unmeet ;

, ,
Youth so apt to pluck a sweet .
D o not call it sin in me

That I am forsworn for thee
Thou for whom J ove would swe ar
J uno but an Ethiope were ,
And deny himself for J ove ,
Turning mortal for thy love .
W S na ke sp e a re
x x vr11
A S U PPLI C A TI O N
Forget not yet the tried intent
O f such a truth as I have meant
My great travai l so gladly spent ,
Forget not yet !

Forget not yet when first began
The wea ry life ye know since whan ,
The suit the service none tell can ;

,
Forget not yet !

Forget not yet the great assays ,
The cruel wrong the scornful ways , ,
The painful patience in delays ,
Forget not yet !

Forget not ! 0 forget not this, ,
H ow long ago hath been and is ,
The mind that never meant amiss

Forget not yet !
Forget not then thine own approved
The which so l on g h ath thee so loved
'
Whose steadfast faith yet never moved

Forget not this !
S i r T PI/J/a t
.
2 0 T H E GO L D E N TREAS U RY
XXIX
TO AU ROR A
0 if thou kn e w st how thou thyself dost harm
’
,
An d dost prej udge thy bliss and S poil my rest ; ,
Then thou would st melt the ice out of thy breast

’
And thy relenting heart would ki n dly warm .
0 if thy pride did not our j oys control ,
What world of loving wonders S houl d st thou see ! ’
For if I saw thee once t ran sforrn d in me ’

,
Then in thy bosom I would pour my soul ;

Then all my though ts should in thy visage shine ,
An d if that aught mischanced thou should st not moan ’

Io
Nor bear the bur d en of thy gri efs al one ;
N o I would have my share in what were thi ne
,
And whilst we thus shoul d m ake our sorrows one ,
Thi s happy harmony woul d make them none .
W Al ex an d e r,
Ea rl f
'
o S te rl zn e
XXX
I N LA C R I M A S 1
I saw my Lady weep ,
And Sorrow prou d to be advan ced so

I n those fair eyes where al l perfec tions keep .
Her face was full of woe ,
But such a woe ( believe me) as wins more hearts

Than Mi rth can do with her enticing parts .
Sorrow was there made fair ,
An d Passion wise ; Tears a delightful thi ng ;

, ,
Silence beyon d all speech a wisdom rare :

, ,
She ma d e her sighs to sing ,
And all thi ngs with so sweet a sa d ness move

As made my heart at once both gri eve and love .
1 F rom J ohn D owl an d ’s “

S e con d Book of S on g s or Ai rs,
”
1 600 .
B O O K FI RST 2 1
O fairer than aught else

The world can show leave off in time to grieve !
,
Enough enough : your j oyful look excels

,
Tears kill the heart believe , .
O stri ve not to be excellent in woe ,
Whi ch only breeds your beauty s overthrow ’
A n on .
XX X I
TR U E LO V E
Let me not to the marri age of true minds
A d mit impediments Love is not love .
Which alters when it al teration finds ,
O r ben d s with the remover to remove
0 no ! it is an ever fix ed mark
-
-
That looks on tempests an d is never shaken ; ,
I t is the star to every wan d eri ng bark ,
Whose worth s u nknown al though his h eight be taken

’
. .
Love s n or Time s foo l though rosy lips an d cheeks

’ ’
,
I
5
Withi n his bending S ickle s compass come ; ’
Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks ,
But he ars it out ev n to the edge of doom

’
I f this b e error an d upon me proved

, ,
I never writ nor no man ever loved

, .
W Sna ke sp e a re
x x x 11
A D ITT Y
M y true love hath my heart and I have his
-
, ,
By j ust exchange one for another given

I hol d his dear and mine he cannot miss
, ,
There never was a better bargai n d riven

My true love hath my heart an d I have hi s
-
, .
2 2 T H E G O LD E N TREAS U RY
His heart in me keeps him an d me in one ,
My heart in him his thoughts and senses g u ides

H e loves my heart for once it was his own
, ,
I cherish his b ecause in me it bides

My t ru e love hath my heart and l have
-
,
S ir P .
x x x nr
LO V E S I N S I G HT 1
’
Though others may Her brow adore

Yet more must I that therein see far more
,
’
Than any other s eyes have power to see
S he is to me
M ore than to an y others she can be !
I can d iscern more secret notes
That in the margi n of her cheeks Love quotes ,
Than any else b esides have art to read :

N 0 looks proceed
F rom those fair eyes b ut to me wonder b reed .
An on .
x x x rv
LO V E S O M N I PRESENC E
’
Were I as b ase as is the lowly plai n ,
And you my Love as high as

, ,
heaven ab ove ,
Yet should the thoughts of me your humble swain

Ascend to heaven in honor of ,
my Love .
Were I as high as heaven above the pl ai n ,
And you my Love as humble and as low

, ,
A S are the deepest bottoms of the main ,
Whe re so e r you were with you my love should go

’
, .
1 F rom J oh n D an ie l s
’
S o n g s fo r th e Lu t e , V io l , V
o ic e , 1 606
”
T his is a .
k
p ort ion o f a s on g b e g in n in g , L e t n o t C hl o ri s t hin , b e cau s e S he h a th e n vas
se l d m e
’
.
” J oh n D an ie l w as t h e b ro t h e r o f S am u e l D an ie l , an d it is n o t im p os
s ib l e th at th e l att e r wrote th e s e lin e s .

. 2 4, T H E G O LD E N T REAS U RY
Great gifts are guiles and look for gifts again ;

My t ri fl e s come as treasures from my mind ;
I t is a precious j ewel to be plain ;
Sometimes in shell the o rie n t s t pearls we fin d ;
’
O f others take a sheaf of me a grai n !

,
O f me a grain !
A n on .
x x x vn
W I N TER
When icicles han g by the w all
An d Dick the shepher d blows hi s nail ,
And Tom bears logs into the hall ,
And milk comes frozen home in pail ;

When blood is n ipt and ways be foul
, ,
Then nightly sings the staring owl

Tu whit ! -
To who ! A merry no te !
-
While greasy J oan doth keel the pot .
When all about the wind doth blow

And coughing drowns the parson 3 saw ,
And birds sit brooding in the snow ,
An d M arian s nose looks red an d raw ;

’
When roasted crabs hiss in the bowl

'
Then nightly sings the sta ri ng owl

Tu whit ! -
To who ! A merry note !

-
While greasy J oan doth keel the pot .
W S fi a ke sp e a re
XXXV III
’
That time of year thou may st in me behold
When yellow leaves or none or few do hang
, , ,
Upon those boughs which shake against the col d ,
’
Bare ru in d choirs where late the sweet birds sang
,
B O O K FI R S T 2
5
I n me thou see st the twilight of such day

’
As after sunset fa d eth in the west ,
Which by an d by black night doth take away ,
D eath s secon d self that seals up all in rest :

’
,
I n me thou see st the glowing of such fire

’
,
That on the ashes of his youth d o t h lie

As the deathbe d whereon it must expire ,
Consume d with that which it was n ou ris h d b y ’
This thou p e rce iv s t which makes thy love more strong

’
, ,
To love that well which thou must leave ere long .
W S é a é e sp e a re
XXX I X
M E M OR Y
When to the sessions of sweet silent thought
I summon up remembrance of things past ,
I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought ,
And with old woes new wail my dear time s waste ; ’
Then can I drown an eye unused to flow , ,
’
For precious friends hid in death s dateless night ,
An d weep afresh love s long since can ce l d woe

’ ’
- -
,
And moan the expense of many a van ish d sight ’

.
Then can I grieve at grievances foregone ,
An d heavily from woe to woe tell o er ’
The sad account of fore be m oan ed moan

-
Whi ch I new pay as if not paid be fore
But if the while I think on thee dear Friend , ,
All losses are restored and sorrows en d

,
.
W S k a t e sp e a re /
2 6 T H E G O LD E N TR EAS U RY
S LEEP
Come Sleep : 0 Sleep ! the certain knot of peace
, ,
The b ai ti ng place of wi t the balm of woe

, ,
The poor man s we al th the p risoner s releas e

’
,
’
,
Th in di fferent j udge between the high and low ;

’
With shiel d of proof shi eld me from out the prease

O f those fierce d arts D esp air at me doth throw
0 m ake in me those C ivi l wars to ceas e ;
I will good tribute pay if thou do so, .
T ak e thou of me smooth pillows sweetest b ed , ,
A ch am ber deaf of noise an d bli nd of light ,
A rosy garlan d an d a we ary h e ad

An d if these things as being thine in right
, ,
M ove not thy heavy grace thou shalt in me , ,
Liveli er than elsewhere S tella s im ag e see

,
’
.
S ir P .
RE V O L U TI O N S
Like as the waves make towards the peb b led shore
S o do our mi nutes has ten to their end ;
E ach chan gi ng place wi th that which goes b efore ,
I n sequent toil all forwards do contend .
Nativi ty on ce in the mai n of light

, ,
Crawls to matu ri ty wherewith being crown d

,
’
,
‘
Crooked eclipses gainst his glory fight

’
,
An d Time that gave d oth now his gift confound

, .
Time d oth tran sfix the flourish set on youth ,
An d delves the paral lels in beauty s brow ; ’

B O O K FI R ST 2
7
’
Feeds on the rari ties of n ature s truth ,
And nothing stands b ut for his scythe to mow

And yet to times in hope my verse shall stand
, ,
Praising Thy worth despite his cruel han d ,

.
W Sb ake p e a re s
XLII
Farewell ! thou art too dear for my possessing ,
An d like enough thou kn ow s t thy esti mate ’
The charter of thy worth gives thee releasing ;

My bonds in thee are all determinate .
For how do I hold thee but by thy granti ng ?

And for that riches where is my d eserving ?
The cause of this fai r gi ft in me is wanting ,
A nd so my patent back again is swerving .
Thyself thou g av s t thy own worth then not knowing

’
,
O r me to whom thou g av s t it else mistaking ;

,
’
,
S o thy great gift upon misprision growing

, ,
Comes home again on better j udgment making

,
.
Thus have I had thee as a dream doth flatter ;

I n sleep a ki ng ; but waking no such matter
, ,
.
W S naé e sp e a re
XLIII
TH E LI FE W ITH O U T P A SSI O N
They that have power to hurt and will d o none , ,
That d o not do the thing they most do show ,
Who moving others are themselves as stone

, , ,
Unmoved cold and to temptation S low

, , ,
’
They ri ghtly do inherit heaven s graces ,
An d husban d nature s riches from expense ; ’
They are the lords and owners of their faces ,
O thers but stewards of their excellence

,
.
28 T H E G O LD E N T REAS U RY
’
The summer s flower is to the summer swee t,
Though to its elf it o n ly live and die ;
But if that flower with base infection meet ,
The basest weed o utb raves his dign ity

For sweete s t things turn sourest b y their deeds ;
Lilies that fe ste r smell far worse th an weeds .
W Shake sp e a re
XLI V
THE LO V ER S A P PE A L
’
And wil t t hou leave me thus ?

Say nay ! say nay ! for shame ,
To save thee from the b lame

O f al l my grief and grame .
And wilt thou leave me thus ?

Say nav ! say nay !
And wilt th o u leave m e th u s ,
That hath love d th e e so long

I n we alth and woe am ong
And is thy heart so strong
As for to leave me thus ?
Say nay ! say nay !
And wilt thou leave me thus ,
That hath given thee my heart

Never for to depart
Neither for pai n nor sm art
Say nay ! say nay !
And wilt thou leave me thu s ,
And have no more p ity

O f him that loveth thee ?
Alas ! thy c ruelty !
Say nay ! say nay !
S i r 7 1 H/j/a t
B O O K FI RST 2
9
X LV
TH E N I G HTI N G A LE
As it fell upon a day
I n the merry month of May ,
Sitting in a pleasant S hade

Which a grove of myrtles made ,
Beasts did leap and birds did sing ,
Trees did grow an d plants d id spring ;

Everything di d b anish moan
Save the Nightingale alone .
S he poor bird as al l forl orn

, ,
'
Le an d her breast u p till a thorn

’
-
,
And there sung the dol e fu l l s t d itty ’
That to hear it was great pity .
Fie fie fie now woul d she cry ;

, , ,
Teru teru by an d by
, ,
That to hear her so complai n

Scarce I could from tears refrain ;
For her griefs so lively shown
M ade me think upon mine own .
— Ah thought I thou m ou rn s t in vain

, ,
’
,
None takes pity on thy pai n

S enseless trees they cannot hear thee , ,
Ruthless beasts they will not cheer thee ; ,
King Pan d ion he is d ead , ,
All thy friends are l app d in lead ’
All thy fellow birds d o sing .
Careless of thy sorrowing °
Even so poor bird like thee

“
, ,
None alive will pity me .

3 0 TH E G O L D E N TRE A S U RY
X LV I
Care charmer Sleep son of the sab le Night
-
, ,
Brother to D eath in silent d arkness born , ,
Relieve my languish and restore the light ; ,
W i th dark forgetting of my care return .
And let the day be time enough to mourn

The shipwreck of my ill adventured youth -
Let waking eyes su ffice to wail their scorn ,
Without the torment of the night s untruth ’

.
Cease dreams the images of day—

, ,
desires ,
To model forth the passions of the morrow ;

Never let rising Sun approve you liars ,
To add more grief to aggravate my sorrow
Still let me sleep embracing clouds in v ai n

,
And never wake to feel the d ay s di s d ai n ’

.
S D a n ie l
.
X L V II
The nightingale as soon as April b ringeth
,
U nto her reste d sense a perfect waking ,
While late bare earth prou d of new clothing springeth

-
, , ,
Sings out her woes a thorn her songbook making ;

,
An d mournfully bewailing ,
H er throat in tunes e x pre sse th

What grief her breast O ppresseth
For Tereus force on her chaste will prevailing
’
.
O P hil o m e l a f air 0 take some gladness

, ,
That here is j uster cause of pl ai ntful sadness

Thi ne e arth now springs mine fadeth ,
Thy thorn without my thorn my heart in v ade th

,
.
Alas Sh e hath no other cause of anguish

,
But Tereus love On h e r by strong han d wroken

’
, ,
32 TH E G O LD E N TREAS U RY
’
Now at the last gasp of love s latest breath ,
When his pulse failing passion speechless lies

, ,
When faith is kneeling by his bed of death ,
And innocence is closing up his eyes ,
Now if thou would st when all have given him over

’
, , 5
From death to life thou might st him yet recover ’
M D ray ton
IN I MAG I N E PE R T R A N S I T H O MO
Follow thy fai r sun unhappy shadow
Though thou be black as night
An d she made all of light ,
Yet follow thy fair sun unhappy shadow !

,
Follow her whose light thy light de p rive th

,
’
T hough here thou l iv s t disgraced ,
And s he in heaven is placed ,
Yet follow her whose light the world re v iv e th !
Follow those pure beams whose beauty burneth

, ,
That so have scorch ed thee

As thou still black must be
Till her kin d b e am s thy black to brightness turneth
'
Follow her while yet her glory Shineth !

,
There comes a luckless night

That will dim all her light ;
And this the black unhappy shade divineth .
Follow still since so thy fates Ord ain ed

,
The sun must have his S hade ,
Till both at once do fade ,
The sun still proved the shadow still disdain ed

, .
'
TI Ca mp zon
B O O K FI RS T 33
B LI N D LO V E
0 me w hat eye s hath Love put in my head
Which have no correspondence with true sight
.
O r if they have where is my j u d gment fled

,
That censures falsely what they see aright ?
I f that be fair where on my false eyes dote ,
What means the worl d to say it is not so ?

I f it be not then love doth well denote
,
Love s eye is not so true as all men s : N o

’ ’
,
’
H ow can it ? 0 how can love s eye be true ,
That is s o vexed with watching and with tears ?

-
No marvel then though I mista ke my view

T he sun itself sees not till heaven clears .
O cunning Love ! with tears thou ke e p s t me blind ’

,
Lest eyes well seeing thy foul faults should find !

-
W Sna ke sp e a re
Sleep angry beauty sleep and fear not me

, ,
For who a sleeping lion d ares provoke ?

I t shall su ffice m e here to sit an d see
Those lips shut up that never kin d ly spoke
What S ight can more content a lover s min d ’
Than beauty seeming harmless if not kind ? ,
My word s have ch arm d her for secure she sl e eps

’
, ,
Though guilty much of w rong done to my love ;

And in he rslumber see ! she close eyed weep s
,
-
D reams often more than waking passions move

'
Plead Sleep my cause and make her soft like thee

, , ,
That she in p e ace may wake and pity me .
'
T Ca mp zon
.
THE U N FA ITH F U L SHEPH ER D ESS 1

While that the sun with his b e ams ho t
Scorched the fruits in vale an d mountain ,
Phil on the shepher d late forgot , ,
Sitting besi d e a crys tal fountai n ,
I n shad ow of a green oak tree

Upon his pipe this song pl ay d he ’
Adi eu Love a d ieu Love untrue Love

, , , , ,
U ntrue Love untrue Love ad ieu Love ;

, , ,
Your min d is light soon lost for new love

, .
So long as I was in your sight

I was your heart your soul and treasure ;
, ,
And evermore you s ob b d an d S ig h d ’ ’
B urning in flames beyond all measure

Three days en d ure d your love to me
-
,
A nd it was lost in other three

Adieu Love a d ieu Love untrue Love
, , , , ,
U ntrue Love untrue Love ad ieu , Love ;

, ,
Your mind is l ight soon lost for new love, .
Another S hepherd you did see

To whom your heart was soon enchain ed ;
Full soon your love was leapt from me ,
Full soon my place he had obtain ed .
Soon came a thi rd your love to win , ,
An d we were out an d he was in .
A d ieu Love adieu Love untrue Love

, , , , ,
U ntrue Love untrue Love a dieu Love ;

, , ,
Your mind is light soon lost for new love, .
Sure you have made me passing gla d

That you your min d so soon remove d ,
Before that I the leisure had

To choose you for my best belov ed
1 F ro m Wil l iam B yrd ’
s
“
S on g s o f su
n d ry N atu re s ,
”
1 5 89 . I t was t
in e
re p r d in
E n g lan d ’s H e lic o n , ” 1 600 .
B O O K FI R ST
For all your love Was past an d d one

Two d ays before it was begun :
A d ieu Love a d ieu Love untrue Love
, , , , ,
Untrue Love unt rue Love a d ieu Love ;

, , ,
Your mind is light soon lost for new love ,

.
A n on .
ADV I CE
A LO V ER TO 1
The sea hath many thousan d sands ,
The sun hath motes as many ;

The sky is full of stars an d Love ,
As full of woes as any

Believe me that d o know the elf
, ,
And ma k e no trial by thyself !

I t is in truth a pretty toy
For babes to play withal :
But O the honeys of our you t h
Are oft our age s gall !
’
Self proof in time will make thee know

-
H e was a prophet told thee so ;

A prophet that Cassandra like ,
-
Tells truth without belief

For headstrong Youth will run his race ,
Although his go al be grief :

Love s Martyr when his heat is past
’
, ,
’
Proves Care s Confessor at the last .
A n on .
A REN U N C I A TI O N
Thou art not fai r for all thy red an d white
, ,
For all those rosy ornaments in thee ,
Thou art not sweet though ma d e of mere d elight

, ,
N or fair nor sweet

, unless thou pity me 1
1 tJ
F ro m R ob e r ’
on e s s
“
T h e M u se s’ Garde n of De lig h t s , ” 1 6 1 0.
T H E GO L D E N TRE A S U RY
I will not soothe thy fancies ; thou shalt prove

That beauty is no beauty without love .
— Yet love not me nor seek not to allure

,
My thoughts with beauty were it more di vine ,
Thy smiles and kisses I cannot en d ure ,
I 11 not be w rap p d up in those arms of thine :

’ ’
N ow S how it if th Ou be a woman ri ght

,
Embrace and kiss an d love me in d espite !

'
T Ca mp zo n
.
Blow blow thou winter win d

, , ,
Thou art not so unkin d

As man s ingrat itude ;
’
Thy tooth is not so keen

Because thou art not seen ,
Although thy breath be ru d e .
H eigh ho S ing heigh ho ! unto the green holly

M ost friendshi p is feign ing most loving mere folly
,
Then heigh ho ! the holly !

,
Thi s life is most j olly .
Freez e freeze thou bitter sky

, , ,
Thou dost not bi te so nigh

As benefits forgot '
Though thou the waters warp ,
Thy sti ng is not so sharp

’
As friend re m e m b e r d not .
H eigh ho ! sing heigh ho ! unto the green ho l ly

Most frien d ship is feigni ng most loving mere folly
,
Then heigh ho ! the holly 1

,
This l ife is m ost jol l y

'
W S }: ak e sje a re
B O O K FI RST 37
L V II
A S WEET L U LL A B Y 1
Come little b abe come silly soul , ,
Thy father s shame thy mother s grief

’
,
’
,
Born as I doubt to all our d ole ,
And to thy self unhappy chief

Sing Lullaby an d lap it warm ,
Poor soul that thinks no creature harm .
Thou little t h in k s t and less dost know

’
,
The cause of this thy mother s moan ’

,
Thou wan t st the wit to wail her woe

’
,
And I mysel f am all alone

Why d ost thou weep ? why d ost thou w ail ?
And knowest not yet what thou d ost ail .
Come little wretch ah silly heart , ,
M ine only j oy what can I more ?

,
I f there be any wrong thy smart

That may the d estinies implore :
T was I I say against my will
’
, , ,
I wail the time but be thou still , .
And dost thou smile oh thy sweet face ! ,
Would Go d H imself H e might thee see ,
N o doubt thou woul d st soon purchase grace ’

,
I know right well for thee and me : ,
But come to mother babe and play , , ,
For father false is fled away .
Sweet b oy if it by fortune chance

, ,
Thy father home ag ai n to send ,
I f d eath d o strike me with his lance ,
Yet mayst thou me to him commen d

I f any ask thy mother s name ’
,
Tell how by love she purchas ed blame .
1 F ro m N ich o l as B re t on’ s “
Ab r r o of Am o ro u s D e vice s , 1 —
5 9 3 5 94
1 .
TH E G O L D E N TREAS U RY
Then will his gentle heart soon yield ,
1 know him of a noble mind ,
A lthough a Lion in the fi eld ,
A Lamb in town thou shalt him find :

Ask blessing babe be not afrai d
, , ,
His s u g ar d wor d s hath me b e tray d

’ ’
.
Then mayst thou j oy an d be right gla d ,
Although in woe I seem to moan ,
Thy father is no rascal la d ,
A noble youth of bloo d an d bone

H is glancing looks if he once smile , ,
Right honest women may beguile .
Come little boy and rock asleep

, , ,
Sing lullaby an d be thou still °
I that can do naught else but weep ,
W ill sit by thee an d wail my fill

Go d bless my babe and lullaby ,
From this thy father s quality ! ’
A n on .
L V III
With how sad steps 0 Moon thou cl im b s t the skies !
, ,
’
H ow silently an d with how wan a face !

,
W hat may it be that e en in heavenly place

,
’
That busy archer his sharp arrows tries !
Sure if that long with love acquainted eyes

,
- - -
Can j u d ge of love thou fe e l s t a lover s case

,
’ ’
,
I rea d it in thy looks ; thy l an g u is h d grace ’

,
To me that feel the like thy state descri es

, ,
.
Then e en of fellowship 0 M oon tell me

,
’
, , ,
I s constant love de e m d there but want of wit ?

’
Are beauties there as prou d as here they be ?

D o they above love to be loved and yet ,
40 T H E G O LDE N T REAS U RY
Streaming tears that never stint ,
Like pearl d rops from a flint ,
Fell by course from his eyes ,
That one another s place supplies ;

’
Thus he grieved in every p art ,
Tears of blood fell from hi s heart ,
When he left his pretty boy ,
Father s sorrow father s j oy

’
,
’
.
Weep not my wanton smile upon my knee ;

, ,
When thou art ol d there s grief enough for thee

,
’
.
The wanton smile d father wept , ,
M other cried baby leapt ;

,
’
More he crow d more we cried ,
Nature coul d not sorrow hide

H e must go he must kiss
,
Child an d mother baby bless , ,
For he left his pretty boy ,

’ ’
Father s sorrow father s j oy , .
Weep not my wanton smile upon my knee

, , ,
’
When thou art old there s grief enough for thee
,
.
R . Gre e n e
A L AM EN T
My thoughts hold mortal stri fe ;
I do detest my life ,
And with lamenti ng cri es

P eace to my soul to b ri ng
O ft call that prince which here doth monarchize
B ut he g rim g rinning King
, ,
Who c ai ti ffs scorns and doth the blest surpri se

, ,
Late having d e ck d with beauty s rose his tomb

’ ’
,
Disdai ns to crop a weed and wi ll not come ,

.
W D ru m m o n d
B O O K FI R ST 41
L X II
D I R G B OF LO V E
Come away come away Death
, ,
An d in sad cypress let me be lai d ;

Fly away fly away breath ;
, ,
I am slain by a fai r cruel maid .
My shroud of white stuck all with ,
O prepare it !
My part of death n o one so tru e ,
Di d share it .
Not a flower not a flower sweet

,
O n my black cofli n let there b e s troivn ;

Not a friend not a friend greet
,
My poor corpse where my bones shall

,
thrown
A thousand thousand sighs to save ,
Lay me 0 where
,
Sad true lover never find my grave ,
To weep there .
W S fi a é e sp e a re
L X III
TO H I S L U TE
My lute be as thou wert When thou didst grow
,
With thy green mother in some sha d y grove ,
When immelodious winds but mad e thee move ,
And b irds their ramage did on thee bestow .
Since that dear V oice which did thy sounds approve ,
Which wont in such harmonious strai ns to flow ,
I s reft from E arth to tune those spheres above ,
What art thou but a harb inger of w oe ?

Thy pleasing notes be pleasing notes no more ,
But orphans wailings to the fainting ear ;

’
Each stroke a sigh each sound draws forth a tear ;

,
For which be S ilent as in woods before

42 T H E G O L D E N TREAS U RY
O r if that any hand to touch thee deign ,
Lik e wid ow d turtle sti ll her loss complai n

’
, .
W D ru m m on d
Lx rv
F I D ELE
Fear no more the heat 0 the sun ’
Nor the furious winter s rages ; ’
Thou thy worl dl y tas k hast d one ,
H ome art gone an d ta en thy wages ’
Golden lads an d girls all must ,
As chimney sweepers come to dust , .
Fear no more the frown o the great ’

,
Thou art past the tyran t s s troke ; ’
Care no more to clothe and eat ;

To thee the reed is as the oak
The scepter learn ing physic must
, , ,
All follow thi s an d come to dust

,
.
Fear no more the lightning flash

Nor the al l dreaded thunderstone ;
-
Fear not slan der censure ras h ;

,
Thou hast fi n ish d joy and moan

’
All lovers young all lovers must

,
Consign to thee an d come to dust

,
.
W S l zak e sp e a re
LX V
A SE A D I RGE
Full fathom five thy father l i es
O f his bones are cor al made ;
Those are pearls that were his eyes
Nothi ng of him that doth fade ,
But doth su ffer a sea—change

I nto something rich and strange .
B O O K FI R ST 43
Sea nymphs hourly ring his knell

Hark ! now I hear them ,
Ding dong bell , , .
W Sfi a l e sp e a re ’
L XV I
A LA N D D I RG E
Call for the robin re d breast and the wren
-
,
Since o er shady groves they hover

’
And with leaves an d flowers do cover

The friendless bodies of unburied men .
Call unto his funeral dole

The ant the field mouse and the mole
, ,
To rear him hillocks that shall keep him warm

And (when gay tombs are ro b b d ) sustain no harm ; ’
But keep the wolf far thence that s foe to men ,

’
,
For with his n ails he ll dig them up again

’
.
j M . as te r
v 11
PO ST M ORTE M
I f Thou survive my well contented day -
When that churl De ath my bones with dust shall cover ,
An d shalt by fortune once more resurvey

These poor ru d e lines of thy d eceas ed lover ;
Compare them with the bettering of the ti me ,
An d though they be ou ts tripp d by every pen ’

,
Reserve them for my love not for their rhyme ,
Excee d ed by the height of happier men .
0 then vouchsafe me but this loving thought

H a d my frien d s M use grown with this growing age
’
,
A dearer birth than this his love had brought ,
To march in ranks of better equipage

But since he died and poets better prove
, ,
Theirs for their style I l l rea d his for his love

’
, .
W S na ke sp e a n
v 111
THE TRI UM P H OF D E ATH

N o longer mourn for me when I am dead
Than you S hall hear the surly sullen bell
Give warning to the world that I am fled ,
From this vile world with vilest worms to d well ;

,
Nay if you read thi s line remember not

, ,
The hand that writ it ; for I love you so ,
That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot

I f thinking on me then should make you woe .
0 if, I say you look upon thi s verse

,
When I perhaps compounded am with clay ,
Do not so much as my poor name rehearse ,
But let your love even with my life d ecay ;
Lest the wise world should look into your moan ,
And mock you with me after I am gone .
W Sfi a ke sp e a re
LXIX
Y O U N G LO V E
Tell me where is Fancy bre d ,
O r i n the heart or in the hea d ?

,
H ow begot how nourished ?

,
Reply reply , .
I t is e n g e n de r d in the eyes ;
’
With gazing fed ; and Fancy dies

I n the cradle where it lies
’
Let us all ring Fancy s knell ;
’
I ll begin it ,
Ding d ong bell , , .
—Ding dong bell

.
, , .
W S/zaé e sp e a re
B O O K FI RST 45
LX X
A D I LE MMA 1
Lady when I b ehold the roses sprouting
,
Which clad in damask mantles deck the arbors ,
An d then behold your lips where sweet love harbors ,
My eyes present me with a double d oub ting

For viewing both alike hardly my mind supposes ,
Whether the roses be your lips or your li ps the roses , .
A n on .
L XX I
R OS A L Y N D S MAD RI GA L
’
Love in my bosom like a bee , ,
Doth suck his sweet ;

Now with his wings he plays with me ,
N ow with his feet .
Within mine eyes he makes his nest ,
His be d amidst my tender breas t ;

My kisses are his d aily feast
And yet he robs me of my rest
Ah ! wanton wi ll ye ? ,
And if I sleep then pe rche th he

,
With pretty flight ,
And makes his pillow of my knee

The livelong night .
S trike I my lute he tunes the string ; ,
H e music plays if so I sing ;

H e lends me every lovely thing ,
Yet cruel he my heart doth sti ng

Whist wanton will ye ? , ,
Else I with roses every d ay

Will whip you hence ,
1 F ro m J ohn Wilb ye ’
s Fi rst Se t of l
E n g is h M ad rig a ls ”
,
1 5 98.
T H E G O LD E N T REAS U RY
bind you when you long to play

, ,
For your offence ;

I l l S hut my eyes to keep you in ;
’
I l l make you fast it for your sin ;

’
’
I ll count your power not worth a
Alas ! what hereby shall I win ,
I f he gainsay me ?
What if I beat the wanton boy

With many a rod
H e will repay me with annoy ,
Because a god .
Then sit thou safely on my knee ,
And let thy bower my bosom be ;

Lurk i n mine eyes , I like of thee ,
O Cupid ! so thou pity me ,
Spare not but play thee ,
T L odg e
.
L XX II
C U PI D AN D C A M P A SPE
Cupid and my Campasp e pl ay d ’
At cards for kisses ; Cupi d pai d

H e stakes his quiver bow an d arrows , , ,
H is mother s d oves an d team of sparrows ;

’
,
Loses them too ; then d own he throws

The coral of his lip the rose ,
’
Growing on s cheek ( but none knows how) ;
With the se the crystal of his brow
, ,
And then the dimple on his chin ;

All these d i d my Campasp e win
And last he set her b Oth his eyes
She won and Cupid blin d d i d rise
, .
O Love h as she d one this to thee ?

What shall alas become of me ?
,
T H E G O LD E N TREAS URY
Walk d forth to ease my p ain

’
Along the shore of silver str eaming Thames ; -
Whose rutty bank the which his river hems

, ,
Was painted all with vari able flowers ,
And all the meads ad orn d with d ainty gems ’
Fit to d eck m ai dens bowers ’

,
And crown their paramours

Against the bri dal day which is not long
,
Sweet Thames ! run softly till I en d my song , .
There in a meadow by the river s side ’
A flock of nymphs I chanc ed to espy ,
All lovely daughters of the flood thereby ,
With goo d ly greenish locks all loose untied

As each ha d been a bri d e ;
An d each one had a little wicker bas ket
Made of fi ne twigs entrail ed curiously
,
.
In which they g ath e r d flowers to fi ll their fl a ske t

’
,
An d with fine fingers cropt full feateously

The ten d er stalks on high .
O f every sort which in that meadow grew

They g athe r d some ; the violet pallid blue
’
, ,
The little d aisy that at evening closes ,
The virgin lily and the primrose true ,
With store of vermeil roses ,
To deck their bri degrooms posies ’
Agai nst the bri d al d ay which was not long

,
Sweet Thames ! run softly till I end my song , .
With that I saw two Swans of goodly hue

Come softly swimming d own along the Lee ;
Two fairer birds I yet d i d never see ;
The snow which doth the top of Pindus strow
Did never whiter show ,
Nor J ove himself when he a swan would be

,
For love of Le d a whiter di d appear ;

,
B O O K FI R ST 49
Yet Leda was (they say) as white as he ,
Yet not so white as these nor nothing near ;,
So purely white they were

That even the gentle stream the which them bare , ,
S e e m d foul to them an d bade his billows spare

’
,
To wet their silken feathers lest they might ,
S oil their fai r plumes with water not so fair ,
And mar their beauties bright

’
That shone as H eaven s light
Ag ainst their bridal d ay which was not long
,
E ftsoons the nymphs which now had flowers their

,
R an all in haste to see that silver brood

As they came floating on the crystal flood ;
Whom when they saw they stood amaz ed still
,
Their wondering eyes to fill ;

Them s e e m d they never saw a sight so fair
’
O f fowls so lovely that they sure did d eem

, ,
Them heavenly born or to be that same pai r

,
Which through the sky draw V enus silver team ; ’
For sure they di d not seem

To be begot of any earthly see d ,
B ut rather Angels or of Angels bree d ;

,
’
Yet were they bred of summer s heat they say ’

, ,
I n sweetest season when each flower and wee d

,
.
The earth d id fresh array ;

So fresh they se e m d as d ay
’
Ev n as their b ri d al d ay which was not long

’
,
Then forth they all out of their baskets drew

Great store of flowers the honor of the fiel d
,
That to the sense d id fragrant o d ors yield ,
All which upon those goo d ly bir d s they threw

And all the waves di d strew ,
That like ol d Peneus waters they di d seem ’
When down along by pleasant Tempe s shore ’
S cat t e r d with flowers through Thessaly they stream

’
, ,
That they appear through lilies plenteous store

,
’
,
Like a bri d e s chamber floor

’
.
Two of those nymphs meanwhile two garlan d s boun d

Of freshest flowers which in that mead they foun d ,
The which presenting all in tri m array ,
Their snowy forehea d s therewithal they crown d ; ’
Whilst one did sing this lay

Prepare d against that day ,
Against their bridal day which was not long ,
Ye gentle bir d s ! the world s fai r orn ament ’

,
An d H eaven s glo ry whom this happy hour

’
,
Doth lea d unto your lovers blissful bower ’

,
J oy may you have an d gentle heart s content

’
,
O f your love s couplement ;

’
And let fair V enus that is queen of love

, ,
With her heart quelling son upon you smile

-
,
Whose smile they say hath virtue to remove

, ,
All love s d islike an d friendship s faulty guile

’
,
’
Forever to assoil .
Let endless peace your steadfast hearts accor d ,
An d bless ed plenty wai t upon your boar d ;

An d let your be d with pleasures chaste abound ,
That fruitful issue may to you affor d

Which may your foes confoun d ,
And make your j oys re d oun d

Upon your bri d al d ay which is not long ,
So ended she ; and all the rest aroun d

To her re d ouble d that her undersong ,
Which sai d their bri d al d ay shoul d not be long

B O O K FI RS T
And gentle Echo from the neighbor groun d

Their accents d i d resoun d .
So forth those j oyous birds d i d pass along

A d own the Lee that to them m u rm u r d low ’
,
As he woul d speak but that he l ack d a tongue ; ’
Yet di d by signs his glad affection S how ,
Making his stre am run slow .
An d all the fowl which in his floo d d i d d well

Gan flock about these twai n that did excel
’
,
"
The rest so far as Cynthia d oth shend

,
The lesser stars S o they enranged well

.
, ,
Di d on those two attend ,
And their best service len d

Against their wedding d ay which was not long ,
At length they all to merry London c am e ,
To merry London my most kin d ly nurse

, ,
That to me gave this life s first native source

’
,
Though fro manother place I take my name ,
An house of ancient fame

There when they came whereas those bricky towers
The which on Thames broa d ag ed back d o ri d e
’
,
Where now the studious lawyers have their bowers ,
There whilom wont the Templar knights to bide ,
Till they d e c ay d through pri d e ;

’
Next whereunto there stan d s a stately place ,
W here oft I gain ed gi fts an d goo d ly grace

O f that great lord which therein wont to d well
, ,
Whose want too well now feels my friendless case ;

But ah ! here fits not well
O ld woes but j oys to tell
,
Agai nst the bri d al d ay which is not long

,
Sweet Thames ! run softly till I en d m y song , .
Yet therein now d oth lo d ge a noble peer ,
Great En gland s glory an d the worl d s wi d e won d er

’ ’
,
T H E G O LD E N TREAS U RY
Whose dreadful name late through all Spain did thunder ,
And H ercules two pill ars stan d ing near

’
D id make to quake and fear

Fai r branch of honor flower of chivalry ,
That fi l l e st England with thy triumphs fame ’

,
J oy have thou of thy noble victory ,
And endless happiness of thine own name

That pro m ise th the same ;
That through thy prowess and victorious arms
Thy country may be freed from foreign harms
And great Elisa s glorious name may ring
’
Through all the world fil l d with thy wide alarms

,
’
,
Which some brave Muse may sing

To ages following
Upon the bri d al day which is not long
,
From those high towers this noble lord iss uing

Like radiant H esper when his golden hair
,
I n th ocean billows he hath b athed fair

’
,
D escended to the river s open viewing ’
With a great train ensuing .
Above the rest were goodly to be seen

Two gentle knights of lovely face and feature ,
Beseeming well the bower of any queen ,
With gifts of wit and ornaments of nature ,
Fit for so goo d ly stature ,
That like the twins of J ove they se e m d in sight ’
Which deck the baldric of the H eavens bright ;

They t wo forth 5 pacing to t he river s side ’
’ '
, ,
Receive d those tw o fair brides their love s delight ; ,

’
Which at th appointed tide

,
’
,
Each one di d make his bri d e

Against their bridal day which is not long ,
Sweet Thames run softly till I en d my song , .
E Spe n se r
.
B O O K FI RST 53
L XXV
TH E A RT H A PP Y HE
Art thou poor yet hast thou gol d en slumbers ?

,
sweet c ontent !
0
Art thou rich yet is thy mind p e rpl e x d ?
,
’
O punishment !
Dost thou laugh to see how fools are v e x d ’
To ad d to gol d en numbers gol d en numbers ? ,
0 sweet content ! 0 sweet 0 sweet content ! ,
Work apace apace apace apace ;

, , ,
H onest labor bears a lovely face ;

Then hey nonny nonny hey nonny nonny ! ,
Canst drink the waters of the crisp ed S pring ?

0 sweet content !
S wim m s t thou in wealth yet sink st in thine own tears ?
’ ’
,
O punishment !
’
Then he that patiently want s burden bears
No burden b e ars but is a king a king
, ,
0 sweet content ! 0 sweet 0 sweet content ! ,
Work apace apace apace apace ;

, , ,
H onest labor bears a lovely face ;

Then hey nonny nonny hey nonny nonny ,
T D e kke r
.
L XXV I
S I C TR A N S IT
Come cheerful day part of my life to me ;
, ,
For while thou v ie ws t me with thy fadi ng

'
Part of my life d oth still depart with thee ,
And I still onward haste to my la s t night

Time s fatal wings d o ever forward fly
’
So every day we live a d ay we die , .
But O ye nights ordain d for barren rest

,
’
,
H ow are my days deprived of life in you

TH E G O LD E N T REAS U RY
When heavy sleep my soul hath disposse st ,
By feign ed death life sweetly to renew !

Part of my life in that you life d eny
, ,
So every day we live a d ay we die , .
T C a mp zon
'
L XXV II
This Life which seems so fai r
,
I s li k e a bubble blown up in the air

By sporting chil d ren s breath ’
Who chase it everywhere

An d strive who can most motion it bequea th .
An d though it sometimes seem of its own might

Like to an eye of gol d to be fi x d there ’
,
An d fi rm to hover in that empty height ,
That only is because it is so light .
But in that pomp it d oth not long appear ;

For when t is most a d mire d in a thought
’
, ,
Because it erst was naught it turns to naught , .
W D r um m on d
Lx x v n I
SO U L AN D BO DY
P oor S oul the center of my sinful earth
, ,
[ F oil d by
’
] those rebel powers t hat thee array ,
W hy dost thou pine within an d suffer d earth , ,
Painting thy outward wal ls so costly gay ?
Why so large cost having so short a lease

, ,
Dost thou upon thy fading mansion spen d ?

Sh al l worms inheritors of this excess
, ,
Eat up thy ch arge ? is this thy body s end ? ’
’
Then Soul l ive thou upon thy servant s loss
, , ,
And let that pine to agg ravate thy store ;

T H E G O LD E N T REA S U RY
Lxxx
THE LESSO N S O F N A T U RE
O f thi s fair volume which we World do name
I f we the sheets an d leaves could turn wi th care ,
Of H im who i t corrects an d d i d it frame

, ,
We clear might rea d the art and wi sdom rare

Find out His power which wildest powers doth tame ,
H is providence extendi ng everywhere ,
H is j usti ce which proud rebels doth not spare ,
I n every page no peri od of the same

, .
But silly we like foolish chi ldren rest

, ,
’
Well pleased with col or d vellum leaves of gold , ,
Fair dangling ribbons leaving what is best

, ,
O n the great Writer s sense ne er taking hold ;

’ ’
O r if b y chance we stay our minds on aught ,
I t is some picture on the margin wrought .
W Dm mm on d
L XXX I
D oth then the world go thus doth all thus move ? ,
I s t hi s the j ustice which on earth we find ?

I s thi s that firm decree which all doth bind ?
Are these your influences Powers a bove ? ,
Those souls which vice s moody mists most blind

’
,
B l ind Fortune blin d ly most their fri end doth prove ;

, ,
An d they who thee poor i d ol V irtue ! love

, ,
Ply l ike a feather t os s d by stor m and wi nd

’
.
Ah ! if a Providence doth sway this all

Why shoul d best minds groan un d er most di stress ?
O r why shoul d pride humility make thrall ,
And inj uries the innocent oppress ?

H eavens ! hinder stop this fate or gran t a time
,
Wh en good may have as well as bad their prime

, ,
W D ru m m on d
B O O K FI RST 57
Lxxx 11
THE W ORL D S ’
WAY
Tired with all these for restful death I cry
,
As to behol d d esert a beggar born

, ,
And nee d y nothing trim m d in j ollity ’

,
An d purest faith unhappily forsworn ,
And gilded honor sham efully misplaced ,
And m ai den vi rtue rudely strumpeted ,
And right perfec ti on wrongfully disgraced ,
And strength by limping sway disabled ,
An d art made tongue tied by authority

-
,
And folly doctor like control l ing skill

,
-
, ,
And simple truth m iscal l d simplici ty

’
,
And captive Goo d attending captai n I ll
Tired with al l these from these would I

,
gone ,
Save that to die I leave my Love al one

, ,
.
W Snake p e a re s
Lxxx 111
A W I SH
H appy were he could finish forth his fate
I n some unhaunted desert where obscure , ,
From all society from love and hate

,
O f worl d ly folk there should he sleep secure ;

,
Then wake again and yi eld God ever prai se

,
Content with hip with haws an d brambleberry ;

, ,
I n contemplation passing still his d ays ,
And change of holy thoughts to make him merry

W ho when he d ies his tomb might be the bush
, ,
Where h a rmless robin resteth with the thrush

Happy we re he !
Jr D e v e re u x
’
.
,
Ea rl f
o E ss e x
T H E G O LD E N T REA S U RY
L XXX I V
S A I N T J OH N B A PTI ST
The last and greatest H erald of H eaven s Ki ng ’
Girt with rough skins hies to the deserts wild

, ,
Among that savage brood the woo d s forth bring

Which he more harmless found than man an d mild , .
His food was locusts and what there doth spring

, ,
’
With honey that from virgi n hiv es distill d ;
P arch d body hollow eyes some uncouth thing
’
, ,
Ma d e hi m appear long since from earth exiled

, .
There burst he forth : All ye whose hopes rely

O n God with me amidst these deserts mourn
, ,
Repent repent and from old errors turn !

, ,
Who listen d to his voice obey d his cry ?

’
,
’
O nly the echoes which he made relent

, ,
R ung from their flin ty caves Repent ! Repent ! ,
W Dm m m on d
BO O K S E C O N D
T his divi s ion , e m b rac in g g e n e ral ly t h e l atte r e ig h ty ye ars o f t h e se ve n t e e n th

c e n tu ry ,
t
con ain s l
th e c os e o f o u r e arly p oe t ical s ty l e an d t h e co m m e n c e m e n t o f
t h e m o d e rn . r
I n D y d e n we se e th e fi rs t m as te r of th e new l
; in M i t on , wh o s e
g e n iu s d o m in at e s h e re S h
asa e s p ekare
’
s i n t h e fo rm e r r k
b oo , th e c o wn an d
c on su m m at ion o f th e e arly p e rio d T h e ir s p l e n d id o d e s are far in advan ce o f
.
an y p ri o r t
a te m p , Sp
t s e n s e r’
s e xce p t e d ; t h e y e xh ib it t h at wid e r an d g ran d e r
ran g e wh ic h ye ars an d e xp e ri e n c e an d th e s tru gg l e s o f th e tim e c on fe rre d on
p oe try O u r M u s e s n ow g ive e x p re s s ion t o p o l it ic al fe e l in g , t o re l ig iou s t h ou g h t ,

.
t o a hig h p h il o s op hic s ta t e sm an s h ip in w rit e rs s u ch as M arve l l , H e rb e rt, an d

Wot ton ; whil s t in M arve l l an d M il ton , ag ain , we fin d n ob l e att e m p t s , h ith e rt o
rare in o u r l ite rat u re , at p u re d e sc rip t ion o f n at u re , d e s t in e d in o u r o wn ag e t o
b e c on t in u e d an d e u al e d q M e an while t h e p oe t ry o f s im p l e p as s ion , al th ou g h
.
b e fo re 1 660 o ft e n d e fo rm e d b y ve rb al fan c ie s an d con ce it s o f t h o u g h t , an d aft e r

fi
ward s b y l e vity an d an art i c ia l ton e , p ro d u c e d in H e rric an d Wal l e r s o m e k
c h arm in g p ie c e s o f m o re fi
n is h e d a rt th an t h e E l izab e th an u n t il in t h e c ou rt l y
,
c o m p l im e n ts o f S e d l e y it s e e m s t o e xh au s t it s e l f an d l ie al m o s t d orm an t for t h e
k
h u n d re d ye ars b e t we e n th e d ays o f Wit he r a n d S u c l in g an d th e d ays o f B u rn s
an d C owp e r T h at t h e c h an g e fro m o u r e arl y s tyl e t o t he m o d e rn b rou g h t with
.
fi
it at rs t a l os s o f n at u re an d s im p l ic ity is u n d e n iab l e y e t th e b o l d e r an d wid e r
s c op e which p oe t ry t o o k
b e twe e n 1 62 0 an d 1 7 00 , an d th e s u c ce ssfu l e ffo rt s t h e n
m ad e t o g ain g re at e r c l e arn e s s in e xp re ss io n , in t h e ir re s u l ts h ave b e e n n o sl ig ht
co m p e n sation —
Tra nsfe rre d from P a lg ra ve ’s N ot e s
. .
L XXXV
O DE O N THE M ORN I N G OF C H RI ST S ’
N A TI V IT Y
This is the month and this the happy morn,
Wherein the Son of Heaven s E ternal King ’
O f wedded mai d and virgin mother b orn ,
O ur great redemption from ab ove di d b ring ;

For so the holy sages once did sing
That H e our deadly forfeit S hould release ,
And with H is Father work us a perpetu al peace .
59
60 T H E GO LD E N T REAS URY
T hat glorious Form that Light unsu fferable

, ,
And that far b eaming bl az e of M aj esty

-
’
Wherewith H e wont at H eaven s high council table
To sit the midst of Trina] Unity ,
H e lai d aside ; and here with u s to b e

, ,
F orsook the cour ts of everlasting day ,
And chose with us a darksome house of mortal clay .
S ay heavenly M use shal l not thy sacred vein

, ,
Afford a present to the I nfant God ?

H ast thou no verse no hymn or solemn str ai n
, ,
To welcome Him to this H is new abode ,
Now while the heaven by the sun s team untrod

,
’
,
H ath took no print of the approaching light ,
And all the S pangled host keep watch in squadrons bright ?
See how from far upon the eas tern road

, ,
The star led wizar d s haste with odors sweet

-
0 run prevent them with thy humble o d e

,
And lay it lowly at H is blessed feet ;

H ave thou the honor first thy Lord to greet ,
And j oin thy voice unto the Angel quire

“
From out H is secret al tar t ou ch d with hallow d ’ ’
T H E H YM N
I t was the winter wil d

While the heaven born Chi ld -
.
All meanly wrapt in the ru d e manger lies ;

Nature in awe to H im
H ad doff d her gaudy trim
’
,
With her great M aster so to sympathize

I t was no season then for her
To wanton wi th the sun her lusty paramour , .
O nly wi th speeches fair

She woos the gentle air
To hi d e her gui lty front with innocent snow ;
B O O K S E CO N D 61
And on her naked shame ,
P ollute with sinful blame ,
The sai ntly veil of maiden white to throw ;

Confoun d ed that her M aker s eyes
,
’
S hould look so near upon her foul deformities .
But H e her fe ars to cease

, ,
S ent down the meek eye d Peace -
She c row n d with olive green came softly sliding

,
’
,
D own through the turning sphere ,
His ready h arbinger ,
With turtle wing the amorous clouds divi ding ;

And waving wide her myrtle wand ,
She strikes a universal peace through sea and land .
NO war or b attle s sound ’
Was heard the world around

The i d le spear and shiel d were high up hung ;
‘
The hook ed chariot stood

U n stain d with hostile bloo d ;
’
The trumpet spake not to the arm ed throng

G
And kings sat still with awful eye ,
As if they surely knew their sovran Lo rd was
But peaceful was the night

Wherein the P rince of Light
His reign of peace upon the earth began
The winds with wonder whist
, ,
Smoothly the waters kist ,
Whispering new j oys to the mild oce an

Who now hath quite forgot to rave ,
Whi le b ir d s of calm sit broo d ing on the charm ed wave .
The stars with deep amaze

, ,
Stan d fi x d in stead fast gaze

’
Bending one way their precious influence ;

And will not take their flight
62 TH E G O LD E N TREAS URY
For al l the morning light ,
Or Lucifer that often w arn d them thence ; ’
But i n their glimmering orbs did glow

Until their Lord H imself bespake and bid them go , .
And though the shady gloom

H ad given day her room ,
The sun himself wi thheld his wonted speed ,
And hid his head for shame ,
As hi s infe rior flame

’
The new e n l ig h te n d world no more should need ;
-
H e saw a greater Sun appear

Than his b right throne or burning axletree could
,
The shepherds on the lawn

O r ere the point of dawn
Sate simply chatting in a rustic row ;
Full little thought they than
That the m ighty Pan
Was kindly come to liv e with them b elow ;
'
Perhaps their loves or else their sheep

,
Was all that di d thei r silly thoughts so busy keep

When such music sweet
Their he arts and ears did greet
As never was by morta l finger strook
D ivinely warble d voice
-
Answering the stri nged noise ,
As all their souls in blissful rapture took

The air such pleasure loth to lose
, ,
With thousand echoes still prolongs each heavenly

Nature that heard such sound
,
Beneath the hollow round

Of Cyn thia s seat the ai ry region thrilling
’
,
N ow was almost won

T o think her part was done ,
An d that her reign had here i ts last ful fi lling ;

Yea Truth and J us tice then

,
Wi l l down return to men ,
O rb d in a rainbow ; and like glories wearing

’
, ,
Mercy will sit between

Throned in celestial sheen ,
With ra d iant feet the tissued clouds fi own steering ;

And H eaven as at some festival
, ,
Will open wide the gates of her high palace hall .
But wisest Fate says No ;

This must not yet be so ;
The Babe yet lies in smiling infancy
That on the bitter cross
Must redeem our loss ;
S o both H imself and us to glori fy
Yet first to those ych ai n d in sleep
,
’
The wakeful trump of doom must thunder through the

deep ;
With such a horrid clang

As on M ount Sinai rang
While the red fire and smoldering clouds o u tb rake
The aged E arth aghast
With terror of that blas t
Shall from the surface to the center shake ,
When at the worl d s last sessi on

,
’
,
The dreadful J udge in middle ai r shall spread His

throne .
And then at last our bliss

Full and perfect is ,
But now begins ; for from this happy day

The ol d D rag on un d erground ,
I n strai ter limits bound ,
Not half so far casts his usurp ed sway ;

A n d wroth to see hi s kingdom fail
, ,
Swinges the scal y horror of his folded tai l .

The Oracles are dumb ;

N 0 voice or hideous hum
Runs through the arched roof in words decei v ing .
Apollo from his shrine

Can no more di vine ,
With hollow shriek the steep of Delphos leaving

No nightly trance or breath ed spell
I nspires the pal e eyed priest from the propheti c cell
-
.
The lonely mountai ns o er ’
And the resounding shore

A voice of weeping heard and loud lament ;
,
From haunte d spring and dale

Edged with popl ar pale
The parti ng Genius is with sighing sent ;
With fl owe r inwoven tresses torn
-
T he Nymphs in twilight shade of tangled thickets mourn .
I n consecrated earth
And on the holy hearth
The Lars and Lemures moan wi th midnight pl aint ;
I n urns and altars round
,
A d rear and dying sound

Affrights the F l arn e n s at their service qu ai nt ;
And the chill marble seems to sweat ,
While each peculiar Power forgoes his wonted seat .
Peor and Baalim

Forsake their temples di m ,
With that twice b atte r d god of P alesti n e ;

-
’
And moon ed Ashtaroth

’
H eaven s queen and mother both ,
N ow sits not girt wi th tapers holy shine ; ’
The Lyb ic H ammon shrinks his horn

I n vai n the Tyrian maids their wounded Thammuz mourn .
And sullen M oloch fled , ,
H ath left in sha d ows dread

66 T H E G O LD E N T REA S U RY
H is b urning idol all of blackest hue ;

’
I n vai n with cymbals ring
They call the g risly king ,
I n dismal dance about the furnace blue ;

The brutish gods of Nile as fast ,
I sis and O rus and the dog Anubis haste

, , , .
Nor is Osiris seen

I n M emphian grove or green , ,
Trampling the u n sh owe r d grass with lowings loud

’
Nor can he be at rest

Within his sacred chest ;
N ought but profoundest Hell can be his shroud
I n vain with tim b re l d anthems dark’
The sable stol ed sorcerers bear his worsh ip t ark

-
.
H e feels from J uda s land ’
The dreade d I nfant s hand ; ’
The rays of Bethlehem b lind his dusky eyn ;

N or all the gods beside
Longer dare abide ,
N ot Typhon huge ending in snaky twine

Our Babe to S how H is Go d head true
, ,
Carr in H is swaddling b an ds control the damn ed crew .
S o when the sun in bed

,
C u rtain d with clou d y red

’
Pillows his chin upon an orient wave ,
The flocking shadows pale

Troop to the infernal jail ,
Each fe tt e r d ghost slips to his several grave ;

’
And the yellow skirted fays-
Fl y afte r the night steeds leaving their moon loved

'
-
,
maze .
But see ! the V irgi n blest

Hath l ai d her Babe to rest
Time is our tedi ous song should here have ending
“
,
B O O K S E CO N D
’
H eaven s youngest teem ed star -
H ath fi x d her p ol ish d car

’ ’
,
H er sleeping Lord with handmaid lamp attending

And all about the courtly stable
B right harn e ss d Angels sit i n order serviceab le
-
’
.
Lx x x v r
SON G FOR ST CEC I LI A S

.
’
DAY , 1 68 7
From H armony from heavenly H armony

,
This universal frame began

When Nature un d erneath a heap
Of j arring atoms lay
An d could not heave her head ,
The tuneful voice was heard from high ,
Arise ye more than dead !

,
Then cold and hot and moist and dry

I n order to their stations leap ,
’
And M usic s power obey .
From harmony from heavenly harmony

,
This univers al frame began

From harmony to harmony
Through all the compass of the notes it ran ,
The di apason closing full in M an .
What passion cannot M usic raise and quell ?

When J ubal struck the chorded shell
His listening brethren sto od aroun d ,
An d won d ering on their faces fell

, ,
To worship that celestial sound .
Less than a god they thought there could not

Within the hollow of that shell
That spoke so sweetly and so well .
What passion cannot M usic raise an d quell ?

The trumpet s lou d cl angor ’
E xcites us to arms ,
68 T H E G O L D E N T REA S U RY
With shrill notes of anger

And mort al al arms .
The d ouble dou b le double beat

O f the thundering drum
C ries H ark ! the foes come ;
Ch arge ch arge t is too late to retreat !
’
, ,
The soft complai ning flute

I n dying notes d iscovers
The woes of hopele s s lovers ,
Whose dirge is whisp e r d by the warbling lute

’
.
Sharp violins proclai m

Their j ealous pangs an d desperation ,
Fury frantic indig nation

, ,
D epth of p ains and height of passion

,
For the fai r disdainful dam e .
But oh what art can teach ,
What human voice can reach

The sacred organ s prai se ?
’
N otes inspiring holy love ,
Notes that wing their heavenly ways

To mend the choi rs ab ove .
O rpheus could lead the savage race,

And trees unrooted left their place
Sequacious of the lyre :
But bri ght Ceci l ia rai sed the wonder hi gher
When to her O rgan vocal breath was given
An Angel heard an d straight appe ar d
,
’
Mistaking E arth for H eaven .
G RA N D C H O R U S
As from the power of sacred lays
The spheres began to move ,
And sung the g reat Creator s prai se ’
To all the bles t above ;

S o when the l ast an d dreadful hour
B O O K S E CO N D
Thi s crumbling pageant shall devour ,
The trumpet sh all be heard on high ,
The dead shall live the living die , ,
And M usic shall untune the sky
L XXXV II
ON THE L A TE MA SS A CRE I N P IE D M O N T
Avenge O Lor d ! Thy sl au g hte r d saints whose b ones
,
’
,
Lie scat te r d on the Alpine mountains cold ;

’
Even them who kept Thy truth so pure of old

When all our fathers worship t stocks and stones ,
Forget not : I n Thy book record their groans

Who were Thy sheep and in their ancient fold
,
Slain by the bloody P iemontese that rol l d ’
M othe r with infant d own the rocks Their moans .
The vales redoubled to the hills and they ,
To H eaven Their m arty r d bloo d and ashes sow

.
’
O er all the I tal ian fields where still doth sway

’
The tri ple Tyrant : th at from these may grow

A hundredfold who having le arnt Thy way
, , ,
Early may fly the Babylonian woe .
L XXXV III
HORA TI A N O D E U PO N CRO M W ELL S RET U RN ’
F RO M I REL A N D
The forward youth that would appear ,
Must now forsake his M uses dear ,
Nor in the shadows sing

His numbers languishing .
’
T
is time to leave the books in dust ,
And oil the unused armor s rust ’

,
Removing from the wall

The corslet of the hal l .
So restless Cromwell could not cease

I n the inglorious arts of peace ,
But through adventurous w ar

Urged his active star
And like the three fork d lightning fi rst

-
’
,
Breaking the clouds where i t was n u rs t ,
Did thoro ugh his own Si d e

H is fiery way divi d e
’
For t is al l one to courage high ,
The emulous or enemy ;

,
An d with Such to inclose ,
I s more than to O ppose ;
Then b urning through the air he went

An d palaces and te mples rent ;
An d Caesar s hea d at last
’
Did through his laurels blast .
’
is madness to resist or bl ame
T
The face of angry heaven s fl am e ; ’
And if we w ould speak true ,
Much to the M an is due
Who from hi s private gardens where

, ,
H e li ved reserv ed and austere ,
( A s if his highest plot

To plant the bergamot) ,
Could by indus trious valor clim b

To ruin the great work of time ,
And cas t the Kingdoms ol d

I nto another mold ;
Though J usti ce against Fate complain ,
An d plead the ancient Rights in vai n

But those do hold or break
As men are strong or weak ;
”
And now the I rish are as hamed

To see themselves in on e year tam e d
So much one man can do
That does both act and know .
They can affi rm his praises best ,
And have though overcome confest

, ,
H ow good he is how j ust ,
And fit for highest trus t .
Nor yet grown sti ffer with command ,
But still in the Republic s hand ’
H ow fit he is to sway
That can so well obey !
’
H e to the Commons feet presents
A Kingdom for his first year s rents ’
,
And (what he may) forbears

His fame to make it theirs
,
And has his sword and spoils ungirt

To lay them at the P ublic s skirt
’
. .
So when the fal con high

Falls heavy from the sky ,
She having kill d no more doth search

,
’
,
But on the next green bough to perch ,
Where when he fi rst does lure

, ,
The falconer has her sure .
—What may not then I sle presume ou r
While victory his crest does plume ?

What may not others fear
I f thus he crown s each year ?
As Cae sar he erelong to Gaul

, , ,
To I tal y an H annibal ,
And to all S tates not free

Shall cli macteric b e .
The Pict no shelter now shall find

Within his parti col or d mind -
’
,
But from this valor sad

Shrink underneath the pl ai d
H appy if in the tufted brake
,
The English hunter him mistake

Nor lay his hounds in ne ar
The Caledonian deer .
’
Bu t
’
Thou the War s and Fortune s
,
M arch indefatigably on ;
And for the last e ffect
S ti ll keep the sword ere ct
B e sides
the force it has to fright
The spirits of the shady night ,
The same arts t hat did gain

A power , must it mai ntai n .
A M a rve l l
.
XXXIX L
L Y C I DA S
( El eg y on a Frien d d rowne d in the I rish Channel , 1 63 7 )
Yet once more 0 ye laurels and once more
, ,
Ye myrtl es b rown with ivy never sere

, ,
I come to pluck yo ur b erries harsh and crude ,
And wi th forced fingers rude

Shat ter your leaves b efore the mellowing year .
Bitter constraint and sad occas ion d ear

Compels me to disturb your season due
For Lycidas is dead dead ere his p ri me
, ,
Young Lycidas and hath not left his peer

,
Who would not sing for Lycidas ? he knew

Himself to sing and build the lofty rime
, .
He must not float upon his watery bier

Unwept and welter to the parching wind
, ,
Without the m e ed of some melodious tear .

Begin then Sisters of the sacred well

,
That from beneath the seat of J ove doth spring ;

Begin an d somewhat loudly sweep the string
,
.
H ence with d enial vai n and coy excuse

So may some gentle M use
With lucky words favor my des tined urn
And as he passes turn ,
An d bid fai r peace be to my sab le shroud .
For we were nursed upon the selfsame hill ,
Fed the same flock by fountain sha d e and rill , ,
Together both ere the high lawns appe ar d

,
’
U nder the O pening eyeli d s of the M orn ,
We drove afield and both together heard

,
What time the gray fl y winds her sultry horn -

,
Battening our fl ocks with the fresh dews of night ,
O ft till the star that rose at evening bright

Toward heaven s descent ha d slope d his westering wheel
’
.
M eanwhile the rural d itties were not mute ;

T e m p e r d to the oaten flute
’
Rough Satyrs danced and Farm s with cloven heel ,
From the glad soun d would not be absent long ;

And old Damoetas loved to hear our song .
But oh ! the heavy chan ge now thou art gone

, , ,
N ow thou art gone and never must return ! ,
Thee S hepherd thee the woods and desert caves

, ,
With wi ld thyme and the gadding vi ne o e rg row n ’

,
And all their echoes mourn ,
The willows and the hazel copses green

Sh al l now no more be seen
Fanning their j oyous leaves to thy soft lays
As ki lling as the canker to the rose ,
O r tai ntworm to the weanling herd s that graze ,
O r frost to flowers that their gay wardrobe wear

,
When first the whitethorn blows ;

’
Such Lycidas thy loss to shepherd s ear
, , .
O fountai n Arethuse and thou h on or d flood ,

’
Smooth sliding M in ciu s crown d with vocal ree d s

-
,
’
,
That strain I hear d was of a higher moo d .
But now my oat procee d s ,
And listens to the heral d of the sea

That came in Neptune s plea ; ’
H e ask d the waves an d a sk d the felon winds

’
,
’
,
What hard mishap hath doom d this gentle S wain ? ’
And qu e s tion d every gust of rugge d wings

’
That blows from o ff each beak ed promontory

They knew not of his sto ry ;
And sage H ippotadés their answer brings
That not a blast was from his dungeon stray d ;
The air was calm and on the level brine
,
'
Sleek Pan op é with all her sisters pl ay d ’

.
I t was that fatal an d p e rfi diou s bark

Built in the eclipse and rigg d with curses dark
,
’
,
That sunk so low that sacred head of thine .
Next Camus reverend sire went footing slow

, , ,
His mantle hairy and his bonnet se d ge

,
I nwrought with fi g ures dim and on the edge ,
Like to that sanguine flower inscribe d with woe

” ”
Ah ! who hath reft quoth he my dearest pledge !
, ,
Last came and last did go

,
The Pilot of the Galilean l ak e ;

Two m assy keys he bore of metals twai n
( The golden O pes the iron shuts amai n ) ;
,
H e shook hi s mitered locks and stern bespake ,
H ow well could I have spared for thee young swai n , ,
Enow of such as for their bellies sake

,
’
Creep and intrude and climb into the fold !

Of other care they little reckoning make
Than how to scram b le at the S hearers feas t ’
,
And shove away the worthy bi dd en guest .
Blind mouths ! that scarce themselves know how to hold

A sheephook or have l e arn d aught else the least

,
’
That to the faithful herdman s art belongs ’
What recks it them ? What need they ? T hey are sped ;

And when they list their lean and flashy songs
,
Grate on their scrannel pipes of wretche d straw ;

The hungry sheep look up and are not fed , ,
But swoln wi th wind an d the rank mist they draw

Rot inwardly and foul contagion spread
,
Besides what the gri m wolf with privy paw

Dai ly devours apace and nothing said ,
But that two handed engine at the door

-
S tands ready to smite once and smite no more, .
Return Al phé u s ; the dread voice is past

,
That shrunk thy streams ; return Sicilian M use , ,
And call the vales and bi d them hither cast

,
Their bells and fl owe re ts of a thousand hues .
Ye valleys low where the mild whispers use

,
O f shades and wanton winds and gushing brooks

, ,
O n whose fresh lap the swart star sparel y looks ;

Throw hither all your quai nt e n am e l d eyes ’
’
That on the green turf suck the h on e y d showers
And purple all the ground with vernal flowers .
Bring the rathe primrose that forsaken dies ,
The tufted crow toe and pale j essamine

-
, ,
The white pink and the pansy fre ak d with j et

,
’
,
The glowing violet ,
The musk rose and the well attired woo d bine

,
-
,
With cowslips wan that hang the pensive head ,
And every flower that sad embroidery wears

Bid amaranthus all hi s beauty she d ,
An d d affo d illies fill their cups with tears

To strew the laureat hearse where Lycid lies .
For so to interpose a little ease ,
Let our frail thoughts dally with false surmise

A y me ! whilst thee the shores an d soun d ing seas
TH E G O LD E N TREAS U RY
Was h far away ,

—where er
thy bones are h u rl d ’ ’
,
Whether beyond the stormy H ebri d es

Where thou perhaps under the whelming tide , ,
V isitest the bottom of the monstrous world ;

O r whether thou to our moist vows denied, ,
S l e e p s t by the fable of B e l l e ru s old

’
,
Where the great V ision of the guar d ed mount

Looks toward N am an c Os and B ayo n a s hold ’
,
Look homewar d Angel now and melt with ruth, , ,
An d 0 ye d olphins waft the hapless youth !

, ,
Weep no more woeful shepherds weep no more, , ,
For Lyci d as your sorrow is not dead

, , ,
Sunk though he be beneath the watery floor

S o S inks the day star in the ocean bed ,
And yet anon repairs his drooping head

And tricks his beams and with new S pangled ore ,
-
Flames in the forehead of the morning sky

5 0 Lycidas sunk low b ut mounted high ,
Through the clear might of H im that walk d the waves ; ’
Where other groves and other streams along

, ,
With nectar pure his oozy locks he laves ,
And hears the unexpressive nuptial song

I n the b lest king d oms meek of j oy an d love .
There entertain him all the Sai nts above

I n solemn troops an d sweet societies , ,
That sing and singing in their glory move

, , ,
And wi pe the tears forever from his eyes .
Now Lycidas the shepherds weep no more ;

, ,
Hencefort h thou art the Genius of the shore

I n thy large recompense and shalt be good ,
To all that wander in that perilous floo d .
Thus sang the uncouth swain to the oaks and rills ,
While the still morn went out with sandals gray

H e t ou ch d the tender stops of various quills
’
,
With eager thought warbling his Doric lay

80 T H E G O LD E N TR EAS U RY
And m ingle with forgott en as hes when ,
D eath calls ye to the crowd of common men .
D evouring Famine Plague and War

, ,
Each able to undo mankind ,
’
D eath s se rvile emissaries are ;
Nor to these alone confined ,
H e hath at will
M ore quaint and sub tle ways to kill ;
A smile or kiss as he will use the art
, ,
Shall have the cunning skil l to break a he art .
X CII
D E A TH THE LEV ELER
The glories of our blood and sta te
A re shadows not substa ntial thi ngs ;
,
There is no armor agai nst fate ;

D eath lays hi s icy han d on kings
S cepter and Crown
M ust tumble down ,
And in the d ust be equal made

With the poor crooked scythe an d spade .
Some men with swords may reap the field ,
And plant fres h laurels where they kill

But their strong nerves at last must yi eld ;
They tame b ut one an other still :
E arly or late
They stoop to fate ,
And must gi ve up their murmuring b reath

Wh en they pal e cap tives creep to death
, , .
The garlands wither on your b row ;

Then boast no more your mighty deeds ;
Upon D eath s purple altar now
’
See where the victor victim b leeds -

B O O K SE C O N D 81
Your heads must come

To the cold tomb ;
O nly the actions of the j ust
S mell sweet and blossom in their dust
, .
X C III
W HEN THE A S S AU LT W A S I N TEN D E D TO THE C IT Y
Captain or Colonel or Knight in Arms
, , ,
Whose chance on these defenseless doors may seize ,
I f deed of honor di d thee ever pleas e ,
Guard them an d him withi n protect from harms

, .
H e can requite thee ; for he knows the ch arms

That call fame on such gentle acts as these ,
A n d he can spread thy name o er lands and seas

’
,
’
Whatever clime the sun s bri ght circle warms .
’
Lift not thy spear against the Muses bower
The great E m athian conqueror bid spare
The house of Pin d arus when temple an d tower
,
Went to the g roun d : and the repeated air

O f sad Electra s poet had the power
’
To save the Athenian w alls from rui n b are .
XC I V
ON HIS B LI N D N ES S
When I consider how my light is spent
Ere half my days in this dark world and wide
, ,
And that one talent which is death to hide

Lodged wi th me useless though my soul more ,
To serve therewith my Maker and present ,
M y true account lest H e return ing chide

, ,
Doth God exact d ay labor light de n ied ?

-
,
I fon dly ask : But Patience to prevent ,

82 T H E G O LD E N TREAS URY
That murmu r soon replies ; God doth not need

,
Either man s work or His own gifts : who best

’
,
Bear His mild yoke they serve H im best : H is sta te

,
I s kingly ; thousands at H is bidding spee d

And post o er land and ocean without rest
’
They also serve who only sta nd and wait .
j M i l ton
.
X CV
C H A R A CTER O F A H A PP Y LI FE
H ow happy is he born and taught
That serveth not another s will ; ’
Whose armor is his honest thought

An d S imple truth his utmost skill !
Whose passions not his masters are ,
Whose soul is still prepare d for d eath ,
U ntied unto the world by care

Of public fame or private breath
,
Who envies none that chance doth raise

Nor vice ; who never un d erstood
H ow d eepest wounds are given by praise ;
Nor rules of state but rules of good :
,
Who hath his life from rumors freed ,
Whose conscience is his strong retreat ;

Whose state can neither fl at te re rs feed ,
Nor ruin make oppressors great ;
Who Go d doth late and early pray

More of His grace than gi fts to lend ;
And entertains the harmless day
With a religious book or frien d ;
— This man is freed from servile bands

O f hope to rise Or fear to fall ;
,
T H E GO LD E N T R EAS U RY
Yet let him keep the rest ,
But keep them with repining restlessness

Let him be rich and weary that at least , ,
I f goodness l ead him not yet weariness

,
May toss him to My breas t .
G H e ré e fl
.
X C V III
THE RETRE A T
H appy those early days when I,
Shined in my Angel infancy !

-
Before I understood thi s place

Appointed for my s econd race ,
O r taught my soul to fancy aught

But a white celesti al thought ;
,
’
When yet I had not walk d above
A mile or two from my first Love ,
And looking back at that short space

,
Could see a glimpse of H is bright face ;

When on some gilded cloud or flower
My gazing soul would dwell an hour ,
And in those weaker glo ri es spy

Some shadows of eternity ;
B efore I ta ught my ton g ue to wound
M y conscience with a sinful sound ,
O r had the black art to dispense

A several Sin to every sense ,
But felt through all this fl e s hl y dress

B right shoots of everlas tingness .
0 how I long to travel back ,
And trea d agai n that ancient track !

That I might once more reach that pl ai n
Where first I left my glori ous train ;
From whence th e n l ig h te n d spiri t sees
’ ’
That shady City of palm trees !

B O O K S E CO N D
But ah ! my soul with too much stay

I s drunk and staggers in the way :
,
Some men a forward motion love ,
But I by backward steps would move ;

An d when this dust fal ls to the urn ,
I n that state I came return ,

.
If . Va n g /ra n
XCIX
TO M R L A W REN CE
.
Lawrence of virtuous father virtuous son

, ,
Now that the fiel d s are d ank an d ways are mire ,
Where shall we sometimes meet and by the fire ,
H elp wa ste a sullen day what may be won ,
From the hard season gai ning ? Time will ru n

011 smoother till Fav o n iu s re inspire
,
-
The frozen earth and clothe in fresh attire

,
The li ly and rose that neither s ow d nor spun

,
’
.
What neat repast shall feast us light and choice , ,
Of Attic taste with wine whence we may ri se

, ,
To hear the lute well t ou ch d or artful voice ’

,
Warble immo rtal notes and Tusca n ai r ?

H e who of those delights can j udge an d spare ,
To interpose them oft i s not unwise , .
j M il ton
.
TO C Y R I A C K S K I N N ER
C yriack, whose grandsire on the royal bench ,
O f Briti sh Themis with no mean applause

,
Pronounced an d in his volumes taught our laws

,
’
, ,
Which others at their bar so often wrench ;
To day deep thoughts resolve with me to drench

-
I n mirth that after no repenting draws ;

,
86 T H E G O LD E N T REAS URY
Let Euclid rest and Archimedes pause

, ,
And what the Swe d e intend and what the French

, .
To meas ure life learn thou be times an d know

,
Toward solid good what lea d s the nearest way :
For other things mild H eaven a ti me ordains ,
And di sapproves that Care though wise in S ho w

,
That with superfluous burden loa d s the day

And when God sen d s a cheerful hour refrains
, ,
A H Y MN IN PRA I SE OF NEPT U N E
’
O f Neptune s empire let us sing ,
At whose command the waves obey ;

To whom the rivers tribute pay ,
Down the high mountains sli d ing ;

To whom the scaly nation yiel d s
H omage for the crystal fiel d s
Wherein they dwell ;
And every s e a go d pays a gem
-
Yearly out of his watery cell ,
To deck great Neptune s diadem ’

.
The T ritons dancing in a ring ,
Before hi s palace gates do make

The water with their echoes quake ,
Like the great thunder soundi ng :

The sea nymphs chant their accents
-
And the Sirens taught to kill

With their sweet v oice ,
M ake every echoing rock reply ,
Unto their gentle murmuring noise ,
’
The praise of Neptune s empery .
T Ca mp ion
.
88 T H E G O L D E N TREAS U RY
Till that divine

I dea take a shrine
O f crysta l flesh through which to shine
,
M eet you her my Wishes , ,
Bespeak her to my blisses ,
And be ye cal l d my absent kiss es

’
, .
I wish her beauty

That owes not al l its duty
To gaudy tire or gl is t ri n g shoe ti e
,
’
-
Something more than

Taffeta or ti ssue can ,
O r rampant feather or rich fan , .
A face that s best ’
By its own beauty drest ,
And can alone comme n d the rest
A face made up
Out of no other shop
Than what N ature s whi te hand sets ope ’
.
S idn e ian
showers
O f sweet discourse whose powers ,
C an cro wn old Winter s h e ad with flowers

’
.
’
Whate er delight
Can make day s forehead bri g ht
’
Or give down to the wings of night .
S oft silken hours ,
O pe n suns shady bowers ;

,
’
Bove all nothing within that lowers
,
.
D ays that need b orrow

,
N 0 part of their good morro w

From a fore— spent night of sorrow
B O O K S E CO N D
Days that in spite

,
O f darkness b y the light ,
O f a cle ar mind are day all n ight .
Life that dares send

,
A challenge to his end ,
“
And when it comes say , , Welcome friend , .
I wish her store

O f worth may leave her poor
O f wishes ; and I wish no more .
Now if Time knows

,
That Her whose radi ant brows

,
Weave them a garland of my vows ;

H er that d ares be
What these lines wi sh to see
I seek no furt her it is S he ,
.
’
is She and here
T ,
Lo ! I unclothe an d clear
My wi shes cloudy character ’
.
Such wo rth as this is

Shall fix my flying wishes ,
And d etermine them to kisses .
Let her full glory ,
My fancies fly before ye ; ,
B e ye my fictions : b ut her story .
R . Cra sna w
THE G RE AT A D V EN T U R ER l
Over the mountai ns

And over the waves ,
Under the fountai ns

A nd under the graves ;
1 P re se rve d in Bish op Pe rcy ’s Re liq u e s of E n g l ish P o e try,” 1 76 5 .
Under floods that are deepest ,
Which Neptune obey ;

Over rocks that are steepest
Love will find out the way .
Where there is no place

For the glow worm to li e ;
-
Where there is no space

For receipt of a fly ;
Where the midge d ares not venture
Lest herself fast she lay ;
I f love come he will enter
,
And soon find out his way .
You may esteem him

A chi ld for his might ;
Or you may deem him
A cow ard from hi s flight ;
But if she whom love doth honor
Be c on ce al d from the d ay
’
,
Set a thousand guar ds upon her ,
Love will find out the way .
Some think to lose him

By having hi m confine d ;
And some do suppose him ,
Poor thing to be bli nd ;

,
But if ne er so close ye wall

’
D o the best that you may ,
Blin d love if so ye call him

, ,
Wi l l find out hi s way ;
You may train the eagle

To st00p to your fist ;
O r you may in veigle
The phoenix of the eas t ;
The l ioness ye may move her
,
9 2 T H E GO LD E N TREAS URY
Reform the errors of the Sp ring ;

M ake that the tulips may have share
O f sweetness seeing they are fai r
, ,
And roses of their thorn s d isarm ;

But most procure
That violets may a longer age endure .
But 0 young b eauty of the woods ,
Whom Nature courts with fruits and flowers ,
Gather the flowers b ut spare the buds ;

,
Le st FL O R A angry at thy crime

,
To kill her infants in their prime ,
S hould quickly make th example yours ;

’
And ere we see

I n the b lossom all our hopes and thee .
A .
C H I LD AN D MA I D EN
Ah Chloris ! could I now but sit
,
As u n con ce m d as when
’
Your infant beauty could beget

N o happiness or pain !
When I the dawn used to admire ,
An d praised the coming day ,
I little thought the rising fire

Woul d take my rest away .
Your charms in harmless childhood

Like metals in a mine ;
Age from no face takes more away
Than youth con ce al d in thine’
.
Bu t as your charms insensibly

To their perfection prest ,
S o love as unperceived d i d fly ,
’
And ce n te r d in my breast .
My passion with your beauty grew ,
While Cupid at my heart ,
Sti l l as hi s mother fav or d you ’
Threw a new flaming dart

Each gloried i n their wanton p art ;
To make a lover he ,
’
E m pl oy d the utmost of his art
To make a beauty she , .
C V II
CO N ST A N C Y
I cannot chan ge as others do , ,
Though you unj ustly scorn ,
Since that poor sw ai n that sighs for you ,
For you alone was born ;

N o Phyllis no your heart to move
, , ,
A surer way I ll try ’

,
And to revenge m y sl ig h te d love '
Will still love on and di e , .
When kill d with grief A rrrin tas li es

,
’
, ,
And you to mind shall call

The sighs that now unpitied rise ,
The tears that vainly fall ,
That welcome hour that ends his smart

Will then begin your pain ,
For such a fai thful tender heart

C an never break in vai n .
j . I/Vil m ot,
Ea rl f
o Rock e s te r
C V III
CO U N SEL TO G I RLS
Gather ye rose b uds while ye may ,
Old Time is still a fl yin g -
An d this same flower that smiles to day -

,
T o morrow will be dying .

94 T H E GO L D E N TR EA S U RY
The glorious Lamp of H eaven the Sun , ,

’
The higher he s a getting -
The sooner will his race b e run ,
’
And nearer he s to setting .
That age is best which is the first ,
When youth and b lood are warmer ;

B ut being spent t he worse an d worst
, ,
Times still succeed the former

, .
Then he not coy b ut use your time ;

,
And whi le ye may go m arry ,
For having lost but once your p ri me ,
You may forever tarry .
L U C A S TA , O N G O I N G TO THE W A RS
Tell me not Sweet I am unki nd
, ,
That from the nunne ry

O f thy chaste breas t and quiet mind ,
To w ar and arms I fly .
True a new mistress now I ch ase

, ,
The first foe in the field ;

And with a stronger faith embrace
A sword a horse a S hield
, ,
.
Yet this inconstancy is such

As you too sh al l adore ;
I could not love thee D e ar so much , , ,
Loved I not H onor more .
Col on e l L ove l a ce
ELI Z A B ETH O F B O HE MIA

You meaner beauties of the night ,
That poorly satisfy our eyes

More by your nu mber than your lig ht ,
96 T H E G O LD E N TREAS U RY
S o well your words his no b le virtues praise ,
That all both j udge you to relate them true ,
’
And to possess them ho mor d M argaret
,
C X II
TH E TR U E BE AU T Y
H e that loves a rosy cheek -
O r a coral lip admires ,
O r from starlike eyes doth seek

Fuel to maintai n his fires
As old Time makes these decay ,
So his flames must waste away .
But a smooth and steadfast mind ,
Gentle thoughts an d calm desires

, ,
H earts with equal love combined ,
Kindle never dying fires :

-
Where these are not I despise

,
Lovely cheeks or lips or eyes .
c x 111
TO D I A N E M E
Sweet be not proud of those two eyes

Which starlike sparkle in their skies ;
N or be you proud that you can see
,
All hearts your captives ; yours yet free

Be you not proud of that rich hair
Which wantons with the lovesick ai r ;
Whenas that ruby which you wear ,
S unk from the tip of your soft ear ,
Will last to be a precious stone

’
When all your world of beauty s gone
1
c x 1v
Love in thy youth fair Maid be wise ;

, ,
Old Time wi l l make thee colder ,
And though each morning new arise

Yet we ea ch day grow older .
Thou as H eaven art fair and young ,
Thine eyes like twi n star s shining ;

But ere another day b e sprung
All these will be declining .
Then winter comes with al l his fears ,
And all thy sweets shall borrow ;

Too late then wilt thou shower thy tears ,
And I too late shall sorrow 1

A n on .
CX V
Go lovely Rose
,
Tell her that wastes her ti me and me

, ,
That now she knows ,
When I resemble her to thee ,
How sweet and fair she seems to be .
Tell her that s young ’
And shuns to have her graces spied ,
That hadst thou sprung

I n deserts where no men abide
,
Thou must have uncommende d d ied .
Small is the worth

O f beauty from the light retired
Bid her come fo rth ,
Su ffer herself to be desire d ,
And not blush so to be a d mired .
1 S ai d to be from Wal te r Port e r s’

M ad ri g al s an d Ai rs ,
”
1 63 2 .
9 8 TH E G O L D E N TREAS U RY
Then die ! that she

The common fate of all things rare
May read in thee :
H ow small a part of time they share
That are so wondrous sweet and fair 1
C XV I
TO CELI A
D ri nk to me only with thine eyes ,
And I will ple d ge with mine ;

O r leave a kiss but in the cup
And I 11 not l ook for wine
’
.
The thirst that from the soul d oth rise

D oth ask a drink divine ;
But might I of J ove s nectar sup ’
,
I would not change for thine .
I sent thee late a rosy wreath ,
Not so much honoring thee

As giving it a hope that there
I t could not withe r d be ; ’
B ut thou thereon d i d st only breathe

And se n t s t it back to me ;
’
Since when it grows an d smells I swear

, , ,
Not of itself but thee !

B .
jon s on
C XV II
CHERR Y RI PE 1 -
There is a garden in her face

Where roses an d white lilies blow ;
A heavenly para dise is that place ,
Wherein all pleasant fruits do grow ; 2

5
1 Th e se ve rse s n ow g ive n t o T ho m as C am p ion , app e ar in his u n d ate d “ F o u rt h
k A
B o o o f irs , ” p u b l is h e d aft e r F e b ruary , 1 6 1 7 T h e y h ad p re viou s ly b e e n p u b
.
!
l is he d in “An H o u r’s R e cre at ion in M u s ic , ” 1 606 .

1 00 T H E G O LD E N TREA S U RY
And sweet as Flora Take no care .
For j ewels for your gown or hair ,
Fear not ; the leaves will strew

Gems i n abundance upon you
Besides the chil d hood of the day has kept
, ,
Against you come some orient pearls unwept ,
Come and receive them while the light

,
H angs on the dew locks of the night : -
And Titan on the eastern hill

Retires himself or else stands still ,
Till you come forth Wash d ress be brief in praying.

, ,
F e w beads are best when once we go a Maying , .
Come my Corinna come ; and coming mark

, , ,
H ow each field turns a street ; each street a park

M ad e green and trim m d with trees : see how
,
’
Devotion gives each house a b ough

Or branch Each porch each door ere this , , ,
An ark a tabernacle is, ,
Made up of white thorn neatly interwove ; -
As if here were those cooler shades of love .
Can such delights b e in the street ,
And open fields and we not see t ? ,

’
’
Come we ll abroad : and let s obey
’
The proclamation made for May :

And sin no more as we have done by staying ;
, ,
’
But my Corinna come let s go a M aying
, , , .
Ther e s not a budding b oy or girl this day

’
, , ,
But is got up and gone to bring in May

,
.
A deal of youth ere this i s come , ,
Back and with white thorn laden home

,
-
.
Some have dis patch d their cakes and cream ’

,
B efore that we have left to dream

An d some have wept and woo d and plighted troth ,
’
, ,
An d chose their p rie st e re we can cast off sloth :

'
,
Many a green gown has been given ;

-
Many a kiss b oth o dd and even

,
Many a glance too has been sent

From out the eye Love s firm am e n t,
’
Many a j est told of the keys betraying

’
T his night and locks pick d : Yet we re not a
,
’
-
Come let us go while we are in our prime ;

, ,
And take the harmles s folly of the time !

We shall grow old apace and die ,
Before we know our liberty .
Our life is short ; and our days ru n

As fast away as does the sun
And as a vapor or a d rop of rain
,
Once lost can ne er be found agai n

,
’
S o when or you or I are made

A fable song or fleeting shade ;
, ,
All love all liking all deligh t

, ,
Lies drown d with us in en d less night

’
.
Then while ti me serves and we are but decaying , ,
’
Come my Corinna ! come let s go a Maying
, , .
XIX C
THE POETR Y O F D RES S

I
A sweet disorder in the dress

Kin d les in clothes a wantonness
A lawn ab out the shoulders thrown
I nto a fine distracti on ,
An erring lace which here and there

,
Enthralls the crimson stomacher ,
A cuff neglectful and thereb y ,
Ribbands to flow confusedly ,
A winning wave , deserving n ote ,

102 TH E G O LD E N TREAS URY
I n the tempestuous pet ticoat ,
A careless shoe string in whose tie ,
I see a wild civility ,
D o more bewitch me than when art ,
I s too precise in every part .
CX X
Whenas in silks my J ulia goes

Then then (methinks) how sweetly flows
,
That liquefaction of her clothes .
Next when I cast mine eyes and see

,
That brave vibration each way free ;

0 how that glittering taketh me 1
1
cx x r
3
My Love in her attire doth S how her Wit ,
I t d oth so well become her :

For eve ry seaso n she hath dressings fit ,
For Winter S pring and Summer

, , .
N o beauty she doth miss

When all her robes are on
But Beauty s self she is
’
When all her robes are gone .
A n on .
C XX II
ON A GI R D LE
That which her slender waist confined

Shall now my joyful temples bind
1 F ro m D avis on ’
s Po e tical Rh ap so y , 160 2
d ”
.
{ 04 T H E G O LD E N T REAS U RY
C XX I V
A N THE A WH O MAY CO M MA N D H I M A N YTH I N G
Bid me to live an d I will live,
Thy Protestant to be
O r b id me love and I will give ,
A loving heart to thee .
A heart as so ft a heart as kind , ,
A he art as sound and free

As in the whole world thou canst find ,
That heart I 11 give to thee ’

.
Bid that heart stay and it will stay , ,
To honor thy decree :

O r b id it languish quite away ,
And t shall do so for thee

’
.
Bid me to weep and I will weep ,
While I have eyes to see

And having none yet I will keep ,
A heart to weep for thee .
Bid me despair and I l l despair ,

’
,
Under that cypress tree

O r bid me die and I will dare ,
E en D eath to die for thee

’
, .
Thou art my life my love my heart , , ,
The very eyes of me ,
And hast command of every part ,
To live and die for thee .
c xx v 1
Love not me for corn e grace ,
For my pleas ing eye or face ,
Nor for any outward p art ,
N 0 nor for my consta nt heart

, ,
1 F ro m ohn
J Wil b ye ’
s S e con d S e t of M ad rig als ,”
B O O K S E CO N D
For those may fail or turn to ill

, ,
S o thou and I shal l sever

Keep therefore a true woman s eye ’
And love me still but know not why

,
So hast thou the same reason still

To dote upon me ever !
A n on .
C XXV I
Not Celia that I j uster am
, ,
O r better than the rest ;

For I would change each hour like them , ,
Were not my he art at rest .
But I am tied to very thee

By every thought I have ;
Thy face I only care to see ,
Thy heart I only crave .
All that in woman is adored

I n thy de ar self I find
For the whole sex can but afford
The handso m e and the ki nd .
Why then should I seek further sto re ,
And still make love anew ?

When change itself can give no more,
T is easy to b e true
’
.
XX V II C
TO A LTHE A FRO M PRI SO N

When Love with u n c on fin éd wi ngs
H overs within my gates ,
And my divine Althea brings

To whisper at the grates ;
When I lie tan gled in her hair
And fe tt e r d to her eye
’
,
1 06 TH E G O LDE N TREAS URY
The Gods that wanton in the air

Know no such liberty .
When flowing cups run swiftly round

With no al laying Thames ,
O ur careless heads with roses bound ,
Our heart s with l oyal flames ;

When thirsty grief in wine we steep ,
When he al ths an d d raughts go free

Fishes that tipple in the deep
When ( like committe d linnets) I

With shriller throat sh all sing
T he sweetness mercy maj esty
, ,
And glories of my King ;

When I shall voice aloud how good
H e is how great shoul d be
, ,
E nlarged winds that curl the flood

, ,
S ton e walls do not a prison make ,
Nor iron bars a cage ;

Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage ;
I f I have freedom in my love
And in my soul am free ,
Angels alone that soar above

, ,
E nj oy such li b erty .
Col om l L ov e l ac e
'
c x x vn r
LU C A S T A , G O I N G BE Y O N D THE SEA S
If to b e ab sent were to be
Away from thee ;
Or that when I am gone
You or I Were alone ;
1 08 TH E G O LD E N TREAS U RY
Quit quit for shame ! this will not move

, , ,
This cannot take her ;

I f of herself she will not love ,
Nothing can make her

The D—1 take her !
S i r] . S u ckl i n g
A S U PPLI C A TI O N
Awake awake my Lyre !
, ,
And tell thy silent m aster s humble tal e ’
I n sounds that may prevai l ;

Sounds that gentle thoughts inspire
Though so exalted she
And I so lowly be
Tell her such di fferent notes make all thy harmony
, .
H ark how the strings awake !

,
And though the moving hand approach not near

, ,
Themselves with awful fear

A kind of numerous trem b ling make .
Now all thy forces try ;

Now al l thy charms apply ;
Revenge upon her ear the conquests of her eye .
Weak Lyre ! thy virtue sure

I s useless here since thou art only found
,
To cure but not to wound

, ,
And she to wound but not to cure , .
Too w eak too wilt thou prove

My passion to remove ;
’
Physic to other ills thou rt nourishment to Love
,
.
Sleep sleep again my Lyre !

, ,
For thou canst never tell my humble tale

I n sounds that will prevail ,
N or gentle thought s in her inspire ;

9
All thy vain mirth lay b y ,
Bid thy strings silent lie ,
Sleep sleep agai n my Lyre and let thy mas ter die
, , , .
A .
cx x x r
THE MA N L Y HE A RT
Shall I was ting in despai r
, ,
’
Die because a woman s fair ?
O r make pale my cheeks with care
Cause another s rosy are ?
’ ’
Be she fairer than the day

O r the flowery mead s in May
‘
I f she think not well of me

What care I how fair she be ?
Sh al l my silly heart be pined
’
Cause I see a woman kind ;
O r a well disposed nature
J oin ed wi th a lovely fea ture ?
B e she meeker kin d er than
,
Turtle dove or pelican

-
.
I f she be not so to me
What care I how kind she b e ?
’
Shall a woman s virtues move
M e to perish for her love ?
O r her well deservings known
-
M ake me quite forget mine own ?

Be she with that goodness blest
Which may merit name of Best ;
I f she be not such to me ,
What care I how good she be ?

’
Cause her fortune seems too high ,
Shall I play the fool and die ?

She that bears a noble mind
I f not outward helps she find ,
1 10 T H E G O LDE N TREAS U RY
Thinks what with them he would do

Who without them dares her woo ;
And unless that mind I see ,
W hat care I how great she b e ?

Great or good or kind or fair
, ,
I will ne er the more despai r ;

’
I f she love me this believe, ,
I will di e ere she shall grieve ;

I f she slight me when I woo ,
I can scorn and let her go ;

For if she be not for me ,
What care I for whom she b e ?

G I/Vztl ze r
.
cx x x u
M ELA NCHO L Y
H ence all you vain delights
, ,
As short as are the nights

Wherein you spen d your folly
’
There s naught in this life sweet
’
I f man were wise to see t ,
But only melancholy ,
O sweetest M elancholy
Welcome folded arms an d fi x é d eyes
, , ,
A sigh that piercing m ortifi e s ,
’
A look that s fasten d to the ground
’
,
A tongue ch ain d up without a sound !

’
Fountai n heads and pathless groves

-
,
Places which pale passion loves !

M oonlight walks when all the fowls
,
Are warmly house d save b ats an d owls !

A midnight bell a p arting groan !
,
These are the sounds we fee d upon ;

Then stretch our bones i n a still gloomy valley ;
’
N othing s so dainty sweet as lovely melancholy .
j . F l e tc/ze r
1 12 T H E G O LDE N TREAS URY
M y Love was clad in the b lack velvet,

And I myself i n cramasie .
But had I wist before I kist

, ,
That love had been sae ill to win ;

I had lockt my heart in a case of gowd
And pin n d it with a siller pin
’
.
And O if my young babe were b o rn

, ,
An d set upon the nurse s kn e e ’

,
And I mysell were dea d and gane ,
And the green grass growing over me !

An on .
1
c x x x rv
Upon my lap my sovereign sits

And sucks upon my breast ;
M ea n ti me hi s love maintains my li fe
And gives my sense her rest .
Sing l ullaby my little boy

, ,
Sing lullaby mine only j oy !

,
When thou hast taken thy repast ,
Repose my babe on me ;
, ,
S o may thy mother an d thy nurse

Thy cradle also be .
Sing lullab y my li ttle boy

, ,
Sing lullaby mi ne only j oy !

,
I grieve that duty doth not work

Al l that my wi shing would ,
Because I would not b e to thee

But in the best I should .
Sing lullaby my little b oy

, ,

,
Yet as I am and as I may

, ,
I must an d will b e thine ,
1 F rom M art in P e e rson s

’
vat e
P ri M u s ic, ” 1 62 0 .
B O O K S E CO N D 1 13
Though al l
too little for thyself
Vou ch safi n g to be mine .
Si ng lullaby my little boy

, ,

,
A n on .
C XXXV
F A IR HELEN 1
I wi sh I were where H elen li e s ;
Night and d ay on me she cries ;
0 t hat I were where H elen lies
O n fai r Kircon n e ll lea !
Curst be the he art that thought the thought ,
And curst the hand that fire d the shot ,
When in my arms bur d H elen d ropt ,
And died to succor me !
0 think na but my heart was s air

When my Love dropt down and spak nae mair '
I lai d her down wi meikle care ’
O n fair Kircon n e ll lea .
As Iwent down the water si d e -

,
None but my foe to be my gui d e ,
None but my foe to be my gu ide ,
O n fai r Kircon n e l l lea ;
I lighted down my sword to draw ,
I hacké d him in pieces sma ’

,
I hackéd him in pieces sma ’

,
For her sake that died for me .
0 Helen fair beyond compare !

,
I 11 make a garlan d of thy hair

’
S hall bind my heart for e v e rm air

U n til the day I die .
1 F ro m S c o tt ’s M in stre l sy of t
th e S cot ish B orde r, ” 1 80 2 —
1 80 3 .
1 1 4 THE G O LD E N TREA S URY
0 that I were where H elen lies !

Night an d day on me she cri es ;
Out of my bed she bi d s me rise ,
Says H as te an d come to me !
,
0 H elen fair ! 0 H elen chaste !

I f I were with thee I were bles t
, ,
Where thou li es low and takes thy rest

O n fair Kircon n e l l lea .
I wish my grave were g rowing green ,
A wi n ding sheet d rawn ower my een

-
,
And I in H elen s arms lying

’
,
On fair Kircon n e l l lea .
I wi sh I were where H elen li es ;

Night an d day on me she cri es ;
An d I am we ary of the skies ,
Since my Love di ed for me .
A n on .
C XXXV I
THE TWA COR B I ES 1
As I w as walking all alane
I heard tw a corbies making a mane ;
The ta ne unto the t other say ’
,
Where sall we gang an d dine to day ? -
I n behint yon aul d fai l d yke ,
I wot there lies a new sl ai n Knight ;

-
And naebody kens that he lies there ,
But hi s hawk his hound and la d y fai r

, , .
H is houn d is to the hunting gane ,
H is hawk to fetch the wil d fowl hame -

,
1 F rom S c o tt ’s “ M
in s tre l sy o f t h e S co t ti s h B o rd e r,” 1 802 —
1 8 03 . An o l de r
ve rs ion app e are d in R av e n sc roft ’s M e l is m ata, ” 1 6 1 1 .
1 1 6 T H E G O L D E N TREAS U RY
H enc eforth ye gentle trees forever fade

, , ,
O r your sad branches thicker j oin ,
And into darksome sha d es combine ,
D ark as the grave wherein my friend is l aid .
’
Large was his soul ; as large a soul as e er
Submitted to inform a body here ;
’
High as the place t was shortly in H eaven
But low and humble as his grave
S o high that all the vir t ues there did come
As to the chiefest seat
Conspi cuous and great ; ,
So low that for me too it made a room .
Knowledge he only sought and so soon caught

, ,
As if for him knowledge had rather sought ;

Nor di d more learning ever crowded lie
I n such a short mortali ty .
Whene er the ski llful youth discoursed or writ

’
,
S till did the notions throng

About his eloquent tongue ;
Nor could his ink flow faster than hi s wit .
H is mirth was the pure spi rits of various wit ,
Yet never did his God or friends forget .
And when deep talk and wisdom ca me in view ,
Retired and gave to them their due

,
.
For the rich help of books he always took ,
Though his own searching mind before

Was so with notions wri tten o er ’
,
As if wise Nature had made that her book .
With as much zeal devotion piety

, , ,
H e always lived as other sai nts do die

, .
S till with his soul severe account he kept ,
Weeping all debts out ere he slept .

BOO K SECON D 1 1
7
Then d own in peace an d innocence he lay ,
Like the sun s laborious light

’
,
Which still in water sets at night ,
Unsullied with his j ourney of the day .
C XX XVI II
F RI E N DS IN P A R AD I SE
They are all gone into the world of light !
And I alone sit lingering here ;
Their ve ry memory is fair an d bright ,
And my sa d thoughts doth clear
I t glows and glitters in my cloudy breast ,
Like stars upon some gloomy grove ,

'
O r those faint beams in which this hill is drest ,
’
Afte r the sun s remove .
I see them walking in an air of glory ,
Whose light d oth trample on my days

My d ays which are at best but dull and hoary
, ,
Mere gl immering and decays .
O holy H ope l and high H umility ,
H igh as the H eavens above

These are your walks an d you have show d them me
,
’
,
To kin d le my col d love .
Dear b eauteous Death ! the jewel of the j ust

, ,
Shining nowhere but in the d ark ;

,
What mysteries d o lie be yond thy dust ,
Could man outlook that mark !
H e that hath found some fledged bird s nest may know ’

,
2 5
At fi rst sight if the bird be flown ;
,
But what fair well or grove he sings in now ,
That is to him unknown .

1 18 T H E G O LDE N T REAS URY
And yet as Angels i n some brighter d reams

,
Call to the soul when man doth sleep ;

,
S o some strange thoughts transcend our wonted themes ,
And into glory peep .
11 . Va n g /ra n
C XXX I X
TO BLO SSO M S
Fair ple d ges of a fruitful tree ,
Why d o ye fall so fast ?

Your date is not so past ,
But you may stay yet here awhile

To blush and gently smile ,
And go at last .
What were ye born to be

,
’
An hour or half s delight ,
And so to bi d goo d night ? -
T was pity Nature brought ye forth

’
M erely to show your worth ,
And lose you quite .
But you are lovely lea ves where we ,
M ay read how soon things have

Their en d though ne er so brave
,
’
And after they have shown their pride

Like you awhile they gli d e
, ,
I nto the grave .
TO DA FFO D I LS
Fai r Daffodils we weep to see
,
You haste away so soon

As yet the early rising S un -
H as not at tain d his noon ’

‘
.
12 0 TH E G O LD E N TR E A S U RY
For it was nimbler much than hi n d s ,
And tro d as if on the four winds .
I have a garden of my own ,
But so with roses overgrown

A nd lilies that you woul d it guess
,
To be a little wil d erness

And all the springtime of the year
I t only l ov é d to be there .
Among the beds of lilies I

H ave sought it oft where it should lie ;
,
Yet could not till i tself wo u l d rise

, ,
Find i t al though before mine eyes

,
For in the fl ax e n lilies shade ’
I t like a bank of lilies laid .
Upon the roses it would feed ,
Un til its lips e en se e m d to bleed

’ ’
And then to me t would bol d ly trip

’
,
An d print those roses on my lip .
But all its chief delight was s till

O n roses thus i tself to fill ,
And i ts pure virgi n limbs to fold

I n whi tes t sheets of li l ies col d :
H ad it lived long it would have been
,
Lilies without roses withi n .
A . M a rv e l l
C X LII
THO UG HTS IN A GA R D EN
H ow v ai nly men themselves amaze
To wi n the palm the oak or bays
, , ,
And their uncessan t labors see

C row n d from some single herb or tree
’
Whose short an d narrow verged shade -
Does prudently their toils upbrai d ;

While all the flowers and trees do close

To weave the garlan d s of Repose .
Fai r Quiet have I foun d thee here

, ,
And I nnocence thy sister d e ar !

Mistaken long I sought you then
,
I n busy companies of men

Your sacred plants if here below
, ,
O nly among the plants will grow

Socie ty is all but ru d e
To this delicious solitu d e .
No white nor red was ever seen

8 0 am orous as this lovely green .
Fond lovers cruel as their flame

, ,
Cut in these trees their mistres s name ’
Little alas they know or heed

, ,
How far these beauti es hers exceed !

Fair trees whe re s e e r your b arks I wound
’ ’
,
N 0 nam e shall but your own be found .
’
When we have run our p assions heat
Love hither mak es his best retreat :
The go d s who mortal beauty chase
, ,
S till in a tree di d end th e ir race ;

Apollo hunted D aphne so
Only t hat she might laurel grow ;
And Pan di d after Syrinx speed
Not as a nym ph but for a reed
, .
What wondrous life is this I lead !

Ripe apples d rop about my head ;
The luscious clusters of the vine
Upon my mouth do crush their wine ;
'
The necta rine and curious peach

I nto my han d s themselves do reach ;
S tumbling on melons as I pass , ,
E nsnared with fl ow e rs, I fall o n grass .

Meanwhile the mind from pleasure less

Withdraws into its happiness ;
The mind that ocean where each ki nd
,
Does straight its own resem b lance find ;

Yet it creates transcending these
, ,
Far other worlds and other seas ; ,
Annihilating al l that s made ’
To a green thought in a green shad e .
Here at the fountain s sli di ng foot ’
’
O r at some frui t tree s mossy root ,
Casti ng the body s vest aside ’
M y soul into the boughs does glide ;

There like a bird it sits and sings
, , ,
Then whets and claps its silver wings ,
And till prepared for longer flight

, ,
Waves i n its plumes the v arious light .
S uch was that happy G arden state -
While man there walk d with o ut a mate ’
Afte ra place so pu re and sweet

’
What other help could yet be meet !

But t was beyond a mor tal s sh are
’ ’
To wander solitary there

Two paradises t were in one ;
’
To live in P aradise alone .
H ow well the ski llful gardener drew

O f flowers and herbs this di al new
Where from above the milder su n
, ,
Does through a fragrant zodiac run

And as it works th industrious bee
, ,
’
Computes its time as well as we .
H ow could such sweet and wholesome hours

B e re ckon d b ut wi th her b s and flowers
’
,
12 4 T H E G O L D E N TREAS U RY
Yet for al l your pomp an d tr ai n

, ,
S ecurer lives the silly swai n

'
T Ca mp zon
.
C X LI V
L A LLE G RO
’
H ence loath ed M elancholy

, ,
O f Cerberus an d blackest M id n ight b orn

I n Stygian cave forlorn
’
M ongst horri d shapes an d shrieks and sights unholy , ,
Fin d out some uncouth cell

Where brooding D arkness spreads his j ealous wings
An d the night raven sings ;
-
There under ebon sha d es and low brow d rocks ,

-
’
As ragged as thy locks ,
I n dark Cimmeri an desert ever d well .
But come thou God d ess fair and free

, ,
I n heaven yclept Euphrosyne ,
An d by m e n he art easing Mirt h

'
-
, ,
Whom lovely V enus at a birth

With two sister Graces more
To ivy crown ed Bacchus bore ;
-
Or whether ( as some sager sing)

The frolic wind that breathes the spri ng
Z ephyr with Aurora playing
, ,
A s he met her once a Mayi ng

There on beds of violets blue
An d fresh blown roses w ash d in d e w
-
’
Fill d her with thee a d aughter fair

’
, ,
So buxom bli the an d d ebonair

, , .
H aste thee Nymph and bring with thee

, ,
J est and youthful j ollity

, ,
Quips and cranks and wanton wiles

, , ,
Nods an d becks and wreath ed smi les

, ,
Such as hang 0n H ebe s cheek ’

,
5
And love to live in dimple sleek ;

Sport that wrinkled Care derides ,
And Laughter hol d ing both his sides

Come and trip it as you go
,
O n the light fantastic toe ;

And i n thy right hand lead with thee
The mountain nymph sweet Liberty ;
-
,
And if I give thee honor due

Mirth a d mit me of thy crew
, ,
To live with her and live with thee

,
I n unreprov ed pleasures free ;

To hear the lark begin his flight
And singing startle the dull night
From his watchtower in the skies ,
Till the d appled dawn doth rise ;

Then to come in spite of sorrow
, ,
And at my win d ow bid good morrow -
Through the sweetbrier or the vine , ,
O r the twiste d eglantine

While the cock with lively d in
Scatters the rear of darkness thin ,
And to the stack or the b arn door

.
,
Stoutly struts his dames before

O ft listening how the hounds and horn
Cheerly rouse the slumbering morn ,
From the side of some hoar hill ,
Through the high wood echoing shri ll

Sometime walking not unseen
, ,
By hedgerow elms on hillocks green

, ,
Right against the eastern gate

Where the great Sun begins his state
Robed in flames and amber light ,
The clou d s in thousand liveries dight ;

While the plowman near at han d
, ,
Whistles o er the fu rrow d land

’ ’
,
And the milkmaid singeth blithe ,

1 2 6 TH E G O LD E N T REAS U RY
And the mower whets his scythe ,
And every shepherd tells his tale

Under the hawtho rn in the dale .
Straight mine eye hath caught new pleas ures

Whilst the landscape round it measures ;
Russet lawns an d fallows gray
, ,
Where the nibbling flocks do stray ;

Mountai ns on whose barren breast
,
The laboring clouds do ofte n rest ;

Meadows trim with daisies pied ,
Shallow brooks and rivers wide ;

,
Towers and battlements it sees

B oso m d high in tufted trees
’
,
Where perhaps some Beauty lies ,
The Cynosure of neigh b oring eyes .
H ard by a cottage chimney smokes

,
From betwixt two aged oaks ,
Where Corydon and T hyrsis met , ,
Are at their savory dinner set

O f herbs and other country messes
,
Which the neat handed Phillis dresses ;

-
And then in haste her bower she leaves

With T he stylis to bind the sheaves ;
O r if the earlier season lead
, ,
To the ta n n d haycock in the mead

’
.
Sometimes with secure delight

The uplan d hamlets will invite ,
When the merry bells ring round ,
And the j ocund reb ecks sound

To m any a youth and many a mai d ,
D ancing in the ch e cke r d shade ; ’
And young and old co me forth to play

O n a sunshine holyday ,
Till the livelong daylight fail

Then to the spicy nut brown ale
-
,
With stories told of many a feat ,

12 8 T HE G O LD E N TREA S URY
S uch as the meeti ng soul may pierce

I n notes with many a win d ing bout
,
Of link ed sweetness long d rawn out ,
With wanton heed and gi d d y cunning ,
T he melting voice through mazes running ,
Untwisting al l the chains that tie

The hi dd en soul of harmony ;
That O rpheus self may heave his head
’
From gol d en slumber on a bed ,
Of he ap d Elysian flowers an d hear

’
,
Such str ai ns as woul d have won the ear

O f Pluto to have quite set free
,
H is half re gain d Eurydice

-
’
.
These delights if thou canst give ,
M irth with thee I mean to live

,
.
C X LV
I L PE N SERO SO
H ence vain deludi ng J oys
, ,
The brood of Folly without father bred !

H ow little you bestea d
Or fill the fix ed mind with all your toys !
D well in some i d le brai n ,
An d fancies fond with gaudy shapes possess

As thi ck and numberless
A s the gay motes that people the sunbeams ,
O r likest hoveri ng d reams ,
’
The fickle pensioners of Mo rpheus trai n .
But hai l thou go dd ess sage and holy

, ,
H ail divinest M elancholy !

,
Whose saintly visage is too b ri ght

To hit the sense of human sight ,
And therefore to our weak er View

O e rl ai d with black stai d W isdom s hue ;
’ ’
,
BO O K SECON D 1 2
9
Black but such as in esteem

,
P ri nce M e m n on s sister might beseem

’
,
O r that starr d E thiop queen that strove

’
To set her beauty s praise above ’
The sea nymphs and their powers o ffen d ed

,
Yet thou art higher far descen d e d

Thee bright bai r d V esta long of yore
-
’
, ,
To solita ry Saturn bore ;

H is daughter she ; in Saturn s reign ’
Such mi xture was not hel d a stain

O ft in glimmering bowers and glades
H e met her and in secret shades
,
O f woody I da s inmost grove’

,
W hile yet there saw no fear of J ove .
Come pensive Nun devout an d pure

, , ,
Sober stea d fast an d d emure

, , ,
A ll in a robe of d arkest grain

Flowing with maj estic train ,
An d sable stole of Cipres lawn

Over thy decent shoul d ers drawn
Come but keep thy wonte d sta te
, ,
With even step an d musing gait , ,
An d looks commercing with the skies

Thy rapt soul sitting in thine eyes :
There hel d in holy passion still
, ,
Forget thyself to marble ti ll ,
With a sa d lead en d ownwar d cast

Thou fix them on the earth as fast
An d j oin with thee c al m Peace and Quiet ,
Spare Fast that oft with go d s d oth d iet

, ,
An d hears the Muses in a ring

A ye round about J ove s alta r sing ’
An d add to the se retire d Leisure

That in trim gar d ens takes his pleasure :
B ut first an d chiefest with thee bring ,
H im that yon soars on golden wing

13 0 T H E G O LD E N T REAS U RY
Guiding the fi e ry wheel ed throne -

,
The cherub Contemplati on ;

And the mute Silence hist along ,
’
Less Philo m el will deign a song
I n her sweetest saddest plight
S moo thing the rugged brow of N ight ,
While Cynthia checks her dragon yoke

Gently o er the accu sto m d oak
’ ’
.
Sweet bird that shu n n s t the noise of folly

,
’
,
Most musical most melancholy !

,
Thee chantress oft the woo d s among

, , ,
I woo to hear thy evensong ;

,
And missing thee I walk unseen ,
O n the dry smooth shaven green -

,
To behold the wan d ering Moon

Riding near her highest noon ,
Like one that had been led astray

Through the heaven s wide pathless way ’
,
’
And oft as if her head she b ow d
, ,
S tooping through a fl e e cy cloud .
O ft on a plat of rising ground

,
I hear the far off Curfew sound -
Over some wide wate r d shore -

’
,
Swinging slo w with sullen roar

Or if the air will not permit
, ,
Some still remov ed place will fi t ,
Where glowing embers through the room

Teach light to counterfeit a gloom
Far from all resort of mirth ,
Save the cricket on the hearth ,
O r the bellman s drowsy charm ’
To b less the doors from nightly harm .
O r hat m y lamp at midnight hour

Be seen in some high lonely tower ,
Where I may oft out watch the B ear -
With thrice great H ermes or unsphere

-
,
1 32 TH E G O LDE N T REAS U RY
But ke rche ft in a comely cloud

While rocki ng winds are piping loud ,
Or u she r d with a shower still

’
,
When the g ust hath blown his fill ,
En d ing on the rustling leaves

With minute d rops from o ff the eaves .
And when the sun begi ns to fling

H is flaring beams me goddess bring
, , ,
To arch ed walks of twilight groves ,
And shadows brown that Sylvan loves , ,
O f pine or monumental oak

, ,
Where the rude ax with heav ed stroke , ,
W as never heard the nymphs to daunt

O r fright them from their h al low d haunt ’
.
There in clos e covert by some brook

Where no profaner eye may look ,
Hide me from d ay s garish eye ’

,
While the bee with ho mey d thigh ’
That at her flowery work d oth sing ,
An d the waters murmuring ,
With such consort as they keep

Entice the d ewy fe at h e r d Sleep ;
-
’
And let some strange mysterious dream

Wave at his wings in airy stream
Of lively portraiture displ ay d ’
,
Softly on my eyeli d s lai d

“
And as I wake sweet music breathe

, ,
Above about or underneath

, , ,
S ent by some Spirit to mortals good ,
O r the unseen Genius of the wood .
But let my due feet never fail

To w alk the stu d ious cloister s pale ’
,
And love the high embow ed roof -

,
With antique pillars massy proof ,
A n d storied win d ows ri chly dight

Casting a di m rel igious light .
BOOK SECON D 1
33
There let the pealing organ blow

To the full voiced choir below
-
I n service high an d anthems clear ,
As may with sweetness through mine ear

, ,
Dissolve me into ecstasies ,
And bring all H eaven before mine eyes .
And may at last my weary age

Find out the peaceful hermitage ,
The h ai ry gown an d mossy cell

Where I may sit an d rightly spell
Of every star that heaven doth shew ,
An d every herb that sips the dew

Till ol d e x p e rie n c e do attain
~
To something like prophetic strain .
These pleasures M elancholy gi ve

, , ,
And I with the e will choose to live .
M i l ton
C X LV I
SO N G O F THE E M I G R A N TS I N B ER MUDA
Where the remote B ermu d as ride
I n the ocean s bosom unespied
’
,
From a small boat that row d along ’
The listening win d s receive d this song .
What should we d o but sing H is praise

That led us through the watery maze
W here He the huge sea monsters wracks
-
,
That lift the d eep upon their backs ,
Unto an isle so long unknown ,
And yet far kinder than our own ?

H e lands us on a grassy stage ,
Safe from the sto rms an d prelate s rage

,
’
H e gave us this eternal Spring

W hich here enamels eve rything ,
An d sen d s the fowls to us in care

1
34 T H E GO LD E N TREA S U RY
O n daily visits through the air .
H e hangs in shades the orange bright

Like gol d en lamps in a green night ,
A nd does in the pomegranates close

J ewels more rich than O rrn u s shows
H e makes the figs our mouths to meet
And throws the melons at our feet ;
B ut apples plants of such a price ,
N o tree could ever bear them twice .
With ce d ars chosen by H is hand

From Lebanon H e stores the land ;
An d makes the hollow s e as that roar
P roclaim the ambergris on shore .
H e cast ( of which we rather boast)

The Gospel s pearl upon our coast
’
And in these rocks for us d i d frame

A temple where to sound His name .
O h ! let our voice His prai se exalt

Till it arrive at H eaven s vault
’
,
Which thence ( perhaps) rebounding may

E cho beyon d the M exique bay ! ”
Thus sang they in the E nglish boat

A holy and a cheerful note :
And all the way to gui d e their chime
, ,
With falling oars they kept the time .
L V II
CX
A T A SO LE M N MU S I C
Blest p ai r of Sirens ple d ges of H eaven s j oy
,
’
,
S phere born harmonious S isters V oice an d V erse !

-
,
Wed your divine sounds and mixed power employ

, ,
Dead things with inbreathed se nse able to pierce ;

An d to our high r ai sed phantasy present
-
That undisturbed S ong of pure consent

13 6 TH E G O L D E N T REAS U RY
For the bright firm am e n t

Shoots forth no flame
So silent but is eloquent
, ‘
I n speaking the Creator s name ’

.
No unregar d e d star
Contracts its light
I nto so small a character ,
Remove d far from our human sight ,
But if we steadfast look ,
We shall d iscern
I n it as in some holy book ,
H ow man may heavenly knowledge learn .
I t tells the Conqu e ror ,

’
That far s tre tc h d power
-
Which his proud dangers traffic for ,
I s but the triumph of an hour .
That from the farthest North

Some nation may
Yet u n d iscov e r d issue forth
’
,
And o er his new got conquest sway

’
-
.
Some nation yet shut in

With hills of ice ,
May be let out to scourge his sin ,
Till they shall equal him in vice .
An d then they li k ewise shall

Their ruin have ;
For as yourselves your Empires fall ,
And every King d om hath a grave .
T h us those celestial fires ,
Though seeming mute ,
The fallacy of our desires .
An d all the pri d e of life confute , .

B O O K S E CO N D I
S7
For they have w atch d since first ’
The world had birth

An d found sin in itself accursed ,
An d nothing permanent on earth .
cx u x
H Y M N TO
DA R K N ES S
H ail thou most sacred venerab le thing !
What M use is worthy thee to sing ?
Thee from whose pregnant universal womb
,
All things ev n Light thy rival firs t did come

,
’
, , .
What dares he not attempt that sings of thee ,
T hou first and greatest mystery ?

Who can the secrets of thy essence tell ?
Thou like the light of God art inaccessible
, , .
Before great Love this monum ent did rai se ,
This ample theater of prai se ;

Before the folding circl es of t he sky
Were tuned by H im Who is all harmony
"
Before the morning Stars thei rhymn began ,
Before the cou ncil held for man ,
Before the birth o f either time or place ;

Thou re ig n st u nqu e stion d mo narch in t he empty space
’ ’
.
Thy native lot thou didst to Light resign ,
But still half of the globe is thine .
H ere with a quiet but yet awful ha nd

.
, ,
Like the best emperors thou dost comman d .
To thee the stars abo ve their brightness owe ,
And mortals their repose below :

To thy protection fear and s orrow flee ,
those that we ary are of light , fin d re st i n thee .

1 38 T H E G O L D E N T REAS U RY
A V I SI O N
I saw Eternity the other night ,
Like a great ring of pure an d endless l ight ,
All calm as it was b right

,
And roun d beneath i t Time in hours days years

, , , , ,
D riven by the spheres ,
Like a vast shado w move d ; in which the World

And all her tr ai n were h u rl d ’
.
H . Va u g l za n
A LE X AN D ER S FEA ST OR THE PO WER O F MU SI C

’
, ,
’
T was at the royal feast for Persia won
’
By P hilip s warlike son
Aloft in awful state
The godli ke hero sate
O n hi s imperial throne ;
H is valiant peers were placed around ,
Their brows with roses and with myrtl es b oun d ,
rms be crown d) ;
’
( So should desert in a
The lovely Thais by his side
Sate like a bloomi ng Eastern b ri d e
I n flower of youth and beauty s pri de ’
Happy. happy happy pair !

,
None but the b rave

None but the brave
N one but the brave deserves the fair !
Timotheus placed on high

Amid the tuneful choir
With flying fingers tou ch d the lyre ’
The tremblin g notes ascen d the sky

And heavenly j oys inspire .
The song be gan from J ove

H is glowing cheeks his ardent eyes ; ,
And while he H eaven and E art h defied

Changed his han d and che ck d his pride ’
.
H e chose a mournful M use

Soft pity to infuse '
H e sang Darius great and good ,
By too severe a fate

Fallen fallen fallen fallen
, , , ,
Fal len from his high estate .
And weltering i n his blood ;

Deserted at his utmost need
By those his former bounty fed ;
O n the bare earth exposed he lies
With not a friend to close his eyes .
—With downca st looks the j oyless vi ctor

Revolving in his al te r d soul ’
The vari ous turns of Chance below ;

And now and then a sigh he stole ,
And tears began to flow .
The mighty master smiled to see

That love was in the next degree ;
T was but a kindr e d sound to move ;
’
For pity melts the mi nd to love .
Softly sweet in Lydian measures

,
Soon he soothed his soul to pleasures .
War he sang is toil an d trouble

, , ,
H onor but an empty bubble ;

N ever en d ing still begi nning
, ,
Fighting still an d still destroying ;

,
I f the world be worth thy wi nnin g “
Think 0 t hi nk it worth enj oying

, ,
Lovely Thai s sits beside thee ,
Take the good the gods pro v ide thee !

-
The many ren d the skies with loud applause ;

So Love was crown d b ut Music won the cause
’
‘
.
,
The pri nce unable to c onceal his p ain

, ,
Gazed on the fai r

Who ca used his care ,
And sig h d and l ook d sigh d and l ook d

’ ’
,
’ ’
,
S ig h d and l ook d and sig h d again

’ ’ ’
,
At lengt h with love an d wine at once opp re s t

The v an qu ish d victor sunk upon her breast
’
.
N ow s tri ke the golden lyre again

A louder yet an d yet a louder strain !
,
Break his bands of sleep asunder

And rouse him like a rattling peal of thunder .
H ark hark ! the horrid sound

,
H as raised up his head

As awake d from the dead
And amazed he stares around .
Revenge revenge Timotheus cries

, , ,
See the Furi es arise !

See the snakes that they rear
H ow they hiss in their hair ,
And the sparkles that flash from their eyes !

Behold a ghastly band ,
Each a torch in his hand !

Those are Grecian ghos ts that in battle were slain ,
An d unburie d remain
I nglorious on the plai n
Give the vengeance due
To the valiant crew !
Behold how they toss th eir torches on high ,
H ow they point to the Persian abodes

And glitteri ng temples of th e ir hostile go d s .
The princes applau d with a furi ous j oy

An d the King seize d a fl am b e au with zeal to destroy ;
,
Thais led the way

To light him to his prey ,
And like another H elen fired another Troy ! ,

Th us long ago
, ,
Ere heavi ng bellows l e arn d to blow

’
,
While organs yet were mute ,
Timotheus to his b rea t hing flute

,
And sounding lyre

Could swell the soul to rage or kindle soft des ire
, .
A t las t divine Cecilia came,

I nventress of the vocal frame ;
The sweet enthusiast from her sacred store
Enlarged the former narrow b ounds ,
And added length to solemn soun d s ,
With Nature s mother wit and arts unknown be fore

’
-
,
.
Let old Timotheus yi eld the prize

O r b oth divide the crown ;
H e raised a mortal to the skies ;
She drew an angel down !
j D zy de n
.
’
And lightly o er the living scene
Scatters hi s freshes t tenderest green
, .
New born flocks in rustic dance

-
, ,
Frisking ply their feeble feet ;

F org e tfu l of their wintry trance
The birds his presence greet
B ut chief the S kylark warbles high
,
H is trembling thrilling ecstasy ;

,
And lessening from the daz z led sight ,
Mel ts into air an d liqui d light .
Yesterday the sullen year

Saw the snowy whirlwind fly ;
Mute was the music of the air ,
The herd stood drooping by

Their raptures now that wil d ly flow
No yesterday nor morrow know ;
’
T is M an alone that j oy descries
With fo rward and reverted eyes .
Smiles on past misfort une s b row ’
’
Soft re fl e ctio n s hand can trace ,
And o er the cheek of sorrow throw

’
A melancholy grace ;
While hope prolongs our happier hour .
O r deepest sha d es that dimly lour

,
And blacken round our weary way ,
Gilds with a gleam of distant day .
S till where rosy pleas ure leads

, ,
See a kindred grief pursue ;

Behin d the steps that mise ry treads
Approaching comfort view
The hues of bliss more brightly glow
Chas tise d by sabler tin ts of woe ,
An d blen d e d form with artful strife

, ,
The strength and harmony of life .

B O O K TH I R D 1 45
See the wretch that long has tost

O n the thorny be d of pai n ,
At length repair his vigor lost

And breathe and walk agai n :
The meanest fl owe re t of the vale ,
The simplest note that swells the gale ,
The common sun the ai r the skies , , ,
To him are O pening P ara di se .
LIII C
O D E TO S I M P LI C IT Y
0 T hou by Nature taught,
To breathe her gen u ine thought

I n numbers warmly pure and sweetly strong ; ,
Who first on mountains wil d , ,
I n Fancy loveliest chi ld , ,
Thy babe or Pleasure s nursed the powers of

,
’
Thou who with herm it heart

, ,
Disdain s t the wealth of art

’
,
And gau d s an d pageant wee d s and trailing pall

, , ,
But com s t a decent mai d’

,
’
I n Attic robe array d ,
O chaste unboastful Nymph to thee I call

, ,
By all the hon e y d store ’
O n H ybla s thymy shore ’

,
By all her blooms an d mingled murmurs

By her whose lovelorn woe
I n evening musings slow
’ ’
Soothed sweetly sad Electra s poet s ear
By old C e phisu s deep ,
Who spread his wavy sweep

I n warbled wanderings round thy green retrea t ;
TH E G O LD E N TR EA SU RY
O n whose e n am e l l d side ’
,
When holy Free d om di e d

N 0 equal haunt allure d thy future feet
O sister meek of Truth ,
To my admi ri ng youth
Thy sober aid and native charms infu se !
The flowers that sweetest breathe ,
Though B eauty cu l l d the wreath ’
S till ask thy hand to range their order d hues .
While Rome could none esteem

But V i rtue s patri ot the me
’
,
You loved her hills an d led her laureate band ;

,
But s tay d to sing al one

’
To one dis tin gu ish d throne ; ’
And tu rn d thy face and fled her al te r d land

’
,
’
.
N 0 more in hall or b ower

, ,
The Passions own thy power ;

Love only Love her forceless numbers mean
, ,
For thou hast left her shri ne ;

Nor olive more nor vine , ,
S hall gain thy feet to bless the servile scene .
Though tas te though genius bless, ,
To some divine excess ,
Faints the cold work ti ll thou inspire the whole

What each what all supply
,
M ay court may charm our eye ;

,
Thou only thou canst raise the meeting soul !

, ,
Of thes e let others ask

To ai d some mighty task ;
I only seek to find thy temperate vale
Where oft my reed might sound
To m ai d s and shepherds round ,
And all thy sons 0 Natu re lea rn my tale

, .
PV Col l i n s
.
My day or night myself I make

’
Whene er I sleep or play ;
And could I ever keep awake
’
With me t were always day .
With heavy sighs I often hear

You mourn my hapless woe ;
But sure with patience I can bear
A loss I ne er can know
’
.
Then let not what I cannot have

My cheer of mind d estroy :
Whilst thus I sing I am a king, ,
Although a poor blind boy .
'
C . Czbb e r
LV I C
A FAV ORITE C A T D RO WN E D , IN A
T U B O F G O L D FI S H ES
’ ’
T
was on a lofty vase s side ,
Where China s gayest art had dyed

’
The azure flowers that b low ,
Demurest of the tab by kind

The pensive Selima reclined , ,
Gazed on the lake below .
H er consciou s tail her j oy declared

The fair round face the snowy b eard , ,
The velvet of her paws ,
Her coat that with the tortoise vies ,
H er e ar s of j et an d emeral d eyes
,
She saw and p u rr d applause

,
’
.
S till had she gaze d but mi dst the tide

,
’
Two angel forms were seen to glide ,
The Genii of the stream

’
Their scaly armor s Tyrian hue
B O O K T H I RD 1 49
Through richest purple to the vie w ,
B e tray d a golden gleam

’
.
The hapless Nymph with wonder saw

A whisker first and then a claw,
With many an ardent wish

She s tre tch d in vain to reach the prize
’
, ,
What female heart can gold despise ?

What Cat s averse to fish ?
’
P resumptuous mai d with looks intent

Again she s tre tch d again she bent
’
, ,
Nor knew the gulf between

M alignant Fate sat by and smiled
The slippery verge her feet beguiled ;
She tumbled headlong in
Eight ti mes emergi ng from the flood
’
She m e w d to every watery God
Some spee d y ai d to send :
N o Dolphin came no N e re id stirr d ,
’
,
Nor cruel Torn nor Susan heard

A favo rite has no friend
From hence ye Beauties ! undeceived
,
Know one false step is ne er retrieve d ’

,
And be with caution bold

N ot all that tempts your wan d ering eyes
And hee d less hearts is lawful pri z e , ,
N or all that glisters gol d ! ,
C L V II
TO C H A RLOTTE P U LTE N E Y
Timely blossom I nfant fair , ,
Fondling of a happy pair ,
Every morn and every night

Their solicitous d elight ,
1
50 T H E G O LDE N T REA S U RY
Sleeping waking still at ease

, , ,
Pleasing without skill to pleas e ;

,
Little gossip blithe and hale

, ,
Tattling many a broken tale ,
Singing many a tuneless song ,
Lavish of a hee d less tongue ;

Simple mai den voi d of art , ,
Babbling out the very heart ,
Yet ab an don d to thy will

’
,
Yet imagi ning no ill ,
Yet too innocent to blush ;

Like the linnet in the bush
To the mother linnet s note ’
M o du l in g her slender throat ;

'
Chirping forth t hy p e t ty j oys ,
Wanton in the change of toys ,
Like the linnet green in May ,
F littin g to each bloomy spray ;

Wearied then and glad of rest ,
Like the linnet in the nest

This thy present happy lot
This in time will be forgot
,
O ther pleasures other cares , ,
Ever busy Time prepares ;

-
And thou shalt in thy d aughter see ,
Thi s picture once resem b led thee

, , .
A P/zzl zp s
' '
L V III C
R U LE B RIT A N N I A
When Britai n first at H eaven s co m mand ’
Arose from out the azure m ai n ,
This was the ch arter of her lan d ,
And guar d ian angels sang the strain

Rule B ritannia ! Britannia rules the wav e s !
,
B ritons never shall be slaves .

S uch were the sounds that o er the cre st e d pri d e ’ '
Of the fi rst Edwar d scat te r d wild dismay ’

,
As down the steep of S nowdon s shaggy side ’
H e wound with toilsome march his long array

Stout Glo ster stood aghast in speechless trance ;
’
To arms cried M ortimer and cou ch d his quivering ,

’
lance .
O n a rock whose haughty b ro w

,
Frowns o er old Conway s foaming flood

’ ’
,
Robe d in the sable garb of woe

With haggar d eyes the Poet stood ;
( Loose his beard and hoary hai r
S tre a m d like a meteor to the troubled ai r)
’
And with a master s hand and prophet s fi re

’ ’
Struck the d eep sorrows of his lyre

Hark how ea ch giant oak and desert cave
,
Sighs to the torrent s awful voice beneath ’
O e r thee, oh King their hundred arms they wave

’
,
Revenge on thee in hoarser murmurs breathe ;

V ocal no more since C am b ria s fatal day
,
’
,
To highborn H oe l s harp or soft Llewellyn s lay

’
,
’
.
Col d is C adw al l o s tongue ’

,
That hushe d the sto rmy m ain

Brave Urien sleeps upon his craggy bed
Mountains ye mourn i n vai n
,
Modred whose magic song

,
M a d e huge Pl in l im m on bow his cloud top t head -

.
O n d reary A rv on s shore they lie ’
S m e ar d with gore and ghas tly pale

’
Far far aloof the affrighted ravens sail ;

,
The fam ish d eagle screams and passes by

’
, .
D ear lost companions of my tuneful art ,
D ear as the light that visits these sad eyes ,
D ear as the ru d dy drops that warm my heart ,
Ye died ami d st your dying coun try s cries ’

BOOK TH I RD I
S3
No more I weep ; They do not sleep ;

On yonder cliffs a gri sly ban d , ,
I see them sit ; They linger yet

Avengers of their native lan d
With me in dreadful harmony they j oin ,
A n d weave wi th bloody hands the tissue of thy line .
We a v e th e w a rb and w e a v e t he w oof
The w in di ng s he e t o f E d w a rd ’
s ra ce
Gi v e a n d v e r e e n ou h
am
pl e roo m g g
The ch a ra ct e rs o f h e l l t o t ra ce .
M a rk th e y e a r, and m a rk the ni ght ,
Wh e n S e v e rn s ha l l re e ch o w i th fi mgh t
a
The s h ri e ks d e a t h t h ro B e rkl ey tha t

’ ’
o f s roo f ri ng ,
S h ri e ks f an
o a
g on i z i ng ki ng
S he -
w olf of F ra n ce , w i th u n re l e n t i ng f a ng s
Th a t te a r
’
st t he b o w e l s
g l e d m a te , f
o t hy m an
F rom t he e b e b orn , w h o o e r t hy co u n t ry h a ng s
’
Th e s cou rg e of h e a v e n Wh a t t e rrors rou n d h i m

w ai t
A m a z e m e n t i n h is van ,
w ith fl gh t
i co m b in e d ,
s orro w s f a d e d form i t u d e b e hi n d
’
And ,
a n d s ol .
M igh ty v i ct or, m ig hty l ord ,
L ow on h is f u n e ra l con ch h e l i es
N o p i ty i ng he a rt , fi ord
‘
n o ey e , a
A t e a r to g ra ce his obs e qu i e s .
I s t h e s a b l e w a rri or fl e d
Thy s oni s g on e H e re s ts a m ong th e d e a d
. .
Th e s w a rm t ha t i n t hy n oon t i d e b e a m w e re b orn
.
Gon e t o s a l u te t he ri s i ng m o rn .
F a i r l a ug hs th e M orn , a n d so ft the p hy r b l ow s
ze ,
Wh i l e p rou d ly ri d i ng o e r
’
t he a z u re re a l m .
I n g a l l a n t t ri m t h e g i l d e d v e s s e l g oes
You t h on th e p row , a n d P l e a s u re a t t h e h e l m
R eg a rd l ess the p ing w h i rl w in d s s w ay
’
o f sw ee ,
Th a t h u s h d i n g ri m rep os e e x p ects his e v e n i ng p rey

’
.
F i l l h igh t h e
p a rkl i ng b ow l
s ,
The ri ch rep a s t fi rep a re ,
R eft of a crow n he y e t m ay s h a re
,
the f e a s t
Cl os e by t he reg a l ch a i r
F e l l Thi rs t a n d F a m i n e s co w l
A b a l ef u l sm il e p on t he i r b afi
u ed g u es t,
H e a rd y e t he di n of b a tt l e b ray ,
La n c e t o l a n ce , and hors e t o h ors e

L ong y e a rs of ha v oc u rg e t he i r d e s t in e d cou rs e ,
A n d t h ro th e ki n d re d s qu a d ron s m ow t h e i r w ay
’
.
f u l i u s L on d on s l a s t i ng s ha m e
’
Ye t o w e rs o , ,
IVi th m a ny a f ou l a n d m id n ig ht m u rd e rf e d
/
,
R e v e re h is con s ort s f a i th h i s f a th e r s f a m e
’ ’
, ,
A n d sp a re t h e m e e k u s u rp e r s holy h e a d
’
A b ov e b e l ow t h e ros e of s n ow
, , ,
Tw i n e d w i t h h e r bl u s h ing f oe w e sp re a d ,
Th e b ris t l e d b oa r i n i nf a n t g ore
Wa l l ows b e n e a t h th e t h orny s ha d e .
N o w , b roth e rs , b e n d i ng th e a cc u rs e d l oom
’ ’
o er ,
S ta m fi w e o u r v e ng e a n ce d e ep , an d ra t i fy h is d oom .
E d w a rd , l o to s u dd e n f a te
( Wea ve w e t h e w oof ; The t h re a d is s pun ! ,
H a lf of t hy h e a rt w e con se cra t e .
( The w e b is w ov e ; Th e w ork is d on e ) .
S tay oh stay ! nor thus forlorn

,
Le ave me u n b l e s s d unpitied here to mourn

’
, ,
I n yon b ri ght track that fires the western ski es

They melt they vanish from my eyes
,
.
’
B ut oh what solemn scenes on Snowdon s height
D escendi ng slow their glittering skirts unroll ?
V isions of glory spare my aching sight
, ,
Ye unborn ages crowd not on my soul

,
N 0 more our long— lost Arthur we bewail

All hai l ! ye genuine kings ! Bri tan nia s issue hail ! ’
,
T H E G O LDE N T REAS U RY
O D E W RITTEN I N 1 7 46
H ow sleep the brave who sink to rest ,
By all their country s wishes blest ! ’
When Spring with dewy fi ngers col d

, ,
Returns to deck their hal low d mold ’

,
She there shall d ress a sweeter so d

Than Fan cy s feet have ever trod
’
.
By fai ry hands their knell is rung ,
By forms unseen their dirge is sung

There H onor comes a pilgrim gray , ,
To bless the turf that wraps their clay ;

A n d Freedom sh al l awhile repair
To dwell a weeping hermit there !
l/VI Col l i n s
C LX I
L AM EN T FOR C U LLO DEN
The lovely lass o I nvern ess ’
,
Nae j oy nor pleasure can she see ;

For e en an d morn she cries Alas !
’
And aye the saut tear blins her e e

D ru m os sie moor D ru m ossie d ay
A waefu day it was to me !
’
F o r there I lost my father dear

My father d ear an d brethren three
,
.
Their win d ing sheet the blui d y clay

-
,
Their graves are growing green to see

A n d by them lies the cle arest la d
That ever blest a woman s e e ' ’
Now wae to thee thou cruel lor d , ,
A blui d y man I trow thou be ;

For mony a heart thou hast mad e sair
That ne er did wrang to thine or thee
’
.
li B u rn s
’
.
BOOK TH IRD I
S7
C LX II '
L A M EN T FOR F LO D D EN
I ve he ard them lilting at our ewe milking
’
-
,
’
Lasses a lilting before dawn 0 day ;
’
But now they are moaning on ilka green loaning

’
The Flowers of the Forest are a wede away .
At b u g ht s,
in the morning nae blythe lads are scorning , , 5
Lasses are lonely an d dowie and wae ;
Nae d afli n nae gabbin but sighing and sab bing
’
,
’
, ,
Ilk ane lifts her leglin an d hies her away .
I n har st at the shearing nae youths now are j eering

’
, ,
Bandsters are lyart and runkled and gray ; , ,
At fai r or at preaching nae wooing nae fl e e chin g, ,
The Flowers of the Forest are a wede away

’
.
At e en i n the gloaming nae younkers are roaming

’
, ,
’
Bout stacks wi the lasses at bogle to play ;
’
But ilk ane sits dre arie l amenting her d earie ,
The Flowers of the Forest are we d e d away .
wae for the order sent our lad s to the Bor d er !

D OO1 and ,
The English for ance by guile wan the day ;

, ,
The Flowers of the Forest that fought aye the foremost , ,
The prime of our land are caul d iii the clay , .
We ll hear nae mair lilting at the ewe milking ;

’
-
Women and bairns are heartless and wae ;

Sighing and moaning on ilka green loaning
The Flowers of the Forest are a wede away ’
.
C LX III
TH E BR A ES OF YA RRO W
Thy braes were bonny Yarrow stream , ,
When fi rst on them I met my lover ;

Thy b raes how dreary Yarrow stre am , ,
When now thy waves hi s bo d y cover !

Forever now 0 Y arrow stream !
,
T hou art to me a stream O f sorrow ;

For never on thy banks shall I
Behold my Love the flower of Yarrow !
,
H e pro m ised me a milk white steed -
To bear me to his father s bowers ; ’
H e pro m ised me a little page

To squire me to hi s father s towers ; ’
H e promised me a wedding ring ,
The wedding day was fi x d to morrow ; ’

-
Now he is wedded to his grave ,
Alas his watery grave in Yarrow !

, ,
Sweet were his words when last we met ;

My passion I as freely told him ;
C l as p d in his arms I little t hought
’
,
That I shoul d nevermore behold him !

S carce was he gone I saw his ghost ;,
I t van is h d with a shriek of sorrow ;

’
Thrice di d the water wrai th ascend ,
And gave a doleful groan thro Yarrow ’

.
His mother from the window l ook d ’
With all the longing of a mother ;

H is li tt le sister weeping walk d ’
The green wood path to meet her b rother ;

-
They sought him east they sought him west, ,
They sought him all the forest thorough ;

T hey only saw the cloud of night ,
They only heard the roar of Yarrow .
No longer from thy window look

Thou hast no son thou tender mother !
,
N o longer walk thou lovely maid ;

,
Alas thou
,
hast no more a brother !
The lav rock t here wi her whi te breast

’
,
’
And gentle throat sae narrow ;

There s sport eneuch for gentlemen
’
O n Leader haughs and Yarrow .
0 Leader haughs are wide and brai d

And Yarrow haughs are bonny ;
There Wil l ie hecht to marry me
I f e er he married ony
’
.
’
But Willie s gone whom I thought on , ,
And does not hear me weeping ;

D raws many a tear frae true love s e e ’ ’
When other maids are sleeping .
Yestreen I made my bed fu brai d ’

,
The night I ll mak it narrow

’ ’
,
For a the live lang winter night

’
-
I lie twined O my marrow ’

.
0 came ye by yon water side ? -
Pou d you the rose or lily ?

’
O r came you by yon meadow green ,
? ”
O r saw you my sweet Willie
S he sought him up she sought him down
, ,
She sought him brai d an d narrow ;

Syne in the cleaving O f a crai g
,
S he found him d rown d in Yarrow ! ’
A n on .
C LXV
LO SS OF THE RO YA L G EOR G E
Toll for the Brave !
The brave that are no more !
All sunk b eneath the wave
Fast by their native shore !
Eight hundred of the brave
W hose c ourage well w as tri ed ,
H ad made the vessel heel

And l aid her on her si d e .
A lan d b reez e shook the shrouds

An d she was overset ;
D own went the Royal George ,
With all her crew comple te .
Toll for the brave !

Brave Ke m pe n fel t is gone ;
His l ast sea fight is fought ,
H is work of glory d one .
I t was not in the battle ;

N o tempest gave the shock ;
S he sprang no fatal leak ,
She ran upon no rock .
H is sword was in its sheath ,
His fingers hel d the pen ,
When Ke m pe n fe l t went down

With twice four hun d red men .
Weigh the vessel up

Once d rea d e d by our foes !
And mingle with our cup
The tears that England owes .
H er timbers yet are soun d ,
And she may float again

Full charge d with E ngland s thun d er ’
,
An d plow the d istant mai n
But Ke m p e n fe l t is gone ,
His victories are o er ;

’
And he and hi s eight hundred

S hall plow the wave no more .
W Cowp e r
1 62 TH E G O LD E N T REAS U RY
C L XV I
B LA C K E Y E D~
S U SAN
’
All in the Downs the fleet was moor d ,
The streamers waving in the wind ,
When black eye d S usan came aboard ;

-
O where shall I my true love fin d ? -
Tell me ye j ovial s ailors tell me true

, ,
I f my sweet William sails among the crew .
William who high upon the yard

,
’
R ock d with the billow to and fro ,
S oon as her well known voice he heard

-
H e s ig h d an d cast his eyes below

’
,
The cord slides swiftly through his glowing hands ,
And quick as lightning on the d eck he stands .
So the sweet lark high poised in air

, ,
S huts close his pinions to his breast

’
I f chance his mate s sh rill call he hear ,
And drops at once into her nest :

The noblest capta in in the B ri tish fleet
Might envy William s lip those kisses sweet ’
.
0 S usan Susan lovely dear

, , ,
My vows sh all ever true rem ai n ;

Let me kiss O ff that falling tear ;
We only part to meet ag ai n .
Change as ye list ye winds ; m y heart sh al l be

,
The faithful compass that still points to thee .
Believe not what the landmen say

Who tempt wi th d oubts t hy consta nt mi nd ;
They l l tell thee s ailors when away
’
, , ,
I n every port a mistress find

Y e s yes believe them when they te ll thee so
, , ,
For Thou art p re se n t whe res oe e r I go ‘

’
.
T H E G O L D E N TREA SU RY
But sure such folks coul d ne er beget

’
.
S o sweet a girl as Sally !

She is the d ar l ing of my heart ,
°
And she lives in our alley .
When she is by I lea ve my work

, ,
I love her so sincerely ;

My master come s like any Turk ,
And bangs me most severely

But let him bang hi s bellyful ,
I ll bear it all for Sally ;

’
She is the darling of my heart ,
A nd she lives i n our alley

.
O f all the days that s in the week

’
I dearly love but one day

And that s the day that comes betwi xt
’
A Saturday and M on d ay ;
For then I m dr est all in my best
’
To w al k abroa d with Sally ;

She is the da rli ng of my heart ,
An d she lives in our al ley

.
My master carri es me to ch u rch ,
And O ften am I blamed

Because I leave him in the lurch
As soon as text is named ;
I leave the church in sermon time
And sli nk away to S ally ;
S he is the d arling of my h e art ,
And she lives in our alley.
When Christmas comes about agai n

0 then I shall have money ;
I ll hoard it up an d box it all
’
, ,
I ll give it to my honey
’
BOO K TH I RD 1 65
I would it were ten thousan d pound ,
I d give it al l to Sally ;
’
She is the d arling of my heart ,
A n d she lives in our alley .
My mas ter and the neighbors al l
M ake game of me and Sally ,
And but for her I d better be

, ,
’
A slave an d row a galley ;

But when my seven long years are Ou t
0 then I ll marry Sally
’
,
0 then we ll wed and then we ll be d

’
,
’
But not in our alley !
L XV III
C
A FA REWELL
Go fetch to me a pint 0 wine ’
,
An fill it in a silver tassie ;

’
That I may drink before I go

A service to my bonnie lassie
The boat rocks at the pier o Leith ’
,
F u loud the win d blaws frae the ferry

’
The ship ri des by the Berwick law -

,
A nd I maun leave my bonnie Mary .
The trumpets sound the banners fly , ,
The glittering spears are ranked ready ;

The shouts 0 war are heard afar
’
,
The battle closes thick and bloody ;

But it s not the roar 0 sea or shore
’ ’
W ad make me langer wish to tarry ;

Nor shout 0 war that s heard afar
’ ’
’
I t s leaving thee my bonni e Mary , .
1 66 TH E GO L D E N TREAS U RY
C LX IX
I f doughty deeds my lady pleas e
Right soon I ll mount my steed ;
’
And strong his arm and fast his seat

,
That bears frae me the meed .
I ll wear thy colors in my cap

’
,
Thy picture at my heart ;

An d he that bends not to thine eye
S hall rue it to his sm art !
T hen tell me h o w to woo thee Love ; ,
0 tell me how to woo thee !

For thy d ear sake nae c are I ll take
,
’
’
Tho ne er another trow me
’
.
I f gay attire delight thine eye

I ll dight me in a rray ;
’
I ll tend thy chamber d oor all night

’
,
And squire thee all the d ay .
I f sweetest sound can win thine ear ,
These soun d s I ll strive to catch ;

’
Thy voice I ll steal to woo thy se l l

’
,
That voice that nane can match .
But if fond love thy heart ca n gain ,
I never broke a vow ;

Nae m aiden lays her skaith to me ,
I never loved but you .
For you alone I ri de the ring ,
For you I wear the blue ;

For you al one I strive to sing ,
0 tell me how to woo !

Th en tell me how to woo thee Love ; ,
0 tell me how to woo thee !

For thy d ear sake nae care I ll take
,
’
,
Tho ne er another trow me

’ ’
.
R . Gra h a m
of Ga r/m ore
CL XX II
Forever Fortune wilt thou prove
, ,
An unrelenti ng foe to Love ,
And w hen we meet a mutual heart

Come in between and bid us part ?
,
Bid us sigh on from day to day ,
An d wish an d w ish the soul away ;

Till youth an d genial years are flown ,
And all the life of life is gone ?
But busy busy still art thou

, , ,
To bin d the loveless j oyless vow ,
The heart from pleasure to delude ,
To j oin the gentle t o the ru d e .
For once 0 Fortune hear my prayer

, , ,
And I absolve thy future care ;

All other blessings I resign ,
M ake b u t the dear Amanda mine .
j . Th om s on
C L XX III
The merchant to secure his tre asure
, ,
Conveys it in a b orrow d name ’
E u p he l ia se rves to grace my measure ,
But Cloe is my real flame .
My softest verse my darling lyre

,
U pon E u p he l ia s toilet lay

’
When Cloe note d her d esire

That I shoul d sing that I should play
, .
My lyre I tune my voice I raise

, ,
But with my num b ers mix my sighs ;

And whilst I sing Eu phe l ia s p rai se ’
,
’
I fix my s o ul on Cloe s eye s .
B O O K T H I RD
Fai r Cloe b l u sh d : E u p he l ia frown d

’ ’
I sang and gazed ; I pl ay d an d tremble d

,
’
,
A n d Ve n u s to the Loves around

'
’
R e m ark d how ill we all dissembled .
M P ri or
C L XX I V
LO V E S SECRET
’
Never seek to tell thy love ,
Love that never tol d can be ;

For the gentle wind d oth move
Silently invisibly
,
I told my love I told my love , ,
I told her all my heart ,
Trembling cold in ghastly fears

, ,
Ah ! she d id d epart .
Soon after she was gone from me

A traveler came by ,
Silently invisibly
,
H e took her with a sigh .
C L XXV
When lovely woman stoops to folly
And finds too late that men betray ,
What charm can soothe her melancholy

What art can wash her guilt away ?
The only art her guilt to cover ,
To hide her shame from every eye ,
To give repentance to her lover

A nd wring his bosom is — to die ,
.
1
70 TH E G O L D E N T REAS U RY
C L XXV I
Ye banks an d braes o bonnie D oon ’
How can ye blume sae fair !

H ow can ye chant ye little birds ,
And I sae fu 0 care ! ’ ’
Thou 11 break my heart thou bonnie bird

’
,
That sings upon the bough ;

Thou minds me o the happy d ays ’
When my fause Lu v e was true .
Thou 11 break my heart thou bonni e bird

’
,
That sings beside thy mate ;

For sae I sat an d sae I sang
, ,
And wist na 0 my fate ’

.
Aft hae I roved by bonnie Doon

To see the woo d bine twine ,
And ilka bird sang 0 its love ; ’
And sae did I 0 mine ’

.
W i lightsome heart I pu d a rose

’ ’
,
Frae aff i ts thorny tree ;

And my fause l u v e r staw the rose ,
’
But left the thorn wi me .
R Bu
. rn s
C L XX VII
THE PRO G RES S OF POES Y
A P I N D A RI C O DE
Awake [ Eolian lyre awak e

, , ,
And give to raptu re all thy trembling s tri ngs .
From H elicon s harmonious springs

’
A thousand rills their mazy progres s tak e ;

The laughing flowers that round them blow
D rink life and fragr ance as th ey flow .
1 7 2 T H E G O L D E N TREAS U RY
Man s feeble race what ills await !

’
Labor and Penu ry the racks of Pain

, , ,
Diseas e an d Sorrow s weeping train

,
’
,
An d Death sad refuge from the storms of fate !

,
The fon d complaint my song d isprove , , ,
And j ustify the laws O f J ove .
Say has he g iven in vain the heavenly Muse ?

,
Night an d all he r s ickl y dews

'
, ,
H er specters wan and birds of bo d ing cry ,
H e gives to range the dre ary sky

Till d own the eastern cliffs af ar
’
H yperion s march they spy and glittering shafts of war , .
I n climes beyond the solar road

W here shaggy forms o er ice built mountai ns roam ’
-
,
The M use has broke the twilight gloom

To cheer the shivering native s d ull abo d e ’
.
An d oft beneath the O dorous sha d e

,
Of Chili s boun d less forests lai d

’
,
She deigns to hear the savage youth repeat

I n loose numbers wil d ly sweet
Their feather cinctured chiefs and d usky loves
-
, .
H er track where er the go dd ess roves

,
’
,
Glory pursue an d generous S hame , ,
Th unconquerable Mind an d Free d om s holy flame

’
,
’
.
Woods t hat wave o er D el phi s steep

,
’ ’
I sles that crown t h [ Eg e an d eep

,
’
,
Fiel d s that cool Ilissus laves ,
O r where M ae an d e r s amber waves ’
I n lingering labyrinths creep ,
H ow d o your tuneful echoes languish ,
Mute but to the voice of anguish !

,
Where each ol d poetic mountain

I nspiration breathe d aroun d ;
Every sha d e and hallow d fountai n ’
M u rm u r d deep a solemn soun d ’

B O O K T H I RD 1
73
Till the sad Nine in Greece s evil hOu r

,
’
Left their Parnassus for the Latian plains .
Alike they scorn the pomp of tyrant Power ,
And coward V ice that revels in her chains , .
When Latium had her lofty spirit lost -

,
They sought O h Albion ! next thy sea encircled coast

, ,
-
.
Far from the sun and summer gale

I n thy green lap was N ature s Darling lai d ’
,
What time where lucid A von s tray d

,
’
,
To him the mighty Mother d i d unveil

H er awful face : the d auntless child
S tre tch d fo rth his little arms and smiled
’
, .
”
This pencil take ( she said) whose colors clear ,
Richly paint the vernal year :

Thine too these golden keys immortal B oy !
, , ,
This can unlock the gates of j oy ;

O f horror that an d thrilling fears
, ,
Or ope the sacre d source of sympathetic tears .
Nor second H e that ro d e sublime ,
Upon the seraph wings of Ecstasy

-
The secrets of the abyss to spy

H e pass d the flami ng boun d s of place and time
’
The living Throne the sapphire blaze ,

-
Where angels tremble while they gaze ,
H e saw ; but blaste d with excess of light ,
Closed his eyes i n endless night .
Behol d where D ry d en s less presumptuous car ’
Wi d e o er the fiel d s O f glory bear

’
Two coursers of ethereal race ,
With necks in thunder clothed and long resoun d ing ,

-
H ark his hands the lyre explore !

,
Bright eye d Fancy hovering o er

-
,
’
,
Scatters from her picture d urn

Thoughts that breathe and wor d s that burn , .
1
’
B ut ah ! t is he ard no more
O h ! lyre divine what daring spirit ,
Wakes thee now ? Tho he inhe ri t ’
Nor the pride nor ample pinion

, ,
That the Theban eagle bear ,
S ailing with supreme d ominion

’
Thro the azure deep of air
Yet oft before his infant eyes would run
’
S uch forms as glitter in the M use s ray
With orient hues u n b orrow d O f the sun
,
’
Yet shall he mount and keep his distan t way ,
Beyond the limits O f a vulgar fate

Beneath the Good how far b ut far above the Great .
T Gray
.
C L XXV III
THE P A SS I O N S
A N O DE FO R M u src
When M usic heave nly mai d was young , , ,
While yet in early Greece she sung ,
The Passions oft to hear her shell , ,
T hro n g d around her magi c cell

’
E xulting trembl ing ragi ng fain ting

, , , ,
P osse s t beyond the M use s painti ng ;

’
By turns they felt the gl owing mind

D is tu rb d delighted raise d re fi ned :
’
, , ,
Til once t is sai d when all were fired

’
,
’
, ,
Fil l d with fury rapt inspired

’
, , ,
From the supporting myrtles round

’
They s n atch d her instrumen ts of sound ,
And as they oft had heard apart

,
Sweet lessons of her forceful art ,
Each ( for M adness ruled the hour)

Would prove his own expressive power .
Dej ecte d Pity at his side

Her soul subduing voice applied
-
Yet still he kept his wild u n al te r d mien ’
Whi le each s t rain d b all of sight seem d bursti ng

’
from hi s head .
Thy numbers J ealousy to naught were fi x d

, ,
’
Sa d proof of thy distressful state !

O f d iffe ri ng themes the veering song was m ix d ’
And now i t courted Love now raving call , (1 on

H ate .
With eyes u p rai sed as one inspired

-
, ,
Pale M elancholy sat re tired

And from her wild s e qu e s te r d seat ’
,
I n notes by d is tance made more sweet ,
P o u r d through the mellow horn her pensive soul

’
An d d as hing soft from rocks around

Bubbling runnels j oin d the soun d ;
’
Through glades an d glooms the mingle d measure stole ,
O r o er some haunted stream wi th fon d delay

,
’
, ,
Round an holy calm di ffusing ,
Love of peace an d lonely musing

, ,
I n hollow murmurs die d away .
But O how al te r d w as its sp ri ghtlier tone

’
When Cheerfulness a nymph of healthiest hue

, ,
H er bow across her shoul d er flung ,
H er buskins g e m m d with morning dew ’

,
Blew an inspiring air that dale and thicket rung

, ,
The hunter s call to Faun an d Drya d k n own !

’
The oak c row n d Sisters an d their chaste eye d Queen

-
’
-
,
Satyrs an d Sylvan Boys were seen ,
Peeping from forth their alleys green

Brown E xercise rej oice d to hear ;
An d Spo rt leaped u p an d seized his beechen spear ,
‘
.
BOO K TH I RD
Last came J oy s ecstatic trial ’
H e with viny crown a d vancing

, ,
First to the lively pipe his han d a dd rest

But soon he saw the brisk awakening viol
Whose sweet entrancing voice he loved the best
They woul d have thought who heard the strain
They saw in Tempe s vale her native mai d s
,
’
,
Ami d st the festal sounding sha d es -
To some unwearied minstrel dancing ;

While as his flying fingers kiss d the strings
,
’
,
Love frame d with Mirth a gay fantastic roun d

Loose were her tresses seen her zone unboun d ; ,
An d he ami d st his frolic play

, ,
As if he woul d the charming air repay ,
S hook thousan d o d ors from his dewy wings .
0 Music ! sphere descende d maid -

,
Frien d O f Pleasure W is d om s ai d !
'
’
,
Why goddess ! why to us d enied

, , ,
Lay st thou thy ancient lyre asi d e ?

’
As in that loved A thenian bower

You l e arn d an all comman d ing power
’
-
,
Thy mimic soul 0 Nymph e n de ar d ,

’
,
Can well recall what then it heard .
Where is thy native simple heart

Devote to V irtue Fancy Art ? , ,
Arise as in that el d er time

, ,
Warm energic chaste sublime !

, , ,
Thy won d ers in that go d like age

, ,
Fill thy recording Sister s page ; ’
T is said an d I believe the tale

’
, ,
Thy humblest ree d coul d more prevail ,
Ha d more of strength d iviner rage , ,
Than all which charms this laggar d age

E en all at once together foun d
’
,
Cecilia s mingled world of sound

’
T H E G O L D E N TR EAS U RY
0 bid our vain endeavors cease

Revive the j ust designs of Greece
Return in all thy simple state !
Confirm the tales he r sons relate !
l/V Col l i n s
.
L XX I X C
THE SO N G OF DAV I D ‘
H e sang O f God the mighty source ,
O f all things the stupendous force

,
O n which all strength d epends

From Whose ri ght arm beneath Whose ,
All period power and enterprise

, ,
Commences reigns and ends , ,

.
The worl d the clustering spheres H e ma d e

, ,
The glorious light the soothing shade , ,
Dale champaign grove an d hill

'
, ,
The multitu d inous abyss ,
Where secrecy remains in bliss ,
And wis d om hides her skill .
Tell them I A M J ehovah sai d

, ,
To M oses : while E arth heard in dread ,
An d smitten to the heart

, ,
At once above beneath aroun d

, , , ,
All N ature without voice or s oun d

, ,
Replied O Lor d T H O U A RT
, , .
L XXXC
I N F A N T JO Y
I have no name ;
I am but two d ays Ol d .
—What shal l I call thee ?

I happy am ;
1 80 TH E G O LDE N TREAS U RY
The At tic warbler pours her throat

’
Responsive to the cuckoo s note ,
T he untaught harmony of Spring :
While whispering pleasure as they fly

, ,
Cool Z ephyrs thro the clear blue sky ’
Their g at he r d fragrance fling ’

.
Where er the oak s thick branches stretch

’ ’
A broader bro wner shade ,
Where er the rude and moss grown beech

’
-
O er canopies the gla d e

’
-
,
Besi d e some water s rushy brink ’
With me the M use shall sit an d think ,
( At ease reclined in rusti c state)

H ow vain the ardor of the crowd ,
H ow low how little are the proud

, ,
H ow indi gent the great !
S till is the toiling hand of Care ;

The panting herds repose
’
Yet hark how thro the peopled air
,
The busy murmur glows !

The insect youth are on the wing
-
,
E ager to taste the honeyed spring

And float amid the liqui d noon
Some lightly o er the current skim ’
,
Some show their gayly gilded t rim -
Quick glancing to the sun

-
.
’
To Contemplation s sober eye
Such is the race of M an
An d they that creep and they that fly , ,
Shall end where they began .
Ali ke the Busy and the Gay

But flutter thro life s little day ’ ’
I n Fo rtune s varyi ng col ors d rest

’
B ru s h d by the hand of rough Mischance

’
,
O r chil l d by Age their airy d ance

’
,
They leave in dust to rest

, .
Methi nks I hear in accents low

The S portive kind reply :
P oor moralist ! and what art thou ?
A solitary fly !
Thy joys no glittering female meets ,
N o hive hast thou of hoar d ed sweets ,
No p ai nte d plumage t o display

O n hasty wings thy youth is flown ;
Thy sun is set thy spring is gone
,
We frolic while t is M ay ’
.
C L XXX III
TH E PO PL A R FI EL D
The poplars are fe l l d ; farewell to the shade
’
And the whispe ri ng sound O f the cool colonnade ;

The wi nds play no longer and sing in the leaves ,
Nor O use on his bosom their image receives .
Twelve years have elapse d since I first took a v i ew

O f my favorite fi eld and the bank where they grew
,
And now in the grass behold they are lai d ,
And the tree is my seat that once lent me a shade !
The blackbird has fled to another retreat

Where the h azels affor d him a screen from the heat ;
And the scene where his melo d y ch arm d me before ’
Resoun d s with his sweet fl o win g d itty no more

-
.
My fugitive ye ars are all hasting away ,
An d I must erelong lie as lowly as they ,
W ith a turf On my breast and a stone at my hea d ,
Ere another such grove shall arise in its stead .

T H E G O LD E N TR EA S U RY
The change both my heart and my fancy employs ; “
I reflect on the frailty of man and his j oys :

Short lived as we are yet our pleasures we see
-
, , ,
H ave a still shorter date and die sooner than we ,

.
PV C owp e r
.
L XXX I V
C
TO A MO U SE
T U RN I N GH E R UP IN H E R N EST w 1T H , TH E P LO W
N OV E M B ER , 178
5
’
Wee sleeki t co w rin ti m rous beastie
, ,
’ ’
, ,
0 what a panic s in thy breastie !

’ ’
Thou nee d na start awa sae hasty ,
W i bickering brattle !
’
I wa d be laith to rin an chase thee ’
Wi m u rd rin g pattle !
’ ’
I m trul y sorry man s domini on

’ ’
H as broken N ature s soci al union ’

,
An j ustifies that ill O pinion

’
Which makes thee s t artl e

At me thy poor earthborn companion
, ,
’
An fellow mortal !
I doubt na whiles but thou may thieve ;

, ,
What then ? poor beastie thou maun l ive ! ,
A daimen icker in a thrave -
’
S a sma request :
’
I 11 get a blessin w i the lave

’ ’ ’
,
An d never miss t ' ’
T hy wee
l
bit housie too in rui n ! , ,
I ts wa s the win s are s tre win

s il l y
’ ’
And naething now to big a new ane , , ,
O foggage green !
’
’
An bleak D ecember s winds e n suin
’ ’
Baith snell an keen ! ’

T H E G O L D E N T REAS U RY
The swallow oft beneath my thatch

, ,
Sh al l twitter from her clay built nest ; -
O ft shall the pilgrim lift the latch ,
And share my meal a welcome guest , .
Around my ivie d porch shall sp ri ng

E ach fragrant flower that drinks the d ew ;
And Lucy at her wheel shall sing
, ,
I n russet gown and apron blue .
The village church among the trees

Where first our marri age vows Were gi ven ,
With merry peals shall swell the breez e

And point with taper spire to Heaven .
L XXXV I C
O D E TO E V E N I N G
I f aught O f oaten stop or pastoral song
M ay hope 0 pensive Eve to soothe thine
, ,
Like thy own solemn springs ,
Thy springs an d dying gales ;

,
O Nymph reserved whi le now the bright b air d sun

,
-
’
Sits in yon western tent whose cloudy skirts , ,
With brede ethereal wove ,
O e rhan g hi s wav y bed ;

’
N ow air is hu sh d save where the weak e ye d bat

’
,
-
With short shrill shriek fl its by on leathern win g ,
O r where the beetl e win d s

His small but sullen ho rn ,
As oft he rises midst the twilight path ,
Against the pilgrim borne in hee d less hum ,
Now teach me mai d compose d , ,
To b reathe some softe n d strain ’

Whose numbers stealing through thy darkening vale

, ,
May not unseemly with its stillness suit ;

As musing slow I hail
, ,
Thy genial loved return .
For when thy folding star a rising shows

-
His p al y circlet at his warning lamp

,
The fragrant H ours an d Elves ,
Who slept in bu d s the d ay ,
And many a Nymph who wreathes her br ows with

sedge
And she d s the freshening dew and lovelier still , , ,
The pensive Pleasures sweet ,
Prepare thy shadowy car .
Then let me rove some wil d and heathy scene ;

O r fi nd some ruin midst its dreary dells ,
Whose walls more awful nod
By thy religious gleams .
O r if chill blustering winds or driving r ai n

,
Prevent my willing feet be mine the hut ,
That from the mountai n s si d e

,
’
,
V iews wilds an d swelling floods

, ,
An d hamlets brown and d im discov e r d spires ;

,
-
’
And hears their simple bell ; and marks o er all ’
Thy dewy fingers d raw

The gra d ual d usky veil .
While Spring shall pour his showers as oft he wont , ,
An d bathe thy breathing tresses meekest Eve ! ,
While Summer loves to sport

Beneath thy lingering light ;
While s al low Autumn fil l s thy lap with leaves ;
O r W inter yelling through the troublous air
, ,
Affri ghts thy shrinking train

And rudely rends thy robes ;
So long reg ardful of thy quiet r u le

, ,
S hall Fancy Frien dship S cience smi l ing P e ace

, , , ,
Thy gentlest influence own ,
And love thy favo rite name !
C L XXXVII
ELE GY W RITTEN IN A CO U N TR Y CH U RCH YA R D
The curfew tolls the knell of parting day ,
The lowi ng her d wind slowly o er the lea ’

,
The plowman homewar d plo d s his we ary way ,
And leaves the world to darkness and to me .
Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight ,
And al l the ai r a solemn stillness hol d s ,
S ave where the beetle wheels hi s d roni ng flight ,
And drowsy tinkli ngs lull the distant fOl dS ‘
Save that from yonder ivy mantled tower-
The moping owl does to the moon complain

Of such as wandering near her secret bower
, ,
M olest her ancient soli tary reign .
’
Beneath those rugged elms that yew tree s shade
,
-
Where heaves the tu rf i n many a mol d e ring heap ,
E ach in hi s na rrow cell forever laid ,
The rude forefathers of the h amlet sleep .
The b reez y call of incense breathi ng morn

-
,
The swallow twi tt ering from the straw b t she d -

,
The coc k s sh ri l l cla ri on or the echoing horn

’
, ,
N 0 more shall rouse them from their lowly bed .
For them no more the blazing hearth shal l burn

Or busy housewife ply her eve n ing care :
N O children run to lisp their sire s return ’
,
O r climb hi s knee s the envi ed kiss to sh are .

Some village H ampden that with dauntless b reast

,
The little tyran t of his fields withstood ,
Some mute inglorious Milton here may rest ,
S ome Cromwell guiltless of his country s blood

,
’
.
’
Th applause of listening senates to command ,
The threats of pain an d ruin to despise ,

’
To scatter plenty o er a smiling land ,
And read their history i n a nati on s eyes ’
Their lot for b ade : nor circumscribed alone

Their growing virtues but their crimes confine d
,
’
Fo rb ade to wade thro slaughter to a throne ,
And shut the gates of mercy on mankind
The struggling pangs of conscious truth to hide ,
To quench the blushes of ingenuous shame ,
Or heap the shrine of luxury and pride

’
With incense kindled at the Muse s flame .
Far from the madding crowd s igno b le strife

’
Their so b er wishes never l e arn d to stray ;’
Along the cool s e qu e ste r d vale of life

’
They kept the noiseless tenor of their way .
Yet e en these b ones from insult to protect

’
Some frail memorial still erected nigh ,
With uncouth rhymes and shapeless sculpture de ck d ’

,
I mplores the passing tri b ute of a sigh .
—
Their nam e their years spelled b y th u n l e tte r d M use
,
’ ’
,
2 5
The place of fame and elegy supply :
And many a holy text around she s trews ,
That teach the rustic moralist to die .
For who to dumb forgetfulness a prey

,
This pleasing anxious being e er resign d ’
Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day ,
Nor cast one longing lingering look behind ?

B O O K T H I RD
O n some fond b reast the p arting soul relies ,
Some pious drops the closing eye requires

E en from the tom b the voice of nature cries
’
,
E en in our ashes live their wonted fires

’
.
For thee who mindful of th u n hon or d dead

, ,
’ ’
,
D ost in these lines their artless tale relate ;

I f chance by lonely contemplation led
, ,
Some kindred S pirit shall inquire thy fate ,
H aply some ho ary—headed swain may say ,
O ft have we seen him at the peep of d awn

Brushing wi th hasty steps the dews away ,
To meet the sun upon the upland lawn ;

There at the foot of yonder nodding beech
That wreathes its old fantastic roots so high ,
H is listless length at noonti de would he stretch ,
And pore upon the b rook that babbles by .
H ard by yon wood now smiling as in scorn , ,
M uttering his wayward fancies he would rove ;

Now drooping woeful wan like one forlorn
,
-
, ,
O r craz ed with care or cross d in hopeless love

,
’
.
One morn I m iss d him on the cu stom d hill

’ ’
,
Along the heath and near his favorite tree ;

,
Another came ; nor yet besi d e the rill ,
Nor up the lawn nor at the wood was he ;

,
The next with dirges due in sad array

Slow through the church way path we saw him borne -
,
Approach and read ( for thou canst read) the lay

”
Graved on the stone beneath yon aged thorn .
TH E E P I T A PH
H ere rests his head upon the lap of earth
A youth to fortune and to fame unknown ;
,
Fair science frow n d not on his humble birth

’
And melancholy m ark d him for her own ’

.
1 90 THE G O LD E N T REA SU RY
Large was his b ounty and his soul sincere

, .
H eaven d id a recompense as largely send

H e gave to misery ( all he had) a tear ,
H e g ai n d from H eaven ( t was all he wish d) a friend

’ ’ ’
.
No farther seek his meri ts to disclose ,
Or draw his frailties from their dread abode

( There they al ike in trembling hope repose) ,
The bosom of his Father and his God .
C Lx x x vrrr
MA R Y M ORI SON
0 Mary at thy wi ndo wb e
, ,
’
I t is the wish d the trysted hour !
,
Those smiles an d glances let me see

That make the miser s treasure poor ’
H ow blithely wad I bide the stoure ,
A weary slave frae sun to sun ,
Could I the rich reward secure ,
The lovely M ary Morison .
Yestreen when to the trembling string

’
The dance gaed thro the lighted ha ’
,
To thee my fancy took its wing ,
I sat b ut neither heard nor saw

,
T ho this was fair and that was b raw

’
, ,
’
And yon the toast of a the town ,
’
I sig h d and sai d amang them a
’
, ,
”
Ye are na M ary M ori son .
0 M ary canst thou wreck his pea ce

,
Wha for thy sake wad gladly dee ?

O r canst thou break that heart of hi s ,
Whas e only faut is loving thee ?

1
’
O my Lu v e s like a red red rose ,
That s newly sprung i n J une :

’
0 my Lu v e s like the melodi e

’
That s sweetly pl ay d in tune

’ ’
.
As fair art thou my bonnie lass

, ,
So deep in l u v e am I
And I will l u v e thee still my dear , ,
Till a the seas gang dry

’
Till a the seas gang dry my dear

’
, ,
And the rocks melt wi the sun ; ’
I will l u v e thee still my d ear , ,
W hile the san d s 0 life shall run ’

.
And fare thee weel my only Lu v e

,
!
And fare thee weel awhile
And I will come agai n my Lu v e , ,
Tho it were ten thousan d mile

’
.
R B u rn s
.
C XC I
H I G H LA N D MA R Y
Ye banks and braes and s treams around
The castle 0 Montgomery
’
,
Green be your woods an d fair your flowers

, ,
Your waters never dru m l ie !

There simmer first u n fau l d her robes ,
And there the langest tarry ;

For there I took the last fare we e l
O my sweet H ighland M ary
’
.
H ow sweetly b l oom d the gay green birk

’
,
H ow rich the hawthorn s blossom ’

,
As underneath their fragrant shade

I cl as p d her to my bosom !
’
B O O K TH I R D 1
93
The golden hours on angel wings

Fle w o er me an d my deari e ;
’
For dear to me as light an d life

Was my sweet Highland Mary .
W i mony a vow and

’
embrace l ock d
’
Our parting was fu tender ; ’
And pledging aft to meet again ,
We tore oursels asunder ;

But O h ! fell D eath s untimely frost
,
’
,
That n ip t my flower sae early !

N ow green s the so d and cauld s the
’
,
’
That wraps my Highland Mary !
0 pale pale now those rosy lips

, , ,
’
I aft hae kiss d sae fondly ;
And close d for aye the sparkling glance
That dwelt on me sae kindl y
An d moldering now in silent dust
That heart that lo ed me dearly ! ’
’
But still within my bosom s core
Shall live my H ighland M ary .
R B u rn s
.
c x c rr
AU L D RO B I N G R AY
When the S heep are in the fauld and the kye at hame , ,
And a the world to rest are gane

’
,
’
The waes o my he art fa in showers frae my e e
’ ’
,
While my gu d eman lies sound by me .
’
Young J amie lo ed me weel and sought me for his bride ; ,
But saving a crou n he ha d naeth ing else b eside

To make the crou n a p u n d young J amie gae d to sea ;
,
A n d the crou n an d the p u n d were bai th for me .
H e had na been awa a week but only twa

’
,
When my father brak hi s arm and the cow was stown awa ; , 30
1
94
. T H E G O L D E N T REA S U RY
My mother she fell sick and my J am ie at the sea ,
And auld Robin Gray came a cour tin me -

’
.
M y father couldna work and my mother couldna S pin ; ,
I toil d day and night but their brea d I couldna win ;

’
,
A u l d Rob m ain tain d them b aith and wi tears in his e e

’
,
’ ’
Sai d J ennie for their sakes O marry me

, , , ,
My hear t it sai d nay ; I l ook d for J amie back ; ’
B ut the wind it blew high and the ship it was a wrack ; ,
H is ship it was a wrack why didna J amie dee ?

O r why d o I live to cry Wae s me ? ,
’
My father u rgit sair : my mother didna speak ;

But she l ook d in my face till my heart was like to break
’
They gi ed hi m my hand b ut my heart was at the sea ;

’
,
S ae aul d Robin Gray he was gudeman to me .
I hadn abeen a wi fe a week but only four ,
When m ou rn fu as I sat o n the sta ne at the door

’
,
I saw my J amie s wrai th for I couldna think it he

’
'
Till he sai d I m come hame to marry thee

,
’
.
O sai r sai r di d we greet and muckle did we say ;

, ,
We took b ut ae kiss and I bad hi m gang away ;

,
’
I wish that I were dead but I m no like to dee ; ,
’
And why was I born to say Wae s me ? ,
I gang like a gh ai st and I carena to S pin ;

,
I daurna think on J amie for that wad be a sin ; ,
B ut I 11 do my best a gude wi fe aye to be

’
,
For auld Robin Gray he is kind unto me .
Lady A Li n ds ay
.
c x c 111
DU N C A N GR AY
D uncan Gray cam here to woo ,
H a ha the wooing o t ;
, ,
’
O n blithe Yule night when we were

the wooing o t ’
Reach down my cloak I 11 to the quay ,

’
,
And see him come ashore .
For there 3 nae luck about the hous e

7
,
There s nae luck at a

’ ’
There s li ttle pleasure in the house

’
’ ’
When our gudeman s awa .
And gie to me my bigonet ,
My bishop s satin gown ; ’
For I maun tell the baillie s wife ’
That Coli n s i n the town ’

.
My Turkey slippers maun gae on ,
My stoc kin s pearly blue ;

’
I t S a to pleasure our gudeman
’
,
For he s baith le al and true

’
.
Ri se lass and mak a clean fireside

, , ,
P ut on the muckle pot ;

Gie little Kate her button gown
And J ock his Sunday coat ;
And mak their shoon as black as slaes ,
Their hose as white as snaw ;

I t s a to please my ai n gudeman
’ ’
,
For he s b een long awa

’
.
There s twa fat hens upo the coop

’ ’
Been fe d this month and m ai r ;

M ak has te and thraw their necks ab out ,
That Coli n weel may fare ;

And spread the table neat and clean ,
G ar ilka thing look braw ,
For wha can tell how Coli n fared

W hen he was far awa ?
S ae true his heart sae smooth his speech
, ,
His breath like caller air ;

H is very foot has music in t ’
As he comes up the stair

BOO K TH IRD 1
97
And will I see his face again ?

And will I hear him speak ?
I m down right dizzy w i the thought
’ ’
,
I n troth I m like to greet !

,
’
’
I f Colin s weel and weel content , ,
I hae nae mair to crave

An d gin I live to keep him sae ,
’
I m blest aboon the lave
And wi ll I see his face agai n ?
And will I hear him speak ?
’
I m downright diz z y wi the thought ’
,
I n troth I m like to greet !

’
For t here s nae luck about the house

’
,
’ ’
There s nae luck at a ;
’
There s little pleasure in the house
When our gu d eman s awa ’ ’
.
C XC V
A B SEN CE
When I thi nk on the happy days
I spent wi you my de ari e ;
’
,
And now what lands between us lie ,
H ow can I be but eerie !

H ow slow ye move ye heavy hours , ,
As ye were wae and weary

I t was na sae ye glinted by
When I was wi my dearie ’
.
A n on .
c x cv r
J EA N
O f a the airts the wind can b law
’
I dearly like the West ,
For there the bonnie lassie lives .
The lassie I lo e b es t ’
There wild woods grow and rivers row , ,
And mony a hi ll between ;

But d ay an d night my fancy s flight ’
I s ever wi my J ean ’
.
I see her in the dewy flowers ,
I see her sweet and fair

I hear her in the t u n e fu birds ’
,
I hear her charm the ai r

There s not a b onnie flower that springs
’
By fountain S haw or g reen, , ,
There s not a bonnie bird that sings

’
But min d s me o my J ean ’

.
0 blaw ye westli n winds blaw saft ,
Amang the leafy trees ;

Wi balmy gale frae hill and dale
’
,
B ring hame the laden bees ;

An d bri ng the lassie back to me
That s aye sae neat and clean ;
’
A e smile 0 her wad banish care

’
,
Sae charming is my J ean .
What S ighs and vows amang the knowes

H ae p ass d atween us twa
’
H ow fond to m eet how wae to part ,
That night S he gaed awa !

The Powers aboon can only ken
To whom the heart is seen ,
That nane can be sae dear to me

As my sweet lovely J ean
R B u rn s
.
C X C V II
JOHN A N D ERSO N
J ohn Anderson my j o J ohn , ,
When we were first acquent

Your locks were like the raven ,
Your b onnie b row was brent ;

And angels wait on me

To the lan d 0 the leal ’
.
N ow fare ye weel my ain J ean , ,
This w arl d s care is vain J ean ;

’
,
We 11 meet and aye be fain

’
’
I n the land 0 the leal !
L ady N a i rn e
C XC IX
O DE A D I STA N T PRO SPECT O F ETO N CO LLE G E
Ye di sta nt S pires ye antique towers
,
That crown the watery glade ,
Where grateful S cience still adores

’
H er H enry s holy shade ;
An d ye that from the stately brow
,
’
O f Windsor s heights th expanse below ’
O f grove of lawn of mead survey

, , ,
Whose turf whose sha d e whose flowers among

, ,
Wanders the hoary Thames along

His silver win ding way
-
Ah happy hills ! ah pleas ing shade !

Ah fields beloved in v ai n !
Where once my careless childhood s tray d ’
,
A stranger yet to p ai n !
I feel the gal es that from ye b low
A momen tary bliss bes tow ,
As waving fres h their gladsome wing

My weary soul they seem to soo the ,
And redolent of j oy and youth

, ,
To breathe a second spring .
Say Father Thames for thou hast seen

, ,
Full many a sprightly race

Disporting on thy margent green
The paths of pleas ure trace
Who foremost now de l ight to cleave
With pliant arm thy glassy wave ? ,
BO O K T H I RD 2 01
The captive linnet which enthrall ?

W hat idle progeny succeed
To chase the rolling circle s speed ’
O r urge the flying ball ?
While some on earnest busines s b ent

Their murmuring labors ply
’
G ai nst graver hours that bring constrai nt
To sweeten liberty
Some bold adventurers disdain
The limits of their little reign
And unknown regions dare descry
Still as they run they look behind ,
They hear a voice in every wind ,
And snatch a fearful j oy .
Gay hope is theirs by fancy fed ,
Less pleasing when p os se s t ;

The tear forgot as soon as shed
The sunshine of the breast
Theirs buxom he al th of rosy hue
, ,
Wil d wit inven tion ever new

, ,
And lively cheer of vigor born

,
T he thoughtless day the easy night

, ,
The spirits pure the slumbers light

,
That fly th approach of morn

’
.
Al as ! regardless of their doom

The little victims play ;
No sense have they of ills to come
Nor c are beyond to — day
Yet see how all around em wai t ’
The ministers of human fate

And black M isfortune s baleful trai n !
’
Ah show them where in ambush stan d

To seize their prey the murderous band !
,
Ah tell them they are men !

,
These shall the fu ry Passions tear

'
The vultures of the mind ,
D isdainful Anger pallid Fear

, ,
And Shame that skulks behin d ;

O r pining Love shall waste their youth ,
O r J ealousy with rankling tooth

That inly gnaws the secret he art ,
And E nvy wan and faded Care

, ,
Grim visaged comfortless Despair

-
,
And S orrow s piercing dart

’
.
Am b ition this shall tempt to rise

Then whirl the wretch from high
To bitter Scorn a sacrifice
And grinning I nfam y .
The stings of Falsehood those shall try

And hard Unkin d ness al te r d eye ’ ’
,
That mocks the tear it forced to flow ;

And k e en Remorse with blood de fil e d ,
And moody Madness laughing wild

Ami d severest woe .
LO ,in the vale of years beneath

A grisly troop are seen ,
The painful family of Death ,
M ore hi d eous than their queen

This racks the j oints this fires the veins
,
That every laboring sinew strai ns

Those in the d eeper Vitals rage
Lo ! Poverty to fill the ban d
, ,
That numbs the soul with icy han d ,
And slow consuming Ag e

-
.
To each his su fferings : all are men ,
C on de m n d alike to groan ;
’
The ten d er for another s pai n ’
Th unfeeling for his own

’ '
.
2 04 T H E G O LD E N TREA S U RY
H YM N TO A DV ERS IT Y
Daughter of J ove relentless power
, ,
Thou tamer O f the human breast

.
,
Whose iron scourge and torturing hour

‘
The bad affright afl l ict the best
,
Bound in thy a d aman ti ne chain

The proud are taught to taste of pain ,
And purple tyrants vainly groan

With pangs unfelt before unpitied and alone , .
When first thy Si re to sen d on earth

V ir tue his darling child de sig n d
, ,
’
,
To thee he gave the heavenly birth

And b ade to form her infant mind .
S tern rugged nurse thy rigid lore

,
With patience many a year she bore

What sorrow was thou b ad s t her know
,
’
,
And from her own she l e arn d to melt at others woe ’ ’

.
Scared at thy frown terrific fly ,

’
Self pleasing Folly s idl e brood
-
,
Wild Laughter Noise and thoughtless J oy

, , ,
And leave us leisure to be good .
Light they di sperse and with them go ,
The summer friend the flattering foe ,
By vain P rosperity received ,
To her they vow their truth and are ag ain b elieved ,

.
Wi sdom in sable gar b array d ’
I mmersed in rapturous thought profound ,
And Melancholy silent maid, ,
With leaden eye that loves the ground

, ,
S till on thy solemn steps attend :

Warm Charity the general friend
, ,
With J ustice to herself severe

, ,
And Pity dropping soft the sadly pleasing tear -

.
BO O K TH I RD 2 0
5
’
O h ! gently on thy suppliant s head
Dread god d ess lay thy chas tening hand
,
Not in thy Gorgon terrors clad ,
N or circled with the vengeful band

(As by the impious thou art seen )
With thundering voice and threatening mien
, ,
With screaming H orror s funeral cry’

,
Despair and fell Disease and ghastly Pover ty ;

, ,
Thy form b enign oh goddess wear

, , ,
Thy mil d er influence impart ,
Thy philosophic trai n be there

To soften not to wound my heart
,
.
The generous spark extinct revive ,
Teach me to love and to forgive ,
Exact my own defects to scan ,
What others are to feel an d know myself a Man

,
CC II
THE S O LIT UD E OF A LE X A N D ER SEL K I R K
I am monarch of all I survey ;
My right there is none to dispute
From the center all roun d to the sea
I am lord of the fowl an d the brute .
O Solitu d e ! where are the charms

That sages have seen in thy face ?
Better dwell in the midst of alarms ,
Than reign in this horrible place .
’
I am out of humanity s reach ,
I must finish my j ourney alone ,
Never hear the sweet music of speech

I start at the sound of my own .
The beasts that roam over the plain

My form with indi fference see
They are so unacquainted with man ,
Their tameness is shocking to me .

Society Friendship and Love

, ,
’
D ivinely b e st ow d upon man ,
Oh had I the wings of a dove

,
H ow soon would I taste you again

My sorrows I then might assuage
I n the ways of religion and truth ,
Might learn from the wisdom of ag e ,
And be che e r d by the sallies of youth

’
.
Ye winds that have made me your sport ,
Convey to this desolate S hore

Some cor d ial endearing report
O f a land I shall vis i t no more
My friends do they now and then send
,
A wish or a thought after me ?

0 tell me I yet have a friend ,
Though a fri en d I am never to see .
H ow fleet is a glance of the mind !

Compared with the speed of its flight ,
The tempest itself lags behind ,
And the swift winged arrows of light

-
.
When I think of my own native land

I n a moment I seem to be there ;
But alas recollection at hand
Soon hurries me back to despair .
But the sea fowl is gone to her nest

-
,
The beast is lai d d own in his lai r ;

Even here is a season of rest ,
And I to my cabin repai r .
There s mercy in every place

’
,
And mercy encouraging thought !

,
Gives even affliction a grace

An d reconciles man to his lot .
W Cowp e r .
2 08 T H E G O LD E N T REA S U RY
For though thou gladly wouldst fulfill

The same kind o ffi ce for me still ,
T hy sight now secon ds not thy will ,
My M ary !
But well thou pl ay s t the housewife s part

’ ’
,
And all thy threads with magic art

H ave woun d themselves about this heart ,
My M ary !
Thy indi stinct expressions seem

Like language u tte r d in a d ream ;
’
Yet me they charm whate er the theme

,
’
My Mary !
Thy silver locks once auburn b right

, ,
Are sti ll more lovely in my sight

Than golden beams of orient light ,
My M ary !
For coul d I view nor them nor thee ,
W hat sight worth seeing could I see ?

The sun would ri se in vain for me ,
My M ary !
Partakers of thy sad d ecline

Thy han d s their little force resign
Yet gently presse d press gently mine
, , ,
M y M ary !
Such feebleness of limbs thou p rov s t ’
That now at every step thou m ov st ’
Uphel d by two ; yet still thou l ov s t ’

,
My M ary !
And still to love though pressed with ill

, ,
I n wintry age to feel no chill ,
With me is to b e lovely still ,
My M ary !
BOO K TH IRD 2 0
9
But ah ! by constant heed I know

H ow oft the sadness that I S how
Transforms thy smiles to looks of woe ,
My M ary !
And should my future lot be cast
With much resemblance of the past ,
Thy worn out heart will break at last

-
M y M ary !
THE C A ST A W AY
O b scurest night involved the sky ,
The Atlantic billows roar d ’
When such a desti ned wretch as I ,
W ash d headlong from on board

’
,
O f friends of hope of all bereft

, , ,
His floating home forever left .
No braver chief coul d Albion boast

Than he with whom he went ,
Nor ever ship left Albion s coast ’
With warmer wi shes sent .
H e love d them both but both in vai n

, ,
Nor him beheld nor her ag ain

, .
Not long b eneath the whelming brine ,
Expert to swim he lay ;

,
N or soon he felt his strengt h decline ,
Or courage die away ;

But waged with death a lasting strife ,
S upported by despair of life .
H e shouted : nor his fri ends had fail d

’
To check the vessel s course ’

,
But so the furious bl ast p re v ail d ’
That pitiless perforce

, ,
2 10 TH E G O LD E N TREA S U RY
They left their outcast mate behi nd ,
And scudd e d still before the wind .
Some succor yet they could afford

An d such as sto rms allow ,
The cask the coop the floate d cord

, , ,
D e l ay d not to bestow
’
.
But he ( they knew) nor ship nor shore ,
’
Whate er they gave S hould vi sit more , .
N or cruel as it s e e m d could he
,
’
,
Their haste hi mself condemn ,
Aware that fli ght in such a sea , ,
Alone coul d rescue them ;

Yet bitter felt it still to di e
D eserted and his friends so nigh
, .
H e long survives who lives an hour ,
I n ocean self upheld ;

,
-
And so long he wi th unspent power

, ,
’
H is destiny re p e l l d ;
And ever as the mi nutes flew
, ,
E n t reated help or cried A di eu !

,
At length hi s transient respite past

, ,
H is comrades who before ,
H ad heard his voice in every blast ,
Could catch the sound no more ;

For then by toil subdued he drank
, ,
.
The sti fli ng wave and then he sank , .
No poet wept him ; but the p age

O f n arrative sincere ,
That tells his n ame hi s worth his , ,

ag e ,
I s wet with Anson s tear ’
And tea rs by bards or heroes shed

Alike immortalize th e dead .
I therefore purpose not or dream , ,
D esca nti ng on his fate ,

And while peace and plenty I find at my board ,
With a heart free from sickness and sorrow ,
With my friends may I share what To day may affor d -

,
And let them spread the table To morrow -

.
And when I at last must throw O ff this frail cov rin g ’
Which I v e worn for threescore years an d ten

’
,
’
O n the brink of the grav e I ll not seek to keep h ov rin g ’
N or my thread wish to spin o er again ’
But my face in t he glass I l l serenely survey ’

,
And with smiles count each wrinkle and furrow ;

As this ol d worn out stuff which is threadbare To day
-
,
-
,
May b ecome E verlasting To morrow -

.
CC VII
Life ! I know not what thou art ,
But know that thou an d I must part ;

And when or how or where we met
, ,
’
I own to me s a secret yet .
Life ! we ve been long together

’
Through pleasant and through cloudy weather ;

T is hard to part when friends are d ear
’
Perhaps t will cost a sigh a tear ;

’
,
Then steal away give little warning

,
Choose thi ne own time ;

Say not Good Night but in some brighte r clime
,
Bid me Good M orning .
A L B a rb a u l d
. .
BO O K FO U R T H
I t p rove s s u ffi cie n tly th e l avish we al th o f ou r own ag e in p oe try, th at th e

p ie c e s which , with o u t c on s c iou s d e p artu re fro m t h e s tan d ard o f e xce l l e n ce , re n
d e r t his b oo k
b y far t he l o n g e s t , we re with ve ry fe w e xce p tio n s c o m p os e d
fi
d u rin g th e rs t t hirty ye ars of th e n in e t e e n th c e n tu ry E xh au st ive re ason s c an
.
h ard ly b e g iv e n fo r th e s tran g e ly s u d de n app e aran ce o f in divid u al g e n iu s ; t hat ,

h owe ve r, wh ic h as s ig n s t h e S p l e n d id n at ion al ac h ie ve m e n ts o f o u r re c e n t p o e try
t o an im p u l s e fro m th e F ra n ce o f t h e fi rs t R e p u b l ic an d E m p ire is in ad e u at e q
—
.
Th e fi rs t F re n c h R e vol u t io n was rat h e r o n e re s u l t t h e m o s t c o n s p icu o u s , in

d e e d , y e t its e l f in g re at m e as u re e s se n t ially re t rog re s s ive —
o f th at wid e r an d
q
m ore p o t e n t s p irit wh ich t h ro u g h in u iry an d at t e m p t, t h rou g h s t re n g th an d
k k
we a n e s s , swe e p s m an in d rou n d t he c irc l e s ( n o t , as s o m e t oo c o n d e n t ly arg u e , fi
o f advan ce , b u t ) o f g rad u al tran s form ation ; an d it is t o t his t h at w e m u s t t race
th e l ite ratu re of m o d e rn E u ro p e . B u t with o u tp tin g dis c u s s ion o n t h e

at t e m
m o t ive cau se s o f S co tt , W o rd sw o rth , S h e l l e y , an d o th e rs , we m ay o b s e rve t h at
th e s e p o e t s ca rrie d t o fu rth e r p e rfe c t ion t h e l at e r t e n d e n cie s o f th e c e n tu ry
p re c e din g , in s im p l ic ity o f n arrat iv e , re ve re n c e fo r h u m an p ass ion an d c h aract e r

in e v e ry s p h e re , an d l ove o f n at u re for h e rs e l f ; th at , wh il e m ain ta in in g on t h e
wh o l e t h e ad v an ce s in art m ad e s in ce th e R e s t o rat ion , t h e y re n e we d t h e h al f
k
forg o tt e n m e l o dy an d d e p th of t on e which m a r e d th e b e st E l iza b e than wri t e rs ;
t h at , l as tl y , t o what was t h u s in h e rite d th e y add e d a ric h n e s s in l an gu ag e an d a
varie ty in m e te r, a force an d fi re in n arrat iv e , a t e n d e rn e s s an d b l oom in fe e l in g ,
an in s ig h t in t o t h e fi
n e r p as s ag e s of th e s o u l an d t h e in n e r m e an in g s o f t h e
l an d s cap e , a larg e r s e n s e of h u m an ity , h ith e rt o scarc e ly atta in e d, an d p e rh ap s

u n attain ab l e e ve n b y p re d e c e s s o rs o f n o t in fe ri or in divid u al g e n iu s I n a wo rd ,
‘
th e n at ion which , aft e r t h e G re e k

in t h e ir g l ory , m ay fairly c l aim t h at d u rin g
s
s ix ce n t u ri e s it h as p rove d it s e l f t h e m os t ri ch ly g ift e d o f al l n at ion s for p o e t ry ,
e xp re s s e d in t h e s e m e n t h e h ig h e s t s t re n g t h an d p ro dig al ity o f it s n at u re The y .
in t e rp re t e d t he a g e t o it s e l f ; he n c e th e m an y p h ase s o f t h o u g h t an d s tyl e th e y
p re s e n t . T o s y m p at h ize with e ach fe rv e n t ly an d im p art ial ly, w it h o u t fe ar an d
with o u t fan c ifu l n e s s , is n o d ou b t fu l s t e p in t h e h ig h e r e d u cat io n o f t h e s ou l .
F o r p u rity in t as t e is ab so l u t e l y p rop o rt io n at e t o s t re n g t h , an d wh e n o n ce th e
m in d h as rais e d it s e l f t o g ra s p a n d t o d e l ig h t in e xce ll e n ce , t h o s e wh o l ov e m os t
wil l b e fou n d t o l ove m o st wise ly .
k
B u t th e g all e ry which th is b oo o ffe rs t o t h e re ad e r w ill a id h im m o re th an
an y p re fac e . I t is a royal p al ace o f p oe t ry which h e is in v it e d t o e n t e r
Adp are t dom u s in t u s , e t a t ria l o n g a p ate sc u n t 1
y
th o u g h it is , in d e e d , t o t he s m p a th e tic e y e on ly that its tre asu re s wil l be vis ib l e .
( Virg il
1 ”
The in te rior o f the hou se a p pe ars , an d the l o n g hal l s o pe n ou t , tEn e id ,
11, 4 83 )
2 1 4 T H E G O LD E N T REAS U RY
CC V III
MU SES
TO TH E
Whether on I da s sha d y brow
’
,
O r in the chambers of the E ast ,
The chambers of the sun that now ,
From ancient melo d y have ceased ;
Whether in H eaven ye wander fai r ,
0 1 the green corners of the earth ,
O r the blue regi ons of the air ,
Where the melodious winds have birth ;
Whether on crystal rocks ye rove

B eneath the bosom of the s ea ,
Wandering in many a coral grove ,
Fair Nine , forsaking Poetry ;
H ow have you left the ancient love

That bards of O l d e n j
oy d in you !
’
The langui d st rings do scarcely move ,
The sound is forced the notes are few , .
PV B l a ke
.
CC IX
O DE O N TH E POETS
Bards of Passion an d of Mirth ,
Ye have left your soul s on earth

H ave ye souls in heaven too ,
Double lived i n regions new ?

-
Yes and those of heaven commune

“
With the spheres of sun and moo n ;

’
'
With the n oise of foil n tai n s wond rous ’
And the parle of voices thun d rous ; ’
With the whisper of h eaven s trees ’
And one another in soft ease ,

2 1 6 T H E G O L D E N T REAS U RY
C CX
ON FI RST LOO K I N G I N TO C H A P MA N S ’
HO M ER
M uch have I trav e l d in the realms of gold
’
A n d many goodly states and kingdoms seen ;

Round many western islan d s have I been
Whi ch bard s in fealty to Apollo hol d .
O ft of one wide expanse had I b een told

That deep brow d H omer ruled as his demesne :
-
’
Yet di d I never breathe i ts pure serene

Till I heard Chapman speak out loud and bol d
Then felt I like some watcher of the ski es

When a new planet swims into his ken ;
O r l ike stout Cortez when with eagle eyes
,
H e stared at the Pacific — and al l hi s men

Look d at each other with a wil d surmise
’
Silent upon a peak in D arien

,
.
XI
CC
LO V E
All thoughts all passions all delights
, , ,
Whatever s tirs thi s mort al frame ,
A ll are but ministers of Lo ve ,
And feed hi s sacred flame .
Oft in my waking dre ams do I

Live o er agai n that happy hour
’
,
When midway on the mount I lay ,
’
Bes ide the ru in d tower .
The moonshine stealing o er the scene ’
H ad blen d ed with the lights of eve ;

And she was there my hope my j oy , , ,
M y own dear Genevieve !

B O O K FO U RT H 2 1
7
She l e an d against the arm ed man

’
,
The statue of the arm ed knight ;

She stood and listen d to my lay ’
,
Ami d the lingering light .
Few sorrows hath she of her own ,
My hope ! my j oy ! my Genevieve !
She loves me best whene er I sing
,
’
The songs that make her grieve .
I pl ay d a soft and doleful ai r

’
,
I sang an old an d moving story

An old rude song that suited well
,
That ruin wild and ho ary .
She listen d wi th a flitti ng blush

’
,
With downcast eyes and modest grace ;

For well she k new I could not choose
,
But gaze upon her face .
I told her of the Knight that wore

U pon his shield a burning bran d ;
And that for ten long years he woo d ’
The Lady of the Land .
I told her how he pine d : and ah !

The d eep the low the pleading tone
, ,
With which I sang another s love ’
I nterpre ted my own .
She listen d with a flitti ng blush

’
,
With downcast eyes and mo d est grace ;

,
And she forgave me that I gazed ,
Too fondly on her face I
But when I told the cruel scorn

That craze d that bold an d lovely Knight ,
And that he cross d the mountain woods

’
,
Nor rested day nor night ;

That sometimes from the savage den ,
And some times from the darksome shade ,
And sometimes sta rting up at once

I n green and sunny glade ,
There came an d l ook d him in the face

’
An angel b eautiful and b right ;

And that he knew it was a Fiend ,
This miserable Knight !
And that unknowing what he did ,
H e l e ap d amid a murderous band

’
,
And saved from outrage worse than death

The Lady of the Land
And how she wept and cl asp d his knees ;

,
’
And how she tended him in vain

And ever strove to expiate
The scorn that crazed his b rain
And that she nursed him in a cave ,
And how his madness went away ,
When on the yellow forest leaves

A dying man he lay ;
H is dying words but when I re ach d ’
That tenderest strai n of all the ditty ,
My faltering voice and pausing harp

D istu rb d her soul with pity
’
All impulses of soul and sense

H ad t h ril l d my guileless Genevieve ;
’
The music and the doleful tale ,
The rich and balmy eve
And hopes and fears that kin d le hope

, ,
An un d istinguishable throng ,
2 2 0 TH E G O LD E N TR EAS U RY
What are garlands and crowns to the brow that is wrinkled ?

T is but as a dead flower with M ay dew besprinkle d
’ -
Then away with all such from the head that is hoary
What care I for the wreaths that can only give glory ?
O fame ! — if I
e er took delight in thy praises
’
,
T was less for the sake of thy high soundi ng phras es

’ -
,
Than to see the bright eyes O f the clear one discover

She thought that I was not unworthy to love her .
There chiefly I sought thee there only I found thee ;

,
H er glance was the best of the rays that surround thee ;

When it sparkled o er aught that was bright in my story
’
,
I knew it was love an d I felt it was glory

, .
Lord By ron
c c x rrr
THE O U TL A W
O Brignall b anks are wild and fai r ,
An d Greta woods are green ,
And you may gather garlands there

Would grace a summer queen .
And as I ro d e by Dalton H all -
Beneath the turrets high ,
A Maiden on the castle wall

Was singing merrily
O Brignall banks are fresh and fai r -
And Greta woods are green ;

I d rather rove with E d mund there
’
”
Than reign our English queen .
I f M aiden thou wouldst wend with me

, , ,
To leave b oth tower and town ,
T hou first must guess what life lead we

Tha t dwell by dale and down .
An d if th ou canst that ri dd le rea d ,
As read full we l l you may ,

B O O K FO U RT H 2 2 1
Then to the greenwood shalt thou speed

As blithe as Queen of M ay .
Yet sung she Brignall banks are fai r

, ,
And Greta woods are green ;

I d rather rove with E dmund there
’
Than reign our English queen .
I read you b y your bugle horn

,
And by your palfrey good ,
I read you for a ranger sworn

’
To keep the king s greenwood .
A Ranger lady winds his horn

, , ,
And t is at peep of light ;

’
H is blast is heard at merry morn ,
”
And mine at dead of night .
Yet sung she Brign all banks are fair

, .
And Greta woods are gay

I would I were with Edmund there
To reign his Queen of M ay !
With b u rn ish d brand and musketoon

’
So gallantly you come ,
I rea d you for a bold Dragoon

”
That lists the tuck of drum .
I list no more the tuck of drum ,
N 0 more the trumpet hear ;

B ut when the beetle sounds his hum
My comrades take the spear .
And 0 though Brignall banks be fai r

And Greta woo d s be gay ,
Yet mickle must the maiden dare

Would reign my Queen of M ay !
M aiden ! a nameless life I lead ,
A nameless death I 11 die ’
The fiend whose lantern lights the mead

Were better mate than I
’
And when I m with my comrades met
Beneath the greenwood bough ,
What on ce we were we al l forget ,
Nor thi nk what We are now ”

.
C H O R US
Yet B ri gnall banks are fresh and fai r ,
And Greta woods are green ,
And you may gather garlands there

”
Would grace a summer queen .
S i r I/V
.
CC XIV
There b e none of Beauty s daughters ’
With a magic like Thee

And like music on the waters
I s thy sweet voice to me
When as if its soun d were causing
,
The charmed ocean s pausing ’

,
The waves lie still an d gleaming ,
And the l u l l d wi nds seem dreaming

’
And the midnight moon is weaving

’
H er b right chain o er the deep ,
Whose breast is gently heaving

’
As an infant s asleep
So the spirit bows before thee
To listen and adore thee ;
With a full but soft emotion ,
’
Like the swell of S ummer s ocean .
L ord
CC XV
THE I N D I A N SERE N AD E
I ari se from dreams of Thee
I n the first sweet sleep of night ,
When the win d s are breathing l ow

An d the stars are shini ng bright
2 2 4 THE G O LD E N T REAS U RY
’
And on that cheek and o er that brow
S o soft so calm yet eloquent
, , ,
The smiles that win the tints that glow ,
But tell of days in goodness spent ,
A mind at peace with al l below ,
A heart whose love is innocent .
Lo rd By ron
CC XV II
She was a Phantom of delight
When first she gl e am d upon my sight ; ’
A lovely App arition sent ,
To be a moment s ornam ent ; ’
H er eyes as stars of twilight fai r ;

Like Twilight s too her dusky hai r ;
’
, ,
But all things else about her drawn

From M ay time and the cheerful dawn ;
-
A da ncing shape an image gay , ,
To haunt to sta rtle and waylay

, , .
I saw her upon nearer vie w ,
A Spiri t yet a Woman too !

,
H er household motions light and free ,
And steps of virgin —liber ty ;

A countenance in which d id meet
Sweet records promises as sweet ;
,
A creat ure not too b right or good

For human nature s d aily foo d ’
,
For transient sorrows simpl e wiles , ,

“
Praise blame love kisses tears and smiles

, , , , , .
And now I see with eye serene

The very pulse of the machine ;
A being breathing thoughtful breath ,
A traveler between l ife an d dea th

The reason firm the temperate will , ,
E n d urance foresight stren g th and ski ll ;

, , ,
5
A perfect Woman nobly pl an n d

,
’
To warn to comfort and command ;

, ,
And yet a Spirit still and bright ,
With something of an an gel light .
I/V I/Vord s w orth

.
CC XV III
She is not fair to outward view
As many mai dens be ;
H er loveliness I never knew
Until she smiled on me .
0 then I saw her eye was b right ,
A well of love a spring of li ght

, .
But now her looks are coy and cold ,
’
To mine they ne er reply ,
An d yet I cease not to behold

The love light in her eye
-
H er very frowns are fai rer far

Than s m iles of other m aidens are
CC XIX
I fear thy kisses gentle maiden ;
,
Thou needes t not fear mine ;

My spiri t is too deeply laden
Ever to burt hen thine .
I fe ar thy mien thy tones thy motion ;

, ,
Thou needest not fear mine ;

’
I nnocent is the heart s devotion
With which I worship thine .
CC XX
S he dwelt among the untrodden ways
B eside the springs of Dove ;
A m aid whom there were none to praise ,
And ve ry few to love .

2 2 6 T H E G O LD E N TREAS U RY
A violet b y a mossy stone

H alf hid d en from the eye !
-
Fair as a star when only one ,
I s shining in the sky .
She lived unknown and few could know ,
When Lucy ceas ed to b e ;

But she is in her grave and oh , , ,
The di fference to me !
W M rds w o i th
CC XX I
trav e l d
’
I among unknown men
I n lands b eyon d the sea ;
Nor E ngland ! d id I know till then
,
W h at love I b ore to thee .
’
T
is past that melancholy drea m !
,
Nor will I qui t thy shore

A second time ; for sti ll I seem
To love thee more and more .
Among thy mountai ns did I feel

The j oy of my des ire ;
And she I che rish d t urn d her wh eel ’ ’
B eside an English fire .
Thy morni ngs show d thy nights co n ce al d ’

,
’
The bowers where Lucy pl ay d ’
And thi ne too is the last green field

’
That Lucy s eyes su rve y d ’
.
I/V Word s w ort h .
c c x x rr
TH E E DU C A TI O N O F N A T U RE
Three years she grew in sun and shower ;
Then Nature sai d A loveli er flower,
On ea rt h was never sown

2 2 8 T H E G O L D E N TREA S URY
Thus Nature spake The work was done

H ow soon my Lucy s race was run ! ’
S he died and left to me

,
This heath thi s calm and quiet scene ;

,
T he memory of what has b een ,
An d never more will b e .
W I/Vord s worth
CC XX III
A slumber did my spirit seal ;
I had no human fears
S he se e m d a thing that coul d not feel
’
The touch of earthly years .
No motion has she now no force ; ,
She neither hears nor sees ;

R ol l d round in earth s diurnal course
’ ’
With rocks and stones and trees

, , .
W Words w orth
c c x x rv
A LO ST LO V E
I meet thy pensive moonlight face ; ,
Thy thrilling voi ce I hear ;

And former hours and scenes retrace
Too fleeting and too dear ! ,
Then sighs and tears flow fast and free ,
Though none is nigh to share ;

And life has naught beside for me
s o sweet as this despai r .
There are c ru s h d hearts that will not break ;

’
And mine methinks is one

, , ,
O r thus I should not weep and wake ,
An d thou to slum b er gone .

9
I little thought it thus could be

I n days more sa d an d fai r
That earth could have a place for me ,
An d thou no longer there .
Yet d eath cannot our hearts d ivi d e ,
O r make thee less my own :

T were sweeter sleeping at thy si d e
’
Than watching here alone .
Yet never never can we p art

, ,
While Memory hol d s her rei g n

Thine thine is still this with e r d heart
,
’
,
Till we shall meet again .
CC XXV
LOR D U LLI N S DAUG HTER ’
A Chieftai n to the Highlan d s bound

Cries Boatman do not tarry ! ,
An d I 11 give thee a silver pound

’
”
To row us o er the ferry
’
I
Now who be ye woul d cross Loch gy l e

, ,
This d ark an d stormy water

O I m the chief of U lva s isle
’ ’
,
And this Lord Ullin s d aughter

,
’
.
And fast b efore her father s men ’
Three d ays we v e fle d together

’
,
For should he find us in the glen ,
My bloo d woul d stai n the heather .
H is horsemen hard behind us ride

S hould they our steps discover ,
Then who will cheer my bonny bride ,
”
When they have slain her lover ?
2 3 0 TH E G O LD E N TREAS U RY
O ut spoke the hardy H ighland Wight ,
I l l go my chief I m rea d y :
’
, ,
’
I t is not for your S ilver bright ,
B ut for your W insome lad y
And by my wor d ! the bonny bird

I n danger shall not t arry ;
5 0 though the waves are raging white
I l l row you o e rthe fe rr
’ ’
V
”
.
By this the storm g rew loud apace ,
The water wraith was shrieking ;

-
And in the scowl of H eaven each face

Grew d ark as t hey were speaking .
But still as wilder blew the wind ,
And as the night grew d rearer ,
Adown the glen rode arm ed men ,
Their trampling sounde d nearer .
O haste thee haste ! the lady cries

, ,
Though tempests roun d us gather

I l l meet the raging of the skies
’
,
”
But not an angry father .
The b oat has left a stormy land ,
A stormy s ea before her ,
When oh too strong for human hand

,
’ ’
The tempest g athe r d o er her .
And still they row d amidst the roar

’
O f waters fast prev ai ling :

Lord Ullin re ach d that fatal shore
’
,
H is wrath was changed to wailing .
For sore dismay d through storm and shade

,
’
,
H is child he d i d discover ;
O ne lovely han d she s tre tch d for ai d ’
,
And one was round her lover .

2 3 2 T H E G O L D E N T REA S U R Y
At this the father raised his hook ,
And s n app d a fagot ban d ;

’
H e plied his work ; an d Lucy took

The lantern in her h an d .
Not b lither is the mountai n roe

With many a wanton stroke
H er feet disperse the powdery snow ,
That rises up like smoke .
The storm came on b efore its ti me .
She wan de r d up and down ;

’
And many a hill di d Lucy climi ‘
’
But never re ac h d the town .
The wretched parents all that night

Went shouting far and wide ;
B ut there was neither sound nor sight
To serve them for a guide .
At day b reak on a hill they stood

That ov e rl ook d the moor ;
’
And thence they saw the b ri dge of wood

A furlong from their d oor .
They wept and turning homeward cried

, ,
I n heaven we all shall meet !

— When i n the snow the mother spied
’
The print of Lucy s feet .
Then downwards from the steep hi ll s edge ’
’
They track d the footmarks small ;
An d through the broken haw thorn hedge ,
And by the long stonew al l
And then an open field they cross d ’
T he marks were still the same ;

They track d them on nor ever lost ;
’
,
And to the b ri dg e they cam e

They foll ow d from the snowy bank

’
Those footmarks one by one

, ,
I nto the middle of the plank ;

An d further there were none
Yet some maintain that to this d ay
She is a living chi l d ;
That you may see sweet Lucy Gray
Upon the lonesome wil d .
O er rough and smooth she trips alo ng

’
,
And never looks behind ;

And sings a soli tary song
That whistles in the win d .
W IVords worth /
c c x x v rr
J OC K O F H A ZEL D E A N
Why weep ye by the tide ladie ? ,
Why weep ye by the ti de ?

I l l wed ye to my youngest son
’
,
And ye sall b e his bride

An d ye sall be his bride ladie , ,
Sae comely to b e seen

But aye she lo ot the tears d own fa ’
For J ock of H azeldean .
Now let thi s wil fu grief be done

’
,
And dry that cheek so pale ;

Young Frank is chief of E rrington
And lord of Langley dale ; -
’
H is step is first i n peaceful ha ,
H is sword in b attle keen

But aye she loot the tears d own fa ’
For J ock of H azel d ean .
A chain of gold ye sall not lack ,
N or braid to bind your hair ,

2 34 T HE G O LD E N T REAS U RY
Nor mettled houn d nor managed hawk

, ,
Nor palfrey fresh and fai r ;

And you the foremost o them a ’ ’
Shall ride our forest queen

’
But aye she loot the tears down fa
For J ock of H azeldean .
T he kirk was de ck d at morning tide

’
-
The tapers g l im m e r d fair ; ’
The priest an d bridegroom wait the bride ,
And dame and knight are there

T hey sought her baith by bower and ha ; ’
The la d ie was not seen 1

She s o er the border and awa
’ ’
,
’
Wi J ock of H azeldean
’ '
S i r W S cott
CC XXV III
LO V E S P H I LO SOPH Y
’
The fountains mingle with the ri ver

And the rivers with the ocean ,
T he winds of heaven mi x forever

With a sweet emotion ;
N othing in the worl d is single ,
All things by a law divine

I n one another s being mingle
’
Why not I with thine ?
S ee the mountains kiss high heaven ,
And the waves clasp one another ;

N o sister flower would b e forgiven
I f it disdai n d its brother
’
And the sunlight clasps the earth ,
And the moonbeams kiss the sea

What are all these kissin g s worth ,
I f thou kiss not me ?

The star of Love all stars ab ove

, ,
’
N ow reigns o er earth and sky ,
And high and low the influence know

B ut where is Coun ty Guy ?
S ir W Scott
CC XXX I
TO THE E V E N I N G ST A R
Gem of the crimson col or d Even -
’
,
Companion of retiring day ,
Why at the closing gates of heaven ,
Beloved S tar dost thou d elay ?

,
So fair thy pensile b eauty burns

When soft the tear of twilight flows ;
So due thy plighted love returns
To chambers brighter than the rose ;
To Peace to Pleasure and to Love

, ,
So kind a star thou se e m s t to be ’

,
Sure some e n am or d orb above ’
Descends and burns to meet with thee .
Thine is the breathing blushing hour ,
When all unheavenly passions fly ,
Chased by the soul subduing power

-
’
O f Love s delicious witchery .
O sacred to the fall of day

Queen of propitiou s stars appear , ,
And early rise and long delay

, ,
Wh en Caroline herself is here !
Shine on her chosen green resort

Whose trees the sunwar d summit crown ,
And wanton flowers that well may court

,
An angel s feet to tread them down :

’
Shine on her sweetly s cented road

“
’
Thou star of evening s purple dome ,
That l e ad st the nightingale abroad

’
,
’
And gu id s t the pilgrim to his home .
’
Shine where my charmer s sweeter breath
Embal ms the soft exhaling dew ,
Where dyi ng winds a sigh bequeath

To kiss the cheek of rosy hue
Where ,
by the gentle ai r
w in n ow d
’
,
'
H e r sil ke n tresses darkly flow

An d fall upon her brow so fai r ,
Like shadows on the mounta i n snow .
’
Thus ever thus at day s decline
, ,
I n converse sweet to wander far

0 b ring with thee my Caroline ,
And thou shalt be my Ruling Star !

T Ca mp b e l l
.
c c x x x rr
TO TH E NI G HT
Swiftly walk over the western wave ,
Spirit of Night !
Out of the misty eastern cave
Where all the long and lone daylight
, ,
Thou wove s t dreams of j oy and fear

Which make thee terrible and dear ,
Swift b e thy flight !
Wrap thy form in a mantle gray

Star inwrought -
Blind with t hine hair the eyes of Day ,
Kiss he runtil she be wearied out

Then wander o er city and sea and land
’
,
Touching all with thine opi ate w an d

Come long sought ! ,
-
When I ose and saw the dawn,

ar
I sig h d for thee ;

’
When light rode hi gh and the dew was gone

, ,
And Ii OO n l ay heavy on flower and tree “
And the we ary Day t u rn d to his rest ’
Lin geri ng like an unlove d gue st

'
I sig h d for th ee
’
.
Thy brother Death came an d cried ,
Wouldst thou me ?
Thy sweet chil d S leep the fil m y eyed,
-
,
M u rm u r d l ike a noonti d e bee

’
S hal l I nestl e near thy si d e ?

Wouldst thou me ? An d I replied
'
N 0 not thee !
,
Death will come when thou art dead

“
Soon too soOn,
Sleep wi ll come when thou art fled ;

O f neither would I ask the boon .
I as k of thee belov ed Night

,
S wift be thine approaching flight ,
C ome soon soon ! ,
CC XXX III
"
To A D I ST A N T FRI EN D
Why art thou silent ? I s thy love a plant
O f such weak fiber that the treacherous air
O f absen ce withers wha t was once sofair ?
(
Is there n o d ebt to pay no boon to g rant ?

,
Yet have my thoughts for thee bee n vigi l ant ,
Bo un d to thy service with unceasing care

'
The min d s least generous wish a men d icant

’
For naught but what thy happiness c oul d spare

‘
.
I n secret we met
I n silence I grieve
That thy heart could forget ,
Thy spirit deceive .
I f I should meet thee

After long years ,
H ow should I greet thee ?

With silence and tears .
L o rd
CC X X X V
H A PP Y I N SEN S I B I LI T Y
I n a drear nighted December
-
,
Too happy happy tree

, ,
Thy branches ne er remember

’
Their g reen felicity

The north cannot undo them
With a sleety whistl e through them ,
Nor frozen thawings glue them

From buddi ng at the prime .
I n a drear nighted December

-
,
Too happy happy brook

, ,
Thy b u b b lin g s ne er remember

’
Apollo s summer look ;

’
But with a sweet forgetting

They stay their crystal frett ing ,
N ever never petting

,
About the froz en time .
’
Ah ! would t were so with many
A gentle girl an d boy
But were there ever any
Writhed not at passed j oy ?
To know the change an d feel it ,
When there is none to heal it

Nor numbed sense to steal it

Was never said in rhyme .
CC XXXV I
Where sh all the lover rest
Whom the fates sever
From his true mai den s breast ’
P arted forever ?
Where through groves deep and
,
Sounds the far billow ,
Where early violets die

Under the willow .
E l e u Zora
S of t s ha l l b e h is fi zl l ow
’
There through the summer d ay

Cool streams are laving
There while the tempests sway
, ,
Scarce are boughs waving ;

Th ere thy rest shalt thou take
Parted forever ,
Never agai n to wake

Never 0 never ! ,
E l e u [ am
N e v e r, 0 n ever
Where shall the traitor rest ,
He the deceiver
, ,
Who could win mai d en s breast ’

,
Ruin and leave her ?

,
I n the lost battle ,
Borne down by the flying ,
Where mingles war s rattle ’
With groans of the d ying ;

E l e u l oro
Tfie n’ ’
fie b e ly i ng ;
H er wing sh al l the eagle flap

O er the falsehearted ;
’
H is warm blood the wolf shall

E re life b e parted
Shame an d di shonor sit
'
By his grav e ever ;

Blessing shall hal low it
Never 0 never ! ,
E l e u Zora
N e v e r, 0 n ever !
S ir W
CC XXXV II
LA B ELLE DA M E S A N S M ERC I
0 what can al l thee knight at arms ; ,
- -
'
Alone an d pal e l y loitering ?

The sedge has wi the r d from the lake ’
,
And no birds sing .
0 what can ail thee knight at— arm s! ,

-
So hag gard an d so woebegone ?

The squirrel s gran ary is full
’
,
An d the harvest s d one ’

.
I see a lily on thy brow

With angu ish moist an d fever d e w -
,
An d on thych e e ks a fa ding rose

t
'
'
Fas t wi thereth too .
I met a lady in th e meads ,
Full beauti ful a faery s child ’

,
H er hai r was lon g, her foot was light ,
And her eyes were wild .
I ma d e a garland for her he ad ,
An d bracelets too and fragrant zone ; ,

CC XXX VII I
T H E RO V ER
A weary lot is thi ne fai r m ai d,

,
A weary lot is thi ne !

To pul l the thorn thy b row to brai d,
And press the rue for wi ne .
A lights ome eye a soldi er s mien

,
’
,
A feather of the blue ,
A doublet of the Lincoln green

N 0 more of me you knew
M y Love !
N 0 more of me you kn e w .
Thi s m om is merry J une I trow , ,
The rose is bud di ng fai n ;

But she shall bloom in winter snow
”
Ere we two meet again .
H e t urn d his charger as he spake

’
Upon the river shore ,
H e gave the b ridle reins a shake ,
Sai d Adi eu fore v e rrn ore

My Love !
”
And adieu forevermore .
S i r PV .
xxx i x
cc
THE FLI G HT O F LO V E
Wh en the lamp is s hatt e r d ’
The light in the dust lies dead

’
When the cloud is scatte r d ,
The rain bow s glo ry is shed

’
.
When the lute is broken ,
Sweet tones are re m e m b e r d not ; ’
When the lips have spoken ,
Loved accents are soon forgot .

As music an d S plendor
S urvive not the lamp and the lute ,
The heart s echoes ren d er

’
N 0 song when the spirit is mu te

No song but sad di rges ,
Like the wind through a ru in d ce ll ’
O r the mournful surges

That ring the d ead seaman s knell ’
.
When hearts have once mingled ,
Love first leaves the well built n est ; -
The weak one is singled

To endure what it once p osse s st .
0 Love ! who b e wai l e st

The frai lty of al l things here ,
Why choose you the frailest

For your cradle your home an d your
, ,
I ts
passions wi ll rock thee
As the storms rock the ravens on high ;
Bright reason will mock thee
Like the sun from a wintry sky .
From thy nest every rafter

Will rot and thine eagle home
,
Leave thee naked to laughter ,
When leaves fall an d col d win d s come .
R B .
CC XL
THE MA I D O F N EI D P A TH
O lovers eyes are sha rp to see
’
,
An d lovers ears in he aring ;

’
An d love in life s extremity

,
’
,
Can lend an hour of cheering .
Disease ha d been i n Mary s bower ’
And slow decay from mourning ,

T H E GO LD E N TREAS URY
Though now she sits on N e idpath s tower ’
’
To watch her Love s returning .
All sunk and di m her eyes so b right ,
H er form de cay d by pini ng ’

,
Till through her wasted hand at night , ,
You saw the taper shi n ing .
By fits a sultry hectic hue

Across her cheek w as flying ;
By fits so ashy pale she grew
H er maidens thought her dying .
Yet keenest powers to see an d hear

S e e m d in her frame residing ;
’
Before the watch dog pri ck d hi s car

-
’
S he he ard her lover s ri ding ; ’
E re scarce a distant form was kenn d ’
S he knew an d waved to greet hi m ,
And o er the battlement did bend

’
As on the wi ng to meet him .
H e came he p ass d ’
an heedless gaz e
As o er some stranger glancing ;
’
H er welcome spoke in faltering phrase

, ,
Lost in hi s courser s prancing ’
The castle arch whose hollow tone

,
Re t u rns e ach whisper spoken ,
Could scarcely catch the feeb le moan

Which told her h e art was b roken .
. 9? l S wfl
CC X LI
E arl M arch l ook d on his dying child
’
,
And smit with grief to view her

,
The youth he cried whom I exiled

, ,
S hal l be restored to woo her .

2 48 T H E G O L D E N TREASU RY
CC X LIII
THE TERROR OF D E A TH
When I have fears that I may ceas e to be
Before my pen has g l e an d my teeming brain ’
,
Before high pil ed books in charact ry

-
,
’
H old like rich garners the full rip e n d grai n ; -

’
When I behold u pon the n ight s st arr d face

,
’ ’
,
H uge cloudy symbols of a high romance ,
And think that I may never live to t race

Their shadows with the magic hand of ch ance
, ;
And when I feel fai r Creature of an hour !

,
That I shal l never look upon thee more ,
N ever have relish in the faery power

O f u n re fl e ctin g love then on the shore
O f the wide world I sta nd alone and think ,
Till Love an d Fame to nothingness d o sink
c cx u v
D ES I D ERI A
S urprised by j oy — impati ent as the wind
I t u rn d
to share the transport oh ! with who m
’
But Thee deep burie d in the silent tomb ,
That spot whi ch no vi cissitude can find ?
Love faithful love re cal l d thee to my m in d

,
’
But how could I forget thee ? Through what power

Even for the least di vision of an hour
H ave I been so beg ui led as to be blind
’
To my most grievous loss ! That thought s return
W as the worst pang that sorrow ever bore
Save on e one only when I stood forlorn
, , ,
’
Knowing my heart s best treasure was no more ;
That neither present ti me nor years unborn ,
Could to my sight that heavenly face restore .
W? I/Vom ’s w ort/z
CC X LV
At the mid hour of night when stars are weeping I fly
, ,
To the lone vale we loved when life shone warm in thine

,
eye ;
And I thi nk oft if spiri ts can steal from the regions of air
,
To revisit past scenes of deli ght thou wilt come to me ,
there
And tell me our love is r e m e m b e r d even in the sky !
’
,
Then I sing the wil d song it once was rapture to hear

When our voices commingling breathed like one on the
, ,
e ar ;
And as Echo far off through the v al e my sad orison rolls ,
’
I think ,
oh my Love ! t is thy voice from the Ki ngdom ,
of Souls
Faintly answering still the notes that once were so dear .
T M oo re
.
CC X LV I
ELE GY O N T H Y RZ A
And thou art dead as young and fair

,
As aught of mortal birth ;

And forms so soft an d charms so rare
Too soon re tu rn d to E arth !’
Though E arth received them in her bed ,
And o er the spot the crowd may tread

’
I n carelessness or mi rth ,
There is an eye which coul d not b rook

A mo ment on th at grave to look .
I wi ll not ask where thou liest l ow

Nor gaze upo n the spot ;
There flowers or weeds at will m ay grow

So I behold them not :
I t is enough for me to prove
That what I loved and long must love
, ,
Like common earth can rot ;

To me there needs no stone to tell
’
T is Nothing that I loved so well .
Yet did I love thee to the last ,
As fe rvently a s thou
Who didst not change through al l the past
And canst not al ter now .
The love where D eath h as se t his seal

N or age can chill nor riv al ste al
, ,
N or falsehood di savow
And what were worse thou c anst not s e e
, ,
O r wrong or change or fault in me

, , .
The bett er days of life were ours ;

The worst can b e but mine
The sun that cheers the storm that lours
, ,
S hall never more be thine .
The silence of that dreamless sleep

I envy now too much to weep ;
N or need I to repine
That all those charms have pass d away ’
I might have watc h d through long deca y

’
.
The flower i n ripe n d b loom u n m atch d

’ ’
M ust fall the earliest prey ;

Though by no hand untimely sn atch d, ’
The leav e s must d rop away .
And yet it were a greater grief

To watch it withering leaf b y leaf, ,
Than see it pl u ck d to d ay ;
’
S ince earthly eye b ut ill can b ear

To trace the ch an g e to foul from fair .
2
5 2 T H E G O LD E N TR EA S U RY
O ne hope is too like despair

For pru d ence to smother ,
An d pity from thee more d ear

Than that from another .
I can give not what men call love ;

But wilt thou accept not
The worship t he heart lifts above
And the H eavens rej ect not
The desire of the moth for the star ,
O f the night for the morrow ,
The devotion to something afar

From the sphere of our sorrow ?
R B .
CC X L V III
GA T H ERI N G SO N G O F D O N A L D THE B L A C K
Pibroch of D on u il D hu
P ibroch of D on u il
Wake thy wild voice anew ,
Summon Clan C on u il .
Come away come away

, ,
H ark to the summons !

Come in your war array ,
Gentles an d commons .
Come from deep glen and ,
From mountain so rocky ;

The war pipe and pennon
-
Are at I n v e rl ocky .
Come every hill plaid and

-
,
True heart that wears one ,
Come every steel blade and ,
S trong han d that bears one .

B O O K FO U RTH 2
53
Leave untended the herd ,
The flock without shelter ;

Leave the corpse u n in te rr d ’
,
The bride at the al tar ;

Leave the deer leave the steer
, ,
Leave nets and barges

Come with your fighting gear ,
Broa d swor d s and targes .
Come as the winds come when ,
Forests are rended ,
Come as the waves come when ,
Navies are stranded

Faster come faster come
,
Faster and faster ,
Chief vassal page an d groom

, , ,
Tenant an d master .
Fast they come fast they come ;

,
See how they gather !

Wide waves the eagle plume
Blende d with heather .
Cast your plaids draw your bla d es

, ,
Forward each man set !

Pibroch of D on u il D hu
Knell for the onset !
Sir W
CC X LI X
A wet sheet and a flowing sea ,
A wind that follows fast

And fills the white and rustling s ail
And b en d s the gallant mast ;
And ben d s the gallant mast my b oys , ,
W hi le like the eagle free

Away the good ship fli es and leaves

,
O l d E ngl and on the lee .
O for a soft and gentle wi nd !

I hear d a fai r one cry
But give to me the snoring breeze
And white waves heaving hi gh ;
And w hi te w av e s he av in g high my la d s , ,
The good shi p ti ght an d free

The worl d of waters is our home ,
And merry men are we .
’
There s tempest in yon horn ed moon ,
And lightni ng in yon cloud

B ut hark the music mari ners
,
The wi nd is piping loud

The wind is piping loud my boys
, ,
The lightning flashes free

While the hollow oak our p al ace is ,
O ur he ri tag e the sea

.
A . Cu n n i n g /mm
Ye Mari ners of Englan d

That guard our native seas !
Whose flag has braved a thous an d years
,
The battle and the breeze

Your glorious stan dard launch agai n
To match an other foe
And sweep through the d eep ,
While the stormy winds d o blow ;

Whi le the battle rages lou d an d long
And the stormy wi nds do blow .
The spiri ts of your fathers

Shal l start from every wave
For the deck it was their field of fame ,
An d Ocea n was their grave

By each gun the lighte d brand

I n a bold dete rmined hand ,
And the P rince of all the land

Led them on .
Like le v iathans afloat

Lay their bulwarks on the b rine ;
While the si g n of battle flew
O n the lofty Bri tish line
I t was ten of A p ril m orn by the chi me
As they drifted on their path
There was silence d eep as death ;
And the bol d est hel d hi s breath
For a time .
But the mi ght of Englan d fl u sh d ’
To anticipate the scene

And her van the fl e e te r rush d ’
O er the deadly space between

’
.
Hearts of oak ! our captains crie d when ,
From its adam antine lips

Sprea d a death shade round the ships ,
Like the hurricane eclipse

O f the sun .
Agai n again ! agai n !

And the havoc di d not slack ,
Till a feeble cheer the Dane

To our cheering sent us back ;
Their shots al ong the deep slowly boom :
Then ceas ed and al l is wail ,
As they s t rike the s hatte r d sail ;

’
O r in c o n fl agration pale
Light the gloom .
Out spoke the victor then

As he h ail d them o er the wave
’ ’
,
B O O K FO U RTH 2
57
Ye are brothers ye are men

And we conquer but to save
So peace instead of death let us bring
But yiel d prou d foe thy fleet
, ,
With the crews at England s feet

,
’
,
And make submission meet

To our King .
Then D enmark b l e ss d our chi ef ’
That he gave her wounds repose ;

And the sounds of j oy an d grief
From her people wil d ly rose ,
As death withdrew his sha d es from the day

While the sun l ook d smi l ing bright
’
O er a wi de an d woeful sight
’
,
Where the fires of funeral light

Died away .
Now j oy old England r ai se !

, ,
For the ti din g s of thy might ,
’
By the festal cities blaze ,
Whi lst the wi ne cup shines in light ;

And yet amidst that j oy an d upro ar ,
Let us think of them that sleep

Full many a fathom deep
By thy wi ld an d stormy steep ,
Elsinore !
Brave hearts ! to Britai n s pride ’
Once so faithful and so true ,
On the deck of fame that di ed ,
With the gallan t good Riou

Soft sigh the wi nds of H eaven o er their grave ! ’
While the billow mournful rolls

An d the mermaid s song condoles
’
Singing glory to the souls

O f the b rave !
T Ca mp b e l l
.
LII CC
O D E T O DU T Y
S tern D aughter of the V oice of God !
0 D uty ! if that name thou love
Who art a light to guide a rod ,
To check the erring and reprove ; ,
Thou who art victory and law

When emp ty terrors overawe ;
From vain temptations dost set free ,
And cal m s t the weary stri fe of frail hum ani ty !

’
There are who as k not if thine eye

Be On them ; who in love and truth
,
Where no misgiving is rely ,
Upon the genial sense of you th

Glad heart s ! without reproach or blot ,
Who do thy work and know it not ,
O h ! if through confidence mispl aced

They fail thy saving arms drea d Power ! around them cast
, , .
Serene will be our days and bri ght

And happy will our nature b e
When love is an unerri ng light ,
And j oy its own security .
And they a bl issful course may hold

Ev n now who not unwisely bold
’
, , ,
Live in the S pirit of this cree d ;

Yet seek thy firm support according to their need, .
I loving freedom and untried

, , ,
N 0 sport of every random gust ,
Yet being to myself a gu ide ,
Too blin d ly have reposed my trust

And oft when in my heart was heard
,
Thy timely mandate I de fe rr d ,

’
The task in smoother walks to stray ;

,
But thee I now would serve more stri ctly if I may , .

Their country conquers with their martyrdom ,
And Freedom s fame fi n d s wings on every win d

’
.
Chillon ! thy prison is a holy place

And thy sad floor an altar for t was tro d,
’
,
Until his very steps have left a trace

Worn as if thy col d pavement were a sod ,
By B on n iv ard ! M ay n one those marks e fface !

For they appeal from tyranny to God .
Lord
CC LI V
EN G L A N D AND S W ITZERL A N D , 18 02
Two V oices are there ; one is of the Sea ,
O ne of the M ountai ns ; each a mighty voice

I n both from age to age thou didst rej oice ,
They were thy chosen music Liberty ! ,
There came a tyrant and with holy glee

,
Thou fou g h t s t against him

’
but hast vainly striven
,
Thou from thy Alpine hol d s at length art driven ,
Where not a torrent murmurs hear d by thee .
O f one d eep bliss thine e ar hath been bereft ;

Then cleave O cleave to that which still is left
,
For high so u l d M ai d what sorrow would it be

,
-
’
,
That M ountai n floods should thunder as before ,
And O cean b ellow from his rocky shore ,
And neither awful V oice be heard by T hee !

W 14 6 71 15 20071 1:
CC LV
THE E X TI N CTI O N O F THE V EN ETI A N REP U B LI C
Once d i d She hold the gorgeous East in fee
And was the safeguard of the West ; the worth
Of V enice did not fall below her birth ,
V enice the eldest chil d of Liberty

,
.
She was a maiden city bright and free ; ,
No guile seduced no force coul d violate ;

,
A n d when she took unto herself a mate ,
She must espouse the everlasti ng Sea .
And what if she had seen those glories fade ,
Those titles vanish an d that strength decay

, ,
Yet shall some tribute of regret be paid
When her long life hath re ach d its final day ’
Men are we and must grieve when even the shad e

,
O f that which once was great is pass d away ’

.
W IVora sw ort/z /
'
CC LV I
LO N D O N , 1802
0 Friend ! I know not which way I must look

For comfort being as I am O ppre st
, , ,
T o think t hat now our life is only drest

For show ; mean handiwork of craftsman cook , ,
O r groom ! We must run glitte ri ng like a brook

I n the O pen sunshine or we are unblest
,
The wealthiest man among us is the b e st

No gran d eur now in nature or in book
Delights us Rapine avarice expense

.
, ,
This is idolatry ; and these we ad ore

Plain living and high thinking are no more
The homely beauty of the good old cause

I s gone ; our peace our fearful innocence
, ,
And pure religion breathing household laws .
W I/Vora s w ort/z
’
2 62 TH E G O LD E N T REAS URY
L V II
CC
T H E S AM E
Milton thou shouldst be living at thi s hour

England hath nee d of thee : she is a fen
O f stagnant waters : altar sword and pen , , ,
Fireside , the heroic weal th of h al l and bower ,
H ave forfeited their ancient English dower

O f inward happiness We are selfish men
.
O h ! rai se us up retu rn to us agai n ;

,
And gi ve us manners virtue freedom power

, , , .
T hy soul was l ike a S tar and dwelt apart

,
T hou hadst a voice whose sound was like the sea ,
Pure as the n aked heavens maj es ti c free ; , ,
’
S o didst thou tra vel on l ife s common way
I n cheerful godliness ; and yet thy hea rt
The lowl iest duti es on herself di d lay .
W IV
/ ora'
rw o rt b
CC L VIII
When I have borne in memory what h as tamed
Great nations ; how ennobling thoughts depart
When men change swords for ledgers an d d e sert ,
The student s bower for gold

’
some fears unnamed,
I ha d my Country !
,
am I to be blamed ?
-
Now when I think of thee and what thou art

, , ,
V eri ly in the bottom of my—heart

,
O f those u n fili al fears I arm ashamed .
For dearly must we priz e thee ; we who find

I n thee a bulwark for the cause of men ;
And I by my affection was beguiled
T H E G O LD E N T REA S URY
The combat deepens O n ye Brave .

,
Who rush to glory or the grave !

,
Wave M unich ! all thy banners wave

, ,
An d charge with all thy chivalry !
Few few shall part where many meet !

, ,
The snow shal l be their win ding sheet ,
And every turf beneath their feet

Shall be a sol d ier s sepulcher ’
.
T Ca mp b e l l
.
CC LX
A FTER B LE N HEI M
I t was a summer eve n ing ,
Ol d Kaspar s work was done

’
,
And he before his cottage door

Was sitting in the sun ;
And by him sported on the green
His little gran dchild Wilhelmi ne .
She saw her brother P eterki n

Roll something large and round
Which he beside the rivulet
I n playing there had found ;
H e came to ask what he had found
T hat was so large and smooth an d round .
Old Kaspar took it from the boy

Who stood expectant by ;
And then the old man shook his head ,
And with a natural sigh

”
’
T is some poor fellow s skull sai d he ’
, ,
Who fell i n the gre at victory .
I find them in the garden ,
’
For there s many here about ;
And often when I go to plow
The plow shar e tu rns them out
'
.
B O O K FO U RT H
For many thousan d men sai d he , ,
”
Were slai n in that great victory .
’
N ow tell us what t was all about ,
Young Peterki n he cries ;

And little Wilhelmi ne looks up
With wonder wai ting eyes
-
Now tell us all about the war ,
An d what they fou g ht e ach other for .
”
I t was the English Kaspar cried
, ,
Who put the French to rout ;

But what they fought each other for
I could not well make out .
”
But everybody sai d quoth he
, ,
’
That t was a famous vi ctory .
My father live d at Blenheim then

Yon little stream hard by ;
They burned his dwelling to t he g rou n d ,
An d he was forced to fly
S o with his wife and chil d he fled ,
N or had he where to rest his head .
With fire and sword the country round

Was waste d far an d wi d e ,
And many a childi ng mother then

And new b orn baby die d
B ut things like that you know must b e
, ,
At every famous victory .
They say it was a shocking sight

After the field was won ;
For many thousan d bo d ies here
Lay rotting in the sun
But things li ke that you know must
, ,
After a famous vi ctory .

2 66 T H E G O LDE N T REAS U RY
Great prai se the Duke of M arlbro won ’
An d our goo d P rince Eugene

Why t was a ve ry Wicked thi ng ! ”
’
S ai d little Wilhelmine ;
”
Nay nay my little girl quoth he , ,
I t was a famous victory .
And everybody prai se d the Duke

”
Who this great fight di d win .
But what good came of it at last ?

Quoth little Peterkin
Why that I cannot tell sai d b e
”
, ,
But t was a famous victory

’
.
R So u tb ey
.
LXI CC
PRO P A TRI A M ORI

When he who adores thee has left b ut the name
O f his fault and his sorrows behind ,
O h ! say wilt thou weep when they darken the fam e

,
Of a life that for thee was re sig n d ! ’
Yes weep and however my foes may con d emn

, , ,
Thy tears shal l efface their decree ;

For H eaven can witness though guilty to them
, , ,
I have b een but too fai thful to thee .
With thee were the d reams of my earliest love ;

Every thought of my reason was thine :
I n my las t humble prayer to the Spirit above
Thy name shall b e mingled with mine !
O h ! blest are the lovers and friends who shall li ve
The days of t hy glo ry to see ;
But the next d earest blessing that H eaven can give
I s the p ride of thus d ying for thee .
2 68 T H E GO LD E N TREAS URY
Slowly and sad ly we laid him down ,
From the field of his fame fresh an d gory ;

We carved not a line an d we rai se d not a stone
, ,
But we left him alone with his glory .
CC L X III
S I MON LE E , T HE O L D H U N TS MA N
I n the sweet shire of Cardigan ,
Not far from pleasant I vor H all ,
An old man dwells a little man , ,
T is sai d he once was tall

’
.
Full fiv e an d thirty years he lived

~ ~
A running huntsman merry ;

And still the center of his cheek
I s red as a ripe cherry .
N 0 man like him the horn could sound ,
And hill and valley rang with glee ,
When Echo ban d ied round and round , ,
The halloo of Simon Lee .
I n those prou d d ays he little cared

For husbandry or tillage ;
To blither tasks d id Simon rouse
The sleepers of the village .
H e all the country could o utru n ,
Could leave both man and horse behind ;

An d often ere the ch ase was done
,
H e re e l d and was stone blind

’
-
.
And still there s something in the world

’
At which his heart rej oices ;

For when the chiming hounds are o ut ,
H e clearly loves their voices .
But oh the heavy change bereft

Of health s treng th friends
, , ,
an d kindred ,
B O O K FO U RT H
Old Simon to the world is left

I n liveried poverty
’
His master s dead and no one now ,
Dwells in the H all of I vor ;

Men dogs an d horses all are dead ;
, , ,
H e is the sole survivor

And he is lean an d he is sick ,
His b ody dwin dl e d and awry

,
~
Res ts upon ankles swol n and thick ;

H is legs are thin and dry .
One prop he has and only one , ,
His wi fe an aged woman

, ,
Lives with him ne ar the waterfall , ,
Upon the vi llage common .
Beside their moss grown hut of clay -

,
Not twenty paces from the door ,
A scrap of land they have but they ,
Are poorest of the poor .
This scrap of land he from the heath

I nclosed when he was stronger ;
But what to them avails the land
Which he can till no l onger ?
O ft working by her husban d s side

,
’
,
Ruth does what Simon cannot d o ;

For she wi th scanty cause for pride
, ,
I s stouter of the two .
And though you with your utmost skill

,
From labor could not wean them ,
’
T is little very little al l
, ,
That they can do between them .
Few months of life has he in store

As he to you wi ll tell ,
For sti ll the more he works the more

, ,
Do his weak ankles swell .

My gentle Reader I perceive

,
H ow patiently you v e waited

’
,
And now I fear that you expect

Some tale will be related .
0 Reader ! had you i n your mind

Such stores as silent thought can b ring ,
O gentle Reader ! you would find

A tale in everything .
What more I have to say is sho rt ,
And you must kindly take it

I t is no tale ; b ut should you thi nk
, ,
Perhaps a tale you l l m ake it

’
.
O ne summer day I ch anced to see

This old M an d oing all he could
To unearth the root of an old t ree ,
A stump of rotten wood .
The mattock t ott e r d i n his hand ;

’
So vai n was his endeavor

That at the root of the old tree
H e might have work d forever ’
.
You re ov e rtask d good Simon Le e

’ ’
, ,
”
Give me your tool to him I said ;
,
And at the word right gla d ly he

Received my p roffe r d ai d ’
.
I struck and wi th a single b low

,
The tangled root I s e v e r d ’

,
At which the poor old man so long

’
And v ainly had e n de avor d .
T he tears into his eyes were b rought ,
And thanks and praises se e m d to run ’
S o fast out of his heart I thought ,
They never wou ld have done .

2 72 T H E G O L D E N TREA S U RY
L XV
CC
TH E J O U RN E Y O N W A R D S
As slow our ship her foam y track
Against the wind was cleaving ,
H er trembling penn an t sti ll l ook d back ’
To that d ear isle t was leaving’

.
So loth we p art from all we love ,
From all the links that bind us ;

S o turn our hearts as on we rove
, ,
To those we v e left behin d us

’
When roun d the bowl of v an ish d years

, ,
’
We talk with j oyous seeming

With smiles that might as well be tears ,
S o fai nt so sa d their beaming ;

,
While memo ry bri ngs us back again

Each early tie that twined us ,
Oh sweet s the cup that circles then

,
’
To those we ve left behin d us !

’
And when in other climes we meet

, ,
Some isle or vale enchan ting ,
Where all looks flowery wil d and sweet , , ,
And naught but love is wan ting ;

We think how g reat had been our bli ss
I f H eaven ha d but as sig n d us
’
To live and die in scenes like this ,
W ith some we v e left behin d u s

’
As travelers oft look back at eve

When eas tward darkly going ,
To gaz e upon that light they leave

Sti ll faint behin d them glowi ng ,
So when the close of pleasure s day

,
’
To gloom hath near con sign d us ’

,
We turn to catch one fad ing ray

O f j oy that s left behin d us
’
.
CC L XV I
Y O U TH A N D A GE
There s not a j oy the world can give like that it takes away
’
When the glow of early thought declines in feeling s dull decay ’
T is not on youth s sm ooth cheek the blush alone which fades

’ ’
,
so fast ,
But the tender b loom of heart is gone ere youth itself be past , .
Then the few whose spirits float above the wreck of happiness 5
Are driven o er the shoals of guilt or ocean of excess
’
,
The magnet of their course is gone or only points in v ai n ,
The shore to which their s hiv e r d sail shall never stretch again
’
.
Then the mortal coldness of the soul like death itself comes down
I t cannot feel for others woes it dare not dream its own ;
’
,
’
That heavy chill has froz en o er the fountain of our tears ,
And though the eye may sparkle still t is where the ice appears ,
’
.
Though wi t may flas h from fluent lips , and mirth distract the
breast ,
Through midnight hours that yield no more their former hope

of rest ;
T is but as ivy leaves around the ru in d turret wreathe
’ ’
,
All green and wil d ly fresh without but worn an d gray beneath
, .
O h could I feel as I have felt or b e what I have been

, ,
O r weep as I could once have wept o er many a v an ish d scene ’ ’

,
As springs in deserts found seem sweet all brackish though ,
they be ,
So mi d st the wi the r d w as te of life those tears would flow to me !

’
,
20
L ord By ron
CC L XV II
A LES SO N
There is a Flower the lesser Celandine
, ,
That shrinks like many more from cold and r ai n ,
And the first moment that the sun may shine ,
Bright as the sun hi mself, t is out again ! ’

When h ai lstones have been falling swarm on swarm ,
Or blasts the green field and the trees di s trest ,
O ft have I seen it m u fll e d up from harm

I n close self shelter like a thing at rest
-
, .
But lately one rough day this Flower I past

, , ,
And recogn ized it though an al te r d form

,
’
,
N ow st an d ing forth an o ffering to the blas t ,
And buffeted at will by rai n an d storm .
’
I d
and said with inly m u t te r d voice ’
s t O pp ,
-
,
I t doth not love the shower nor seek the cold ; ,
This neither is its courage nor its choice ,
But its necessity in being old .
The sunshine may not cheer it nor the dew ; ,
I t cannot help itself in its decay ;

Sti ff in its members withe r d changed of hue ” ,
’
, ,
A nd in my spleen I smiled that it was gray

, , .
’
To be a prodigal s favorite then worse truth , ,
A mi ser s pensioner
’
behold our lot !
0 M an ! that from thy fair and shi ning youth
Age might b ut take the things Youth nee ded not !
W VVora s worzb ’ ‘
CC L XV III
P A ST AN D PRESEN T
I remember I remember ,
The house where I was born ,
The little window where the sun

Came peeping in at morn ;
H e never ca me a wink too soon
Nor brought too long a day ;
But now I often wish the night
,
H ad b orne my b reath away .

2 76 TH E GO LD E N T REAS U RY
T he words of love then spoken ;

The eyes that shone ,
N ow dim m d an d gone
’
,
The cheerful hearts now broken !

T hus i n the s tilly night
Ere slumber s chain has bound me
’
,
Sad M emory brings the light

O f other days around me .
When I remember all

The frien d s so link d together’
’
I v e seen around me fall
Like leaves in wintry weather ,
I feel like one

Who treads alone
Some banquet hall d eserted ,
Whose lights are fled ,
Whose garlands dea d ,
And all but he departed

Thus in the stilly night
’
Ere slumber s chai n has bound
Sad M emory brings the light
O f other days around me .
CC L XX
ST A N Z A S W RITTEN IN D EJ ECTI O N NE AR N A P LES
The sun is warm the sky is clear
, ,
The waves are dancing fast an d bright ,
Blue isles and snowy mountains wear

’
The purple noon s transparen t might
The breath of the moist e arth is light
Around its unexpanded buds ;
Like many a voice of one delight
The wi nds the birds the ocean fl oo ds
’
,
’
,
-
’
’
The city s voice i tself is soft like Solitude s ’
.
B O O K FO U RT H 2
77
’
I see the deep s untrampled floor
With green and purple seawee d s strown ;
I see the waves upon the shore
Like light dissolve d i n star showers thrown
I sit upon the san d s alone ;
The lightning of the noonti d e ocean
Is flashing round me and a tone ,
Arises from its measure d motion

H ow sweet ! d id an y h e art now share in my emotion
'
Alas I have nor hope nor health ,
Nor peace within nor calm aroun d ,
Nor that content surpassing wealth

, ,
The sage in meditati on found ,
’
And walk d with inward glory crown d ’
Nor fame nor power nor love nor leisure

, , ,
O thers I see whom these surroun d

Smiling they live and call life pleasure
,
To me that cup has been deal t in another measure .
Yet now despair itself is mild

Even as the winds and waters are ;
I could lie down like a tired child ,
And weep away the life of care

Which I have borne and yet must b ear
, ,
Till death like sleep might steal on me ,
And I might feel in the warm air

My cheek grow cold and hear the sea
,
’
Breathe o er my dying brain i ts last monotony .
P . B . e l l ey
CC L XX I
TH E SCHO L A R
My days among the Dead are past ;
Aroun d me I b ehol d ,
’
Where er these casual ey es are cast ,
The mighty mi nds of old

My never fai ling friends are they

-
,
With whom I converse day b y day .
With them I take delight in weal

And seek relief in woe ;
And while I understand an d feel
H ow much to them I owe ,
My cheeks have often b een b e de w d

“
’
With tears of thoughtful gratitu d e .
My thoughts are with the Dead ; with them

I live in long past years
-
,
Their virtues love their faults condemn

, ,
Partake their hopes and fears ,
And from their lessons seek and find

I nstructi on with an humble mind .
My hopes are with the Dead ; anon

M y place with them will be ,
And I with them shall travel on

Through all Futuri ty ;
Yet leaving here a name I trust , ,
That wi ll not perish in the dust .
L XX II
CC
THE M ER MA I D T AV ERN
Souls of Poets dead and gone
‘
,
What Elysium have ye known ,
Happy fiel d or mossy cavern ,
Choicer than the M ermai d Tavern ?

H ave ye tippled drink more fine
Than mine host s Can ary wi ne ?
’
O r are fruits of P aradise

Sweeter than those dainty pies
O f venison ? O generous foo d !
D ressed as though bold Robin H ood
’
The glowworm o er grave and stone
Shall light thee steady ;
The owl from the steeple sing
Wel come proud la d y
,
”
.
S ir W
C c L x x rv
TH E B RI D G E OF S I G H S
O ne more Unfortunate ,
Weary of breath ,
Rashly importunate ,
Gone to her death !

Take her up tenderly ,
Lift her with care ;

F a shion d so slenderly
’
,
Young an d so fai r !
,
Look at her g arments

Clinging li ke cerements ;
Whilst the wave constantly
D rips from her clothing ;
Take her up instantly ,
Loving not loathing

, .
Touch her not scorn fully ,
Think of her mournfully ,
Gently and humanly ;

Not of the stai ns of her
All that remai ns of her
Now is pure womanly .
M ake no deep scrutiny

I nto her mutiny
Rash and undutiful
Past all dishonor ,
Death has left on her

O nly the beau tifu l
“
.
B O O K F O U RTH
S till for all slips of hers

, ,
’
One of E ve s family
Wipe those poor lips of hers
O ozing so clammily .
Loop up her tresses

Escaped from the comb ,
Her fai r auburn tresses ;

Whilst wonderment guesses
Where was her home ?
Who was her father ?

Who was her mother ?
H a d she a sister ?
H ad she a brother ?
O r was there a dearer one
Still and a nearer one
,
Yet than all other ?

,
Alas ! for the r arity

O f Christian charity
Under the sun
O h ! it was pitiful !
Near a whole city full ,
H ome she had none .
Sisterly brotherly
, ,
Fatherly motherly ,
Feelings had changed

Love by harsh evidence
, ,
Thrown from its eminence ;

Even Go d s providence ’
Seeming estrange d .
Where the lamps quiver

So far in the river ,
With many a l ight

From window an d casement,
From garret to basement ,
She stood with amazement ,
H ouseless by night .
The bleak wind of M arch

Made her tremble an d shiver
But not the d ark arch ,
O r the black flo wing river

’
M ad from life s history ,
Glad to d eath s mystery ’
Swi ft to be h u rl d ’
Anywhere anywhere ,
O ut of the world !
I n she plunged b oldly ,
N o matter how col d ly

The rough ri ver ran ,
Over the brink of it ,
Picture it think of it ,
Dissolute Man !
Lave in it dri nk of it
, ,
Then if you can !

,
T ake her up tenderly ,
Lift her with c are

F ashio n d so slenderly
’
Young an d so fair !
,
Ere her lim b s frigi dly

Stiffen too rigidly ,
Decently kindly , ,
Smooth and compose them ,
And her eyes close them , ,
S taring so blindl y !
Dread fully staring

Thro muddy impuri ty
’
,
As when with the d aring

CC L XXV I
HESTER
When maidens such as H ester die
Their place ye may not well supply ,
Though ye among a thous and try

With vai n endeavor .
A month or more hath she b e en dead ,
Yet cannot I by force be led

,
To think upon the wormy bed

And her together .
A springy motion in her gait ,
A rising step did indicate

,
Of p ri d e an d j oy no common rate
That fl u sh d her spirit
’
I know not by what name beside

I shall it call : if t was not pride
’
,
I t was a j oy to that allied

She di d inherit .
H er parents hel d the Quaker rule ,
Which doth the hum an feeling cool ;

But she was train d in N ature s school
’ ’
,
N ature had b lest her .
A waking eye a p rying mind

, ,
A heart that stirs is hard to bin d ;

,
A hawk s keen sight ye ca nnot blind

’
,
Ye could not H ester .
My sprightly neighbor ! gone before

To that unknown and silent shore ,
Shall we not meet as heretofore

,
Some summer morning

When from thy cheerful eyes a ray
H ath struck a bliss upon the d ay ,
A bl iss that would not go away ,
A sweet forew arning ?

C La m b
.
B O O K FO U RT H
L XXV II
CC
TO MA R Y
I f I had thought thou couldst have died ,
I might not weep for thee

But I forgot when by thy side
, ,
That thou couldst mortal be

I t never through my mind had past
The ti me woul d e er be o er ’ ’
,
And I on thee should l ook my last ,
And thou shouldst smile no more !

And still upon that face I look ,
And think t will smil e agai n ;

’
And still the thought I will not brook

That I must look in vai n !
But when I speak thou dost not say
What thou ne er l e ft st unsai d ;
’ ’
And now I feel as well I may, ,
Sweet Mary ! thou art dead !

’
I f thou wouldst stay e en as thou art
, ,
All cold and all serene

I still might press thy silent heart ,
And where thy smiles have been .
’
W hile e en thy chill bleak corpse I have
,
Thou se e m e st s till mine own ;

But there I lay thee in thy g rave
And I am now alone !
I do not think where er thou art
,
’
Thou hast forgotten me ;

An d I perhaps may soothe this heart
, , ,
I n thinking too of thee

Yet there was round thee such a dawn
’
Of light ne er seen before ,
As fancy never could have drawn ,
And never can restore !

2 86 T H E G O LD E N TREAS URY
L XXV III
CC
CORO N A C H
H e is gone on the mountain ,
H e is lost to the forest ,
Like a summer dried fountai n

-
,
Wh e n our need was the sorest .
The font reappearing

From the raindrops shall borrow ,
But to us comes no chee ring ,
To Duncan no morrow !
The hand of the reaper

Takes the ears that are hoary ,
But the voice of the weeper

Wails man hood in glory .
The autumn winds rushing

Waft the leaves that are searest ,
But our flower was in flushing

When blighting was nearest .
Fleet foot on the correi ,
S age counsel in cumber ,
Red han d in the foray ,
H ow soun d i s thy slumber !

Like the dew on the mountai n ,
Like the foam on the ri ver ,
Like the bubble on the fountai n ,
Thou art gone ; and forever !

S ir W Scott
LX X I X
CC
THE D E A TH B E D
We watch d her b reathing thro the
’ ’
H er breathi ng soft an d low ,
As in her breast the wave of li fe

Kept heaving to and fro .
The bud had grown blossom ,
The blossom was fruit .
A dignified mother ,
H er infant she bore ;

And l ook d I thought fairer
’
, ,
Than ever b efore .
I saw he r on ce more
'
T was the day that she died ;

’
H eaven s l ight was around her

’
,
And Go d at her side

N o wants to dis t ress her ,
N o fears to appall
0 then I felt then
, ,
She was fai rest of all !

H F
. .
C c Lx x x r
RO S A B ELLE
O li sten listen ladi e s gay !
, ,
N o haughty feat of arms I tell ;

Soft is the note and sad the lay
,
That mourns the lovely Rosabelle .
M oor moor the b arge ye gallant crew !

, ,
And gentle l adye deign to stay !

, ,
Rest thee in Castle R av e n she u ch ,
Nor tempt the stormy firth to day -

.
The blackening wave is edged with white

To inch and rock the sea mews fly ;
The fi shers have heard the Water Sprite ,
Whose scream s fore b o d e that wreck is ni gh .
Last night the gifted Seer di d view

A wet shrou d swathed round l adye gay ;
Then stay thee Fai r in R ave n sh e u ch ;
, ,
Why cross the gloomy fi rth to day ? -

B O O K FO U RT H
T is not because Lord Lin de s ay s heir ’
To— night at Rosli n leads the ball ,
But that my l ady e mother there -
Sits lonely in her castle hal l .
T is not because the ring they ride ,
And Lin de say at the ring rides well ,
But that my sire the wine will chide

”
If t is not fil l d by Rosabelle
’ ’
.
’
O er Roslin all that dreary night
A wondrous blaze was seen to gleam ;
T was b roader than the watch fi re s light
’ -
’
,
And redder than the b ri ght moonbeam .
I t glared on R osl in s castled rock ’

,
I t ruddied all the copse wood glen ; -
’
T was seen from D ryden s groves of oak
’
,
And seen from cave rn d H awthornden ’

.
See m dall on fire that chapel proud

’
Where R osl in s chiefs u n cofli n d lie

’ ’
,
Each Baron for a sable shroud

, ,
Sheathed in his iron panoply .
Se e m d
’
all on fire within around , ,
Deep sacristy and altar s pale ; ’
S hone every pillar foliage — bound ,
And gl im m e r d al l the dead men s

’ ’
m ail .
Blazed b attlement and pinnet high

Blaz ed every rose—
,
carved b uttress fai r

S o still they blaze when fate is nigh
,
The lordly li ne of high S aint Clai r .
There are twenty of R osl in s b arons b old ’
Lie buried within that proud chapelle ;

Each one the holy vault d oth hold
But the sea holds lovely Rosab elle .
2 90 THE G O LD E N TREAS URY
An d each Saint Clair was bu ri ed there ,
With candle with b ook an d w ith knell ;

, ,
But the sea caves rung and the wild winds sung ,
The dirge of lovely Rosab elle .
S i r W S cott
L XXX II CC
O N AN I N F A N T D Y I N G A S SOON A S B ORN
I saw wherein the shroud did lurk
A curious frame of Nature s work ; ’
A fl ow re t crush ed in the bud

’
,
A nameless piece of Babyhood ,
Was in her cradle c oflfin lying ; -
E xtinct with scarce the sense of dying

,
So soon to exchange the imprisoning wom b

For darker closets of the tomb
S he did but ope an eye and put ,
A clear beam forth then straight up shut ,
For the long dark : ne er more to see ’
Through glasses of mortali ty .
Riddle of d estiny who can show ,
What thy short visit meant or know ,
What thy errand here below ?

Shall we say that N ature blin d
,
C he ck d her hand and changed her mi nd

’
,
J ust when she had exactly wrought

A fi n ish d p at te rn without fault ?
’
Could she flag or coul d she tire , ,
O r l ack d she the P romethean fire

’
(With her nine moons long workings s icke n d)

’ ’
That should thy little li mbs have qu icke n d ? ’
Limbs so firm they s e em d to as sure

,
’
Life of health and days mature ,
Woman s self in mi niature

’
Limbs so fai r they might supply

,
( The m se l ve s n ow but cold imagery)

‘
2
9 2 TH E G O L D E N TRE A S URY
CCL XXX III

IN M E M ORI A M
A child s a playthi ng for an hour ;
’
I ts pretty tricks we try

For that or for a longer space ,
Then tire and lay it by

, .
But I knew one that to i tself

All seasons could control
That would have m ock d the sense ’
O ut of a gri ev ed soul .
Thou straggler into loving arms ,
Young climber up of knees ,
When I forget thy thousan d ways

Then li fe and all shall cease
M La m b
.
CC L XXX I V
TH E A FFLI CTI O N O F MA R GA RET
Where art thou my beloved Son
, ,
Where art thou worse to me than d ea d ?

,
O h find me prosperous or undone

,
O r if the grave be now thy bed ,
Why am I i gnorant of the same

That I may rest ; and neither blame
Nor sorrow may atten d thy name ?
Seven years alas to have receive d
,
No ti d ings of an only child

To have d e sp air d have hope d believed
’
, , ,
An d been forever more beguiled ,
Sometimes wi th droughts of ve ry bliss !

I ca tch at them an d then I m iss ;
,
Was ever darkn e ss like to this ?

H e was among the p ri me in worth ,
An obj ect beau teous to behol d ;

B O O K FO U RT H 2
93
Well born well bred ; I sent him forth

,
I ngenuous innocent and b old

, ,
I f things ensued that wanted grace

As hath been said they were not base ;
,
And never blush was on my face .
A h little doth the young one d ream

When full of play an d childi sh cares ,
What power is in his wi ldest scream

H e ar d by his mother unawares
H e kn ows it not he cannot g uess ;
,
Years to a mother bring distress ;

But do not make her love the less .
’
Neglect me ! no I su ffe r d long
,
From that ill thought ; and being blind

Said ,
P ride shall help me in my wrong
Ki n d mother have I been as kind ,
As ever b re at he d z an d that is true ;

”
I v e wet my path with tears like dew

’
,
Weeping for him when no one knew .
My Son if thou be humbled poor

, , ,
Hopeless of honor and of gain ,
O h ! d o not dread thy mother s door ; ’
Thi nk not of me wi th grief an d p ai n

I now can see with better eyes ;
And worl d ly gran d eur I d espise
An d for tune with her gifts an d lies .
Alas ! the fowls of heaven have wings

An d blasts of heaven wi ll ai d their flight ;
They mount how short a voyage brings
The wanderers back to their delight
Chains tie us down by land an d sea ;
An d wi shes vain as mine may be
, ,
A ll that is l eft to comfort thee .

2
94 T H E G O LD E N TR EAS U RY
P erhaps some dungeon hears thee groan

M ai m d mangle d by inhuman men ;
’
,
O r thou upon a desert thrown

I n h e rit es t the lion s den ;
’
O r hast been su m m on d to the deep ’
Thou thou an d al l thy mates to keep

, ,
An incommunicable sleep .
I look for ghosts : but none will force

Their way to me ; t is falsely said ’
That there was ever intercourse

Between the living an d the dead ;
For surely then I should have sight
O f him I w ai t for d ay and night
With love and longi ngs infinite .
My apprehensions come in crowds ;

I dread the rustli ng of the gras s ;
The very shadows of the clou d s
H ave power to shake me as they pass
I question things an d d o not find ,
O ne that will answer to my mi nd ;

And all the world appears unkind .
Beyon d participation lie

My troubles and beyond relief
,
I f any chance to heave a sigh

They pity me and not my grief , .
Then come to me my Son or sen d , ,
Some ti dings that my woes may end

I have no other earthly fri end .
W IVora s wo rtl z
/
’
c c rx x x v
'
H U N TI N G SO N G
Waken lords and ladi es gay
, ,
O n the mountain d awns the day ;

All the j olly chase is here
With hawk and horse and hunting spear ;
T H E GO L D E N T REAS U RY
Both wi th thy nest upon the dewy ground ?

Thy nest whi ch thou can st drop into at wil l ,
Those quiveri ng wi ngs composed that music s till ,
To the last point of vision and b eyon d ,
M ount dari ng warbler

,
that love prompted strai n -
Twixt thee and thine a never fai li ng bon d

’
-
Thri ll s not the less the bosom of the plain

Yet mi ght st thou seem proud privilege to sing
’
,
All in d ependent of the leafy S pring .
Leave to the nighti ngale her shady wood ;

A p rivacy of glorious light is thine ,
Whence thou dost pour upon the worl d a flood

O f harmony with instinct more di vine ;
,
Type of th e wise who soar but never roam

, ,
T rue to the ki ndred points of H eaven and Home .
W Wora sw ort/z ' ’
C c L x x x vrr
TO A S KY L A R K
Hail to thee bli the Spi ri t !
,
Bird thou never wert ,
T hat from heaven or n ear it

,
P oure st thy full heart

In profu se strai ns of unpremeditated art .
Higher still and hi gher

From the earth thou s pri n g e s t ,
Like a cloud of fire ,
The blue deep thou win g e s t ,
An d singi ng sti ll dost so ar and soaring ever

,
s in g e s t .
I n the golden li ghtning

O f the sunken sun
O er whi ch clouds are brighteni ng
’
,
Thou dost float and run ,
Lik e an unbodied j oy who se race is j us t b egu n .

B O O K FO U RT H 2
97
The p ale purple even

M elts around thy flight ;
Like a star of heaven
I n the broad daylight
Thou art unseen but yet I hear thy shrill delight :
, 5
Keen as are the arrows

O f that silver sphere ,
Whose intense lamp narrows

I n the white dawn clear
Un til we hardly see we feel that it is there
, .
All the earth and air

With thy voice is loud ,
As when night is bare

, ,
From one lonely clou d

moon rains out her beams ,
hea ven over
fl ow d
’
.
What thou art We know not ;

What is most like thee ?
From rainbow clou d s there flow not
Drops so bright to see
As from thy presence showers a rai n of melody ;
Like a poet hidden

I n the light of thought ,
Singing hymns unbid d en ,
Till the world is wrought

To sympathy with hopes an d fears it heede d not
Like a high born maiden

-
I n a palace tower ,
Soothing her love la d en -
Soul in secret hour

Wi t h music sweet as love which overflo w
,
s
b ower
Like a glo wworm golden

I n a dell of dew ,
Scattering unbeholden
I ts ae ri al hue
Among the flowers and grass which s cr e en i t ,
the view
Like a rose e mb owe r d ’
I n its own green lea ves ,
By warm win d s d e fl owe r d ’

,
Till the scent it gives

M akes faint with too much sweet heavy winged
-
thieves .
Sound of vernal showers

O n the twinkling grass ,
R ain —
aw ake n d flowers
’
,
All that ever was

J oyous and clear and fresh thy music doth surpass
, , , . r
5
Teach us sprite or bird

, ,
What sweet thoughts are thine

I have never hear d
Praise of love or wi ne
That panted for t h a flood of rapture so divi n e .
Chorus hymeneal
O r triumphal chaunt
M atc h d with thine would be all
’
,
But an empty vaunt

A thing wherein we feel there is some hi d den want .
What o bjects are the fountains

O f thy happy strai n ?
What fields or waves or mountai ns ?
, ,
What shapes of sky or plai n ?

What love of thine own kin d ? what ignorance
p an ?
3 0 0 T H E G O LD E N TREAS U RY
CC L XXXV III
THE G REEN LI N N ET
B enea th thes e fruit tree b oughs that shed -
T heir snow w hite blossoms on my head

-
,
With bri ghtest sunshine roun d me spread

’
Of Spring s unclouded weather ,
'
’
I n this s e qu e s te r d nook how sweet
T o sit upon my orchard seat !
And flowers and bir d s once more to greet ,
’
My l ast year s friends together .
O ne have I m ark d the happiest guest ’

,
I n al l this covert of the blest :

H ail to Thee far ab ove the rest
,
I n j oy of voice and pinion !

Thou Linnet ! in thy green array
,
P resi d ing S piri t here to day -
Dost lead the revels of the May ;

And this is thy dominion .
Whi le birds an d butterflies and flowers

, , ,
Make al l one band of paramours ,
Thou ran ging up and down the bo wers

, ,
Art sole in thy employment ;

A Life a Presence like the ai r
, ,
S catte ri ng thy gladness wi thout care ,
Too blest with any one to pair ;

Thyself thy own enj oyment .
Amid yon tuft of hazel trees

That twinkle to the gusty breeze ,
’
Behold him p e rch d in ecstasies
Yet seeming still to hover ;
There ! where the flutter of hi s wings
Upon his back and body fl in g s
Shadows and sunny glimme rings ,
That cover him al l over .

B O O K F O U RT H 301
My dazzled sight he oft deceives

A brother of the d ancing leaves ;
Then flits an d from the cottage eaves
,
Pours forth his song in gushes ;

As if by that exul ting str ai n
H e m oc k d and treated with d isdain
’
The voiceless Form he chose to feign ,
Whi le flutterin g in the bushes .
W l Vord s w o rt/z /
C c Lx x x rx
TO TH E C U C K OO
O b lithe newcomer ! I have heard ,
I hear thee and rej oice

O Cuckoo ! S hall I c all thee Bird ,
O r but a wandering V oice ?

While I am lying on the grass
Thy t wofol d shout I hear ;
From hill to hill it seems to pass ,
At once far off and near .
Though babbling only to the v al e

O f sunshine and of flowers ,
Thou bringest unto me a tal e

O f visionary hours .
Thrice welcome d arling of the Spring !

,
Even yet thou art to me

No bir d but an invisible thi ng
, ,
A voice a mystery ;
,
The same whom in my sch oolboy days

I listen d to ; that Cry
’
Which made me look a thousand ways

I n bush and tree and sky
, , .
To seek thee di d I often rove

Through woods and on the green ;
And thou wert sti ll a hope a love ; ,
S till l on g d for never seen !

’
,
And I can listen to thee yet ;

Can lie upon the pl ain
And listen till I do beget
,
That golden time agai n .
0 blessed Bird ! the earth we pace

Agai n appears to be
An unsubstantial faery place , ,
That is fit home for Thee !
CC XC
O D E TO A NI G HTI N GA LE
My heart aches and a drowsy numbne ss p ai ns
,
My sense as though of hemlock I had drunk

, ,
O r emp tied some dull opiate to the drains

O ne minute past and Lethe wards had sunk
,
-
T is not through envy of thy happy lot

’
,
But being too happy in thine happiness ,
That thou light winge d D ryad of the trees

,
-
,
I n some melo d ious plot

O f beechen green and shadows numberless
, ,
S in g e s t of s ummer in ful l throate d ease -

.
O for a draft of vintage ! that hath been

,
C ool d a long age in the deep delved earth

’ -
,
Tasting of Flora an d the country green ,
Dance and Proven cal song and sunburned mi rth

, ,
O for a b eaker full of the warm South ,
Full of the tru e the blu shful H ippocrene

, ,
With bea d e d bubbles winking at the brim ,
An d purple stain ed mouth ; -
That I might drink an d leave the world unseen

, ,
And with thee fade away into the forest di m

304 T H E G O L D E N TREAS URY
N ow more than ever seems it ri ch to die ,
To cease upon the midnight with no p ain ,
While thou art pou ri ng forth thy soul abroad

I n such an ecstasy !
Still wouldst thou S ing and I have ears in vai n
,
To thy high requiem become a sod .
Thou wast not born fOr death immortal Bird !,
N o hungry generations trea d thee d own

The voice I hear th is pas sing night was heard
I n ancient days by emperor and clown :
Perhaps the selfsame song that foun d a path
Through the sad heart of Ruth when sick for home , , ,
She stood in tears amid the alien corn ;

The same that ofttimes hath
C harrn d magic e as e m e n ts opening on the foam
’
,
Of perilous seas in faery lan d s forlorn

,
.
Forlorn ! the very word is like a bell

To toll me back from thee to my sole self !
A d ieu ! t he fancy cannot cheat so well
As she is famed to do deceiving elf
,
.
Adieu ! a d ieu ! thy plaintive anthem fades

Past the near meadows over the still stream
, ,
U p the hillside ; and now t is buried d eep

’
I n the next v al ley glades

Was it a vision or a waking d ream ?
,
Fled is that music : D o I wake or sleep ?

Ke a ts
CC XCI
U PON WEST M I N STER B RI DG E SEPT , . 3 , 1802
E arth has not anything to S how more fair

Dull woul d he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its maj esty
This City n ow doth like a garment wear
B O O K FO U RTH 3 05
The beauty of the morning : silent bare , ,
Ships towers domes theaters and temples lie

, , , ,
Open unto the fields an d to the sky , ,
All bright and glittering in the smokeless ai r .
Never di d sun more beautifully s teep

I n his first splendor valley rock or hi ll ; , ,
Ne er saw I never felt a calm so d eep !

’
, ,
The river g l ide th at its own sweet wi ll

Dear God ! the very houses seem asleep
An d all that mighty heart is lying s till !
b fl é n fi u wn %
CC X C II
To one who has been long in city pent ,
’
T is very sweet to look into the fair
And open face of heaven to breathe a prayer ,
Full in the smile of the blue fi rm am e n t .
’
Who is more happy when with heart s content
, , ,
Fatig ue d he sinks into some pleasant lair

O f wavy gras s and reads a d ebonair
,
And gentle tale of love and langui shment ?

Returning home at evening with an e ar ,
Catching the notes of Philomel an eye ,
Watching the sailing clou d let s bright career ’

,
H e mourn s that d ay so soon has glided by

E en like the passage of an angel s tear
’ ’
That falls through the clear ether silentl y .
CC X C III
OZ YMA N D I A S OF E GY PT
I met a traveler from an antique land
Who sai d : Two vast and trunkless legs of stone
S tand in the d esert Near them on the san d
.
,
H alf sunk a shatte r d visage lies whose frown

,
’
,
3 06 THE G O LD E N T REAS U RY
And w rinkled lip and sneer of cold command

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read
’
Which yet survive s tam p d on these lifeless things
, ,
The hand that m ock d them and the heart that fed ;
’
And on the pedesta l these words appear

M y n ame is Ozyman dias king of kings ,
Look on my works ye Migh ty an d despair !

,
.
N othing beside remains Round the decay .
O f that colossal wreck boundless and bare , ,
The lone and level sands stretch far away .
CC XC I V
CO M POSE D A T N EI D P A TH C A STLE T H E PROPERT Y ,
OF LOR D QU EEN S B ERR Y 1803 ,
Degenerate Douglas ! oh the unworthy lord ! ,
Whom mere despite of heart could so far please

And love of havoc ( for with such disease
Fame taxes him) that he coul d send forth word
,
To level with the dust a noble horde ,
A brotherhood of venerable trees ,
Leaving an ancient dome and towers like these , ,
’
Beggar d and outraged ! Many hearts deplored
The fate of those old trees ; and oft with pain
The traveler at this day will stop and gaze
O n wrongs which Nature scarcely seems to hee d
,
For she l te r d places bosoms nooks an d bays

’
, , , ,
An d the pure mountai ns and the gentle Tweed , ,
And the green silent pastures yet remain , .
W IVora s w ort/z /
’
C CXC V
THE B EECH TREE S PETITI O N ’
O leave this barren spot to me !

S pare woodman spare the b eechen tree !
, ,
Though bush or fl owe re t never grow

M y dark unwarming shade b elow ;
T H E G O LD E N T REAS URY
Think what the home must be if it were thine ,
Even thine though few thy wants

,
Roof wi ndow , ,
door ,
The very flowers are sacred to the Poor ,
The roses to the porch which they entwine

Yea al l that now enchants thee from the day
, ,
O n whi ch i t sh ould be t ou ch d woul d melt away !

’
,
W PVora s w ortb ’
CC X CVII
TO THE H I G H L A N D G I RL OF I N V E R S N EY D E
Sweet Highlan d G irl a very shower

,
Of beau ty is thy eart hly dower !

Twi ce seven consenting years ha ve she d
Their utm ost bounty on thy hea d
And these gray rocks that household lawn
, ,
Those trees a veil j ust half with d rawn ,
Thi s fall of water that d oth make

A murmur ne ar the silent lake ,
T his li ttl e bay a quiet roa d

,
That holds in shelter thy abode ;

I n t ruth together ye d o seem
Like something fashion d in a d ream ;’
Such forms as from their covert peep

When earthly cares are l aid asleep !
But 0 fair Creature ! in the light
O f common day so heavenly bright
, ,
I bless Thee V ision as thou art

, ,
I bless thee with a human heart

Go d shiel d thee to thy latest years !
Thee neither know I nor thy peers
An d yet my eyes are fi l l d with tears ’
.
With earnest feeling I shall pray

For thee wh en I am far away ;
BO O K FO U RTH 3 09
For never saw I mien or face

I n which more pl ainly I could trace
Benignity an d home bre d sense -
Ripening in perfect innocence .
H ere s catte r d like a ran d om seed

’
, ,
Remote from men Thou dost not need ,
The e m b arrass d look of shy distress

’
,
And mai denly s ham e facé d n e ss :

Thou w e ar st upon thy forehead clear
’
The free d om of a M ountaineer

A face with gladness oversprea d ;
Soft smiles by human kin d ness bred ;
,
And seemlines s complete that sways ,
Thy courtesies about thee plays ;

,
With no restraint but such as springs

,
From quick and eager visi tings

Of thoughts that lie beyon d the reach
O f thy few words of E nglish speech
A bondage sweetly b rook d a strife ’
,
That gives thy gestures grace an d life !

S o have I not unmove d in mind
, ,
Seen birds of tempest loving kind -
Thus beating up agai nst the wi nd .
What hand but would a garland cull

For thee who art so beautiful ?
0 happy pleasure ! here to d well
Besi d e thee in some heathy dell ;
Adopt your homely ways and dress , ,
A shepherd thou a shepherd ess !

,
But I could frame a wish for thee

M ore like a grave reality :
Thou art to me but as a wave
O f the wild sea : and I would have
Some claim upon thee if I could , ,
Though but of common neighborhood .

3 10 T H E G O LD E N T REAS URY
What j oy to hear thee and to see ! ,
Thy elder b rother I would be ,
Thy father anythi ng to thee .
Now thanks to H eaven ! that of i ts grace

H ath led me to this lonely pl ace
J oy have I had ; and going hence
I bear away my recompense .
I n spots like these it is we p rize

O ur Memory feel that she hath eyes
,
Then why shoul d I be loath to stir ?

I feel this place was made for her ;
To give new pleasure like the past ,
Conti nued long as life sh al l last .
Nor am I loth though pleas ed at heart

, ,
Sweet Highland Girl from thee to part ;

For I methinks till I g row old
, ,
As fair before me shall behold

As I do now the cabin small
, ,
The lake the bay the waterfall ;

, ,
And Thee the Spirit of them all !

,
W IVo rdrw ort/z /
CC X C VIII
THE RE A PER
Behold her single in the field
, ,
Yon so l i tary H ighland Lass !

Reaping and singi ng b y herself ;
Stop here or gently pas s !
,
Alone she cuts and b inds the grain ,
And sings a mel ancholy strai n ;

0 li sten ! for the vale profound
I s overflowing with the soun d .
N o nightingale did ever chaunt

M ore welcome notes to weary bands
O f travelers i n some shady haunt ,
Among Arabian sands

312 TH E G O L D E N T REA S U RY
’
And a single small cott age a nest like a dove s
, ,
The one only d wel l ing on e arth that she loves .
She looks and her heart is in heaven : but they fad e

, ,
T he mist and the ri ver the hill and the shade ;

,
The stream will not flow and the hi ll will not rise
, ,
And the colors have all pas s d away from her eyes !
’
W l/Vora s w ortb ’
TO A L AD Y W ITH A GU ITA R
,
Ariel to M iranda Tak e

This slave of music for the sake ,
O f him who is the slave of thee ;

,
And teach it all the harmony

I n whi ch thou canst and only thou , ,
M ake the d elighted spirit glow ,
Till j oy denies itself agai n

And too i ntense is tur u d to p ai n
, ,
’
.
For by permission and command

O f thi ne own P rince Ferdinand ,
P oor Ariel s e nds this silent token

O f more than ever can be spoken ;
Your guardi an spirit A ri el who , ,
From life to li fe must still pursue

Your happiness for thus alone ,
'
Can Ariel ever find his own

.
_
.
From Prospero s enchanted cell ’

,
As the mighty verses tell ,
To the throne of Naples he

Lit you o er the trackless sea
’
,
F lit ting on yo ur prow b efore

, ,
Like a living meteor .
When you die the silent Moon

,
I n her interlunar swoon

I s not s ad d er in her cell
Than deserted Ariel
When you live agai n on e arth ,
Like an unseen S ta r; of birth

’
Ariel guides you o er the sea
O f life from your nativity :
M any changes have been run
Since Ferd inan d and you begun
Your course of love and Ariel sti ll ,
H as track d your steps and served your will

’
.
N ow in humbler happier lot , ,
This is all re m e m b e r d not ; ’
And n o w alas ! the poor Sprite is

,
I m priso n d for some fault of his

’
I n a b ody like a grave

From you he only d ares to crave ,
For his service and his sorro w

A smile to— day a song to morrow, .
The artist who this idol wrought

To echo all harmonious thought ,
F e ll d a tree while on the steep

’
,
The woo d s were in their winter sleep ,
R ock d in that repose d ivine

’
O n the win d swept Apennine ;

-
An d dreaming some of Autu mn past

, ,
And some of Sp ri ng approaching fast ,
And some of April buds and showers ,
And some of songs in J uly bowers ,
And all of love : And so this tree ,
O h that such our death may be

Died in sleep and felt no pain
, ,
To live in happier form ag ai n

From which beneath heaven s fairest star
,
’
,
The artist wrought this loved Guitar ;

And taught it justly to reply
To all who question skillfully
I n language gentle as thine own ;
’
Whispering in e n am or d tone
Sweet oracles of woods an d dells ,
An d summer winds in sylvan cells

For it ha d learned all harmonies
O f the pl ai ns an d of the skies ,
O f the forests an d the mountains ,
An d the m an y v oicé d foun tai ns ;

r
The clearest echoes of the hills ,
The softest n otes of falling ri lls ,
The melodies of bir d s an d bees ,
The murmuri ng of summer seas ,
And patteri ng r ai n an d breathing dew

, ,
An d ai rs of evening ; an d it knew
That seldom hear d mysterious sound
-
Which d riven on its diurnal roun d

, ,
As it floats t hrough boundless d ay ,
Our world enkindles on its way

—All this it knows but will not tell
,
To those who cannot question well

The Spiri t that inhabits it ;
I t talks according to the wi t
O f its companions ; and no more
I s heard than has been felt before
By those who tempt it to be tray
These secrets of an el d er day .
But sweetly as its answers will

,
Flatter hands of perfect skill ,
I t keeps i ts highest holi est tone

For our beloved Fri end alone .
P B . .
CC C I
THE DA FF O D I LS
I wan de r d lonely as a cloud
’
That floats on high o er vales and ’
When all at once I saw a crowd ,
A host of golden daffodils ,

T H E G O L D E N TREAS U RY
O ft on the d appled turf at ease

I sit an d play with similes
'
Loose types of things through all degrees ,
Thoughts of thy raising ;

And many a fond and i d le name
I give to thee for praise or blame
,
As is the humor of the game ,
While I am gazing
'
A nun demure of lowly port ;

,
O r sprightly maiden of Love s court,

’
,
I n thy simplicity the sport

O f all temptati ons
A queen in crown of rubies drest ;
A starveling in a scanty vest ;
Are all as seems to suit thee best
, ,
Thy appellations .
A little Cyclops with one eye

,
Staring to threaten an d d efy ,
That thought comes next an d ins tantly

The freak is over ,
The shape will vanish and behold ,
A silver shield with boss of g old

That spreads itself some faery bold
,
I n fight to cover .
I see thee glittering from afar

And then thou art a pretty star ,
Not qui te so fai r as many are

I n heaven above thee !
Yet like a star with glitte ri ng crest
, ,
Self poised in air thou s e e m s t to rest ;

-
’
May peace come never to his nest

Who S hall reprov e thee !
Swee t Flower ! for by that name at last
When all my reveries are past
A n d sometimes li k e a gleaner thou d ost keep
Steady thy la d en hea d across a broo k
.
”
TH E G O LD E N T RE A S U RY
While b arred clouds bloom the soft dying d ay -
And touch the stubble plains with rosy hue ;

-
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mou rn

A mong the river sallows borne aloft ,
O r sinking as the light wind lives or d ies

And full grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn
-
H edge crickets sing and now with treble soft

The redbreast whistl es from a garden croft
And gathering swallows twitter in the skies .
j
. [ fe a ts
C CC IV
O D E TO W I N TER
GE R M A N Y D EC E M B E R
, , 1 8 00
When first the fi e ry man tled Sun -
His heavenly race began to run ,
Roun d the earth and oce an blue

H is children four the Seasons flew .
First in green apparel dancing

, ,
The young Sp ri ng smiled with angel g race ;

Rosy Summer next advancing ,
Rush d into her sire s embrace

’ ’
H er bri ght hair d sire who bad e her keep

-
’
,
Forever nearest to his smi les ,
O n Cal pe s olive shaded steep

’
-
O r I ndia s citron cove r d isles

’
-
’
M ore remote and buxom b rown

,
-
,
’
The Queen of vintage b ow d before his throne ;
A rich pomegranate g e m m d her crown ’
,
A ri pe sheaf boun d her zone .
But howling Winter fled afar

To hills that prop the polar star ;
An d loves on deer borne car to ri de -
With barren darkness by his side ,

Round the shore where lou d Lofode n

Whirls to death the roari ng whale ,
Round the hall where Runic O d in

H owls his war song to the gale ;
S ave when adown the ravage d globe
H e travels on his native storm ,
D e fl ow e rin g N ature s grassy robe

’
And trampling on her faded form

Till light s return ing Lord assume
’
The shaft that drives hi m to his polar

O f power to pierce his raven plume
An d crystal c ov e r d shield
’
-
.
O h sire of storms ! whose savage ear

,
The Lapland drum delights to hear ,
When Frenz y wi th her bloodshot eye

I mplores thy d rea d ful deity
Archangel ! Power of desolati on !
Fast descending as thou art ,
Say hath mortal invocation

,
S pells to touch thy stony heart ?

Then sullen Winter ! hear my prayer
, ,
’
And gen tly rule the ru in d year ;
N or chill the wan d erer s bosom b are ’
N or freeze the wretch s falling tear ’
To shuddering Want s unmantled bed’
Thy horror breathing agues cease to lend

-
,
And gently on the orphan head

O f I nnocence descen d .
But chiefly spare 0 king of clouds !

,
The sailor on his ai ry shrouds ,
When wrecks an d beacons strew the

An d specters w al k al ong the deep .
Milder yet thy snowy breezes

Pour on yonder tented shores ,
32 0 T H E G O L D E N TREA SU RY
Where the Rhine s b road billow freezes

’
O r the d ark brown Danube roars

-
.
O h win d s of Winter ! list ye there

,
To many a deep and dying groan ?

O r start ye demons of the mi d night ai r
, ,
At shrieks and thunders louder than your own ?

Alas ! ev n your u n h al l ow d breath
’ ’
M ay spare the vi ctim fallen low ;

B ut Man will as k no truce to death ,
No bounds to human woe .
7 1 Ca mp b e l l
CCC V
A RRO W U N V I S ITE D
Y , 18 03
From S tirling Castle we had seen

The m azy Forth u n rav e l d ’
H ad tro d the banks of Cly d e and Tay

And with the Tweed ha d trav e l d ; ’
An d when we came to C l ov e n ford

Then s aid my Winsome M arrow ,
Whate er betide we ll turn asi d e

’
,
’
,
”
And see the Braes of Yarrow .
Let Yarrow folk frae Selki rk town

, ,
Who have been buying selling , ,
Go back to Yarrow t is their own ,

’
,
Each mai d en to her dwelling !

O n Yarrow s banks let herons feed
’
,
H ares couch an d rabbits burrow ;

,
But we will downward with the Tweed ,
N or turn aside to Yarrow .
There s Gala Water Leader H aughs

’
, ,
B oth lying right before us ;

And D ryb u rg h where with chi ming Tweed
,
T he lintw hi tes sing in cho ru s ;

3 2 2 T H E G O LD E N T REA S U RY
’
For when we re there although ,
’
t is fair ,
T will be another Yarrow

’
I f Care with freez ing years S hould come

An d wan d ering seem but folly ,
Shoul d we be loath to stir from home ,
An d yet b e melancholy ;
S houl d life be d ull an d spirits low
, ,
T will soothe us in our sorrow

’
That earth has something yet to S how ,
T he b onny holms of Y arrow !

W PVorarw ort/z '
CCCVI
YA RRO W V I S I T E D
S EPT E M B E R 8 4 , 1 1
And is this Yarrow ? This the stream

O f which my fancy che rish d ’
S O faithfully a waki ng dre am

, ,
An image that hath p e rish d ? ’
0 that some minstrel s harp were near

’
To utter notes of gladness

An d chase this silence from the air ,
That fills my he art wi th sad ness !

Yet why ? a silvery cirrre n t flows
With u n con trol l d meanderings ;
’
Nor have these eyes by greener hills

Been soothed in all my wanderings
,
.
A nd through her depths S aint Mary s Lake

’
, ,
I s visibly delighted ;
For not a feature of those hills
I s in the mirror slighted .
A blue sky bends o er Yarrow V ale

’
,
Save where that pearly whiteness

I s round the rising sun di ffused ,
A tender h az y brightness ;
B O O K FO U RT H 323
Mild dawn of promise ! that excludes

All profitl e ss dej ection ;
Though not unwilling here to a d mit
A pe nsive recollection .
Where was it that the famous Flower

O f Yarrow V ale lay blee di ng ?
His bed perchance was yon smooth mound -
O rrwhich the herd is fee d ing

And haply from this crystal pool ,
Now peaceful as the morning ,
The Water wraith ascended thrice ,
And gave his doleful warning .
Delicious is the lay that sings

The haunts of happy lovers ,
The path that lea d s them to the grove ,
The leafy grove that covers

And pity san ctifie s the verse
That p ai nts by strength of sorro w
, ,
The unconquerable strength of love ;

B ear witness rueful Yarrow !
,
But thou that di d st appear so fair

To fond imagination ,
Dost rival in the light of day

Her delicate creation
M eek loveliness is round thee sprea d ,
A softness s till and holy :

The grace of forest charms d e cay d ’
,
And pastoral melancholy .
That region left the vale unfolds

,
Rich groves of lofty stature ,
With Yarrow winding through the pomp

Of cultivate d nature ;
And rising from those lofty groves
Behold a ruin hoary ,
324 T H E G O L D E N TREA S U RY
The s h at te r front of N e wark s towers

’
d
’
,
’
R e n own d in Border story .
Fair scenes for C hildhood s opening b loom ’

,
For S portive youth to stray in ,
For manhoo d to enj oy his strength ,
And ag e to wear away in !

You cottage seems a bower of bliss ,
A covert for protection '
O f tender thoughts that nestle there

The brood of chaste affecti on .
H ow sweet on this autumnal day

The wil d wood fruits to gather ,
An d on my True love s forehead plant -

’
A crest of blooming heather !

And what if I enwreathed my own ?
T were no offense to reason ;
’
The sober hills thus deck their brows

To meet the win try season .
I see — but not by sight alone ,
Loved Yarrow have I won thee ; ,
A ray of Fancy still survives

H er sunshine plays upon thee !
Thy ever youthful waters keep
-
A course of lively pleasure ;

And gladsome notes my lips can b reathe
Accordant to the measure .
T he vapors linger round the heights ,
They melt and soon must vanish ;

,
O ne hour is theirs nor more is mine ,
S ad thought ! which I would banish ,
’
But that I know where er I go , ,
Thy genuine image Yarrow ! ,
Will dwell with me to heighten j oy , ,
And cheer my mind in sorrow .
W Words wortb
T H E G O L D E N T REAS U RY
I mage all their roof of leaves ,
Where the pine i ts garland weaves

Of sapless g reen an d ivy d un
, ,
Round stems that never kiss the sun ;

Where the lawn s and pastures be
An d the san d hills of the sea ;
Where the melting hoarfrost wets
The daisy star that never sets ,
And w in dfl owe rs and violets

Which yet j oin not scent to hue
Crown the pale year weak and new ;
When the night is left behind
I n the deep east di m and bli nd
, ,
And the blue noon is over us ,
And the multi tudinous

Billows murmur at our feet ,
Where the earth and ocean meet ,
And all things seem only one

I n the universal Sun .
P B . .
c c c vrri
T HE RECO LLECTI O N
N ow the las t day of many days
All b eauti ful an d bright as thou ,
The lovel iest an d the las t is dea d

”
Rise Memory and write i ts praise

, ,
Up to thy wonted work ! come trace ,
The epi taph of glory fl e d ,
For now the earth has chan ged its face ,

’
A frown is on the heaven s brow .
We wan de r d to the Pine Forest

’
That ski rts the O cean s foam ’
The li ghtest wind was in its n e st ,
The te mp e s t in its home .

The whisperi ng waves were half asleep ,
The clouds were gone to play ,
And on the bosom of the deep

The smile of heaven lay ;
I t se e m d as if the hour were one
’
S ent from beyond the skies

Which scatte r d from above the sun
’
A light of Paradi se !
We paused amid the pines that stood

The giants of the waste ,
Tort ured by storms to shapes as rude

As serpents interlaced ,
An d soothed by every azure breath

That under heaven is blown ,
To harmonies an d hues beneath ,
As tender as its own

Now all the treetops lay asleep
Like green waves on the sea ,
As still as in the silent d eep

Th e ocean woo ds may be .
H ow cal m it was — The silence there

By such a chai n was boun d ,
That even the busy woodpecker

Made s tiller with her soun d
The inviolable quietness ;
The breath of peace we drew
With its soft motion made not less
The c alm that round us grew .
There se e m d from the remotest seat

’
,
O f the white mountai n waste

To the soft flower beneath our feet ,
A m agic circle trace d

,
A spirit interfused around ,
A th rilling silent life ;

T H E GO L D E N T RE A S U RY
To momentary peace it bound

O ur mortal nature s stri fe ;
’
And still I felt the center of

The magic circle there
Was one fair fo rm that fil l d with love ’
The lifeless atmosphere .
We pause d besi d e the pools that li e

Un d er the forest bough ;
Each s e e m d as t were a little sky
’ ’
Gulf d in a world below ;

’
A fi rm am e n t of purple light
Which in the d ark earth lay ,
M ore boun d less than the depth of night

And purer than the day
I n which the lovely forests grew
As in the upper air ,
M ore perfect both in shape and hue

Than any S preading there .
There lay the gla d e and neighboring lawn ,
An d through the dark green woo d

-
The white sun tw inkling like the dawn

O ut of a S peckled cloud .
Sweet views which in our worl d above

Can never well be seen
Were imaged in the water s love ’
O f that fai r forest green

An d all was interfuse d beneath
'
W ith an Elysian glow ,
An atmosphere without a breath ,
A softer day below .
Like one beloved the Scene had lent

,
To the dark water s breast

’
I ts every leaf an d lineament

With more than truth e x pre st ;
Un til an envious wi n d crept by ,
Like an unwelcome thought

33 0 T HE G O LD E N TREAS U RY
Come to the luxuriant skies ,
’
Whilst the landscape s odors ri se ,
Whi lst far off l owing herds are heard

-
And songs when toil is done ,
From cottages whose smoke u n stirr d ’
Curl s yellow in the sun .
’
S tar of love s soft interviews ,
P arted lovers on thee muse ;

Their remem b rancer in H eaven
O f th ri lling vows thou art ,
Too delicious to be ri ven

By absence from the heart .
7 : Ca mp b e l l
CC C XI
DAT U R H ORA QU IETI
The sun upon the lake is low ,
The wild birds hush their song ,
The hills have evening s deepest glow ’

,
Yet Leonard tarri es long .
N ow al l whom varied toil and care

From home and love divide ,
I n the calm sunset may repair

’
Each to the loved one s S ide .
The noble dame on turret hi gh

, ,
Who wai ts her gallant knight ,
Looks to the western be am to spy

The flash of armor b ri ght .
The village mai d w i th hand on brow

,
The level ray to sha d e ,
Upon the footpath watches now

For Colin s d arkening plaid
’
.
Now to their mates the wild swans row ,
By day they swam ap art ,
And to the thi cket wan ders slow

The hind be side the hart .
The woodlark at his partner s side ’
Twitters his closing song

All meet whom day an d care di vide ,
But Leonard ta rries long !

W
'
S zr S cott
CCC X II
TO TH E M OO N
Art thou pale for we ariness
O f clim b ing heaven and gazing on the earth
, ,
Wan d eri ng companionless

Among the stars that have a di fferent birth ,
And ever changing like a j oyless eye

-
,
That finds no obj ect worth its constancy ?
C CC XIII
TO S LEEP
A flock of sheep that leisurely pass b y
One after one ; the sound of rain and bees ,
Murmuring ; the fal l of rivers wind s and seas , ,
Smooth fields white sheets of water an d pure sky ;

, ,
’
I v e thought of all by turns and yet do lie ,
Sleepless and soon the small bir d s melodies ’
M ust hear first u tte r d from my orchard trees

,
’
,
And the first cuckoo s melancholy cry

’
.
Even thus last night and two nights more I lay

, ,
And coul d not win thee Sleep ! by any stealth :

,
So d o not let me wear to night away -

W ithout Thee what is all the morning s wealth ? ’
Come blessed barri er be tween day and day

, ,
Dear mother of fres h thoughts and j oyous he al th !

W IVords wort/z / '
CC C XI V
THE SO L D IER S
D RE AM ’
O ur b ugles sang truce for the night clou d had l owe r d

,
’
,
And the sentinel stars set their watch in the sky ;

And thousands had sunk on the groun d ov e rp ow e r d ’
,
The weary to sleep and the woun d ed to d ie

, .
When reposing that night on my pallet of straw

By the wolf scaring fagot that guar d ed the slain
-
,
At the dead of the night a sweet V ision I saw ;

An d th rice ere the morning I d reame d i t agai n .
M ethought from the battle fie l d s d rea d ful array -

’
Far far I had roam d on a desolate track :

, ,
’
T was Autumn
’
an d sunshine arose on the way
,
To the home of my fathers that welcomed me back , . 15
I flew to the pleasant fields traversed so oft

I n life s morning march when my bosom was young ;
’
,
I heard my own mountai n goats bleatin g aloft ,
An d knew the sweet s trai n that the corn reapers sung .
Then pledged we the wine cup and fondly I swore ,
From my home and my weeping friends never to part '
M y little ones kiss d me a thousand times o er

’ ’
,
And my wife sob b d aloud in her fullness of heart

’
.
Stay — stay with u s ! — rest ! thou art weary an d -
worn
And fai n was their war broken sol di er to stay ; -
But sorrow re tu rn d with the d awn i ng of morn

’
,
And the voice in my d reaming ear melted away .
T Ca m p b e l l
.
Whi ch lit the oak that overhung the hedge

With moonli ght b eams of their own watery light ;
And bul rush es and reeds of such deep green
,
As soothed the dazzled eye with sober sheen .
Methought that of these vi sionary flowers

I made a nosegay bound in such a way
,
That the same hues which in their natural bowers

,
Were mi ngled or O pposed the l ike array ,
Kept these im pri s on d children of the H ours

’
Within my hand and then elate and gay

, , ,
I has ten d to the spot whence I had come

’
T hat I might there present it 0 to Whom ?

P B S l ze l l ey
. .
C CC XV I
K U B LA KH AN
I n X anadu did Ku b l a Khan
—
A stately pleas u re dome d ecree
Where Alph the sacred river ran
, ,
Thro ugh caverns meas ureles s to man

D own to a sunles s sea .
S o t wice five miles of fertile ground

With walls and towers were girdled round
And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills
Where b l ossom d many an in cense bearing tree ;
’
-
And here were fores ts ancient as the hills ,
E nfoldi ng sunny spots of greenery .
But oh ! that deep roman tic chas m which slanted

Down the green hi ll athwart a ce darn cover !
A sav age place ! as holy and enchanted
As e er beneath a waning moon was haun ted
’
By woman wai li ng for her demon lover ! -
And from this chas m with ceas el e ss turmoil seethi ng

,
As if thi s earth in fast thick pan ts were breathi ng ,
A mighty fountai n momently was forced :

Ami d who s e swi ft half interm itted burst
-
H uge fragments vaulted like reboundi ng hail ,
O r chaffy grai n beneath the thresher s flail ’
And mid these dancing rocks at once and ever

I t flung up momently the sacred river .
Five miles meandering with a m az y moti on

Through woo d an d dale the sacre d ri ver ran ,
Then re ach d the caverns meas ureless to man

’
,
An d sank in tumult to a l ifeless ocean

And mid this tumult Ku b l a heard from far
’
Ancestral voi ces prophesyi ng war !
The shadow of the dome of pleas ure

Fl oate d midway on the waves ;
Where w as heard the mingled measure
From the fountai n and the caves .
I t was a miracle of rare device ,
A sunny pl easure dome with caves of ice

A damsel with a d ulci mer
I n a vision once I saw :
I t was an Abyssinian mai d ,
And on her dulcimer she pl ay d ’

,
Singing of Mount Abora .
Could I revive within me

Her symphony and song ,
’
To such a deep delight t would wi n me
.
That wi th music loud and long ,
I would build that dome in ai r ,
That s u nny dome ! those caves of ice !

And al l who heard should see them there ,
And al l should cry Beware ! Beware !
,
H is flashi ng eyes his floating h ai r !

,
“
Weave a circle round him thrice ,
And close your eyes with holy dread ,
For he on honeydew hath fed ,
And dru nk the mi lk of Paradi se .

c c cx vu
THE I N N ERV I S I ON
M ost sweet it is with unuplifte d eyes
To p ace the ground if path be there or none
, ,
Whi le a f ai r region roun d the traveler lies

W hi ch he forbears again to look upon ;
Pleased rather with some soft ideal scene ,
The work of Fan cy or some happy tone,
O f medi tation slipping in between

,
The beau ty co m ing an d the beauty gone .
I f Thought and Love desert us from that day ,
Let us break off al l commerce with the Muse :

W ith Thought and Love companions of our way
Whate er the senses take or may refuse
’
,
The M ind s intern al heaven shall she d her d ew s

- ’
O f inspiration on the humblest lay .
W IVords w ortb / '
c c c x v rrr
THE RE A L M OF F A N C Y
Ever let the Fancy roam
Pleasure never is at home
At a touch sweet P leasure melteth
Like to bubbles when ram p e l te th
Then let winged Fancy wan d er
Through the thought S till sprea d beyon d
O pen wi d e the min d s cag e door ’
,
She l l dart forth an d cloudward soar

’
, .
0 sweet Fan cy ! let her loose ;

Summer s j oys are spoile d by use
’
,
And the enj oying of the Sp ri ng

Fades as d oes its blossomi ng
A utu mn s re d lipp d fruitage too
’
-
’
,
Blushi ng through the mist and dew ,

Shaded hyacinth alway ,
Sapphi re queen of the mid M ay ; -
A nd every leaf and every flower

,
P earl ed with the selfs ame shower .
Thou shal t see the field mouse peep

M eager from i ts cell ed sleep ;
And the snake all winter thin -
Cas t on sunny bank i ts ski n

Fre ckl e d nest eggs thou shalt see
H atchi ng in the hawthorn tree ,
When the hen b ir d s wing doth rest

-
’
Quiet on her mossy nest ;

Then the hu rry and alarm
When the beehive casts its swarm ;
Acorns ripe down pattering -
,
While the autumn breezes sing .
O h sweet Fancy ! let her loose ;

,
Eve rything is spoile d by use

Where s the cheek that doth not fade
’
,
Too much gazed at ? Where s the maid ’
Whose li p mature is ever new ?

Where s the eye howe ver blue
’
, ,
’
Doth not weary ? Where s the face
O ne would meet in eve ry place ?
Where s the voice however soft
’
, ,
One would hear so very oft ?

At a touch sweet Pleasure melteth
Like to bubbles when rain p e l te th .
Let then w inged Fancy find

Thee a mistress to thy mind :
’
D ulcet eyed as Ceres daughter
-
,
Ere the God of Torment taught her

H ow to frown and how to chi de ;
With a w ai st an d with a side
Whi te as H e be s , when her zone
’
B O O K FO URT H 339
l
S l ippe d its
golden clasp and down ,
Fell her kirtle to her feet ,
While she hel d the goblet sweet ,
And J ove grew languid Break t he

.
’
O f the F an e y s silken leash ;
Quickly break her prison string -
,
And such j oys as these she 11 bring ’

.
Let the winged Fancy roam ,
Ple asure never is at ho me .
CCC XIX
WRITTEN IN E A RL Y SPRI N G
I heard a thousand blended notes
W hile in a grove I sate recline d ,
I n that sweet mood when pleasant thoughts

Bring sad thoughts to the mind .
To her fai r works di d N ature link

The human soul that through me ran ;
And much it grieve d my he art to think
What M an has made of M an .
Through primrose tufts in that sweet bower

, ,
The periwinkle trail d its wreaths

’
An d t is my faith that every flower

’
E nj oys the air it breathes .
The birds aroun d me h opp d and pl ay d ’ ’

,
Their thoughts I cannot measure ,
B ut the least motion which they made

’
I t se e m d a thrill of pleasure .
The budding twigs spread out their fan

To ca tch the breezy ai r ;
And I must think do all I can
, ,
That there was pleasure there .

3 40 THE G O LD E N TRE AS U RY
I f this belief from heaven be s ent ,
I f such be N ature s holy plan

’
,
H ave I not reason to lament

What M an has made of Man ?
W
C CC XX
R U TH : O R TH E I NFL U E N CES OF N A T U RE
When Ruth was left half d esolate
H er father took another mate ;
And Ruth not seven years old
, ,
A S l ighted chil d at her own will

,
Went wandering over d ale and hill ,
I n thoughtless freedom bold , .
And she had made a pipe of s traw ,
And music from that pipe coul d draw

Like sounds of win d s an d floods ;
H a d built a bower upon the green ,
As if she from her birth had been

An infant of the woods .
’
Beneath her father s roof alone ,
She s e e m d to live ; her though ts her own ;

’
H erself her own delight

Please d with herself nor sad nor gay ;
,
And pas sing thus the livelong day ,
S he grew to woman s height ’

.
’
There came a youth from Georgia s shore ,
A mi litary casque he wore

With splendid feathers dres sed ;
H e brought the m from the Cherokees ;
The feathers nodded in the breeze
And made a gal lant crest .
From I n di an blood you deem him sprung

But no ! he spake the English tongue
H e told of the magnolia sprea d ,
High as a cloud high overhead !

,
The cypress and her spire ;

O f flowers that with one scarlet gleam
Cover a hundred leagu e s and seem ,
To set the hills on fire .
The youth of green savannahs spake ,
And many an endless endless lake ,
With al l its fai ry crowds

Of islands that together li e
,
As quietly as spots of sky

Among the evening clouds .
”
H ow pleasant then he said i t were
, ,
A fisher or a hunter there ,
I n sunshine or in shade
To wander with an easy mind ,
And b uild a household fire and find ,
A h ome in every glade
What days and what bright years ! Ah

O ur life were life indeed wi th thee ,
S o p as s d i n quiet blis s;
’
”
And all the while s aid he to know
, ,
That we were in a world of woe ,
O n such an earth as this !
And then he sometimes interwove

Fond thoughts about a father s love ’
,
For there said he are spun

, ,
Around the heart such tender ti es ,
That our own chil d ren to our eyes

Are dearer than the sun .
Sweet Ruth ! and could y ou go with me

My hel pmate in the woods to be ,
Our shed at night to rear ;

B O OK FO U RTH 3 43
Or run my own adopte d bride

, ,
A sylvan hun tress at my side ,
And drive the flying d eer !
Beloved Ruth ! No more he said .
The w akeful Ruth at midnight shed

A solitary tear :
S he thought agai n and did agree
With him to sai l across the sea ,
And dri ve the flying deer .
And now as fitti ng is and right

, ,
We i n the church our faith will plight ,
”
A husband and a wife .
Even so they did ; an d I may say

That to sweet Ruth that happy day
Was more than human life .
Through dream and vi sion d id she sink ,
Del ighted al l the while to think

That on those lones ome floods
,
And green savannahs she shoul d share ,
H is board with lawful j oy and b ear ,
H is name in the wild woods .
But as you have before be en told

, ,
This Stripling S portive gay and bold

, , , ,
And wi th his dancing crest

S o beautiful through savage lands
,
H ad roam d about with vagrant bands

’
,
Of Indi ans in the West .
The wind the tempest roaring high

, ,
The tumult of a tropic sky

Might well be dangerous foo d
'
For him a youth to whom was given

,
So much of earth so much of he aven ,
And such impetuous blood .

3 44 T HE G O L D E N T REAS U RY
Whatever in those climes he found

I rregular in sight or soun d
Did to hi s mind impart
A kindre d impulse s e e m d allied ,
’
To his own powers and j usti fi ed ,
The workings of hi s he art .
Nor less to feed voluptuous thought

, ,
The beaute ous forms of Nature wrought ,
Fair trees and gorgeous flowers ;

The breezes their own languor lent ;
The stars ha d feelings which they sent ,
I nto those fav o r d bowers ’

.
Yet in his worst pursuits I ween

, ,
That sometimes there d i d intervene

Pure hopes of high intent
For pas sions li nk d to forms so fai r
’
And stately needs must have their share

,
O f noble sentiment .
But ill he lived much evi l saw

, ,
With men to whom no better law

N or better life was known ;
Deli berately an d un d eceived
Those wil d men s vices he received
’
,
An d gave them back his own .
His genius an d his moral frame

Were thus im p air d an d he became ’
,
The slave of low d esires

A man who without self control -
Woul d seek what the degraded soul

U nworthily a dmires .
And yet he with no fe ig n d delight ’
H ad woo d the mai den day an d night

’
,
H ad loved her night an d m om :

,
T H E G O LDE N T REAS U RY
God help thee Ruth ! Such p ai ns she

,
That she in h al f a year was mad

And in a prison housed ;
And there wi th many a doleful song
,
M ade of wild words her cup of wrong,
S he fearfully carouse d .
Yet someti mes milder hours she knew ,
N or wan ted sun nor rain nor dew

, , ,
N or p as times of the May ,
They all were wi th her in her c ell ;

And a cl ear b rook with cheerful kn ell
’
Did o er the pebbles play .
When Ruth three seas ons thus ha d lain ,
There ca me a respite to her p ai n ;

S he from her prison fled ;
But of the V agrant none took thought ;
And where it liked her best she sought
Her shelter and her brea d .
Among the fields she brea thed agai n

The master c urren t of her brain
-
R an perm an ent and free ;

An d coming to the b anks of Tone
, ,
There did S h e rest ; an d dwell al one

Under the greenwood tree .
The engines of her pain the tools ,
That shaped her so rrow rocks and pools , ,
And ai rs that gently sti r

The vern al leaves she loved them stil l ,
Nor ever tax d them with the ill

’
Whi ch had been done to her .
A barn her Winter be d suppl ies ;

But till the warmth of Summer skies
,
And S umm er days is gone ,

(And al l do in this tale agree)

She sleeps beneath the greenwood tree ,
And other home hath none .
An innocent life yet far astray !

,
And Ruth wi ll long before her day

, ,
B e broken down an d old .
Sore aches S h e needs must have ! but less

O f mind than body s wretche d ness
,
’
,
From damp and rain an d cold

, ,
.
I f she is pressed by want of food

She from her d welling in the wood
Rep ai rs to a roadsi d e
And there she begs at one steep place ,
Where up an d d own with easy pace

The horsemen travelers ri de
-
.
That oaten pipe of hers is mute

O r thrown away : but with a flute
H er loneliness she cheers ;
This flute made of a hemlock stal k
, ,
At evening in his homewar d walk

The Quantock woo d man hears .
I too have p as s d he r on the hills

, ,
’
,
Setting her little water mills

By spouts and fountains wild
Such small machinery as she t u rn d ’
Ere she ha d wept ere she had m ou rn

,
’
d,
A young and happy C hil d !
Farewell ! and when thy days are told ,
I ll fate d Ruth ! in hallow d mold

-
’
Thy corpse shall burie d be ;

For thee a funeral bell shall ring
And all the congregation sing
A Christian psalm for thee .
W I Vora s w o rtb /
’
'
T H E GO LD E N TREAS U RY
CCC XX I
W RITTEN A M O N G THE E UGA N EA N H I LLS
Many a green isle needs must be
I n the deep wide sea of Misery ,
Or the mariner worn and wan , ,
N ever thus could voyage on

Day and night and night and day, ,
D rifting on his dreary way ,
With the solid darkness black

Closing round his vessel s track ; ’
Whilst above the sunless sky

,
Big with clouds hangs heavily , ,
And behi nd the tempest fleet

H urries on with li ghtn ing feet ,
Riving sail and cord and plan k

, , ,
Till the ship has almost drank

D eath from the o e rb ri m m in g deep ; ’
An d sinks down down like that sleep , ,
When the dreamer seems to be

Welteri ng through eternity ;
And the dim low line before
O f a dark and dista nt shore
S till recedes as ever sti ll
,
Lon g ing with divided will ,
But no power to seek or shun ,
H e is ever drifte d on
’
O er the unreposing wave ,
To the haven of the grave .
Ah many flowering islands lie

,
I n the waters of wi d e Agony :

To such a one this m om wa s led
My bark by soft win d s piloted
, .
’
Mid the mountai ns E u g an e an
I stood li stening to the p a an
With which the l e g ion d rooks di d hail ’
35° T H E G O LD E N TREAS U RY
P ointing with inconstant motion

From the altar of d ark ocean
To the sapphire tinte d skies ;
-
As the flames of sacrifice

From the marble shrines di d rise
As to pierce the dome of gold
Where Apollo spoke of old .
Sun girt City ! thou hast b een

-
Ocean s chil d and then his queen ;

’
,
Now is come a darker day ,
And thou soon must be his prey ,
I f the power that raise d thee here

H allow so thy watery bier .
A less drear ruin then than now ,
With thy conquest bran d ed brow

-
S tooping to the slave of slaves

From thy throne among the waves
Wilt thou be —when the sea mew
,
Flies as once before it flew

, ,
O er thine isles d epopulate

’
,
And all is in its ancient sta te ,
Save where many a palace gate

With green sea flowers overgrown
’
Like a rock of ocean s own ,
Topples o er the ab an don d sea

’ ’
A S the tides change sullenly .
The fi she r on his watery way

Wandering at the close of day ,
Will spread his sail and seize hi s oar

Till he pass the gloomy shore ,
Lest thy dea d should from their sleep

, ,
Bursting o er the S tarlight deep

’
,
Lead a rapid mask of d eath

O er the waters of his path
’
.
B O O K FO U RTH 3 SI
N oon descen d s around me now :
’
T is the noon of autumn s glow
’
,
When a soft and purple mist

Like a vaporous amethyst ,
Or an air d issolved star

-
Mingling light and fragrance far ,
From the curved ho ri z on s bound ’
To the point of heaven s profound ’
Fills the overflowing sky

And the plains that sil e n t l ie '
U n d erneath ; the leaves unso dd en

Where the infant Frost has trodden
With his morning— winged feet
Whose bright print is gleaming yet ;
And the re d and golden vines
Piercing with their trellise d lines
The rough dark skirte d wil d erness
,
-
The dun and bl aded grass no less ,
Pointing from this hoary tower

I n t he win d less air ; the flower
Glimmering at my feet ; the line
“
O f the olive s an d al d Apennin e ’ ‘
I n the south dimly islanded ;

And t he Alps whose snow s are S pread
,
H igh between the clou d s an d sun ;

And of living things each On e ;
An d my spi r it which s olong ,
D arke n d this s wift stream of song

’
,
I nterpenetrate d lie
By the glo ry of the S ky ;
Be it love li ght harmony
“
, , ,
O dor or the soul of all

,
Which from heaven like dew doth fall ,
O r the min d which fee d s this verse ,
Peopling the lone universe .

352 T H E G O L D E N TREA S U RY
Noon descen d s an d after noon ,
’
Autumn s evening meets me soon
Lea d ing the infantine moon
And that one star which to her ,
Almost seems to minister

H alf the crimson light she brings
From the sunset s ra d iant sp ri ngs ’
An d the soft dreams of the morn

(Which like winged winds had borne
To that silent isle which lies ,
’
Mid re m e m b e r d agonies ’
,
The frai l bark of this lone being) ,
Pass to other sufferers fleeing

, ,
And its ancient pilot P ai n , ,
Sits beside the helm again .
O ther flowering isles must be

I n the sea of Life and Agony
O ther spirits float and flee
’
O er that gulf : Ev n now perhaps ’
, ,
O n some rock the wild wave wraps ,
W ith folded wings they waiting sit

For my bark to pilot it ,
To some calm and blooming cove ;

Where for me and those I love , ,
M ay a wi ndless bower be built ,
F ar from passion pain an d gu ilt , , ,
’
I n a dell mi d lawny hills
W hich the wild sea murmur fills ,
And soft sunshine and the sound ,
O f ol d forests echoing round ,
An d the light and smell d ivine

O f all flowers that breathe an d shine
.
W e may live so happy there

-
,
That the Spi rits of the A ir

Envy ing us m ay ev n entice
,
’
To our healing p aradise

354 T H E G O LD E N TREA S URY
Thou on whose stre am mi d the steep sky s commotion

,
’ ’
,
Loose clouds like earth s decaying leaves are she d

’
,
S hook from the ta ngle d boughs of heaven and ocean ,
Angels of rain and lightning ! there are spread

O n the blue su rface of thine airy surge ,
Like the bri ght hai r uplifted from the head

ad ev n from the d im verge
’
O f some fierce a ,
O f the horizon to the zenith s height ’
The locks of the approaching storm Thou di rge .
O f the dying year to which this closing night

,
Will be the dome of a vast sepulcher ,
V aulted with all thy congregated might

O f vapors from whose solid atmosphere
,
Black rain and fire and hail will burst : O h hear !

, , ,
Thou who didst waken from his summer dreams

The b lue M editerranean where he lay , ,
Lu l l d b y the coil of his crystalline streams

’
,
B eside a pumice isle i n Bai a s bay ’

,
And saw in Sleep old palaces and towers

Quivering withi n the wave s intenser day ’
,
All overgrown with azure moss and flowers ,
S o sweet the sense faints picturing them ! Thou

,
For whose path the Atlanti c s level powers ’
Cleave themselves into chasms while far below ,
The sea blooms and the oozy woods which wear

-
The sapless foliage of the ocean know ,
Thy voice and suddenly grow gray with fear

,
And tremble and despoil themselves O h hear !

I f I were a dead leaf thou mightest bear ;
I f I were a swift cloud to fly wi th thee ;
A wave to pant beneath thy power and share ,
The impulse of thy s trength only less free ,
Than Thou O uncontrollable ! I f even

,
I were as in my boyhood an d coul d be ,
The comrade of thy wanderings over heave n ,

B O O K FO U RT H
As then when to outstrip thy skyey speed

,
Scarce se e m d a vision — I would ne er have striven

’
,
’
As thus with thee in prayer in my sore nee d .
O h lift me as a wave a leaf a cloud ! , ,
I fall upon the thorns of life ! I bleed !

A heavy weight of hours has ch ai n d an d b ow d ’ ’
O ne too like thee tameless an d swift and prou d , ,

.
M ake me thy lyre ev n as the forest is ,

’
What if my leaves are falling like its own !

The tumult of thy mighty harmonies
Will take from both a deep autumnal tone ,
Sweet though in sadness Be thou Spirit fierce .

,
My spirit ! b e thou me impetuous one ! ,
D rive my dead thoughts over the universe ,
Like wi th e r d leaves to qu icken a new birth

’
,
And by the incantation of this verse

, ,
Scatter as from an u n e x tin g u is h d hearth

,
’
Ashes and sparks my words among mankind !

,
Be through my lips to u n awake n d e arth ’
The trumpet of a prophecy ! 0 Win d ,
I f Winter comes can Spring be far behind ?

,
P B
. .
c c c x x rrr
N A T U RE A N D TH E POET
S U G G E STE D B Y A P I C T U R E O F P E EL E C A ST L E I N A S TO R M
P A I N TE D B Y S I R G EO R G E B EA UM O N T
I was thy neighbor once thou rugged Pile ! ,
Four summer weeks I dwelt in sight of thee

I saw thee every day ; an d all the while
Thy Form was sleeping on a glas sy sea .
So pure the Sky so quiet was the ai r !

,
So like so very like was day to day ! ,
Whene er I l ook d thy image still was there ;

’
,
I t trembled but it never p ass d away

,
’
.
T H E G O L D E N TRE A S U RY
H ow perfect was the calm ! I t se e m d no S leep ’
N o moo d which season takes away or brings :

, ,
I could have fancie d that the mighty D eep

Was even the gentlest of all gentle things .
Ah ! then if mine ha d been the pain ter s hand

-
’
To express what then I saw ; an d a dd the gleam

The light that neve r was on sea or land ,
The consecration an d the P oet s dream

,
’
,
I would have planted thee thou hoary pile , ,
Amid a worl d how d i fferent from this !

Besi d e a sea that coul d not cease to smile ;
O n tranquil lan d beneath a sky of bliss
, .
Thou shoul d st have s e e m d a treasure house divine

’
O f peaceful years ; a chronicle of heaven ;

O f all the sunbeams that d i d ever shine
The very sweetest ha d to thee been g iven .
A pictu re had it been of lasting ease ,
Elysian quiet without toil or strife ;

,
N o motion but the moving tide ; a breeze ;

Or merely silent N ature s breathing life
’
.
Such in the fond illusion of my heart

, ,
Such picture would I at that time have made ;

And seen the soul of truth in every part ,
A stead fast peace that might not be b e tray d ’

.
’
So once it would have been t is so no more ; ,
I have submitted to a new control :

A power is gone which nothing can restore
,
A d eep distress hath humanized my soul .
Not for a moment could I now behold

A smiling sea an d be what I have been
,
The feeling of my loss will ne er be old ; ’
T his which I know I speak with mind serene

, ,
.
T H E GO LD E N T RE A S URY
Nor hee d nor see what things they be

But from these create he can
Forms more real than li ving Man
N u rsli n g s of I mmortali ty !
CCC XX V
G LEN A L MA I N
-
, TH E N A RRO W G LEN
I n thi s still place remote from men
, ,
Sleeps O ssian in the N arrow Glen ;

,
I n thi s s till place where murmurs on

,
But one meek streamlet only one ,
H e sang of battles an d the breath

,
O f sto rmy war and violent d eath ;

,
An d should methinks when all w as past

, , ,
Have rightfully been lai d at last

Where rocks were ru d ely he ap d and rent ’
,
As by a spiri t t u rbulent ;
Where sights were rough and sounds were wild , ,
An d everything unreconciled ;
I n some complai ning dim retreat , ,
For fe ar an d melancholy meet ;

But thi s is calm ; there ca nnot be
A more entire tranquilli ty .
Does then the Bar d sleep here indeed ?

O r is it but a groundless creed ?
What matters it ? I bl ame them not
Whose fancy in this lonely spot
Was move d ; and in such way e x p re ss d ’
Their notion of i ts perfect rest .
A convent even a hermi t s cell

,
’
,
Would break the silence of this Dell

I t is not quiet is not ease ;
,
But something d eeper far than these

The separation that is here
Is of the grave ; and of austere
Yet happy feelings of the dea d

An d therefore was it rightly said
, ,
T hat O ssian last of all his race !

,
Lies b urie d in this lonely place .
W PVo ra s w ort/z
’
CC C XXV I
The Worl d is too much with us ; late an d soon ,
Getting an d spen d ing we lay waste our powers ;

,
Little we see in Nature that is ours ;

We have given our hearts away a sordid boon ,
This Sea that bares her bosom to the moon ,
The win d s that will be howling at all hours

And are u pg ath e r d now like sl eeping flowers
’
,
F or this for every thing we are out of tune ;

, ,
I t moves us not Great Go d ! I d rather be

.
’
A Pagan suckled in a creed outworn ,
So might I stan ding on this pleasant lea

, ,
H ave glimpses that woul d make me less forlorn ;

H ave sight of Proteus rising from the sea
O r hear ol d T riton blow his wreath ed horn .
W PVora s w ort/z ’
CCC XXV II
W ITH I N KI N G S CO LLE G E C H A PEL C AM B RI DG E
’
,
Tax not the royal S ai nt with vain expense ,
With ill m atch d ai ms the A rchitect who p l an n

-
’ ’
d
(Albeit laboring for a scan ty ban d

O f white robed Scholars only) this immense
-
And glo ri ous work of fine intelligence !

Give al l thou canst ; high H eaven rej ects the lore
O f nicely calculated less or more :
S o de e m d the man who fas hion d for the sense
’ ’
T hes e lofty pill ars spread that branching roof

,
Self poised and S COO p d into ten thousand cells

-
,
’
Where light and shade repose where music dwell s ,
Lingering and wandering on as loth to d ie ;

Like thoughts whose very sweetness yieldeth proo f
That they were born for immortali ty .
W PVora s w ort/z ’
c c cx x v rrr
ODE ON A G REC I A N U RN
’
Thou still u n rav ish d bride of quietness ,
Thou foster child of silence and S low time

-
,
Sylvan historian who ca nst thus express

,
A flowery tale more sweetly than our rhyme

What leaf fringed legend haunts about thy shape
-
O f dei ties or mortals or of both , ,
I n Tempe or the dales of Arcady ?

What men or go d s are these ? What mai d ens loth ?
What mad pursuit ? What struggle to escape ?
What pipes and timbrels ? What wild ecstasy ?
H eard melodies are sweet but those unheard ,
Are sweeter ; therefore ye soft pipes play on ; , ,
N ot to the sensual ear but more e n d ea r d , ,

’
Pipe to the spirit ditties of no tone

Fair youth beneath the trees thou canst not leave
, ,
Thy song nor ever can those trees be bare ;

,
Bol d Lover never never canst thou kiss

, , ,
Though winning near the goal yet do not grieve ; ,
S he cannot fade though thou hast not thy bliss

, ,
Forever wi lt thou l oVe an d S h e be fair ,
Ah happy happy boughs that cannot she d

, ,
Your leaves nor ever bi d the Spring a d ieu ;

,
And happy melodi st unweari ed

, , ,
Forever piping so ngs forever new ;

T H E G O LD E N T RE A S U RY
When I was young ? Ah woeful when ,
Ah ! for the change twixt Now and Then !

’
This breathing house not built with hands ,
This body that d oes me grievous wrong ,
O er a e ry cliffs an d glittering sands

’
H ow lightly then it fl as h d along ’
Like those tri m ski ffs unknown of yore

, ,
O n win d ing lakes and rivers wi d e ,
That ask no aid of sai l or oar ,
That fear no S pite of wind or ti d e !

Naught cared this bo d y for wind or weather
When Youth an d I live d in t together ’
.
Flowers are lovely ; Love is fl owe rlike ;

Frien d ship is a sheltering tree ;
0 the j oys that came d own showerlike
, ,
O f Frien d ship Love and Liberty

, , ,
Ere I was ol d !
E re I was ol d ? Ah woeful Ere ,
Which tells me Youth s no longer here !

,
’
0 Youth ! for years so many an d sweet ,
T is known that Thou an d I were one

’
,
I 11 think it but a fon d conceit

’
I t cannot be that Thou art gone !

,
Thy vesper bell hath not yet t ol l d ’
And thou wert aye a masker bol d !

What strange d isguise hast now put on
To make believe that Thou art gone ?
I see these locks in silvery slips ,
This d rooping gai t this al te r d size

,
’
But Springtide blossoms on thy lips ,
And tears take sunshine from thine eyes !

Life is but Thought : so think I will
That Youth an d I are housemates still .
Dewdrops are the gems of morning ,
But th e tears of mournful eve !

’
Where no hope is life s a warning
,
That only serves to make us grieve

When we are old
That only serves to make us grieve
With oft and te d ious taki ng leave -
,
Like some poor nigh related guest -
That may not rudely be dis m ist ,
’
Yet hath ou tstay d his welcome while ,
And tells the j es t wi th out the smile .
'
S . T Co l e m dg e
.
CCC XXX
THE T WO A PRI L M ORN I N G S
We walk d along while bright and red
’
,
Uprose the morning sun ;

And Matthew s topp d he l ook d and said
’
,
’
,
The will of God be done !
A village schoolmaster was he ,
With h air of glittering gray ;

As blithe a man as you could see
O n a spring holiday .
And on that morning through the gras s,
And by the steaming rills

We t rav e l d merrily to pass
’
,
A day among the hills .
O ur work s ai d I
,
”
was well b egun ;
,
Then from thy breast what thought

, ,
Beneath so beautiful a sun ,
So sad a sigh has brought ? ”
A secon d time d i d M atthew stop ;

And fixing still his eye
Upon the eastern mountain top ,
To me he made reply
TH E G O LD E N TREAS URY
Yon cloud with that long purple cleft

Brings fresh into my mind
A day li ke this which I have left
,
Full thir ty years behind .
An d j ust above yon slope of corn

Such colors and no other
, ,
Were in the sky that Apri l morn ,
O f this the very brother .
With rod and line I sued the sport

Which that sweet seas on gave ,
An d to the ch u rchyar d come s tO pp d short ,

’
Beside my daughter s grave ’

.
Nine summers ha d S he scarcely seen ,
The pride of all the vale ;

A n d then S h e sang S h e would have been
,
A very nightingale .
Six feet in earth my Emma lay ;

And yet I loved her more
For so it se e m d —than till that day
’
I e er had love d before

’
.
An d turn ing from her grave I met , ,
Beside the churchyard yew ,
A blooming Girl whose hair was wet

,
With points of morning dew .
A basket on her hea d she b are ;

H er brow was smooth an d white
To see a chil d so very fair ,
I t w as a pure d elight
No fountai n from its rocky ca ve

E er t ri pp d with foot so free ;
’ ’
She se e m d as happy as a wave

’
That d ances on the sea .

N 0 check no stay this Streamlet f e ars

, , ,
H ow merrily it goes !
T wi ll murmur on a thousan d years
’
And flow as now it flows .
And here on this delightful day

, ,
I cannot choose but think

H ow oft a vigorous man I lay
, ,
Beside this fountain s brink ’

.
My eyes are d im with c h il dish tears ,
My heart is idly s tirr d ’

,
For the same sound is in my ears

Which in those days I heard .
Thus fares it still in our decay

An d yet the wiser mind
Mourns less for what Age takes away ,
Than what it leaves b ehind .
The blackbird amid leafy t rees ,
The lark above the hill ,
Let loose their carols when they please ,
Are quiet when they wi ll .
With Nature never do they wage

A foolish strife ; they see
A happy youth and their ol d age
,
I s beautiful and free
But we are p re ss d by heavy laws ;

’
And often glad no more

, ,
We wear a face of j oy because ,
We have been glad of yore .
I f there be one who need bemoan

His kindred lai d in earth ,
The household hearts that were his own ,
I t is the m an of mirth .
B O O K FO U RT H
My days my friend are almost gone

, , ,
My life has been approve d ,
And many love me but by none

”
Am I enough beloved .
Now both hi mself and me he wrongs ,
The man who thus complains

I live and sing my i d le songs
Upon these happy plains
And M atthew for thy chil d ren dead
,
I l l be a son to thee !
’
At this he grasp d my hand and sai d

’
,
Alas that cannot b e ”

.
We rose up from the fountain side ;

And down the smooth descent
Of the green sheep track d i d we glide ;
An d through the w oo d w e went ; ‘
’
And ere we came to Leonard s rock
,
H e sang those wi tty rhymes

About the crazy old church clock ,
And the b e wil de r d chimes

’
.
W I/Vora s zoortb ’
CCC XXX II
THE RI V ER O F LI FE
The more we live more b rief appe ar
,
O ur life s succee d ing stages

’
A day to childho o d seems a ye ar ,
And years like passing ages .
The gladsome current of our youth ,
Ere passion yet disorders ,
Steals lingering like a river sm oo th

Along its grassy borders .
But as the careworn cheek grows wan ,

And sorrow s shafts fl y thicke r ,
’
TH E G O L D E N TR EAS U RY
Ye S tars that measure life to man

, ,
Why seem your courses quicker ?

When j oys have lost their bloom and breath
An d life itself is vapi d ,
Why as we reach the Falls of D eath

, ,
Feel we its tide m ore rapi d ?
I t may be strange yet who would change

Time s course to slower speeding
’
When one by one our friends have gone

And left our bosoms bleeding ?
H eaven gives our years of fad ing strength

I ndemnifying fl e e t n e ss ;
And those of youth a seeming length , ,
Prop orti on d to their sweetness

’
.
T C a mp b e l l
.
CCC XXX III

THE H UMA N SE A SO N S
Four Seasons fill the measure of the year ;
There are four Seasons in the mind of man
H e has his lusty Spring when fancy clear ,
Takes in all beauty wi t h an e asy span
H e has his Summer when luxuriously ,
Spring s h on e y d cud of youthful thought he loves

’ ’
To ruminate an d by such d reaming high

,
I s nearest unto heaven quiet coves
His soul has in i ts Autu m n when his wings ,
H e fu rl e th close ; contented so to look

O n mists in i d leness to let fai r things
Pass by unhee d e d as a threshol d brook .
H e has his Winter too of pale misfeature ,
Or els e he woul d forego his mortal nature .

3 7° T H E G O LD E N TREAS U RY
Feed it mid Nature s old fel ici ties

’ ’
,
Rocks rivers and smooth lak es more clear than glass

, ,
U n t ou c h d ,
’
unbreathed upon Thrice happy
I f from a gol d en perch of aspen spray
’
( October s workmanship to rival M ay) ,
The pensive warbler of the ruddy breas t

That moral sweeten b y a heaven taught lay -
Lulling the year with all its cares to rest !

, ,
W I Vord rzoort/z
/
'
CCC XXXV II
My heart leaps up when I b ehold
A rainbow in the sky
S o was it when my life began ,
So is it now I am a man ,
So b e it when I shall grow old

O r let me die !
The Child is fa t her of the Man
An d I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety .
W IV
’
l
/ o ra s w o n ’ z
CCC XXXV III

O D E O N I N TI MA TI O N S O F I MM ORTA LIT Y FRO M
RECO LLECTI O N S O F E A RL Y C H I L D H OO D
There w as a ti me when meadow grove and stream , , ,
The earth and every common sight

,
To me di d seem
A pp are l d in celesti al light
’
,
The glory and the freshnes s of a dream .
I t is not now as it hath been of yore ;

Turn wheresoe er I may ’
,
By night or d ay ,
The thi ngs which I have seen I now can see no more .
B O O K FO U RT H 37I
The rainbow comes and goes ,
And lovely is the rose ;

The moon doth with delight
Look round her when the heavens are b are ;
Waters on a starry night
Are b eautiful and fai r ;
The sunshine is a glorious birth ;
But yet I know where er I go
,
’
,
That there hath passe d away a glory from the earth .
Now while the birds thus sing a j oyous song

, ,
An d while the young lambs bound

As to the tabor s sound
’
,
To me alone there came a thought of grief

A timely utterance gave that thought relief ,
And I again am strong .
The cataracts blow their trumpets from the steep ;

N 0 more shall grief of mine the season wrong
I hear the echoes through the mountains throng ,
The win d s come to me from the fields of S leep ,
A nd all the earth is gay ;

Lan d an d sea
Give themselves up to j ollity ,
And with the heart of May

Doth every beast keep holiday
Thou child of joy
Shout round me let me hear thy shouts thou happy
, ,
Shepher d boy !
Ye bless ed Creatures I have heard the call

,
Ye to each other make ; I see

The heavens laugh with you in your j ubilee ;
My heart is at your festival ,
My hea d hath its coronal ,
The fullness of your bliss I feel —I feel it

,
O h evil d ay ! if I were sullen

While E arth herself is a d orning
This sweet May morning ;
And the chil d ren are culling
O n eve ry S ide
I n a thousand valleys far and wide ,
Fresh flowers ; whi le the sun shines warm

And the babe leaps up on his mother s arm : ’
I hear I hear with j oy I hear !

, ,
But there s a tree of many one

’
, , ,
A single fi eld which I have l ook d upon ’

,
Both of them S peak of something that is gone

The pansy at my feet
D oth the same tale repeat
Whither is fled the visionary gleam ?
Where is it now the glory and the d ream ?
,
O ur birth is but a sleep an d a forgetti ng ;

The S oul that rises with us our life s Star
,
’
,
H ath had elsewhere i ts setting

An d cometh from afar ;
Not in entire forgetfulnes s ,
And not i n utter nake d ness ,
But trai ling clou d s of glory d o we co m e

From God who is our home
,
Heaven lies about us in our infancy !

S had es of the prison house begin to close
Upon the growing Boy ,
B ut he beholds the light and whence it flows

, ,
H e sees it in his j oy
The Youth who d aily farther from th e east
,
M ust travel still is Nature s p ri est

,
’
,
An d by the v ision splen di d

I s on hi s way attended ;
At length the M an perceives i t di e away ,
And fa d e into the light of common day .

That deaf and silent re ad st the ete rnal deep

, ,
’
,
H aunte d forever by the eternal Mind ,
Mighty Prophet ! Seer blest !

O n whom those truths do rest
W hich we are toiling all our li ves to fi nd ,
I n darkness lost the darkness of the grave ;

,
Thou over whom thy I mmortali ty

,
Broods like the day a master o er a slave

,
’
,
A P resence which is not to be put by

Thou little child yet glorious in the might
,
O f heaven born free d om on thy being s height

-
’
,
Why wi th such earnest pains d ost thou provoke

The years to bring the inevita ble yoke ,
Thus blin d ly with thy blessedness at strife ?

Full soon thy soul shall have her earthly freight ,
And custom lie upon thee with a weight

H eavy as frost and d eep almost as life
,
0 j oy ! that in ou r embers
I s something that doth live ,
That Nature yet remembers

What was so fugi tive !
The thought of our past years in me d oth breed
Perpe t ual benedic tion : not in d ee d
For that which is most worthy to be blest ,
Delight and li berty the simple cree d

,
O f Chi l d hood whether busy or at rest

, ,
With new fl e dg e d hope sti ll fluttering in hi s breas t

-
Not for these I r ai se

The song of thanks and praise ;
B ut for those obsti nate questioni ngs
O f sense and outwar d t hings ,
Fal l ings from us vanishi ngs ; ,
Blank misgivings of a creature

M oving about in worl d s not realize d ,
High insti ncts before whi ch our mo rta l nature

,
Did trem b le like a g uilty thing surprised

But for those first affections ,
Those sha d owy recollections ,
Which be they what they may

, ,
Are yet the fountain— light of all our d ay ,
Are yet a master light of all our seeing ;

-
Uphol d us cherish an d have power to make

, ,
Our noisy years seem moments in the being

O f the eternal Silence : truths that wake ,
To perish never ;
Which neither lis tlessnes s nor ma d en d eavor
, ,
Nor man nor boy

Nor all that is at enmity with j oy ,
Can utterly abolish or d estroy !

H ence i n a season of calm weather
,
Though inlan d far we be ,
Our souls have sight of that immortal sea

Which brought us hither ;
Carr in a moment travel thither
And see the chil d ren sport upon the shore ,
An d hear the mighty waters rolling evermore .
Then sing ye bir d s sing sing a j oyous son g !

, , ,
And let the young lambs boun d

As to the tabor s sound ! ’
We in thought will j oin your throng

, ,
Ye that pipe and ye that play ,
Ye that through your hearts to day -
Feel the gla d ness of the May !

What though the rad iance which was once so bright
Be now forever taken from my sight ,
Though nothing can bring back the hour

O f splendor in the grass of glory in the flower ;
,
We will grieve not rather find ,
Strength in what remains b ehind ;

I n the primal sympathy
Which having been must ever be ;
I n the soothi ng thoughts that spring
T H E GO L D E N T REAS U RY
Out of hum an suffering ;

I n the fai th that looks through death ,
I n years that bring the p hil O S O ph ic min d .
And 0 ye Fountai ns Mea d ows Hills and Groves

, , , ,
Forebo d e not any severing of our loves

Yet in m y h e art of hearts I feel your might ;
I only have re l in qu ish d one delight
’
To live beneath your more habitual sway

I love the brooks which down their channels fret
Even more than when I t ri pp d lightly as they ’
The i nnocent brightness of a newborn d ay

I s lovely yet ;
The clouds that gather roun d the setting sun
D o take a sober coloring from an eye
That hath kept watch o er man s mortality
’ ’
Another race hath been and other palms are won

, .
Thanks to the human heart by which we live ,
Thanks to its tenderness its j oys an d fears

, , ,
To me the meanest flower that blows can gi ve

Thoughts that d o often lie too deep for tears .
W IVora s wort /z f
’ '
C CC XXX I X
Music when soft voices d ie
, ,
V ibrates in the memory

O dors when sweet violets sicken
, ,
Live within the sense they quicken .
Rose leaves when the rose is dead

, ,
Are h e ap d for the beloved s be d ;

’ ’
And so thy thoughts when Thou art gone

, ,
Love its elf shall slumber on .
P B . .
3 7 8 T H E G O LD E N TR EAS U RY
A N N A LET I T I A A I K I N was born in Leicestershire in 7 43 H r 1 . e
r putation as a po t d ates fro m 7 7 3 A fter h m arriag to M r B

e e 1 . er e . ar
baul d she an d her husban d k pt a school to which her genius g ave e ,
something li k fam e F the school she wrote her best work the
e . or ,
Hymns in Pr se for Chil d ren She d ie d in 8 5 at Sto k e N ewing

o .
”
1 2
0 7 t k n from her O d e to Life were g reatly ”

ton Th se lines N
. e , o . 2 , a e ,
ad mire d by W or dswo th r .
S I R W ILLI A M AL EX A N D E R was born at M t i Scotlan d probably e ns r e , ,
in 1 5 67 He was private t tor to the k ing s sons an d as iste d J ames in

. u
’
, s
a metrical version of the Psalms Scholar courtier po e t he was also .

, , ,
a t ruste d statesman Towar d the en d of his life he was Secretary of

.
State for Scotlan d having been raise d to the peerag e as Earl of Sterling
, .
H e d ie d in Lon d on in 1 64 0 .
L A DY A N N E B A R N A R D e l d est d aughter of James Lin d s ay fifth earl , ,
o f B alcarres was born D ecember 8

, 5
17 0 She was e arly intro duce d t o , .
t h e literary life of E d inburgh an d met D r J ohn s on on his visit there , .
in 1 7 7 3 For a while she live d with a sister in Lon d on an d there mar

.
,
rie d in 1 7 9 3 A n d r e w B arnard son of Tho m as B ish o p of Limeric k

, , , , .
Her fi rst husban d d ie d at the Cape of G oo d Hope in 1 8 07 She r e turne d .
to Lon d on an d fi ve years later marrie d Sir Jame s B lan d Burges

, .
S h e ri d an an d B urk e w e re a m ong h e r frien d s She ha d wri tten A ul d

“
.
Robin G ray anonymously in 1 7 7 1 an d though it b e cam e v e ry popular , ,
its authorship was not gen e ra lly k nown till S c ott reveale d it inci d enta lly
in The Pirate 1 8 2 3 La dy A nne then wrote Scott an a c count of its
”
, .
composition whi c h he e d ite d an d publishe d for the B annatyne Club in

,
182 4 She d i e d the following y e ar M ay 6

.
, .
R I C H A R D B A R N F I E L D was born at N o rb u ry Shropshire an d was bap , ,
t iz e d J une 1 3 1 5 7 4 H e was e d ucat e d at B rasenose College Oxford

, .
, .
Thi s poem N o 4 5 which in a longer fo rm a ppear e d in The Passionate

, .
,
Pilgrim an d was attribute d to Shak es p eare is in B arn fi e l d s Poems in

”
, ,
’
D ivers Humours 1 5 98 A s it is printe d h e re it appeare d in Englan d s

”
, .
,
’
H e licon 1 600 over the name I gh oto B arn fi e l d d i e d at Stone

”
, ,
”
.
,
Sta fford shire M arch 1 62 7 , , .
F R A N C I S B EAU M O N T a ssociate d in English poetry with John Fletcher

, ,
was born at G race D ieu in Le icestershire in 1 58 4 Little is k nown of

-
, .
h im except that he was for a time at Oxford an d at the I nner Temple ,
that for a while he live d with Fletch e r in Lon d on an d that he m arrie d ,
in 1 6 1 3 an d d ie d M arch 6 1 6 1 6 , .
W ILLI A M B L AK E poet an d en g raver was born of a n eccentric fam ily

, ,
in Lon d on N ovember 2 8 I 7 5 7 H e was a passionat e strange c hil d d is

, , .
, ,
pos e d to see visions H e b e c am e a remark abl e illustrator of imaginativ e

.
p oems ; his d esi g ns for the B oo k of J ob are his ma s terpiece His own .
B I O GRA P H I CAL N OT E S 3 79
poems he illustrate d with singular energ y an d gran d eur H e was in fl u .
e n c e d by Swe d enborg an d much of his writing shows besi d es a ten d

, , ,
ency to insanity His me m orable wor k for the general public is chie fl y
.
in The Songs of I nnocence 1 7 89 an d The Songs of Experience

”
, , ,
1 7 94
. H e d ie d in Lon d on A ugust 1 2 1 8 2 7 , , .
RO B E RT B U R N S best love d of mo d ern B ritish poets was born at

, ,
A lloway A yrshire J anuary 2 5 1 7 5 9 H e was brought up a farmer in

, , , .
,
poverty but his min d was store d with ol d Scotch songs H is genius fo r
,
.
love mak ing was his reason for writing his fi rst songs ; his in d epen d ence
-
o f spirit l e d h im to ma k e his satires o n the Church an d on conventional
authority B esi d es ran k ing as perhaps the most passionate of mo d ern

.
lyrists an d one of the best of satirists he is also d istinguishe d as a real ,
is t ic painter of Scottish life His fi rst volume of poems 1 7 8 6 brou g ht .

, ,
him imme d iate fame Through the wea k ness of his character his last
.
years were unhappy H e d ie d at D u m fries July 2 1 1 7 9 6 .

, , .
G EO R G E G O R D O N B Y R O N Lord B yron was born in Lon d on Jan , , ,
uary 2 2 1 7 88 A fter an unhappy boyhoo d he was e d ucate d at H arrow

, .
an d at Cambri d ge I n 1 8 0 7 he publishe d his fi rst boo k

. Hours of ,
I d leness an d two years later replie d to his critics in English Bar d s

”
,
an d Scotch Reviewers H is fame began with the fi rst two cantos of

”
.
Chil d e Harol d s Pilgrimage February 1 8 1 2 written after his fi rst

” ’
, , ,
visit to the M e diterranean I n the next four years he wrote his oriental .
tales such as The G iaour an d The ri d e of A by d os

,
B ”
I n 1 8 1 6 he .
left Englan d an d live d on the Continent chie fl y in I taly D uring these , .
years he complete d Chil d e Harol d wrote his d ramas an d began his

”
, ,
un fi nishe d masterpiece D on J uan H e engage d in the war of G ree k

”
, .
in d epen d ence an d d ie d of fe v e r at M issolonghi A pril 1 9 1 8 2 4 N o

,
’
, , .
other mo d ern English poet has achieve d so worl d wi d e a fame

,
-
.
TH O MA S C AM P B E LL w h o excelle d as the writer of battle poems was

, ,
born at G lasgo w J uly 2 7 1 7 7 7 H is reputation was establishe d by The

,
“
, .
Pleasures of Hope 1 7 99 A visit to the Continent the next year in

”
, .
spire d such martial po e ms as H o henlin d en Other publications were

”
.
G ertru d e of Wyoming 1 809 ; Theo d oric 1 8 2 4 ; an d The Pilgrim

”
, ,
of G lencoe 1 8 4 2 H e d i e d at B oulogne June 1 5 1 8 44

”
, .
, , .
The d ate an d place of T H O M A S C AM P I O N S birth are un k nown H e ’

.
stu d ie d at Cambri d ge an d at one ti m e was a m ember of G ray s I nn

,
’
,
but lat e r b e came a physi c ian He was the fri e n d of Th omas N ash an d .
John D owl an d the lutanist A ll the word s an d most of the music of

, .
D owl an d s First B oo k of A irs 1 60 1 were written by Campion From

’
, , .
“
that time the latter was the chief write r of airs or S hort songs in
J acobean Englan d H e also wrote m as q ues a n d in 1 60 2 publi s h e d
.
,
his import ant Observations in the A rt of English Poesy H e d ie d

“
.
,
probably of the plague M arch 1 1 6 1 9 , , .

3 80 THE G O LD E N T RE A S U RY
TH O MA S C A R E W was born probably at W ic k ham K ent in 1 5 9 8 H e , , .
was e d ucate d at W estm inst e r School an d at Corpus Christi Oxford , .
H e was a favorite of C harles I a frien d of B e n J onson an d the mo s t , ,
artistic of the cou rtly poets o f t h e time Little else is k nown o f him .
,
but he see m s to have d ie d not later than A pril 1 7 1 63 8 probably at , ,
the en d o f M arch .
H EN R Y C A R E Y is suppose d to have b e en the son of G eorg e S avile ,
M arquis of Halifax N othing more d e fi nite is k n own of his birth H e

. .
began his car e er as a teacher of musi c but soon a c q uire d some fame as ,
a w riter of songs an d burles q ues The song h e re g iven N o 1 67 fi rs t .

, .
,
publishe d about 1 7 1 5 was a favorite of Add ison s an d is the only work

,
’
of Carey s now generally remembere d He d ie d October 4 1 7 4 3

’
.
, .
C O LL E Y C IBB E R w a s born in Lon d on N ovemb e r 6 1 67 1 A fter so m e , , .
sol d iering he became an actor an d playwri g ht of consi d erable fam e .
H e was poet laureate wrote a famous autobiography an d was ma d e the

, ,
later hero of Pope s D uncia d H e d ie d in Lon d on D ecember 1 2 1 7 5 7

”’
.
, , .
H A RT L EY C O L E RI D G E son o f th e more fam ous Samuel Taylor Cole

,
ri dge was born near B ristol S e pt e mber 1 9 1 7 9 6 H e was e d u c ate d at

, , , .
O xford but e arly showe d the ten d ency t o d rin k which ru ine d his car e er
, .
H e spent his life in miscellaneous li terary w o rk A small volume of his .
poems app e ar e d in 1 8 3 3 a posthumous complete e d ition in 1 8 5 1 H e

, .
d ie d at G rasmere J anuary 6 1 8 49
, , .
S AM U E L T AY L O R C O L E RI D G E was born at Ottery St M ary D evon .

,
shire October 2 1 1 7 7 2 H e was e d ucat e d at Christ s H ospital an d at

, , .
’
J esus Coll e ge Cam bri dge H e b e cam e the brother ih law of Southey
, .
- -
an d the f ien d of ord sworth To the Lyrical allad s 1 7 9 8 he con

r W B ”
.
, ,
tribute d The A nci e nt M ariner ” ”

Chri stabel writt en at this ti m e .
, ,
was not publishe d till 1 8 1 6 I n 1 8 1 7 a collection of his poems calle d

.
Sibylline Leaves appeare d Compl e te e d iti ons of his poe m s appeare d

.
in 1 8 2 8 an d 1 8 3 4 His slavery to O pium ruine d h is splen d i d genius

. .
H e d i e d at Highgate J uly 2 5 1 8 3 4 A s poet c ritic stud ent of p h il o so

, , .
, ,
phy an d the o l o g y lec turer an d conversationalist Coleri d ge is one of

, ,
the most variously g ifte d an d seminal of mo d e rn men of letters .
J O H N C O LLI N S was bor at B ath in the fi r t half of the eig ht enth

n s e
century H e was probably a t il

. H e b came an actor an d a or s
’
_
s on . e
appeare d in D ublin an d Lon d on with mo d erate suc ess Lat r he i c . e n
vente d composite form of ente t inment

a lecture o g an d tory r a , , s n , s ,
which brought him some wealth H e investe d his ear ings in 7 7 B

'
. n ze zr
where his poems appear d H d ie d M ay 8 08

'
g / m C/ m l
’
m zn za zro e e, e . e 2 , 1 .
W ILLI A M C O LLI N S was born at Chich ster Christmas D ay 1 7 1 e , , 2 .
H was e ducate d at W inchester an d at Oxford

e H publishe d his fi rst . e
son wal k e d in B u rn s s funeral procession A llan was brought up as a ’

.
stone m ason but his fon d ness for ol d Scotch songs le d h im to p e rp e

,
trate a sort of hoax on a Lon d on publisher by brin g ing out his original
c o m positions un d er the title of Remains of N iths d ale an d G alloway
Song 1 8 1 0 A t this ti m e he came to Lon d on an d became the secre
”
, .
tary of Francis Chantrey the sculptor H is chief l ater publications , .
were Tra d itional Tales of the English an d Scotti s h Peasantry 1 8 2 2

”
,
a four v o lume collection Songs of Scotlan d A ncient an d M o d ern

-
, , ,
1 8 2 5 in whi c h this fi ne song A W e t She e t an d a Flowing Sea N O

”
, , , .
2 4 9 was incl u d e d ; an d from 1 8 2 9 to 1 8 3 3

, the “ Live s of the M ost ,
E m inent B ritish Paint e rs Sculptors an d A rchitects ”

H e d ie d in , , .
Lon d on October 3 0 1 8 4 2
, , .
S AM U E L D A N I E L was born near Taunton 1 5 62 of a musical family , , .
H e was e d ucate d at M a gd alen Oxford an d became fam o us for the , ,
beauty of his d iction an d his v e rs ifi c at io n H e was m uch hon o re d .
d uring his lifeti m e succee d e d Spenser as uno ffi cial poet laureate an d

, ,
d i e d at B e c k ington in Octob e r 1 6 1 9 , .
T H O MA S D E K K E R was born about 1 5 7 0 in Lon d on H e may have , .
att en d e d the M e rchant T ailors School H e wa s one of the hac k writers ’

.
e m ploye d b y the th e atrical m anag e r Henslowe who when he was im , ,
prisone d for d ebt in 1 5 98 procure d his fre e d om H e was a most proli fi c , .
writer of pl ays an d pamphlets but d ie d poor about 1 64 1 Th e po e m here ,
given N o 7 5 is from The Pleasant Come d y Patient G s s e l l 1 5 99

,
.
, o f ri ”
, .
RO B E RT D EV E R E U X secon d Earl of Essex was born at N etherwoo d , , ,
H erefor d shire N ovemb e r 1 9 1 5 66 H e wa s the brother of that Penelope

, , .
D e vereux whom Si d ney love d H e atten de d Trinity College Cambri dge .

, ,
an d e mbark e d on the car e e r of courtier sol d ier an d q ueen s favorite , ,

’
,
for which he is rememb e re d in history I n 1 5 9 0 he marrie d the wi d o w .
of Sir Philip Si d ney I n 1 5 9 6 he capture d Ca d iz Then in 1 5 9 9 he was . .
appointe d G ov e rnor G eneral of I r e l a n d an d after a d isastrous campai g n

-
,
there he fell into d isfavor with Eliz abeth whereupon he trie d to start ,
a rebellion an d was execute d for treason F e bruary 2 5 1 60 1

, , , .
J O H N D O N N E gran d son of J hn H eywoo d d k in to Sir Thomas

,
o an
M or was bor in Lon d on about 5 7 3 Prob bly because his family

e ,
n 1 . a
were Roman Catholics h t o k no d egr e at the universities though , e o e ,
he att n d e d both A fter s m foreign travel he beca m e s cr t y to

e . o e e e ar
Cha c llor Sir Thomas Egert n

n e d elope d with A nne M ore La d y o , an ,
Egerton s ni ce H e too k ord ers in 6 5 b came a fam u preacher

’
e . 1 1 , e o s ,
an d was m d e D ea of St Paul s in N ove m ber 6 1 H e d i d M arch

a n .
’
, 1 2 . e
31, 16 3 For the1m ost

. part his po m s — n te d for their subtle i m agina e o
tio n w e re written in his youth , a nd became famous through circulatio n

in manuscript .
B I O GRA P H I CA L N OTE S 3 83
M I C H A ELD R A YTO N was born at Hartshill Warwic k shire 1 5 63 He , , .
was the frien d of Sp nser an d of most of the great Eli abethans

e z .
H e wrote voluminous historical poems an d busie d himself with some ,
d ramatic writing but he is chie fl y remembere d for this sonnet N o 49

, , .
,
for N im p hid ia an d for The B alla d of A gincourt one of the most

,
”
,
”
mart ial ballad s in Engli h H e d ie d in Lon d on 1 63 1 s .

, .
W ILLI A M D R U M M O N D was born at Hawthorn d en D ecember 3 , 1 ,
1 58 5. H e att n d e d the famous high school at E d inburgh an d grad u

e
ate d from the university there A fter s ome foreign travel he live d .
chie fl y at his home writing love poems in the fashions pr vailing i

,
e n
Lon d on H e entertaine d B J onson in 6 8 an d record e d their oft

. en 1 1 ,
quote d conversations about contemporary English poets H e d ie d .
D ecember 4 1 649 , .
J O H N D R YD EN the chief man of letters of the R estoration was born

, ,
at A l dwin k le A ll Saints N orthamptonshire A ugust 9 63 1 He atten d e d

, , , 1 .
W estminster School an d Trinity College Cambri d ge H e is popularly , .
remembere d for his great o d es — the Song for St Cecilia s D ay ,

.
’
,
68 7 an d A lexan d er s Feast an d for his remark able satires ”

69 7
’
1 , , 1 , ,
“
A bsalom an d A chitophel 68 1 an d M F l k 1 68 ; but he ,
”
1 , ac ec n oe ,
”
2
also wrote a larg e number of come d ies an d heroic plays an d an impor

tant bo d y of arrative ver e an d he was the best critic of his age H e
n s ,
.
d ie d in Lon d on M ay I 7 0 , , 1 0 .
J A N E or J EA N E LLI O T was born in 7 7 at M into House T iot d l 1 2 , ev a e .
Her father Sir G ilbert Elliot an d her brother G ilb rt were literary in
, ,
e
their tastes O evening in 1 7 5 6 the broth r b t J e n a pair of gloves

. ne e e a
“
or a set of ribbons that she coul d not write a ball d on the subj ect of a
Flo dd en Fiel d J ean won the wager with the verses here given N
. 62 , o . 1 .
The poe m was publishe d anonymously in 7 5 6 an d for some time it was 1 ,
thought to be a genuine relic of the past A mong t h fi rst t o d iscover .

”
e
the m o d ern note in it was B urns Scott inclu d e d it as a mo d ern poem .
in the M instrelsy of the Scottish B or d er 8 3 J ean Elliot live d in ,

”
1 0 .
E d inburgh from 7 8 to 1 8 4 She was the last lad y in the town to

1 2 0 .
mak e regular use of h se d an chair an d in other ways she cultivate d ol d

er ,
fashions She d ie d t T i t House or at M into House M arch 9 1 8 5

. a ,
ev o , 2 , 0 .
J O H N F L ET C H E R was born at Rye Sussex in D ece m ber 1 5 7 9 H e , , , .
seems to hav b en e d ucate d at Cam bri d ge an d he later c ollaborat d

e e , e
in writing pl ys with his fri n d Francis B eaumo t H e excelle d in the

a e n .
writing of co m e d y an d in his lyrics The s ng here g iven N

, 3 . o , o . 1 2 ,
fro m The N ice V alour may have in fl uence d M ilton s I l Penseroso ,

” ’
.
”
Fletcher d ie d in Lon d on an d was burie d A ugust 2 9 1 62 5 , .
J O H N G A Y was born at B arnstaple probabl y in September 1 68 5 , , .
A fter a brief e xperience as a Lon d on apprentice he beg an his literary

c areer u n d er c irc u m s ta nces n o t k nown His fi rs t poem is s ai d t o h av e .
384
TH E GO L D E N TREAS U RY
been publishe d in 1 7 08 His collecte d poems appeare d in 1 7 2 0 He. .
became one of the impo rta nt men of letters in his ag e with v ari e d ,
k in d s of success to his cre d it an d he was the close fri e n d of Pope an d ,
Swift B esi d es several a d mirable songs he wrote Trivia 1 7 1 6 ; the

.
”
, ,
Fables 1 7 2 7 an d The B eggar s Opera 1 7 2 8 H e d i e d in Lon d on

”
,
” ’
, .
,
D ecember 4 1 7 3 2 , .
O LI V E R G O L D S M I T H was born in I relan d N ovemb e r 1 0 1 7 2 8 H e , , .
was e d ucate d at Trinity College D ublin A fter much miscellaneous , .
experience he became a sort of b a c k writer to t h e e d itor of the M on t/zly

R ev ie w
”
The Trav e ller 1 7 64
. The V icar of Wak e fi el d 1 7 66 ; The
”
,
“
,
D e serte d V illage 7 7 0 ; an d She Stoops Con quer 1 7 7 3 are his

”
1 t,o
”
, ,
best k nown work s an d have ma d e him a favorite writer H e d ie d in

-
.
Lon d on A pril 4 1 7 7 4
, , .
R O B E RT G R A H AM afterward s Cunninghame G raham was e d ucate d

,
-
,
at G lasgow U niversity for a time was a planter in Jam aica an d in 1 7 8 5

, ,
was el e ct e d rect o r of G lasgow U niv e rsity From 1 7 9 4 to 1 7 9 6 he wa s .
in Parliament He was well k n ow n for his songs whi c h mad e their way
.
,
without the h e lp of any syst e matic publishing H e d i e d about 1 7 9 7 . .
T H O M A S G R AY was born at Cornhill D ecember 2 6 1 7 1 6 H e was , , .
e d ucate d at Eton an d at P e t e rhous e Cam bri d ge I n 1 7 39 an d 1 7 40 he , .
travel e d abroa d with H o rac e Walpol e A fter a short re s i d e n c e at .
Sto k e Poges he went to Cambri d ge where he r e main e d fi rst at Pete r , ,
house an d afterward s at Pembro k e H e wrote besi d es his fam ous .

,
Ele gy co m parativ e ly few poems but in compensation m a d e h i m self

”
, , , ,
one of the most learne d m e n in Englan d an d wrote letters to his fri e n d s ,
which are d elightful in their k in d H e was on e of the fi rst Eng lishmen .
to ta k e j ourn e ys for the sa k e of romantic scenery H e d ie d at C am .
bri d ge J uly 3 0 1 7 7 1
, ,
.
RO B E RT GR EE N E was born in N orwich 1 5 5 8 The d ate of his bap , .
t is m is J uly I 1 H e was e d uc at e d at Cam bri d g e an d after t h e custo m ary

.
,
El iz abethan travel abroad settle d into a life in Lon d on that h e hi m s e lf

,
has d escribe d as vicious in the extreme H e is famous for his romanc e s .

,
d ram as an d c harm ing poems for his pam phl e ts on ro g uery of all sort s
, , ,
an d for his highly emotional rep e ntance H e d ie d in extre m e want in .

,
the house of a Lon d on sho e mak e r Sept e m b e r 3 1 5 9 2 The p o em h e re , , .
given N o 60 is from M e n ap h o n 1 5 8 9 o n e of his romances

,
.
, , , .
W ILLI A M H A B I N GTO N was b o rn at Hin d lip on N ov e m b e r 4 1 60 5 , .
A fter being e d ucate d in St Omers a n d at Paris h e b e ca m e a courtier .

, ,
an d wrote Platonic verse after the French fa shion H e d ie d N ove m .
ber 3 0 I 6 5 4
,
.
G EO R G E H E RB E RT one of the best k nown of En g li s h religious poets

, ,
was b o rn of a noble W elsh family in the Castle of M o ntg omery Wale s , .

ever since A fter being for many years a sort of literary d icta tor m uch
.
,
loo k e d up to by young writers he d ie d in Lon d on A ugust 6 1 63 7 , , , .
J O H N K EA T S was born in Lon d on October 3 7 9 5 of humble par , 1, 1 ,
t g
en a His father d ie d in 8 4 an d his m oth r in 8 0 I n the latt er
e . 1 0 e 1 1 .
year h was apprentice d to a surgeon an d for some time he pursue d

e ,
his m d ical stu d ies conscientiously B t about 8

e the rea d ing of . u 1 12
Spenser s Faerie Q ueene inspire d him to write poetry His great

’ ”
.
sonn t On First Loo k ing into Chapman s Homer was w i tten in 1 8 5

e
’
r 1 .
In 8 7 appeare d his fi rst volume of Poems i 8 8 En d ym ion

1 1
“
,
”
n 1 1
“
,
an d in 1 8 his last volume containing L mia

20 I sabella The Eve , a ,
”
,
” “
of St A gnes the famous o d es an d the fragment of Hyperion In

.
,
”
,
“
.
”
September 8 0 K ats left Englan d for I t l y in an atte m pt to recover

, 1 2 , e a ,
fro m consumption H e d ie d in Ro m e February 3 8 1 an d in a f w .

, 2 , 1 2 , e
years his fame began to sprea d rapi d ly H is now generally regard e d . e
as one of the truest an d greatest of the English poets .
C H A RL E S L AM B was born in Lon d on February 1 0 1 7 7 5 H e was , , .
e d ucate d at Ch rist s Hospital where he m e t Coleri d g e as he has beauti

’
, ,
fully tol d us in a famous essay H e became a clerk in the South Sea .
H ouse an d then in 1 7 9 2 in the East I n d ia Company where he remaine d

, , , ,
until he r e tire d on a pen s ion in 1 8 2 5 H is life was d evote d to his sister .
M ary an d literat ure wa s his chief recreation H e is best k nown for the
, .
Essays of Elia which appeare d fi rst in the L on d on M ag a z i n e an d then

”
,
in two collections in 1 8 2 3 an d 1 8 33 A lm o st as famous are the Tales .
from Shak e speare which he wrote in collaboration with M ary Lamb

”
, .
Few of his poems are importa nt but the three in the present collection ,
are famous The Ol d Famili a r Faces app e are d in B lan k V erse by

.
,
Charles Lam b an d Charles Lloyd 1 7 98 H e d ie d at E d monton D ecem

”
, .
,
ber 2 7 1 8 3 4 ,
.
M A R Y LA M B was born in Lon d on 1 7 64 She had a ten d ency toward , .
insanity which su dd enly d evelop d in 7 9 6 in a m ost tr gic manner

, e 1 a .
Her brother Charles ma d e himself responsible for her con d u t an d their c ,
path tic d evotion to each other is one of the romantic passages in the
e
lit rary history of Englan d B i d es collaborating in the Tales from

e . es
“
Shak speare 8 0 7 Charles an d M a y L m b publishe d Poetry for Chil

e , 1 , r a
d ren 8 9 from which this poem N 8 3 is tak en M ary Lamb d ie d

,
”
1 0 , , o . 2 , .
at E d monton M ay 847 ,
2 0, 1 .
TH O MA S LO DG E was bor about 5 5 8 at W st H m at Lon d on n 1 , e a , or .
His father w Lor d M ayor H e entere d Tri nity College Oxford in

as .
, ,
1 573 On his numerous voyages perhaps buccaneering expe d iti ns he

.
, o ,
wro te s e veral r o m ances ; no tably that one from whi c h this s o ng N o 1 9 , .

,
is ta k en R o s al y n d e Euphues G ol d e n Le g a c ie 1 5 90 This romance

,
”
,
’
, .
B I O GRA P H I CAL N OTE S 387
isthe source of Sha k espeare s A s Y ou Li k e I t Lo d ge later became ’ “

.
”
a convert to Roman Catholicis m practice d me d icine an d publi s he d , ,
prose translations H e d ie d in Lon d on of the plague 1 62 5 .

, .
J O H N LO G A N was born at Soutra Fala M i d lothian in 7 48 H e was , , , 1 .
e d ucate d at M usselburgh an d at the U niversity of E d inburgh I n 7 7 0 . 1
he w license d to preach in the Scottish Church an d in 1 7 7 3 he was

as ,
ord aine d H i Poe m s were publishe d in 7 8

. s His connection with 1 1 .
the st ge through the composition of a trage dy Runnym e d e pro

a , , ,
”
d d in E d inburgh in 7 8 3 m a d e him unpopular with his church H e

u ce 1 , .
d ie d in Lon d on D ecember 5 7 8 8 H i probably the author of the

, 2 , 1 . e s
charmi g an d famous O d to the Cuc koo mor often att ribute d t

n e , e o
his frien d M ichael B ruce .
R I C H A R D L O V E L A C E was born at Wool wich K ent in 6 8 H e was , , 1 1 .
e d ucate d at the Charterhouse School an d at G loucester Hall Oxford , , .
B y his personal charms he early attracte d the attention of the Court .
H e became a sol d ier an d was chosen to present the K entish Petition ,
to the H ouse of Commons For this act he was thrown into prison H e . .
spent his fortune in the cause of Charles an d later serve d the French , , ,
k ing H e d ie d in O bscurity in Lon d on in A pril 1 6 58

.
, , .
J O H N LY L Y was b rn between October 9 5 5 3 an d October 8 5 5 4 o , 1 , , 1 ,
in K nt H e was e d ucat d t Oxford T h fi rst part of Euphues the

e . e a . e ,
”
m ost famous an d i fl u nti l Eli a b than novel appeare d in 1 5 7 9 ; the

n e a z e ,
secon d part in 5 8 Lyly also wrote plays for the chil d ren of St Paul s
1 0 . .
’
an d the chil d ren of the Chapel Royal an d it is from these plays that ,
his lyrics are tak n the present song N o 7 co m ing from A lexan d er
e , , . 2 ,
“
an d Campasp 5 8 4 H d ie d in N ovember 6 6
e ,
”
1 . e , 1 0 .
H EN R Y F R A N C I S LY E was born at E d nam J une 79 3 H e was T , 1, 1 .
e d ucate d at Trinity Coll g e D ublin an d be am e a m inister in the e , , c
Est bli he d Church His poor health compell e d him to travel m uch
a s .
on the Continent I n 8 6 he publishe d his Tales in V erse ; his

. 1 2
“ ”
“
Poems C h i fl y Religious appeare d in 8 3 3 an d his litera y R
, e 1 , r e
m ains in 8 5 H is best k nown by his famous hym n A bi d e W ith

”
1 0 . e ,
“
M e but others of his hym ns are only less popular H e d ie d at N ice

,
”
.
,
N ove m ber 2 0 , 1 847 .
C H RI ST O P H E R M A RL O W E is ran k e d as Shak espeare s chief pre d e ’
c e ssor in the d rama T h e son of a Canterbury shoema k er he was .

,
c hristene d February 2 6 1 5 64 H e was e d ucate d at the K ing s School ’

, .
an d at Cambri d ge From that ti m e till his d eath in a tavern brawl

.
,
J une 1 1 5 9 3 his only record is the brief series of importa nt plays

, , ,
“
T am burl a ine in 1 58 7 an d i n close s e quence “ D o c tor Faust u s ”
, , , , ,
The J ew of M alta an d E dward I I The fi rst two d ramas an d his

” ”
, .
3 8 8 THE GO LD E N TREAS U RY
translation of H ero an d Lean d er prove d him one of the m ost musi c al

an d ex q uisite of po e ts The fam ous song here g iven N o 7 app e are d .
, .
,
in The Passionate Pilgrim 1 5 99 See note on Sha k espeare p 3 90

“ ”
, .
, . .
A N D R EW M A RVE LL M ilton s assistant in the Latin secretaryship was

,
’
,
born at Winest a d M arch 3 6 H e was d ucate d at Hull an d t

e , 1, 1 2 1 . e a
Trinity College Cambri d ge A fter some travel on the Continent an d

, .
private tutoring at the home of Lor d Fai fax he was recommen d e d by r
M ilton to a post un d er the Commonwealth an d i 65 7 he became M il , n 1
ton s assist nt I n January 6 5 9 he was electe d a member of Parliament

’
a .
, 1 ,
for Hull an d at the Restor tion he use d his in fl uence to protect M ilton
, a .
H e continue d to tak e a highly honorable part in politics until his d eath

in Lon d on A u g ust 1 8 67 8 H e is reme m bere d as a political satirist an d
, , 1 .
controversialist an d as a lyric poet of great charm, .
W ILLI A M J U LI U S MI C K L E usually thought though not c rtainly prov d , e e
to be the author of N o 1 9 4 was born Septe m ber 2 8 1 7 3 5 at Langhol m .

, , , ,
D umfriesshire E d ucate d at Langholm an d in the schools of Ed inburgh

.
,
h e b e ca m e c lerk in a brewery which by 1 7 5 7 he own e d B u t his literary , .
interests le d to neglect o f bu siness an d to failure I n 1 7 65 he b e came .
corrector to the Claren d on Press an d six years later b e gan his trans ,
lation of the Lusia d s of Camoens fi nishe d in 1 7 7 5 A fter some a t

“ ”
, .
tempts at d ramatic writing an d a visit to Portugal where he was electe d

'
a member of the Royal A ca d emy he settle d into a government sinecure ,

.
To Ev an s s Ol d B allad s H istorical an d N arrative W ith So m e of M o d

’
ern D ate 1 7 7 7 —1 7 8 4 he contribut e d his beautiful Cumnor Hall

, ,
”
, , ,
m entione d by Scott in the I ntro d uction to K enilworth H e d ie d at

”
.
Forest Hill near Oxford Octob e r 2 8 1 7 88

, The Sailor s W ife h a s , , .
’
sometimes been given on very in s u fli c i e n t evi d ence t o a certa in J e an

, ,
Adam or J ane Ad am s a Scotch s c hoolmistress , .
J O H N MIL T O N usually regard e d as the greatest English non d ramatic

,
poet was born in Lon d on D ece m b e r 9 1 60 8 H e was fort un ate in h is

, , , .
home His father enable d h im to spen d several years in leisure an d

.
travel afte r he ha d complete d his stu d ies at Cambri d ge an d to these ,
happy y e ars belong his lovely early poems Th e n he taught a fe w .
pupils continu e d his own d e e p stu d ies an d began th e s e ries of his

, ,
great prose pam phlets A t t h e beginning of the Comm onwealth he w a s .
appointe d Latin S e creta ry to the Committee on Foreign A ffairs an d lost ,
his sight through ove rwork A t the Restoration he was in d ang e r of his .
life an d went into hi d ing Parad ise Lost w a s b e g un in 1 6 5 8 an d pub.
l is h e d in 1 667 “
Para d ise Regain e d a n d Samson A gonistes ap
”
.
”
p e are d tog e ther in 1 67 1 M ilton d i e d N ovember 8 1 67 4 The pres e nt .

, .
poem No 8 5 was compose d at the en d of 1 6 2 9 wh e n M ilto n ha d j ust

, .
, ,
passe d his twenty fi rs t birth d ay, an extraor d inary achievement for so

-
young a man .
3 90 T H E G O L D E N TREA S U RY
M A TT H E W P RI O R was born in D orsetshire July 1 664 H e was e du , 2 1, .
c at d at St J ohn s College Cambri d ge an d afterward s ha d a d istin

’
e .
, ,
g i h e d d iplomatic career especially at the time of the Peace of U trecht

u s , .
H e is consi d ere d by many to be the best English writer of society verse .
H e d ie d September 8 1 7 1 1 , 2 .
F RA N C I S Q UA RL ES was born at Romford Essex where he was bap , ,
t i d M ay 8 H e was e d ucate d at Christ s College Cambri d ge ’

ze
59 , 1 2 .
, ,
an d stu d ie d law at Lincoln s I nn A fter a short resi d ence abroa d he ’

.
settle d in Lon d on an d publishe d poems of an eccentric an d religious

character B efore 1 6 9 he became secret ry to the B ishop of A rm agh
. 2 a ,
I relan d B efore 633 he was in Englan d again at Roxwell Essex I n

. 1 , , .
63 5 he publishe d his famous boo k the Emblems H e d ie d Septem ”

1 , .
ber 8 1 644 , .
S A M U EL R O G E R S was born at Sto k e N ewington July 3 0 1 7 63 H e , , .
e ntere d the ban k ing business at his f a ther s wish but his real interest
’
,
was in literature I n 1 7 8 1 he mad e his fi rst appearance in print with a

.
paper reminiscent of J ohnson s Rambler His fi rst volum e of po e m s

” ’
.
was publishe d in 1 7 8 6 I n 1 7 9 2 appeare d The Pleasures of M emory

“
.
”
.
From that year his reputat ion constantly increase d H e was the frien d .
of most of the prominent statesmen artists an d poets who fl ourishe d , ,
during his long life H e d ie d in Lon d on D ecember 1 8 1 8 5 5

.
, ,
.
SIR WA LT E R S C O TT who m Tennyson call e d the greatest man of

,
l e tters of the nineteenth century was born at Ed inburgh A ugust 1 5 , , ,
177 1 A fter grad uati n g from Ed inburgh U niversity he became a lawy e r

.
,
but manage d t o d o much writing in a dd iti o n to his public d uties His .
B ord er M instrelsy w as publishe d in 1 8 0 2

”
The Lay of the Last ,
M in s trel in 1 8 0 5 M armion in 1 8 08 T h e Lady of the Lak e in

” “ “
,
”
,
1 8 10
“
,Ro k eby in 1 8 1 3 A fter 1 8 1 4 Scott d evote d hi m s e lf to his
”
.
novels but the inci d ental poe m s in his stories are a m ong the best short
,
lyrics in the language H e d i e d at A bbotsford September 2 1 1 8 3 2

.
, , .
C H A RL ES S E D L EY was born about 1 639 at A ylesford K ent He

SI R , .
was for a while at Wa d ham College Oxford an d after the R e st o ra , ,
tion was a member of Parliament A lthough once note d as a d ramatist .

,
a wit an d a man of taste he is chie fl y rememb e re d fo r his d issolute life

, ,
.
His best trait seems to have been his gift of song writing H e d ie d .
A ugust 2 0 1 7 0 1 , .
W ILLI A M S H AK E S PEA R E greatest of English d ramati sts was born at ,
Stratford —
,
on A von A pril 2
3 1 5 64 His early life is the subj ect of much
-
, , .
conj ecture ; recent d iscoveries have mad e his later years a little less
legen d ary than they were H e marrie d A nne Hathaway when he was .
litt le more than a boy an d shortly afterward s he went to Lon d on ,
an d became connecte d with the s tag e as actor an d playwright an d ,

B I O GRA P H I CA L N O TE S 39 1
sharehol d er in tw o theaters H e d ie d at Stratford A pril 2 3 1 6 1 6 The .

, , .
songs in this anthology are tak en from his various d ramas an d from
“
The Passionate Pilgrim 1 5 99 a collection of poems of which fi ve
”
, , ,
are k nown to be Sha k espeare s The sonnets are from the collection ’
.
printe d in 1 609 .
P E R C Y B Y SS H E S H ELL EY was born at Fiel d Place Sussex A ugust 4 , , ,
1 7 92 .H e was e d ucate d at Eton an d at U niversity College O xford but , ,
was expelle d by the college authorities in 1 8 1 1 for the publication of

his tract The N ecessity of A theism His father practically d isowne d
,
”
.
him an d the ra d ical nature of his poems an d his con d uct cause d his
,
virtual exile from Englan d His last years were spen t in I taly H e . .
publishe d Q u e en M ab in 1 8 1 3 A lastor in 1 8 1 6 The Revolt of

“
, ,
I slam in 1 8 1 7 Prometheus U nboun d in 1 8 2 0 an d The Cenci ” in

“
,
”
,
the same year H e was d rowne d in the M e d iterranean J uly 8 1 8 2 2 Li k e

.
, , .
W ord sworth he is n o w praise d by his a dmirers almost as much for his

,
personality as for his poems .
J A M ES S H IRL EY was born in Lon d on Septe m ber 1 8 59 6 H e was , , 1 .
e d ucate d at th M erchant Tailors School at St J ohn s College Oxford

e , .
’
, ,
an d at Catherine H all Cambri dge He too k ord ers in the English, .
Church but later became a Roman Catholic an d d evote d his life to

,
writing plays H e was a proli fi c d ramatist an d ran k s as t h e last of the

.
great Eli abethan playwrights N o 9 is from his mas q ue Cupi d an d

z . . 1
D eath ; N 9 is fro m his Contention of Aj ax an d U lysses H e

”
o . 2
“
.
”
d ie d of exposure d uring the fi re of Lon d on October 666 , , 1 .
S I R P H ILI P S I D N EY was born of noble parent ge at Penshurst K ent a , ,
N ovember 9 5 5 4 A t Shrewsbury School he forme d his famous

2 , 1 .
frien d ship with Ful k e G reville his biographer For a time he stu d ie d , .
at Christ Church Oxford an d later travele d on the Continent Return

, , .
ing to Eli abeth s court he was the frien d of Spenser an d other poets
z
’
, .
B y the nobility of his character an d by his romantic d eath he became

the i d eal English courti r A t the battle of Zutphen Septemb r e .
, e 2 2 ,
1 5 8 6 he was fatally woun d e d an d d ie d on October 7 H e was only

, , 1 .
inci d entally a writer but in each of his wor k s A strophel an d Stella

, ,
“
,
The Countess of Pe m bro k e s A rcad ia The A pologie for Poetrie ’

,
”
,
he had the fortune to t the stan d ard for Eli abethan sonnet se q uences
se z ,
romances an d criticism For his contemporaries he was the mo d el of

,
.
the perfect gentle m an an d such he remains to us , .
C H RI ST O P H E R S MA RT was born at Shipbourne K ent A pril 1 1 1 7 2 2 , , , .
H e was e d ucate d at Pembro k e Hall Cam bri d g an d became a f llow , e , e
of that coll ge in 1 7 4 5 Later he remove d to Lon d on an d publish d

e . e
an uni m port ant volume of poems H e lost his reason but in a sane .
,
interval wrote the Song to D avi d 1 7 63 fro m which these lines

”
, , .
No . are ta k en B u t for this extraord inary poem o n e of the most

1 79, .
,
imaginative of the century Smart woul d be k nown if at all mainly a s a , , ,
hac k writer H e d ie d in Lon d on M ay 2 1 1 7 7 1

.
, , .
RO B E RT S O U T H EY was born at B ri stol A ugust 1 2 1 7 7 4 H e was , , .
e ducate d at Westminster School an d at B alliol Oxford W ith Cole , .
ri d ge he too k a d e e p interest in the French Revolution an d was for a ,
while a d eci d e d Ra d ical A fte r his marriage to the sister of Coleri d ge s.

’
wife the necessity of supporting the Coleri d ges as well as his own large
, .
family d evelope d the stead ie r q ualities in his fi ne character H is home .
for the c hief part of his life was at K eswic k B esi d es much r e viewing .
an d historical writing an d general literary wor k he wrote some ambi ,
tious e pics li k e Thalaba 1 8 0 1 an d The Curse of Ke h am a 1 8 1 0

“ ” ”
, , , ,
an d a few me m orable short po e m s I n 1 8 1 3 he became poet laureate . .
H e d ie d at K eswic k M arch 2 1 1 8 4 3 , , .
E DM U N D S PEN SE R one of the gr e atest of English p oets was born in

, ,
Lon d o n in 1 5 5 2 H e was e d ucate d at Pembro k e H all Cambri d ge an d

, .
, ,
j oine d the group of young poets at Eliz abeth s court I n 1 5 7 9 a ppeare d ’

.
The S h e p h e ard e s Calen d ar t h e most i m portant poem since Chaucer s

”
,
’
d ay I n 1 5 80 Spenser was ap pointe d secretary to the Lord D eputy of

.
I relan d I n 1 5 90 he issue d the fi rst thr e e boo k s of The Faerie Q ueene

.
in 1 59 5 Colin Clouts Come ome g e the A moretti an d the

H A a in
” “
, ,
Epithalamion an d in 1 5 9 6 the fourth fi fth an d sixth boo k s of The , , ,
Faerie Q ueene H e d ie d in Lon d on J anuary 1 6 1 5 99

”
.
, , .
SIR J O H N S U C K LI N G was born at Whitton M i dd l e s ex February 1 609 , , , .
H e was a precocious chil d an d e arly becam e d istinguishe d for his wit , .
A fter atten d ing Trinity College Cambri dge h e travele d much on the , ,
Contin e nt He was popular at the English Court for his verses an d

.
plays an d was also note d as a gamester an d a gallant The song here

,
.
“ ”
given N o 1 2 9 his most famous piece occurs in his play A g l au ra
, .
, , ,
1 63 8 F o r political reasons he was oblige d to leave the country The

. .
manner of his d eath is uncert ain One story is that he committ e d sui .
ci d e in Paris probably before the en d of 1 64 2

,
.
J O S H UA S Y L V EST E R born in K ent 1 5 63 was a business man who , , ,
ma d e literat u re hi s avocation I n 1 606 he was a tta che d t o the Court as .
a poet His translations from the Fre nch po e t D u Bart as ha d great

.
fame an d much in fl uence but are n ow forgott e n H e d i e d at M i dd el b urg, .

,
Septe m ber 2 8 1 6 1 8 , .
J AM ES T H O M S O N was born at E d nam Roxburghshire probabl y o n , ,
Septe m b e r 7 1 7 00 H e was e d ucate d at J e d burgh an d at the U niversity

, .
of E d inburgh I n 1 7 2 5 he came to Lon d on in search of a literary career

. .
His fame was secure d by The Seasons publishe d in four parts b e

“
,
"
t ween 1 7 2 6 an d 1 7 30 A si d e from some d ramatic writing his only other

.
,
3 94 THE G O LD E N TREAS U RY
G EO R G E WI T H E R or W I T H E R S was born at B entworth Hampshire , ,
June 5 88 A fter tw years t M agd alen College Oxford he stu d ie d

1 1, 1 . o a , ,
law in Lon d on an d entere d Lincoln s I nn His fame rest s on his ly ics ’

. r
an d his satires F one of his satires he was impri sone d U n d er the

. or .
Commonwealth he was a not very successful sol d ier an d the en d of his ,
long life was unhappy H e d ie d in Lon d on M ay 667 .

, 2 , 1 .
C H A RL ES WO L F E was born at B lac k b all K il d ar D ecember 4 1 7 9 , e , 1 , 1 .
E ducate d at Trinity College D ublin he too k ord ers in the Est blishe d , , a
Church an d became curate of D onoughmore I relan d His famous , .
poem N , 6 was publishe d in the N w y T l g p h A pril 9

o . 2 2 , 8 7 e f e e ra 1 , 1 1 .
V arious claimants to its authorship have arisen but W olfe s right to the ,
’
honor seems e tablishe d H e d ie d at Q ueenstown February 2

s 8 3
.
, 1, 1 2 .
W ILLI A M W O R D S W O RI H was born at Coc k erm outh Cumberlan d ’ ‘
, ,
A pril 7 7 7 0 H e was e ducate d at St J ohn s College Cambri d ge

, 1 . .
’
, .
F ille d with revolutionary fervor he visite d France d uring the Terror ,
an d incurre d some personal d anger His Lyrical B allad s 1 7 9 8 wi t h .

,
”
,
the famous preface a dd e d later ( Secon d Series mark e d the b , e
ginning of a new k in d of poetry which ai m e d at extreme naturalness ,
in d iction an d thought A lmost as much as for his poetry W ord sworth

.
,
is affectionately remembere d for the life of noble poverty which he le d

with his sister D orothy chie fl y at G rasmere On October 4 8 0 he , .
, 1 2 ,
marrie d his cousin M ary Hutchinson I n M arch 8 43 upon the d eath

, .
, 1 ,
o f Southey W ord sworth succ e d e d to the o ffi ce of poet laureate H e

, e .
d ie d at Ry d al M ount A pril 3 8 5 His poetry attaine d comparative

, 2 , 1 0 .
populari ty only toward the en d of his life but he has been regard e d by ,
two generations as one of the very gre atest of the English poets .
SI R H EN R Y W O TT O N in his later years the frien d of M ilton was , ,
born in B oughton K ent A pril 9 I 5 68 H e was e d ucate d at W inchester

, , , .
an d at Oxf ord an d travele d o n the Continent from 1 5 90 to 1 5 99 H e

,
.
was an ambassa d or to V enice an d to G erm any un d er J ames I an d on ,
his retirement from public life became Provost of Eton College H e .
d ie d at Eton D ecember 1 639 , , .
SIR TH O MA S WYA T the earliest of the famous court ly mak ers of

,
Tu d or times was born at A llin g ton Castle K ent in 1 5 0 3 H e was gra d

, , , .
u a t e d fro m St J ohn s College Cambri d g e at a very e arly age an d after

’
.
, , ,
some travel too k up the l ife of a courtier Toward the en d of 1 5 40 he .
was accuse d of treason an d impri sone d but he cleare d himself at his ,
trial H e d ie d at Sherborn e in D orsetshire on October 1 0 or 1 1 1 5 4 2

.
, , , .
His poems which followe d Italian mo d els circulate d in manuscript an d

, , ,
were fi rst printe d in T o tt e l s M iscellany 1 5 5 7

” ’
, .
N OT E S
( The n o e s t in b rac k e t s are Pa lg rav e s )
’
.
2 1 Th e pal m the great sallow or goat willow an d the h a w

a nd m ay : , ,
thorn See the Century D ictionary

. 10 This an d the following song are . .
sung by A riel in The Te mpest Compare A ct V scene i an d A ct 1

”
, , ,
scene ii — 2O [ whis t z hushe d q uiete d ] — 2 1 fe a t l y : d aintily —2 2 b u r

.
~
.
.
, .
th e n : un d ersong .
3 7 [Rou s e M e m n on s m oth e r : A wa k en the D awn from the d ark Earth

’
an d the clou d s where she is resting This is one of that limite d class of .
early myt hs which may be reasonably interprete d as representations

of natural phenomena A urora in the ol d mytholo g y is mother of M em .
non ( the East ) an d wife of Tithonus ( the appearances of Earth an d S k y

,
during the last hours of night) She leaves h im eve ry morning in re .
newe d youth to prepare the way for Ph oebus ( the Sun ) whilst Tithonus
, ,
remains in perpetual ol d age an d grayness ] —14 d e core : d ecorate . .
30 [b y P e n eu s s tre am s : Ph oe bus love d the N ymph D aphne whom he

’
met by t h e fi iv e r P e n é u s in the vale of Temp e ]

‘
4 3 [Am phi on s l y re : H e was sai d to have built the walls of Thebes

’
to the soun d of his music ] 8 cha ir : chario t — 11 [N i gh t l i k e a dru n k ard

. .
re e l s Compare Romeo an d J uliet A ct I I scene iii

”
The grey eye d , ,
-
morn smiles etc I t shoul d be add e d that three lines which appeare d
”
, .
,
hopel e ssly misprinte d have been omitte d in this p 0 em ] — l 4 ori e n t

bright —17 This an d the following poem are the sixty fourt h an d sixty
, .
fift h of Sha k espeare s sonnets — 20 e t e rn al : shoul d be construe d with

.
b ra s s —2 5 s t a t e : con d ition I n the next line it seems to mean m ag n ifi

.
. .
ce n ce , g re a tn e s s
wh ich : since it ( that is the t/zou g fi t) —
.
5 l 12 [ Tim e s ch e st : in wh ic h he
, .
is fi guratively suppos d to lay up past tr e asures S in Troilus A ct I I I

e o
”
.
, ,
scene iii Time hath a wallet at his bac k etc I n the A rca d ia cfi e s t
,
” ”
, .
,
is use d to signify tom b ] 17 [ A fi ne ex am ple of the high wrought an d .

-
conventional Eli zabethan pastoralism whi c h it woul d be unre a sonable ,
to critici z e on the groun d of t h e u n s h e p h e rdl ik e or u nreal character of

some images suggest e d Stan za 6 was perhaps inserte d by I zaa k Walton ].
6 1 kirt l e : gown with a s k irt petticoat — 1 9 [ This beautiful lyric is

.
.
,
one of several recovere d fro m the very rare Eli zabethan son g b o o k s ,
for the p ublication of whi c h o u r tha n k s are d ue to M r A H B ullen . . .
( 1 88 7 , The title means ( Lov e ) con qu e rs A l l Tfi zn g s ’
39 5
7 11 This is one of those pieces in the Passionate Pilgrim

wh ich are generally assigne d to Sha k espeare 17 b rave : fi nely d resse d . .
8 1 This song is sung by A miens in A s Y ou Li k e I t ” A c t I I scene v

—3 t u rn : return give back —17 This song is sung by the two pages
, , .
in A s Y ou Li k e I t A ct V scene iii
”
, 18 The refrain is meaningle s s at
, .
lea s t to d ay —2 0 ri n g t im e : season for d ancing in a rin g — 2 9 prim e

,
-
.
usually means sp ri n g ( compare 1 1 but here it may m ean s up re m e

l zapp zn e s s If it means sp ri n g there shoul d be at lea s t a co m ma after it
’
.
, .
9 3 [ One stanz a has been here omitte d in accord ance with the prin ,
c ip l e notice d in the Preface Similar omi s sions occur in a few other

.
poe m s The more serious abbreviation by which it has been attempt e d

.
to bring C ras h aw s Wishes an d Shelley s Eu g an e an Hills with

” ’ “ ” ’
,
one or two more within the scheme of this selection is commen d e d

, ,
with much d ifii d e n c e to the j ud gment of read ers ac quainte d with the
original pieces ] —6 This l in e seems to c o n v e y a challe n g e —2 1 [ Si d ney s
.
’
poetry is singularly une qual ; his sho rt life his fre quent absorption in ,
pu b lic employment hi n d ere d d oubtless the d evelopment of his genius

, .
His great contemporary fam e secon d only it appears t o Sp e nser s , , ,

’
,
has been hence obscure d A t ti m es he is heavy an d even prosaic ; his

.
simplici ty is ru d e an d bare his verse unm e lo d ious These howev e r are .

, ,
the d efects of his merits ”

I n a certain d epth an d chivalry of feeling
—in the rare an d noble quality of d isintereste d ness (to put it in one
.
,
word ) — h e has no superi o r hard ly perhaps an e qual amongst our

, , ,
poets ; an d after or b e si d e Sha k espeare s sonnets his A strophel a n d ’

,
Stella in the e d itor s j u dgm ent o ffers the most intense an d powerful
”
,
’
,
p icture o f the passion of love in the whole range of our p o etry ] .
10 8 [ Hu n d re d s of y e a rs : The v e ry rapture of love s ays M r Rus k in ;

”
, .
A lover li k e this d oes not beli e ve his mistress can grow ol d or

The title m eans Tb e Way of Lm/e 9 This is the fi fty seventh of Shak e .
-
speare s sonnets — 2 1 in y ou r wil l : so far as concerns your intent

’
. .
23 This is the ninety seventh of Shak espeare s sonnets

’
-
.
1 1 I re m ove d : of re m oval of absenc e — 9 ch e e r : countenance, .
1 1 This is the twenty ninth of Sha k espeare s sonnets The last six lines
’
-
have ra rely been surpasse d ev e n by h im —16 wi th : o f — 2O s t a t e

.
.
, .
Here a n d in the fourth lin e below both meanings of the word con d i tio , ,
n
an d m agn ifi ce n ce may be combine d, .
12 1 This is the one hun d re d an d ninth of Shak espeare s sonnets

’
.
2 q u al ify : d iminish — 7 e x ch an g e d : change d — 10 b l ood : d isposition

. .
12 To : as to —15 This is the one hun d re d an d fou rth of Sha k espeare s

’
22 wh i ch : who ( refers to y ou ) —
.
sonnets .
-
?A hi s : its . .
13 1 [ R e a d ers who have visite d Italy will be remin d e d of more than

one picture by this g o rgeous V ision of B eauty e q ually subli m e an d ,
pure in its Para d isaical naturalness Lo d ge wrote it o n a voyage t o .
the I slan d s of Terc e ras an d the Canaries ; an d he seems to hav e

”
3 98 T H E G O LDE N T REA S U RY
( B eeching ) .
-
21 [ This lovely song appears as here give n in Putte r! , ,
ham s A rte of English Poesie 1 5 8 9 A longer an d inferior form was

’
,
”
.
publishe d in the A rcad ia of 1 5 90 ; but Pu tt e n h am s prefatory word s ’
clearly assign his version to Si d ney s own authorshi p ] ’
2 3 7 This song is sung by the clown in Twelfth N ight A ct I I

”
, ,
s c ene iii The title from Horace s O d es B oo k I o d e xi means S e i ze M e

.
,
’
, , ,
D ay . 19 The title allu d es to A utolycus the amusing rascally pe dd ler , ,
i n Sha k espeare s A W inter s Tale — 1 9 b rave : fi ne loo k ing

" ’ ’
24 4 ori e n t s t : brightest —
. .
’
7 This song is foun d at the ve ry close of
.
15 [ k e e l k eep cooler by stirring roun d ]

”
Love s Labour s Lost
’ ’
17 s aw : serm on full of pious maxims — 20 crab s : crab apple s —2 5 This

. .
is the seventy third of Sha k espeare s sonnets

-
’
.
2 5 6 Tha t : as — 6 hi s : its — l l This is the thirtieth of Sha k espeare s

’
. .
sonnets — 18 [ e x pe n s e z loss ] — 2O t e l l : count . .
26 1 This is the thirty ninth of Si d ney s famous A strophel an d Stella

"
-
’
sonnets Compare Si d ney Lee s Eli abethan Sonnets V ol I in the

. z
” ’
, .
,
revise d English G arner ”

The Eli zabethan poets vie d with one
.
another in paying tributes to sleep Compare D aniel s sonnet p 30 ’

, ,
an d for a mo d ern comparison W ord sworth s sonnet p 3 3 1 — 2 b ai tin g

. .
’
. .
, ,
p l ac e : fee d ing place — 4 i n diffe re n t : impartial — 5 p roof : teste d m e ta L

. .
5 [ pre a s e press ] 10 d e af of Lee read s a e af to which seems prefer ’
able —13 h e avy g race : favor slow to grant itself 15 This is the sixtieth
.
,
'
. .
of Shak espeare s sonnets 1 9 [Na t ivi t y on ce i n t h e m ain of l i g h t : when

’
.
,
a star has risen an d entere d on the full stream of light another of the
a strological phrases no longer familiar ] 2 1 [ Croo k e d e cl ip s e s : as .
coming athwart the sun s apparent course ] an d pro d ucing malignant ’
effects [ Word sw o rt h thin k ing probably of the V enus an d the

.
,
Lucrece sai d fi nely of Sha k espeare : Sha k espeare cou l a not have
,
’
written an epic ; he woul d have d ie d of plethora of thought This ”

.
pro d igality of nature is exempli fi e d e q ually in his sonnets The copious .
selection here given (which from the wealth of the material re q uire d , ,
greater consi d eration than any other portion of the e d itor s tas k ) con ’
,
tains many that will not be fully felt an d un d erstoo d without some
earnestness of thought on the read e r s part B u t he is not li k ely to ’
.
regret the labor ] 2 3 flou ri sh : outward painting

2 7 3 i n hOp e : that are to be expecte d to co m e — 5 This is the eighty
.
seventh of Shak espeare s sonnets —7 chart e r : in add ition to t h e play

.
upon legal ter m s there is here the meaning of p n w l eg e 8 de t e rm ina t e

’ ’
.
,
cancel e d expire d , 15 [ u pon m i s p ri s ion g rowi n g : either grante d in error , ,
or upon the growth of contempt ] — 19 This is the nin e ty fou rth of

.
-
, .
Shak e spe are s sonnets [ W ith the tone of this sonnet co m pare Ham
’
.
let s G ive me that m a n That is not passion s slave etc Shak espeare s
’ " ” ’
, .
’
writings show t h e d e e pest s e nsitiveness t o passi o n ; hence the att raction

he felt in the contrasting e ffects of apathy ] — 24 e x pe n se : waste . .
N OTE S 3 99
28 4 r ve s : surpasses in a s h owy manner —4 his : its — 10 [ gram e

ou t b a . .
sorrow Re naissance in fl uences long impe d e d the return of English

.
poets to the charming realism of this an d a few other poems by Wyat ]

— 15 w e al th : well being ( Fowler) — 15 am on g : in the mi d st of
-
. .
2 9 10 u p t il l : a gainst — 10 t horn : hawthorn Compare p 3 0 l 1 8

23 [ Pan d ion in the ancient fable was father to Philomel a ] —
-
,
. . . . .
’
24 l app d
in l e ad : wra p p e d in covere d by lea d en co ffi ns , .
3 0 6 il l a dve n t u re d y ou th youth whi c h put forth upon an unfortunate

-
voyage of life — 7 t h e ir : of them ( the obj ective use ) — 11 a pprove

. .
prove — 13 e m b racin g cl ou d s : the allusion seems to be t o the legen d of

.
I xion but it woul d be a pity to consi d er the sonnet as a mere complaint

,
of a lover Compare 11 5 6 — 15 [ I n the ol d legen d it is now Philo

. .
- .
mela now Procne ( the swallow) who suffers violence from Tereus
, , .
This song has a fascination in its calm intensity of passion — that sa d ,
earnestness an d vivi d exactness which Car d inal N e wm an ascrib e s to

the masterpieces of ancient poetry ] Tereus was the m ythical k ing of .
Thrac e — 2 8 wrok e n : wrea k e d .
3 1 6 woe : This may be an a dj ective e q uival e nt to w oefu l but it may , ,
also be a noun 11 This beautiful song is sung by a boy at the opening

.
of the fourth act of M easure for M easure The title means I n Va i n

”
. .
— 22 cl e anl y : completely .
3 2 7 The title is fro m Psalms xxxix 6 : man wal k eth in a vain

shew ( B ates ) —18 t u rn e th : though the form is singular the subj ect
,
”
,
is b e a m s — 26 [ prov e d z ap prove d ]
.
3 3 1 This is the one hun d re d an d forty eighth of Shak espeare s

’
-
sonnet s — 4 [ ce n s u re s z j u d ges ] —8 I s there a pun in this line ?

15 [ Ex q uisite in its e q uably balance d metrical fl o w ] — 2 1 s e c u re : this
.
probably but not certainly means f re e f rom ca re rather than f re e f rom

, ,
34 1 [Ju d gi ng by its style this beautiful exam ple of si mplicity , ol d
an d feeling may perhaps be referre d to the earlier years of Eliz abeth ]

, ,
-
3 [l a t e forgot : lately ]
3 5 26 m e re : pure .
3 6 4 w e re : even were —7 F or the turn at the en d of this poem .

,
compare D ray t on s famous sonnet p 3 1 ’

9 This song is sung by , . .
-
A miens in A s Y ou Li k e I t A ct I I scene vii

" ”
, , .
3 7 1 [ Printe d in a little A nthology by N icholas B reton 1 5 9 7 It is , .

,
however a stronger an d fi ner piece of work than any k no wn to be his ]

,
— 1 [ s il l y z simple ] — 3 dou b t : conj ecture — 3 [ dol e z grief ] — 4 [ ch ie f z

.
c h ie fl y ] — 5 l ap : wrap — 15 [If t h e re b e an y : obscure ;

.
. . perhaps if ,
there be any who spea k harshly of thee thy pain m ay plea d for pity ,
fro m Fate] ; or T/za t may be ta k en as a d emonstrative pronoun refer

,
ring to the prece d ing clause [ This poem with 60 an d 1 4 3 are each
—
.
, ,
g raceful variations of a long popular theme ] 18 t h e t im e : probably .

,
400 T H E G O L D E N T REAS U RY
the while meanwhil e — 2 1 p u rcha s e : ac q uire —2 6 The c onstruction

,
is mixe d but the sense is clear — 3 0 pu rch as e d : ac quire d

, . .
3 8 4 i n t ow n : W hat is to be sai d of the poetical q uality of this phrase ?

—6 ha th : singular form with plural noun — 9 ra scal : of low origin .
I n consi d eration of thy father s nobility ( Fowler ) — 19 This is

.
” ’
18 .
the thirt y first of Si d ney s A strophel an d Stella sonnet s — 22 [Th a t

-
“ ’
b u sy a rch e r : Cupi d ] — 2 6 [ d e scri e s z use d actively —p o i n i s o u t ]

27 of : on account of .
39 2 The last line of this poem is a little obscure d by transposition .
”
H e means D o i /zey ca l l u n g ra tef u l n e s s t/ze re a v i rt u e ? ( C
, .
3 The title means 0 Cru e l L ove — 6 [ Wh i t e I ope z suggeste d M r B ullen , .
notes by a passage in Propertius ( iii 2 0 ) d escribing Spirits in t h e

, ,
low e r worl d : V obiscum est I op e vobiscum can d i d a Tyro ] The line

'
, .
means l op e i s w i t/z y ou w i t/z y ou is M e f a i r w/zi te Yy ro Compare

, .
M ii l l e r s e d ition I I I xxvi ( T e u b n e r
’
,
— 6 He l e n : Helen of Troy
, ,
—7 fi ni s h d : complete d over an d d one with — 15 w an ton : playful pet

.
’
. .
,
— 2 1 woe : woeful
40 1 s t in t : ceas e —3 b y cou rs e : continuousl y —4 Tha t : s o th at
.
2 7 c ait i fi s : cowar d s yiel d ers , .
41 1 This song is sung by the clown in Twelfth N ight A ct I I

”
, ,
scene iv — 2 [cy pre s or cypru s : use d by the ol d writers fo rc rap e : wheth e r

.
fro m t h e French cre sp e or from the islan d whence it was importe d .
I ts acci d ental similarity in spelling to cyp re ss h as here an d in M ilton s ,

’
Penseroso probably confuse d re ad ers ] The Cambri d ge Sh ak e

”
,
speare however read s cyp re s s which spelling has been followe d in the
, , ,
tex t — 19 im m e l odiou s : unmelo d ious — 2 0 [ram a g e : confuse d nois e ] .
2 2 won t : was accustome d or were accustome d as it is parse d with voice , ,
or s au n a s ’
25 b e : a re Compare the mo d ern use three lines below
42 2 t u rt l e : turt le d ove poetically note d for its consta ncy —2 s t il l
. . .
.
,
eve n — 3 This d irge is sung by G u id e riu s an d A rv irag u s in Cymbeline ,
A ct I V scene ii The title the name whi c h the d isguise d Imogen ,
16 t h u n d e rston e : thun d e rbol t — 20 Con s i g n

.
,
assume d means F a it/zf u l -
t o t h e e : be bou n d in a li k e compact with the e — 2 1 This d irge is sung

, .
by A riel in The Tempest A ct 1 scene ii

,
”
, , .
4 3 4 [ I never saw anything li k e this funeral d irge

“
says Charles ,
Lamb except the d itty which remin d s Ferd inan d of his d rowne d father
,
in The Tempest A s that is of the water watery ; so this is of the eart h

”
.
, ,
earthy B oth have that intenseness of feeling whi c h seems to resolve ,
— 8 d ol e : lament
.
itself into the element which it

14 This is the thirty secon d of Sha k espeare s sonnets —14 w e l l con t e n t e d
.
’
- -
the d ay of his d eath will bring him content or will fi n d him contente d
to d ie — 17 l ove r : frien d —2 0 R e s e rve : preserv e — 2 1 h e ig h t of h appie r
,
—
.
m e n : higher achievements of men more fortunately en d owe d 2 5 e qu i .
pag e e quipment .
by lease to the stu d ents of the common l aw I t has ever since been th e .
site of a school of law at least that portion of it k nown as the Inner

,
an d the M i dd le Temple which was grante d to the benchers by James I

,
in 1 60 9 Compare ae d e k er s Lon d on 1 9 0 5 p 1 8 3 — 2 8 gre a t l ord : the

. B ” ’
Earl of Leicester — 2 9 wan t : the obj ect of fi e l s — 34 [ a nob l e p e e r

, , . .
. .
R o b ert D evereux secon d Lord Ess e x then at the height of his brief
, ,
tri u m ph after tak ing Ca d iz : hence the allusion following to the Pillars
of H ercules place d near G ad es by ancient legen d] an d mark ing the
,
west e rn limit of his wan d erings .
5 2 6 t hy : cause d by the e — 1 1 [El is a z Eliz abeth ] — l 3 M u s e : poet . .
Compare p 7 4 l 5 18 He s p e r : the evening star

, 2 7 [ tw i n s of -
J ov e : the sta rs Castor an d Pollux ] — 2 8 [b al dric z belt ; the z o d iac ]

. . . .
3 1 ti de : time .
5 3 6 n u m b e rs : coins .
5 4 1 d i s pos s e s t : d eprive d of activity ”

put out of commission , .
17 This is the one hu n d re d an d forty sixth of Sha k espeare s sonnets

’
-
.
17 e art h : bo d y The t e xt here is corrupt The q uartos in mo d erniz e d

. .
,
spelling read M y sinful eart h those rebel powers that thee array
, .
V arious attempts have been mad e to emen d includ ing the substitutio n ,
of phrases li k e F o il d by ”
S t arv d by
”’
etc for the repeate d word s
,
’
, .
,
an d the omission of the wor d s that the e Compare B eeching pp 1 2 8

”
.
, .
1 2 9 A rray may mean b e l e ag u e r or afi i ct with a play on the sense of a d o rn

.
,
.
The whole passage is obscure part ly on account of an apparent change in ,
the metaphor — the house is fi rst an assaile d castle an d then a d e caying

mansion an d part ly on account of the su dd enness with which the meta
phor is d roppe d an d then ta k en up again 2 1 cost : e xpensive outlay .
- .
— 26 a g g rav at e : increase .
5 5 1 t e rm s : perio d s The word is probably su g g este d by the i d ea

.
that instea d of having an earthly estate for a term of years the soul can ,
secure a heavenly e s ta te forever 3 By wi th d rawing foo d from what .
d ies an d so d imini shing the d iet of d eath we are sai d to fee d on ,

‘
d eath ( B eeching ) 5 [ This lyric may with very high probability be

.
-
a s s igne d to Ca m pion in whose fi rst B oo k of A irs it appe are d

,
T h e evi d ence so m etimes q uote d ascribing it to Lord B acon appears to

be valueless ] Compare Horace O d es B oo k I o d e xxii I nteg e r vita e ”
, , , ,
.
5 6 8 p e riod of : limit to — 22 P l y : mak e th e ir toilsome way

.
5 7 1 This is the sixty sixth of Sha k espeare s sonnets — 3 t rim m d :

.
’ ’
-
ad orne d — 4 forswor n : renounce d — 8 di s ab l e d : pronounce as four

syllables Fowler ta k es the wor d as e quivalent to u n de rv a l u e d which ,
may be right — 1 1 sim pli ci ty : sillines s — 15 h e : he who — 16 u n

.
ha u n t e d : not the haunt of m e n — 20 hi p : the fruit of the rosebush

. .
2 0 ha ws : sloes ( perhaps ) — 2 1 s t il l : e ver . .
5 9 6 That he shoul d remit the penalty of spiritual d e ath impose d on

u s for our sins .
N OTE S 4 03
60 3 won t : was accustome d —4 th e m id st of : in the mi d st of

8 v e in : moo d —17 p re ve n t : anticipate
.
18 l owl y : in lowly wi s e -
2 1 s e cre t : with d rawn from the common gaz e —2 3 Whil e : at the time
. . .
wh e n The pr e sent l ie s goes more naturally with zani l e an d also serves

. ,
to len d vivi d ness to the p a ssage — 2 6 doff d h e r g au dy t rim : This m ay

' ’
mean as M r B ell explains p u t of fi e r nol ia ay a tti re ( gau dy d ay a festi

, .
,
’
-
,
val ) ; but it see m s m ore li k ely that M ilton meant that nature was no
longe r showily attire d as in summer when she plays wi t h her lover ,
( paramour l 29 ) the sun

6 1 2 P ol l u t e : pollute d — 6 ce as e : cause to cease —9 s ph e re : the
. .
,
poet is using the Ptolemaic system of astronomy in which the earth ,
was regar d e d as the center of a system of heavenly spheres 11 t u rt l e .
li k e that of a cl ove the bird of constancy an d mee k ness

, 20 awf u l .
-
full of awe or fear 2 1 s ovran : M ilton s usual spelling of s o ve re ign

’
-
. .
2 5 [Whi st : hushe d ] — 2 9 b ird s of cal m : halcyons See a classical d ic

t i o n a ry un d er A l cy on e — 32 in fl u e n ce : use d in its astrological sense
. .
62 2 Lu cife r : the morning star —3 orb s : orbits ( probably ) — 4 b e

. .
. .
s pak e : Co m pare Lyci das p 7 6 l 2 8 — 9 A s as if

”
14 Or e re : b e -
fore — 15 sim pl y : innocently

.
, , . . .
. 16 [ th an : obsolete for t/ze n ] . 17
[P an us e d h e re for the Lord o f all ] Christ is regard e d as the true Pan

‘
,
the go d of all things the ol d Pan of the G ree k mytholo gy having d ie d at

,
the ti m e of the Cruci fi xion accord ing to a well k nown legen d 20 s il l y -
innocent — 2 8 cl os e : fi nal cad e nc e —3 1 Cy n thi a s : the moon s The

, .
’ ’
.
passage is obscure but if we conceive the po e t to have imagine d the

,
moon as ri d ing up o n a throne through the h e avens an d place commas ,
after s o u n d an d s e a t we may suppose that the soun d thrills the space

,
betw e en the moon an d the earth .
6 3 1 al on e : by itself without her assistanc e — 8 di s pl a y d : outsprea d ’
—10 u n e x pre ss ive : in e xpressibl e —26 [con s ort z M ilton s spellin g o f

, .
this word here an d e lsewhere has been followe d as it is uncertain

, , ,
whether he use d it in t h e sense of ac co mp a ny i n g or simpl y for con ce rt ] ,
64 3 l i k e : similar 15 y ch ai n d : chaine d y is what remains of the

.
- ’
o riginal g e pre fi xe d to the past part iciple — 17 —

.
19 The co m parison is .
ma d e with the phenomena that accompanie d the giving of the tables of

t h e l aw to M os e s Compare Exo d us xix — 2 3 l a st s e ss ion : Last J u d g
m e nt — 2 5 —
. .
. 32 A fter the j u d g m ent there will be no more earthly life

with its ills ; the bliss of the Christian will be perfect This bliss has .
now begun with the n ativity of the Saviour an d the gre ater restraint put
upon Sata n —3 2 S win g e s : swings to an d fro
. .
65 5 di v i n e : utter propheci e s — 6 De l ph os : D e lphi the seat of the ,
chief temple of A pollo — 9 o e r : overhea d ( probably ) — l 4 parti n g

.
’
. .
d e parting 14 Ge ni u s : spirit presi d ing over spring or d ale 19 [Lars

. .
-
an d Le m u ré s : househol d go d s an d s p irit s o f d ea d relations ] — 2 2 [F l am e n s
Roman pri e sts ] — 24 p e cul iar : special —2 5 P e or an d B aal i m : Ph oe nician

.
.
deities [ t ha t t wice b att e r d g od : D agon ] Compare 1 Samuel v 3

’
.
- 27 -
, ,
where allusion is ma d e to D agon s twice falling before t h e ar k of ’
G o d ( B ell ) —28 A sh t arot h : A starte go dd ess of the moon a Se m itic

d ivinity —3 1 Ly b ic Hamm on : the Ethiopian d eity A mmon i d enti fi e d
.
, ,
by the G ree k s with their Zeus —3 1 sh rin k s : d raws in through fear

.
,
. .
The go d was represente d as having horns li k e those of a ram

3 2 Tham m u z : Ad onis —33 M ol och : the go d of the A mmonites to
.
.
,
whom frightful human sacri fi ces were mad e .
66 6 I s i s : mother of a go dd ess of the earth i d enti fi e d ,
by the G ree k s with D emeter 6 An u b i s brother of H orus — 7 [ Osiri s

. .
the Egyptian go d of agriculture (here perhaps by confusion with A pis , ,
fi gure d as a bull ) who was torn to pieces by Typho an d e m bal m e d after

,
d eath in a sacre d ch e st This myth repro duce d in Syria or G reece in

.
,
the legen d s of Thammu z Ad onis an d perhaps A bsyrtus may have

, , ,
originally signi fi e d the annual d eath of the Sun or the Y ear un d er the
in fl uences of the winter d ar k ness Horus the son of Osiris as the N e w .
, ,
Y ear in his turn overcomes Typh o ] — 8 M e m ph ian : from M e mphis

, .
,
the famous Egyptian city 9 [ u n s h ow e r d g ra ss : as watere d by the

- ’
N ile only ] —13 t im b re l d : The timbrel was an ancient musical in s t ru

.
’
.
m e nt resembling a tambourine 13 dark : obscure unintelligible ( pr ob

°
ably ) —14 s ab l e s tol ed : wearing blac k stoles W hether M ilton use d

.
,
-
. .
s tol e here in the sense of robe or hoo d or ecclesiastical scarf is har d
to d etermin e —17 e y n : an ol d plural of eye

, , ,
t h e g od s b e si de : the .
O t her go d s — 2 0 Ty ph on : brother of Osiris ( compare note 66 some

ti m es represente d as a croco d ile — 2 3 —
.
2 5 A goo d example of t h e fa r
—
.
”—
fetche d or inappropriate fi gures of speech “
conceits that ofte n
marre d the poetry of this perio d — 2 5 orie n t : bright or eastern
2 8 s e ve ral : separat e —2 9 fay s : fairie s —30 m a z e : intricate d ance
, .
67 1 [ y oun g e s t t e e m é d : last born ] —4 cou rt l y : the stable with its

.
-
.
k ingly occupants suggests a court 5 [B righ t h arn e s s d : armore d ] - - ’
6—
.
2 0 This is a poetical statement of the main i d e a of the Pythagorean

philosophy See some encyclope d i a —20 dia pason : the octa ve in
G ree k music —2 1 pa ssion : emotion — 22 J ub al : see G e n e sis iv 2 1
.
.
. .
,
-
2 2 ch ord e d s h e l l The tra d ition was that the fi rst stringe d instrum e nt
was mad e by stretching cord s over a tortoise shell — 2 6 Le ss anything .
less It is the subj ect of the in fi nitive d w e l l

6 8 2 m ort al al a rm s : alarums incitements to d ea d ly con fl icts —8 di s
. .
.
,
cov e r s : ma k es k nown 12 Th e i r : th e lovers 2 2 Orph e u s : the fabu

’
- -
lous G ree k musician S e e a classical d ictionary —24 S e q u aciou s of

. .
followin g — 25 Ce cil ia : St Cecilia the patron saint of m usic was a

.
, ,
noble Roman lad y who live d in the fourth century an d su ffere d martyr ,
d om for her Christian faith H er festival occurs on N ove m ber 2 2

. .
6 9 5 [Th e Lat e M a ss a cre the V au d ois pers ecution carrie d on in 1 6 5 5 ,
by the D u k e of Savoy N 0 more mighty sonnet than this collect in

.
406 THE G O LDE N TREAS U RY
7 1 7 Ham pt on : Hampton Court where Charles was for a tim e a ,
pri soner, where b e cherishe d vain hopes of fi nal success an d whence ,
he escape d only to be soon imprisone d in Carisbroo k Castle See below

1 1 2 — 26 forcé d pow e r : the power of the Commonwealth ac q uire d by
.
,
. .
force I n his note above on this poem Palgrave too k fo rc ed as e qu iv a

.
'
lent to f a te d — 2 8 Th e Capit ol : The Capitol or Te mple of Jupit e r at

Rome is sai d to have been so calle d because in d igging its foun d ations
a human hea d was foun d in a fresh con d ition This was at once accept e d .
as an omen that Rome shoul d be the ne a a of the worl d ( Latin cap u t ’

,
hea d ( B ell )
7 2 10 Loyal in his se rvice to the Commonwealth — 14 A Ki n g dom
.
I relan d — 15 Wh a t : as far as — 32 cl im ac t e ric : d angerous . .
7 3 1 Th e P i ct : the Scot s — 2 Scotlan d was believe d by the support ers

of the Commonwealth to have acte d treacherously in rising for Charles I
in 1 64 8 an d in support i n g his son Charles I I —3 val or s a d : ren d ere d
, , .
sa d by Cromwell s valor — 6 m i st a k e : fail to fi n d — 11 Perhaps this

’
”—
.
line is e q uivalent to an d as the ultimate arbiter

“
14 A poetical way .
of referring to the treasonable attem p ts that might be expecte d against

the Commonwealth —17 [L y cida s : The person here lamente d is M ilton s ’
college contemporary E dward K ing d rowne d in 1 63 7 whilst crossing

, ,
from Chester to I relan d ] The poem was contribute d by M ilton to a

volume of elegies in K ing s memory publishe d in 1 63 8 [ Strict pastoral ’
.
poetry was fi rst written or perfecte d by the D ori an G ree k s settle d in

Sicily but the conventional use of it exhibite d more magni fi cently in
, ,
Lyci d as than in any other pastoral is apparently of Roman origin

”
, .
M ilton employing the noble free d om of a great artist has here unite d
, ,
ancient my thology with what may be calle d the mo d ern mythology of

,
Camus an d St Peter to d irect Christian images Y e t the poem if it:

.
,
.
,
gains in historical interest su ffers in poetry by the harsh intru sion of ,
the writer s narrow an d violent theological politics ] On this point

’
opinions d i ffer See note to 7 7 1 1 below [ The metri cal structu re o f

.
this glorious ele g y is partly d erive d from I talian mo d el s ] — 17 —

.
24 The
poet having written little of late an d feeling himself not yet ripe for
great poetry will nevertheless lament his lost frien d — 2 1 S hat t e r
,
:
scatt er — 22 de ar : intimat e — 2 3 di st u rb y ou r s e as on d u e : pluc k you

prematurely — 2 9 w e l t e r : roll about — 30 Without the tribute of some
.
. .
melo d ious poem that brings tears to the eyes .
7 4 1 [ S i st e rs of t h e s a cre d w e ll : the M uses sai d to fre q uent t h e

Pierian spring at the foot of M ount Olym pus ] —5 M u s e : poet
,
11— 2 2 A d escription in pastoral term s of the life le d by M ilton an d

K ing at Cambri dge 14 Wha t tim e t h e gray fl y wi nd s the trumpet fl y -
when she win d s —15 B a tt e ni n g : fattenin g —19 oat e n : mad e of ree d s

.
( straw ) — 20 S a ty rs F au n s : Cambri d ge stu d ents See a classical d ic

t io n ary —
.
22 Dam ce t as : some Cambri dge teacher — 2 3 24 N otice the

.
,
.
,
'
N OTE S 407
repeate d phrase —24 m u st : expresses certainty not necessity , .
26 g addi n g : stragglin g — 28 cop s e s : woo d s fi lle d with un d ergrowt h

.
-
3 1 can k e r : can k erworm 32 t ai n tworm : generally but d oubtfully
.
, ,
explaine d as a small re d spi d er — 34 wh it e thorn b l ows hawt horn .
b lossoms .
7 5 5 [M ona z A nglesey calle d by the W elsh poets the D ar k I slan d

from its d ense forests ] —
, ,
6 [ De va z the D e e ; a riv e r which may have

.
d erive d its magical character from Celtic trad itions ; it was long the
boun d ary of B riton an d English These places are intro d uce d as b e ing
near the scene of the shipwrec k ] — 9 t h e M u s e : Calliope the muse of
.
,
.
epic poetry was the mother of Orpheu s — 9 [ Orph e u s z was torn to

,
p ieces by Thracian women ] — 12 rou t : wil d crow d . He b ru s : a .
Th ra c ian river sai d not to be s w ift The legen d ran that the hea d of .
Orpheus thrown into the river by angry B acchanals was fl oate d to the
, ,
islan d of Lesbos an d there burie d For this pious act the Lesbians .
were m a d e pre e minent in song the compatriots of Sappho — 15 b oots

'
, .
it : pro fi ts it — 15 u n ce ss an t : incessant — 16 sh e ph e rd s t rad e : not

. .
’
the scholar s profession as might be suppose d here but the poet s

’ ’
—17 m e ditat e : apply one s self to — 18 u s e : are accustome d to d o

, ,
.
’
. .
19 [ Am a ry l l i s 2 0 N e wra : n ames use d here for the love i d ols of poets

,
as D a m oe ta s previously for a shepher d ] —2 l cl e ar : noble 2 1 s piri t

obj ect of ra is e — 22 This line is in apposition to F a ni a —2 4 g ue rdon
. .
reward — 26 [t h e b l in d F u ry : A tropos fable d to cut the threa d of life ]

— ,
.
e ars : M asson says that we have h e re a fi ne poetical

’ “
2 8 t ou ch d
appreciation of the popular sup e rstition that the tingling of a p e rson s ’
ears is a sign that people are tal k ing of h i m

”
I t seems more li k ely .
that touching the ear is a symbolic act inten d e d to impress the memory ,
an d that M ilton trembles because he is in the presence of the G o d of

Song —30 gl i st e rin g foil : glittering show F oi l is literally a thin sheet
. .
or leaf of metal put u n d er a j ewel to set off its luster The fi gu rative
language is mixe d but the general meaning is clear — 32 b y : by means
.
of ( probably ) — 33 wi t n e ss : j u d gment ( p e rhaps )

.
. .
7 6 1 [ Are th u s e 2 M i n ci u s : Sicilian an d Italian waters here allu d e d

,
to as representing the pastoral poetry of Theocri t u s an d V ergil ] .
4 [oat : pipe use d here li k e Collins s oa te n s top p 1 8 4 l 1 3 for s on g ]

’
—5 h e ral d of t h e s e a : Trito n — 6 pl e a : d efens e that is to present a

, , .
, .
,
, ,
plea for N ep tun e — 12 [Hippot adé s z ZEol u s go d of the win d s ] ,
13 h is : This may refer to H ipp ota d e s or to b l a s t I f t o the latter it

’
means its —15 [P an opé z a N erei d Certain nam es of local d eities in

.
,
. .
the Hellenic m ytholo gy ren d er s ome feature in the lan d scape which ,
the G ree k s stu d ie d an d analyz e d with their usual une quale d insight an d
feeling P a n op e se e ms to express the boun d lessness of the oc e an h o ri
.
zo n wh e n seen from a height as co m pare d with the limite d s k y line of ,
the lan d in hilly countri es such as G reece or A sia 19 [ Cam u s

the Cam put for K ing s university ] — 19 w e n t foo ti n g sl ow : w e n d e d

,
’
.
his way slowly approach e d with d eliberate pac e — 2 2 [ th at s an g uin e

,
fl ow e r : the H yacinth of the ancients probably our I ris ] — 2 3 re ft , .
ta k en away — 2 5 [ Th e P il ot : Saint Peter probably intro d uce d as head

.
,
o f the Church on earth to foretell ,the ruin of our corrupte d clergy ,
as M ilton r e gar d e d them then in their heighth un d er Lau d s primacy ]

,
’
2 7 am ain : with forc e — 28 m i t e re d : crowne d with a bishop s m iter

’
28 st e rn b e s p a k e : spo k e out sternly — 30 En ow : a Consi d erable

.
number ; it is an ol d plural o f e n o u g h — 35 m out h s : gluttons — con

-
s c i e n c e l e s s clergy eager only for earthly gai n an d ease .
7 7 3 re ck s it t h e m : d o they care 3 are s p e d : have gaine d what they-
wante d —4 l i st : p l e as e f— 4 fl a s h y : insipi d — 5 [ s cran n e l z screech

.
ing ; apparently M ilton s coinage ( M asson ) ] —9 [ wol f z the Puritans of

’
the time were excite d to alarm an d persecution by a few conversions to

Roman Catholicism which ha d recently occurre d ] —11 12 N o one .
,
k nows surely what this instru ment of vengeance is I t is more impor .
tant to remar k that in this in d ignant speech of Saint Peter which is often ,
con d emne d by critics as being too har s h to suit the ten d e r moo d in
which elegies are usually written we probably have the central passage , ,
the core of the poem M ilton seems not to have k nown K ing specially
.
well but there is eve ry reason to believe that he d i d k no w that K ing

,
was a very promising young clergy m an who s e loss coul d be ill affo rd e d ,
by the Church at that time This k nowle d ge was s u fli c i e n t to inspire

.
him with that sincere regret which must un d erlie t h e true elegy an d it ,
was moreover su ffi cient to rouse him to a burst of in d ignant scorn

, ,
which lifts the ele g y out of the region of mil d pastoral into t hat of the
passionate o d e the loftiest form o f lyric poetry That he fuses rather
, .
than mixes mechanically the elements of e legy pastoral an d o d e into , ,
an artistic whole may be inferre d from the fact that Lyci d as has
,
“
seeme d to exigent critics an d poets li k e Lor d Te nnyson one of the

most consummate achievements of English po e try The poem is con .
v e n t io n al as b e fi tt e d a contribution to an acad e m ic volume ; it is also

,
sincere an d noble because M ilton loo k ing beyon d the fate of an in d i

, ,
vi d ual to the perilous state of the Church treate d his theme in a large ,
a n d lofty manner — 13 [ Al p h é u s z a str e am in southern G reece

. sup ,
pose d t o fl ow un d erseas to j oin the A rethuse ] — 17 u s e : have th e ir .
abo d e s — 19 [ swart s tar : D og Star calle d swart hy because its heli a cal ,
ri sing in ancient times occurre d soon after mi d summ e r ] — 20 e y e s

blossom s —2 2 p urpl e : probably an i m perative — give color to ; but as
.
Palgrave d oes not put a comm a after s nowe rs the wor d must as the
text stan d s be consi d ere d an in d icativ e — 23 [ rat h e z early] —24 crow
, ,
toe : cro wfoot — 2 7 w e l l a t tire d : with a b e autiful hea dd ress — 30 am a

-
.
ranth u s : G ree k for u nfa a i n g — 3 2 l aure a t h e ars e : The best explana

.
’
.
tion is th at which refers to the custom of attaching lau datory verses to

'
the comman d ers by hearing part of a cho rus from the E l ectra of Eu
rip id e s] B C 4 8 0—
. .
4 0 6 [ su n g at a feas t There is however n o apparent .
, ,
congruity between the lines q uote d ( 1 67 1 68 e d ition D in d o rf) an d the , ,
result ascribe d to them ] Read ers of B rowning will recall his poe m
B al au s t io n s Ad venture
’
—2 0 Ere hal f m y day s : M ilton was blin d at
.
mi dd le age by the time he was forty four —2 1 For the parable in M ilton s
,
-
.
’
min d see M atthew xxv The on e ta l e n t is M ilton s abili ty of which he

.
’
,
has long been conscious to write a great poem which the worl d woul d
,
not willingly let d ie I f to Izi de prece d e d w /zic/z the construction woul d

be plainer —24 re t u rn in g : in retur n — 2 6 fon dl y : fooli s hly
.
,
8 2 2 g ifts : to man —4 t h ou s an d s : of a n gels of heavenly ministers

. .
—7 [ A fi ne example of a peculiar class of poetry — that written by

.
, .
thoughtful men who practice d this art but little J eremy Taylor B ishop .
,
B erk eley D r J ohnson Lord M acaulay have left similar specimens ]

—12 s t il l : always —14 p rivat e b re a th : current opinion expresse d by
, .
, ,
in d ivi d uals — in its worst form gossip — 18 N or : supply some such

wor d as f ol l ows —2 1 s ta t e : possessions way of living — 2 2 N or : The
, .
.
, .
constru ction is mixe d W e may simpl ify it as follows : Whose state on

.
,
the one han d cannot fee d fl at t e re rs nor his ruin on the other mak e
op p ressors great —2 5 e n t ert ai n s : beguiles — 2 7 b an ds : bon d s
, , , ,
. .
8 3 3 These lines are ta k en fro m the long pin d aric o d e To the I m

mortal M emo ry an d Frien d ship of that N oble Pair Sir Lucius Cary ,
an d Sir H enry M orison to be foun d in the c o llection of miscellaneous

”
,
verses calle d by J onson U n d erwoo d s

“
13 Herbert himself gave .
this poem the q uaint name of The Pulley — 20 sta y : pause

“
. .
8 4 6 [ These beautiful verses shoul d be compare d with Wor d swo rth s

’
great o d e on Immortality] see p 3 7 0 l 1 8 ; [an d a copy of V aughan s .

, .
’
very rare little volume] Silex Scintillans 1 6 5 0 [ appears in the list of ,
W ord sworth s library I n imaginative intensity V aughan stan d s besi d e

’
.
his contemporary M arvell ] 10 fan cy : conceive or e xercise its powers

i n — 13 Lov e : G o d — 2 3 s e v e ral : separat e — 3 1 heaven para d ise
,
.
, .
85 6 I n : I t is d i ffi cult to say whether this means i n or i n to an d on ,
our answer will d epen d the phrase we ins e rt after s ta te in ord er to mak e
the meaning c lear There seems to be little d oubt that s ta te means the
.
innocence of infancy — 7 This sonnet written when M ilton was about

.
,
fort y seven years of age was add resse d to a son of an important member
-
,
of Cromwell s government — 10 He l p w ast e : hel p e ach other to spen d

’
.
in a sociable way time that hangs heavy on our b an d s — 12 [F avoni u s

the sp ring win d ] 14 Compare M atthew vi 2 8 —15 n e a t : attractive
.
in its settin g — 16 A tt ic : re fi ne d as were the better classes of the

. .
,
A thenian s — 17 a rt fu l : traine d accord ing to the ru les of musical art .
- 18 Tus ca n : H ere Tuscany o f which Florence is the chief city is , ,
use d to repre s ent the whole of I ta ly — 19 s pare : refrain from mak

in g an inord inate use of th e m —2 1 A companion sonnet to the one
.
.
N OTE S 41 1
prece d ing a dd resse d to the gran d son of the famous lawyer Sir Edwar d
, ,
Co k e ( 1 5 5 2 who is referre d to in the fi rst four lines 2 2 [Th e m i s .
the go dd ess of j u s tice S k inner was gran d son by his mother to Sir
.
Edward Co k e hence as pointe d out by M r K eightley M ilton s allusion

, .
,
’
to the b e n clz] —2 3 vol u m e s for example the famous Coke up on L i ttl e ton , ,
that is Commentaries on Littleton etc — 25 re sol v e : an imperative

,
”
, . .
Tnou g /zts is the obj ect of d re n ch 26 aft e r : afterwar d s or after it

‘
-
, .
8 6 1 D o not occupy yourself with problems of mathematics an d

physics Eucli d was the great A lexan d ri a n geometer who fl ourishe d
.
about 3 00 B C A rchime d es who fl ourishe d half a century later was a

. .
, ,
great mathematicia n an d physicist of Syracus e — 2 S w e de : plural .
[ Swe d en was then at war with Polan d an d France with the Spanish ,
N etherlan d s ] — 4 The involve d syntax of this line is very characteristic

of M ilton but a little thought resolves its d ifii c u l t ie s —8 re frai ns : neg
, .
lects to use it I n connection with each of these sonnets t wo points

.
shoul d be re membere d They sho w that M ilton was not altogether .
austere that he possesse d that crowning grace of m i dd le an d ol d age

, ,
the sympathetic charm of a roun d e d personality that comprehen d s an d

appeals to youth They throw light also both on M ilton s tastes an d
.
’
,
probably on a curious personal i d iosyncrasy his apparent inability to

, ,
wor k stea d ily an d copiously d uring the col d er part of the year It is at .
least c e rta in that a few years after the d ate of these sonnets this inability
”—
affecte d him in the composition of Para d ise Lost 13 s cal y n at ion : .
a periphrastic way of saying fi s ne s 19 Tri ton s : atten d ants of N eptune .

,
who ha d by A mphitrite a son Triton trumpeter to his father 2 4 S ire n s : , .
s e e a classical d ictionary an d consult the O d yssey 2 7 nois e : I n the .

-
ol d er poets this word is fre q uently employe d of soun d s that have no

d isagreeable c haracter — 2 8 e m pe ry : imperial rule
8 7 1 This song is from Cynthia s Revels A ct V scene iii —5 He s
. .
” ’
, , .
p e ru s : the evening star who is the singer of this song — , 11 wi s hed

wishe d for — 19 Palgrave con d ense d this poem by about one hal f
.
. .
24 That is in the obscure boo k of fate — 2 7 tr e ad : to tre a d

8 8 7 h e r : for h e n —8 du t y : the homage pai d to it — 9 tire : hea d
,
.
.
d ress 11 Taffe t a : a thin stuff partly of sil k 1 1 t is s ue : cloth inter

.
, .
-
?
woven with gol d or s ilver — 1 1 can : k now how to m ak e up ( perh aps )

—15 al on e : by itself —19 [S idn e ia n s howe rs : either in allusion to the
. .
conversations in the A rcad ia or to Si d ney himself as a mo d el of

“ ”
,
gentleness in spirit an d d em e anor] 2 4 g iv e down t o : ren d er sleep

giving — 28 —
. 30 D ays that can salute us in a pleasant manner free fro m ,
the e ffects of any previous night waste d in su ffe ri ng

89 5 hi s : its —5 e n d : d eath — 6 s ay : d epen d ent on d a re s —8 m a y
.
which may —8 9 poor Of wi sh e s : with nothing left to wish for

. . .
12 th e m : for themselves —2 1 d e t e rm in e th e m t o : give t hem the form

.
, .
o f —24 h e r st ory : be true in her

.
. .
412 T H E G O LD E N TREASU RY
90 1 U n d er the ocean —10 f s t tig ht 14 f : with respect to

. a : . or
get ri d f — 2 9 30 This is use d as an impossibility which is n ver

.
21 l so e : o .
, e
th l e e ssnot so impossible as to control love The eagle cannot be traine d .
l i k e a haw k for the purposes of hunting —30 t p to p unce or swoop . s oo : o
d own on .30 t y r fi s t since it is use d with t p the obj ect of which

o ou : s oo ,
is the prey this probably means at a signal given by your han d

, .
”
9 1 4 [ D elicate hu m or d elightfully unite d to thou g ht at once si m p le

, ,
d subtle I t is full of conceit an d para d ox but these are imaginative

‘
an .
, ,
not aswith most of our seventeenth century poets int e llectual only] -
1 7 e n s i g n s : banners fl ag s —1 9 virtuou s
,
, There seems to be no m e an s
o f d etermining whether M arvell uses this epithet in the sens e of
p ow e f
r u l or,whether he means rather ch a s t e an d p a r a — 2 9 Enchants
i tself at thy beauty .
9 2 12 Treat you as you have treate d them — 15 M r W B ell notes . . .
that Palgrave follows the version of this song given in A llan Ram say s ’
Tea Table M iscellany 1 7 2 4 The song appeare d originally in Se d ley s

”
,
.
’
co m e d y The M ulberry G ard en 1 668

“ ”
, .
93 3 S t il l : even With this song shoul d be rea d M arvell s Y ou ng ’

.
Love an d Prior s inimitable To a Chil d of Q uality Five Y ears Ol d

’
,
neith e r of which is given by Pal g rave .
94 11 h avin g l ost b u t : only having los t — 2 5 [ Eli zab e t h of B oh e m i a

d au g h t e r t o James I an d ancestor of S o phia of H anover These lin e s
'
, .
are a fi ne specimen of gallant an d courtly compliment]

9 5 7 P h il om e l : The nightingale See a classical d ictionary un d er .
,
P h i l o m e l a — 18 [ La d y M Ley was d aughter to Sir J Ley afterward s

. .
,
Earl of M arlborough who d ie d M arch 1 62 9 c o inci d ently with the d is

, , ,
solution of the thir d parliament of Charles s reign H e nce M ilton poeti ’

.
cally co m pares his d eath to that of the orator I socrates o f A thens ,
after Philip s victory in 3 2 8 B C ] This sonnet was publishe d in M il

’
. .
ton s earliest collection of po e ms 1 64 5 ; it is th e refore d ate d ten or

’
,
more years earlier than the sonnet tributes to frien d s alread y giv e n .
21 Supply after con te t

n some such phrase as “
than he ha d been with
political honors heape d upon h im —2 2 The i d ea is that from the d is .
solution o f this parliament d ate d the arbitrary con d uct of the k ing that
le d to the Civil Wan — 26 l a t e r b orn : M ilton was a v e ry young man
when the earl d ie d .
9 6 2 N otice the irregular position of b oth — 4 F o r some inscrutable

reason Carew the most pe rfect master of courtly co m pli m ent in verse
, ,
is represente d in the G o l d en Treasury by only this lovely poe m

“ ”
.
Stu d ents shoul d turn to the more a d e q uate selections from his work
given in the secon d volume of War d s English Poets or to the e d i ’
,
tion of his poems in the M uses Library Perhaps his masterpiece is

” —
.
the famous A s k me no more where J ove bestows

“
2 2 Wh e na s : sinc e .
,
in view of the fact that .

104 2 P rot e st an t Perhaps this means champion but as Professor

: , ,
Saintsbu ry suggests it is better to leave the meaning somewhat in d e fi

,
nite I t is a fi ne mouth fi l l in g word

.
,
-
.
105 4 5 s t ill : d oes this wor d mean the same thing in both verses ?
,
A n d note the meanings of so in lines 2 an d 5 — 13 face I onl y : face

alone I —19 fu rt h e r s tor e : that is for more sweetheart s — 2 3 [F rom
.
.
,
P ri son : to which his active support of Charles I twice brought the

high spirite d writer ]
-
1 06 1 [ God s z thus in the o r1g in al ; Lovelace in his fanciful way , ,
mak ing here a mythological allusion B i rd s commonly substitu te d is .

, ,
without authority ] 1 wa n t on sport — 4 U n d ilute d with water of th e

rive n —5 care l e ss : free from car e —11 [ comm i t t e d : to prison ]
.
107 5 s ua g e : assuage ’
6 [ b l u e g od : N eptune ] — 9 Supply b e or
.
- -
.
l ie The stu d ent will d o wel l to compare this poem with 1 0 9 an d to

.
,
note h ow the pe rfect simplicity an d lac k of e ffort d iscernible in the

shorter piece have helpe d to mak e it much the better k nown —2 1 This .
famous song appeare d in the d rama A g l au ra publishe d in 1 638

“ ”
, .
2 1 fon d : foolish .
108 6 This song is ta k en from the thir d boo k of Cowley s e pic ’
”—
D av id e is a Sacre d Poem of the Troubles of D avi d
, l 5 a wfu l : full .
of awe not awe inspiring — 16 n um e rou s : musical

,
-
2 0 vi rt u e : powe 1
. .
-
( a fre que n t meaning of the wor d in the early poets ) .
109 12 s il l y : simple innocent — 12 pin e d : ma d e to pine or su ffer

, . .
1 7 p e l i can : This bir d was suppose d to allow its young to fee d upon
its own lifebloo d — 3 1 ou tward h e l p s : apparently social a dvantages ,
possesse d by the lover .
11 0 2 1 m ort ifi e s : chastens — 26 fowl s : bird s — 2 8 part in g : of o n e .
d eparting dying 30 stil l g l oom y : ever gloomy

, .
-
.
111 1 [ Wa l y wa l y : an exclamation of sorrow] pronounce d w aw l y -
[ the root an d the pronunciation of which are preserve d in the wor d

ca te rw a u l
] — 2 [ b ra e : hillsi d e
] — 3 b u rn : broo k 7 s y n e : after that -
—8 l ich tl y : mak e light o f — 13 [b u s k z a d orn ] —

. . .
19 [ S ain t An t on s ’
w e l l : below A rt hur s Seat by E d inburgh ] —2 1 Marti m a s : M artinmas

. .
’ ’
,
the festival of St M a rtin of France formerly celebrate d on N ovember 1 1

.
, .
-
25 fe l l : cruelly — 2 7 s ic : such . .
1 1 2 2 [ cram a s ie : crimson ] 3 wi st : k nown 5 g ow d : gol d Com

.
-
.
- .
p are s i l l e r ( silver) in the next line 11 [ These stan zas are by Richar d .
Ve rs t e g an (fl 1 5 6 5 a poet an d anti q uarian publishe d in his rare

.
,
“
O d es ”
un d er the title O u r B lesse d Lad ies Lullaby an d
“ ”
,
reprinte d by M r Orby Shipley in his beautiful Carmina M ariana

.
“
The four verses here given form the opening of a hymn of

tw enty four ] These verses also appear in M artin P e e rs on s Private
-
’
M usic a songboo k of 1 62 0 —14 m y se n s e h e r re st : m y emotions or

”
,
sensations some repose .

N O TE S 41 5
113 1 for : in return for —5 Trad ition says that the lovers Were
.
Adam Fleming an d Helen I rv ing ( or B ell ) d aughter of the Laird of ,
Kirc o n n e l l The rival suitor sta rting up on the other si d e of the river
.
,
K irt le by which the lovers were wal k ing shot Helen in Adam s arms ,
’
.
-
11 [b u r d : mai d en ] — 15 m e ik l e : much
. .
1 14 10 e e n : ey e s — 17 al an e : alon e — 18 [ corb i e s z crows ] — 18 m an e

.
moa n — 19 Th e t an e : the one —2 1 [fa il : turf]

5 ae : one —5 g owde n
.
115 3 [ ha u s e : nec k ] 3 b a n e : bone . .
gol d en — . 6 [ t h e e k : thatch I f not in their origin in their present form

.
,
this with the pre ce d ing poe m an d 1 33 appear d ue to the seventeenth

, ,
.
century an d have there fore been place d in B oo k I I ]

, 11 [ The poetical
an d the prosaic after Cowley s fashion blen d curiously in this d eep felt ’
-
ele g y ] —19 pe e r : e qual — 24 arou n d : To be construe d with b e s ieg e d

, ,
116 6 i n form : give life to — 2 1 s piri t s : d istillation . .
11 8 5 pl e dg e s : chil d re n — 7 da t e : span of life — 7 s o pa s t : so far .
g one that you m a

y not 1 9 b r a ve
. fi ne — 2 0 pri d e : glory . .
1 19 17 [ Perhaps no poem in this collection is more d elicately fancie d ,
more ex q uisitely fi nishe d By placing his d e scription of the Fawn in a

.
young girl s mouth M arvell has as it were legitimate d that abun dance
’
, , ,
of imaginative h yperbole to which he is always partial : he mak es

“ ”
us feel it natural that a m ai d en s favorite shoul d b e whiter than mil k ’

,
”
sweeter than sugar lilies without roses within The po e t s imagi ,
.
’
nation is j usti fi e d in its seeming extravagance by the intensity an d unity

with whi c h it invests his picture ] Palgrave has g iven only about a third
of this beautiful poem which goes by the title of The N ymph Com
,
plaining for the D eath of her Fawn .
120 14 l aid : lay — 19 s t il l : eve n — 2 5 [ The remark q uote d in the

.
note to N o 6 5 applies e q ually to these truly wo n d erful verses M arvell

. .
here throws himself into the very soul of the G ar d en with the imagi
native intensity of Shelley in his West W in d This poe m appears also ”
.
as a translation in M arvell s work s The most stri k ing verses in it here

’
. ,
quote d as the boo k is rare answer more or less to stanzas 2 an d 6

,
Alm a Q u ie s t e n e o te l e t t e g e rm an a Q u ie tis
, , ,
S im p l ic it as l v os e rg o d iu p e r t e m p la p e r u rb e s ,
Q u ae s iv i re g u rn p e rqu e a lta p alatia fru s tra :

, ,
S e d v o s h o rt oru m p e r o p aca s il e n t ia l on g e ,
C e l aru n t p l an ta e v irid e s e t c on col or u m b ra ]

—2 5 am a ze : perpl e x — 2 6 The reward s of sol d ier public spirite d citi
,
z e n an d poet or schol ar —2 7 u n ce ss a n t : incessant —2 9 na rrow v e rg ed

.
,
-
. .
,
brought into smal l compass

12 1 9 al l b u t r u de : little short of barbarou s —10 To : in c omparison
.
with —13 F on d : silly ( perhaps ) —2 2 S t il l : alway s —2 3 Daph n e s e e

—31 curiou s : suiting a
. .
a c lassical d ictionary ( also for Syri n x , line

d ainty taste .
416 THE G O LD E N T REAS U RY
12 2 l pl e a s ure l e ss : a pleasure that is worthl e ss ( physi c al , sensuous

pleasure ) — k
3 i n d : nature , i s positi o n , or perhaps , ob e c t — 4
. d j s t rai g h t
straightway — 7 8 The poet says B ell in an ecstasy of ima g inative

.
, , ,
d elight al m ost becomes one with the scene he c ontemplates Bu t is

, .
this a true interpretation of t h e menta l stat e in d icate d by these not very

clear lines in a not very clear but ex q uisitely beautiful stanz a ? The
poet really seems to re d uce the tangible wo rl d t o nothingness in com
parison with the i d e al worl d which is the result of a gre e n thought in
a green shad e that is of his me d itations in the gar d en — 14 w h e t s
”
, , .
prun e s — 20 m e e t : proper fi tt in g — 2 1 s hare : of happines s — 23 24 A, ,
conceit not spe c ially worthy of M arvell d epen d ing on a play u pon t w o
”—
, ,
senses of the wor d para d ise 2 7 m il d e r : comparatively mil d This

. .
construction is k nown as the absolute co m parative .
12 3 1 The title means “

Too Happy I t is an allusion to V ergil s
”
.
’
line Ge org i a ii 4 5 8 — 2 st il l : alway s — 7 La sh ou t : spen d freely

, ,
. .
8 s il v e r p e n n y : a coin wei g hing twenty two a n d one half an d later twenty - -
grains The copper penny was fi rst struc k at the beginni n g of the
.
seventeenth century Th e re use d to be gol d pennies See t h e Century .
D ictionary — 9 n appy : stro n g — 12 crab s : crab apple s — 16 care : all

.
their care is — 1 9 [ t u tti e s : nosegays ] — 2 3 M a k e s : either m ak es the

. .
,
he d ge with the result that others trespassers or hunters break it d own ; , ,
or repairs the he d ge which others in their carelessne s s have bro k en d own .
1 24 1 for : d espit e — 2 S e cure r : more free fro m care — 2 [ s il l y

,
simple ] — 3 L A l l e g ro an d I 1 Penseroso I t is a stri k ing proof of

’ ”
.
M ilton s astonishing power that these the earliest great l yrics of the
’
, ,
lan d scape in our l a n g uage shoul d still reign supreme in their style for
,
range variety an d melo d ious beauty The bright an d the thoughtful

, , .
aspects of nature an d o f life are their subj ects but each is prece d e d by a
myt hological intro d uction in a mixe d classical an d I talian manner With .
that of L A l l e g ro may be co m pare d a similar myth in the fi rst sec

’
tion of the fi rst boo k of S h ac k e rl e y M arm i on s graceful Cupi d an d“ ’
Psyche 1 63 7 ] — 4 Ce rb e r u s : the three head e d d o g that guar d e d the

” -
gates of hel l — 5 S t y gian : The Sty x was the river encircling Had es
,
over which souls were ferrie d by Charon Cerberus ha d a d en beyon d

the Styx —7 un cou t h : un k nown an d repulsiv e —12 Cim m e rian : The
.
Cimmeri ans are mentione d in the O d yssey ( xi 1 4 ) as dwelli n g in gloo m ,
an d c lou d at the en d s of the oc e an — 14 y cl e p t : calle d ( a past p a rti

'
.
c ip l e of an obsolete verb ) — 14 E u phros y n e : one of the three G race s

—
. .
See a classical d ictionary 26 So full of life j oy an d easy gra ce

”
.
.
, ,
29 Clever sayings humorous turns of speech an d playful tric k s

, ,
.
3 1 He b e : the go dd ess of youth who poure d out nectar for the go d s . .
1 25 2 Care : The d irect obj ect of d e ri de s — 7 [ Th e m oun ta in n y m ph -
compare W ord sworth s sonne t N o 2 5 4 ] — 9 of : to Palgrave says

.
’
. .
, .
that this line “ is in opp os i t i on with the prece d ing by a syntactic al ,

418 THE G O LD E N T REAS U RY
Shak espeare s greatness an d thought him lac k ing in art H e is con

’
, .
t ra s t in g Sha k e speare s come d ies with those of B e n Jonson an d the

’
,
language he employs accomplishes well his purpose B esi d es some .

,
almost cont e mporary lines by Sir John Suc k ling who was a great , ,
a d mirer of Sha k e speare contrast the two d ramatists in much the same
,
fashion which q uite possibly represents the usual criticism of the day
, .
— 35 [ Ly dia n a irs : us e d here to express a light an d festive sty le o f

ancient music The Ly d ian M o d e one of the seven original G ree k
.
”
,
scales is ne arly i d entical with our

,
1 2 8 1 pie rce : a true rime to v e rs e though not so in mo d ern p ro n u n ,
c iat io n except occasionally when the word is use d as a prop e r name

— 2 b out : turn in the music —4 This line illustrates the fi gure k nown
, .
as ox y m oron the epithets being literally spea k ing inapplicable to th e

nouns they accompany —5 m a z e s : difli c u l t passages of the music
, , ,
Lyci d as p 7 5 lines 9 —
.
8 Tha t : so that — 8 Orph e u s : compare

“ ”
14
—10 El y s ia n : The Elysian Fiel d s were the abo d e of the blesse d afte r
.
, .
, .
d eath —12 Pl uto : the ruler of the und erworl d or Ha d es M ilton d e .
scribes the music as so beautiful that if he ha d hear d it instea d of the ,
music of Orpheus Pluto woul d have release d uncon d itionally the latter s
,
’
wife — 18 [ b e st e ad : avail ] — 19 t oy s : t rifl e s — 2 1 fon d : foolish

2 1 poss e s s : occupy —with either fa n ci e s or y o u rs e l v e s ( un d erstoo d ) as
. .
obj ect I n the latter case the meaning is occupy yourselves with
.
“
,
fancies etc — 25 pe n sion e rs : followers —2 5 M or ph e us : the go d of sleep

”
, . .
1 2 9 1 e st e e m : estimation ; 2 P rin ce M e m n on s s i st e r : Himera N oth

.
’
.
ing is k nown of her beauty but the poet infers that she was more beau ,
ti ful than h e r brother the k ing of the Ethiopians See a classical

d ictionary for M e m n on an d the other names in this passage —2 b e s e e m
, .
sui t —3 [ s t arr d Et h iop q u e e n : Cassiopeia the legen d ary queen of

’
,
Ethiopia an d thence translate d amongst the constellations ] 17 grai n

purpl e —19 Ci pre s : This is generally printe d cyp re s s a wor d of un k nown
,
origin meaning a sort of crape I t is often confuse d with Cyprus

,
.
,
where the crape was suppose d to be ma d e Palgrave fi rst rea d cyp re s . .
—2 0 d e ce n t : comely — 2 3 comm e rcin g : having communion — 25 still

. .
motionles s — 3 2 Ay e : always .
1 3 0 3 hi st : allure by q uiet calls — 4 P hil om e l : the nightingale

5 pl ight : s t rain ( or else moo d ) —7 [ Cy nthi a z the moon M ilton seems
. .
, . .
here to have transferre d to her chariot the d ragons anciently assigne d

to D emeter an d to M e d ea ] —2 2 Curfe w : the bell that soun d e d about
eight or nine o cloc k in the evening t owarn househol d ers to extinguish
’
fi res an d lights From the French cou v re fe u — 2 6 s til l re m oved : quiet

.
an d remove d — 2 8 M ak e d ark ness visible

.
Compare Para d ise .
Lost i 63 — 35 ou t w at ch th e B e ar : stu d y till d aybrea k when the

,
”
, .
-
,
constellatio n of the G reat B ear is no longer visibl e — 36 [ He rm e s

c alle d Trismegistus a mystical writer of the N e o Platonist school
, ] Il -
N OTE S 4 19
P e nseroso will stu d y his writings as well as those of the great G ree k
philosopher Plato in or d er to learn the secrets of the S piri tual universe
, ,
.
13 1 7 con s e n t : afli n ity 11 [Th e b e s etc : subj ects of A thenian

trage d y ] —13 M ilton is almost certainly allu d ing to Sha k espeare s
.
, .
’
.
trage d ies 14 [ b u s k in d : tragic in opposition to s och above ] the word

’
”—
.
, ,
use d in the c o rre s p o n d in g p as sag e in L A l l e g ro ‘

16 [ M u sa e u s : a
’
.
poet in mytholo gy ] 2 1 [ h im t h a t l e ft ha l f t ol d
- Chaucer in his in c o m -
,
p l e t e S q uire s Tale ’
— 2 8 [ gr e at b ard s A riosto Tasso an d Spenser
.
, , ,
are here presumably inten d e d ] 30 t rophi e s a rms or banners of the foe

hung up in sign of victory 34 civil s u i t e d simply cla d
. 35 [t rou n ce d-
.
curl e d ] — 3 [t h e A tti c Boy : Cephalus ]

6
1 3 2 3 s til l : probably an a dj ective q ualifying s h ow e r an d gentle

—4 hi s : its — 6 m in u t e drops : d rops that fall at the rate of about one
.
a minute ( not m i n u te d rops ) 10 S y l v an : Sylvanus the Roma n go d

’
-
.
,
of woo d s an d fi e l d s — 16 profan e r : l e ss sympathetic — 17 garis h : glar

ing sta ring —2 1 con sort : company of consonant soun d s — 2 3—
.
, . 25 A .
v e ry obscure passage h is w i n g s may be those of sleep or of the d re am

—2 7 b re ath e : h o w shoul d this b e parse d ? — 30 Ge n i u s : presi ding or
.
g uar d ian spiri t — 3 2 p al e : inclosure — 34 m a s sy proof : massive an d .

,
hence able to bear the w e ight of the roof 35 s tor ie d telling in picture s .
a B i b lical story 3 5 d ig h t : array e d

. .
13 3 3 cl e ar : cl e arly sung or pure 10 s p e ll : con re fl ect upon ; not

, .
,
nec e ssarily re a d 17 [ E m igrants suppose d to be d riven toward s A m e rica

.
by the gov e rn m ent of Charl e s I ] M arvell d oubtless hear d much of the

B erm u d as or Somers I slan d s from his frien d J ohn O x e n b rid g e who
had tak en refuge there from Lau d s tyrann y —2 3 w rack s : wrec k s
, , ,
’
d estroys —3 0 e na m e l s : mak es bright

,
1 34 5 J e w e l s : see d s —5 Orm u s : a small k ing d om at the mouth of

.
the Persian G ulf notable for its com m erce an d wealth —7 t hrows
N otice the imaginative e ffe ct pro d uc e d by this concrete verb —how it
.
increases our s e nse of the natural profusion — 8 [ B u t appl e s : A fi ne .
exam ple of M arvell s imaginative hyperbole ] — 2 1 M e x iqu e b ay : G ulf

’
of M exic o — 29 pie r ce : N ote again that this word ma k es a goo d ri m e

with v e rs e —30 ph an ta s y : imagination — 3 1 [ con s e n t z harmony]
.
1 3 5 1 Ay e : eve n — 12 n oi s e : This word in this connection d id n o t

.
o ffen d our early poets —17 diapason : compare p 67 l 2 0 — 2 1 con

harmony —2 3 The title means
. . . .
,
sort : . night unt o night shew e th ,
k nowl e d ge See t h e nineteenth Psal m — 26 Compare p 1 2 9 1 3

”
. .
, . .
1 36 7 ch aract e r : form of print or han dwriting the metaphor of the ,
volu m e ( p 1 3 5 l 30 ) being continue d ( see below p 1 3 6 l

.
, .
, .
, .
13 7 5 [ A lyric of a strange fanciful yet solemn beauty : Cowley s style

’
, ,
intensi fi e d by the mysticis m of Henry M ore ] 13 [ m on u m e nt : t h e worl d ]

—18 cou n cil : compare “ Para d ise Lost ” vii 5 1 6 seq —20 re ign st : the
.
’
, , .
”
sequence of tenses suggests re ig n e d st ’
.
42 0 T HE G O LD E N T REA S U RY
1 38 1 This is the ope ning st rophe of a much longer poem —8 [ En .
titl e d A Song in H onor of St Cecilia s D ay :

“
Th is is one of .
’
the m ost pe rfe ctly constructe d o d es in English a n d is s pecially no table ,
for combining with con summate lyric p ower an d fe l ic ity a mo ving .
d ramatic an d a vivi d d escriptive quality I t is one of the supreme .
triumphs of Engli s h poetry a fact not su ffi ciently remembere d by tho s e,
who thin k of D ryd en chie fl y a s a satirist — 8 P e rs ia w on : the w inning

of Persi a — 1 0 a wfu l : awe in spirin g —16 Th a i s : For thi s co m panion
.
of A lexan d er an d for t h e hero himself see a classical diction a ry .
2 3 Tim ot h e us : a Theban fl u te player whose music d i d greatly a ffect

A lex an d er .
1 39 3 b e l ie d : d isguise d — 4 S u b l M e : aloft — 5 Ol y m pia : A lex an d e r s

’
mother Olympias — 1 1 re b ou n d : re echo — 14 g od : the p art o f a go d

'
—
, . . .
2 1 p u rp l e : rosy ( prob ably ) — 2 2 hon e st : goo d loo k ing an d k in d ly

,
-
.
2 3 h a ut b oy s : oboe s (woo d en win d instruments of soprano compass ) .
From the Frenc h h a u t b ozs literally high woo d ”

’
.
,
140 3 h is h an d : Timotheus s — 4 M u s e : ne arly e q uivalent here to ’
” —
.
musical moo d 6 Dari u s : the t hir d of that name t o rule over

.
Persia See a classical d ictionary or a manual of ancient history

2 4 Ly dia n ; se e above p 1 2 7 l 3 5 —34 Th e m an y : compare the
. .
.
, .
, .
G ree k of r oAAoL
14 1 6 a t on ce : at one an d the same tim e —14 A s : as if — 2 4 u h
.
b uri e d : To r e main unburie d was in the opinion of the ancients to , ,
continue in a state of spiritual wretche d ness Compare the A ntigone .
of Sophocles an d Horace B oo k I o d e xxviii — 30 t h e ir h ost il e g ods

, , , .
The go d s of the Persians woul d be hostile to t h e G ree k s I t is most

probable that th e i r refers t o the Persians —3 2 fl am b e a u : torch
.
142 8 voca l fram e : the organ — 9 s t or e : m u sical k nowle d ge ( perhap s )

. .
. .
1 43 3 v e rm e il : vermilion .
1 44 2 6 Gil d s : I ts obj e ct is s h a de s l 2 4 an d its subj ect is h op e 1 2 3 , .

, ,
2 7 S t il l : alway s — 3 2 Ch a sti s e d : when or because ch astise d

. .
,
.
, , .
3 3 b l e n de d : when blen d e d
14 5 8 Op e n i n g : I s this a participle or an a dj e ctive ? —
.
9 [ W e have no
poet more mark e d by r apture by the ecstasy which Plato hel d the note ,
of ge nuine inspiration than Collins Y et but twice or t hrice d o h is

,
.
,
lyrics reach that s i m p licity t hat s i n ce ra /n s e rn zon i s Att ici g ra t i a nz] true
,
grace of A ttic utterance [ to which this o d e testi fi e s his enthusiastic

d evotion His style as his frien d D r J ohnson truly remark s was
.
, .
,
“
obscu re his d iction often harsh an d uns k illfully labore d ; he struggles

nobly again s t the narro w arti fi cial manner of his age but his too s c anty
, ,
years d i d not allow him to reach pe rfect mastery ] — 1 1 n um b e rs : verses

—
.
17 g a u ds : ornaments —-
18 de ce n t : comely — 22 [ Hy b l a z near Syra .
c ii se ] A Sicilian mo untain note d for its hon e y — 24 [h e r wh os e

.
_
woe .
the nightingale for which Sophocles seems to have enterta ine d a

“
,
1 7 64 , the manuscript we learn from a lett er to D r Wharton was in

, .
,
G ray s han d s by July 1 7 60 an d may have reache d him by 1 7 5 7 I t is

’
, , .
,
however d oubtful whether G ray ( of whose ac quaintance with Welsh

,
we have no evi d ence ) m ust not have been also ai d e d by some Welsh
'
scholar H e is one of the poets least li k ely to scatter epithets at

.
ran d om soft or gentle is the epithet emphatically an d specially given

to Llewellyn in contemporary Welsh poetry an d is hence here use d ,
with particular propriety Y e t wit h ou t such assistance as we have s u g

.
, ,
geste d G ray coul d hard ly have s e lecte d the epithet although applie d
, ,
to the K ing among a crow d of others in Ll yg a d Gwr s O d e printe d by ’
Evan s —A fter lamenting his comrad es ( st 2 3 ) the B ard prophesies

, ,
.
,
the fate of Edward I I an d the con quests of Edwar d I I I

, his d eath
an d that of the B lac k Prince of Richard I I with the wars of Y ork ,
an d Lancaster the murd er of H enry V I ( th e m e eh u s u rp e r) an d of

, ,
E dward V an d his brother H e turns to the glo ry an d prosperity

following the accession of the Tu d ors through Eli z abeth s reig n ( 8 ) ’
an d conclu d es with a vision of the poetry of Sha k espeare an d M ilton ]

— 2 3 ru thl e ss Kin g : E dward I who accord ing to a false tra d ition put ,
to d eath all the bard s that fell into his han d s d uring the con q uest of
Wales G ray s O d es were at fi rst regard e d as obscure but if we un d er
.
’
,
stan d that this is in the main a d ramatic monologu e by one of the bard s
much of the obscurity d isappears —30 Cam b ria s : of Wales
,
’
.
1 5 2 3 S n owdon : the name given to an extensive mountainous tract in

Wales The time is 1 2 8 3 A D 5 [ Gl o st e r : G ilbert d e Clare son ir1
- ’ -
law t o Edward ] —6 [M ortim e r : one of the Lor d s M archers of Wale s ]

. . .
,
'
—12 G ray refers t o Parad is e Lost ” i 5 3 7 —20 [h igh b orn Hoe l soft
.
-
, , .
,
Ll e w e ll y n : the D is s e rt at io d e B ar d is of Evans names the fi rst as son

to the K ing Owain Gwyne dd ; Llewellyn last k ing of N orth Wales was , ,
murd ere d 1 2 8 2 ] —2 1 [ Cadwal l o z C a dwal l on ( d ie d 63 1 ) an d U rien R h e g e d

( early k ings of G wyne dd an d Cumbria re spectively ) are mentione d by
Evans as bard s none of whose po e try is extant ] —25 [M odre d : Evans .
supplies no d a ta for this name which G ray ( it has been suppose d ) uses
for M erlin ( M yrdd in Wy l l t ) hel d prophet as well as poet ]
, 2 7 [A rv on
the shores of Carnarvonshire opposit e A nglesey Whether inte n tio n .
ally o r through ignorance of the real d ates G ray here seems to re p re ,
sent the B ar d as spea k ing of these poets all of earlier d ays Llewellyn , ,
excepte d as his own contemporaries at the close of the thirteenth cen

,
tury G ray whose penetrating an d powerful genius ren d ere d him in

.
,
many ways an initiator in a dvance of his age is probably the fi rst of ,
our poets who mad e some acquaintance with the rich an d ad mirable
poetry in which Wales from the sixth century has been fertile —before ,
an d since his time s o barbarously neglecte d not in Englan d only , .
Hence it has been thought worth while here to enter i n to a littl e d etail
upo n his Cymric allusions ]
N OTE S 42 3
15 3 2 gri sl y : frightful — 5 oin : j

pronounce d so as to mak e a perfect
.
rime with l i n e — 7 [ The ita liciz e d lines mark wh e re the Bard s song ’
is j oine d by that of his pre d ecessors d epart e d ] charact e rs : the
figures or letters in which the d oom is expresse d —13 B e rkl e y s roof

.
A t this castle in G loucestershire Edward I I was murd ere d in 1 3 2 7 The

e d ition of 1 7 68 has roofs —15 [ Sh e wol f I sabel of France a d ulterous
.
q u e e n of Edward I I ] —17 who : Edward I I I d uring whose reign the

.
,
.
,
En g li s h won notable vi c tories in France 17 t h y cou n try : France

17 han g s : seems to be tra nsitive with s co u rg e fo r its o bj e c t — 19 , 2 0
. .
I n the e d ition of 1 7 68 fl igh t is printe d with a capital but the nouns ,
s o rr ow an d s o l i t u d e are not so printe d Y et all are ap pare ntly p e rs on ifi .
cations 2 0 s ol it u de d esolation 2 5 s ab l e wa rrior Ed ward the B lac k

Prin c e —30 a zu re re al m : the i n fl ate d eighteenth century way of not
. .
-
,
saying water 30 34 G ray e xplaine d that these l ines refer to the m ag

- -
n ifi c e n c e of Richar d I I s reign —34 h i s : the whirlwin d s

.
’
. which in ’
,
the e d ition of 1 7 68 is printe d with a capital .
1 5 4 3 h e : Richar d I I G ray notes that he was starve d to d eath

. .
7 din of b att l e : G ray s note is Ruinous civil wars of Y ork an d Lan

’
”—
,
caster 11 [Tow e rs of J u l i u s : the Tower of Lon d on built in part

'
.
, ,
accord ing to trad ition by J ulius C aesar ] , 12 m u rd e r : G ray note d th at

Henry V I G eorge D u k e of Clarence E dwar d V Richard D u k e of
, , ,
Y ork etc were b e lieve d to have been secretly murd ere d in the Tower
—13 consort s : Margare t of A nj ou wife of H enry VI —13 fa the r s
.
, .
’ ’
, .
fam e : Henry V the victor of A gincourt

, 14 m e e k u s urpe r s : Henry V I .
’
wa s mil d an d holy H e is calle d a usurper b e cau s e in G ray s word s

’
.
, .
_ ,
The line of Lancaster ha d no right of inheritance to the crown ”

.
16 b l u s h in g foe : the re d rose of Lancaster which may be consi d er e d as ,
twine d with the white rose of Y or k through the marriag e o f Ed ward I V

wi t h La d y G rey One woul d naturally thin k of H enry VI I s marriage
.
’
,
but for the fact that these lines p re ce de those which refe r to Richard I I I .
17 [b ri s t l e d b oa r : the ba dg e of R i c hard I I I ] who murd e re d his nephews .
2 3 [Hal f of thy h e art : Q ueen Eleanor d ie d soon after the con q uest of
Wal e s ] —25 Here the Bar d add resses the vanishing ghosts 33 [A rth ur .
Henry V I I nam e d his el d est son thus in d eference to native feeling ,
an d story ] G ray s note is as follows : I t was the common belief of

.
’
the Welsh nation that K ing A rthur was still alive in Fairy Lan d an d
” —
-
, ,
shoul d return again to reign over Britain 34 Al l ha il : G ray s note .

’
,
Both M erlin an d T al ie ss in ha d prophesie d that the Welsh shoul d

regain their sovereignty over this islan d ; which seeme d to be ac c o m
p l is h e d in the house of Tu d or
”
1 5 5 2 S u b l im e : on high —2 t h e y : Henry V I I an d Henry V I I I

.
G ray hard ly ha d in min d the young Edward V I —5 m i dst : I f the ref

.
eren c e is to the prece d ing lines those lines give a picture of Eliz abeth s
,
’
court Bu t the punctuation seems to ma k e those lines a group covering

.
42 4 T H E GO LD E N TREAS U RY
th e reigns before Eli zabeth s I f this be the cas e m id s t probably refers ’
to the entire procession of monarch s — 9 10 The glorious poetry of

.
,
Eliz abeth s reign is recalle d ’

11 Ta l i e s s in : Chief of the B ard s fl ou r .
,
i s h e d in the sixth centu ry H is work s are still preserve d an d his .

,
memory hel d in high veneration among his countrymen ( G ray ) ”

.
15 adorn : The subj ects are w a r l ov e an d t ru th The style of the passage , ,
leaves much to be d esire d — 16 G ray s note shows th at the refere nce

.
’
.
is to the poetry of Spenser He q uotes from the proem to the Faerie .
Q u e ene the line Fierce wars an d faithful loves shal l moraliz e m y

“
song The fact that Spenser is here allu d e d to suggests that the pre
”
.
ce d ing lines may refer speci fi cally to lyric poetry I t seems scarcely .
well however to in d ulge in such minute exegesis an d if we d o we

, , , , ,
must remember that the best Eliz abethan lyric poetry d i d not prece d e
the poetry of Spenser —18 The allusion as G ray notes is to Sha k e .
, ,
speare a n d the wor d b u sh i n d shows that it is his trage d ies that are
,
’
mean t 2 1 G ray s note M ilton is scarcely nee d e d — 2 3 G ray notes

— ” ’
, , ,
” —
“
The succession of poets after M ilton s time 25 m an : E dwar d I
’
.
— 25 s an guin e : bloo d re d The allusion is to the bards the k i ng h as-

.
slain — 27 re p ai rs : renews Compare Lyci d as ab ove p 7 8 l 1 5

. .
, .
, . .
1 5 6 1 Collins states that this o d e which is ran k e d as one of th e most ,
beautiful short poems in the lan guage was written in the be g innin g o f ,
the year 17 4 6 From this fact it has been argue d that the o d e refers
.
specially to the sol d iers who fell in the battle of Fal k irk won by t h e ,
Y oung Preten d er I t may also refer to th e battles of Preston Pans and

.
Fontenoy lost in 1 7 4 5 ( perhaps more probably to the latter)

, 17 [ Th e .
Highlan d ers calle d th e battle of Cullo d en D ru m o s s ie ] I n this battle , ,
A pril 1 6 1 7 5 6 the D u k e of Cumb e rlan d d efeate d the Y oung Pre

, ,
~
ten d er an d fi nally put d own the rising of 1 7 45 Cullo d e n is a moo r

not far from I nvern ess — 25 l ord : the D u k e of Cumberlan d Com
.
. .
~
pare Campbell s Lochiel “ “

Prou d Cumberlan d prances insultin g
’
”
the slain .
1 5 7 1 Flo dd en Fiel d the battle in N o rt hu m b e rl an d in which the Earl

,
of Surrey an d the English d efeate d K ing J ames I V o f Scotl an d in

'
September 1 5 1 3 —1 [l il ti n g : singing blithely] —3 [ l oanin g : broa d

,
lane —4 w e d e a way : wee d e d out —5 [b u gh t s : pens — 5 [ s corni n g

, .
rallying ] — 6 [dowi e z d reary ] —

. . .
7 [da fl in g ab b in : j o k ing an d chatter ’ ’
8 [l e gl in : mil k pail ] —
.
ing ] — 9 [ s h e arin g : reapin g ] —

. .
,
. 10 [ B an d st ers :
. .
sheaf bin d ers ] 10 [l y art z g rizzl e d ] 10 [run kl e d z wrin k le d ]

11 [fl ee chi n g : coax ing ] —13 [ gl oam in g z twi light ] —14 [b ogl e z ghost ]
.
—17 [Dool z sorrow ] —25 Yarrow : a stream in Sel ki rk shire famous in

. .
Sc otch poetry Compare W or d sworth s poems in the Fourt h B oo k ’

'
pp 3 2 0 3 2 2 —25 b rae s : ban k s hillsi d e s —25 b on n y : fair

.
,
‘
.
, .
, .
15 8 2 1 wat e r w rai th : apparition of th e d rowne d m an rising from the

watch —28 th orou gh : through .
seems to be a sym bol for a recognition of the fact that she was love d ,
or else for the su dd e n springing up of love in her own heart 17 This .
l ittle poem is from the V icar of Wa k e fi el d Chapter X X I V

”
, .
1 7 0 1 B urns wr o te three vers ions of this son g M r Palgrave has . .
sele c te d the most beautiful but not the most popular a n d he has
, ,
slightly change d his version See G A A itk en s e d ition of Burns in ’
2 7 —2 1 This o d e w a s labore d
. . .
N e w A l d ine Poets V ol I I I p p 1 9 —
”
th e , .
, . .
o n for several years was fi n ishe d in 1 7 5 4 an d was fi rst publishe d in

, ,
1 7 5 7 — 2 1 [ l Eol ia n l y r e : the G ree k s a scrib e d the origin of their lyrical

.
poetry to th e c oloni e s of [ Eolis in A sia M inor ] G ray as his note an d ,
his po e m show was thin k ing of the po e try of Pin d ar of Theb e s in

, ,
B oe otia rath e r than of the o l ian lyric po e ts Sappho an d A lc a us

H is phrase has nothin g to d o with the [ Eolian harp —2 3 He l icon s
.
, ,
h a rm on iou s S prin g s A ganippe an d Hippocrene fountains sacre d to t h e ,
Muses which were situate d in the mountain range of H e licon in B oe otia

—25 b l ow : bloom
.
,
1 7 1 3 Ce re s g ol d e n re ig n : the re a lm of the go dd ess of agricultu re

’
7—
.
18 Power of harmony to c al m the turbulent sallies of the s oul The .
thoug hts are borrowe d fro m the fi rst Pythian of Pin d ar ( G ray ) ”
.
-
9 s h e l l : lyre (which was suppose d to have be e n invent e d by M er
cury who stretche d strings across a tortoise shell ) — 11 [Thracia s
, .
’
h il l s : suppose d a favorite resort of M ars ] — 15 [fe at h e r d k in g : the .

’
eagle of J upiter a dmirably d escribe d by Pin d ar in a pass age here imi

t at e d by G ray ] — 2 0 Te m p e r d : attune d —2 1 [ Idal ia : in Cyprus whe re
,
’
.
,
Cy th e re a ( V enus ) was especially worshipe d ] — 2 4 a n t ic : q uaint but

with no unpleasant suggestion —32 s u b l im e : lifte d high
.
,
34 35 G ray s
’
- -
. .
note shows that he was imitating a verse of the G ree k tragic poe t;
Ph ry n ic h u s
1 7 2 1—
.
12 To compensate the real an d imaginary ills of life the

“
,
M use was given to mank in d by the same Provi d ence that sen d s t h e
day by its chee rful presence to d ispel the gl o o m an d terror of
the night ( G ray ) —5 fon d : foolish unfoun d e d — 10 g ive s : allows
—11 12 G ray quotes : “ Or seen the morning s well appointe d star
.
. ,
’
-
Come marching up the eastern hills afar ( Cowley) —

,
”
12 [ Hyp e rion .
t h e sun ] 13 G ray s note runs : Extensive in fl uence of poetic G enius

’
over the remotest an d most uncivili z e d n ations : its connection with

liberty an d t h e virtues that naturally atten d on it ( see the Erse N or
, ,
w e g ian an d W elsh fragments the Laplan d an d A m e rican

, ,
Gray also showe d that in l 1 3 he was utiliz ing phras e s foun d in V erg il
19 r e p e a t : recite the name s an d q ualiti e s of —
.
an d Petrarch . 2 2 t rack .
t h e obj ect of p u rs u e which has for subj ects Gl o ry

, S h a m e etc , , .
25 [ The following stan z as allu d e to the poets of the islan d s an d ma i n

lan d o f G reece to those of Rome an d of Englan d ] For the pro pe r
,
names see a classical d ictionary — 28 am b e r : yellow

,
. .
N OTE S 42 7
1 7 3 5 Lati um the part of ancient I ta ly in which Rome was situate d

: .
7 t h e s u n : of more southern l a n d s li k e G reece an d Italy —8 N a t u r e s

’
.
,
Darl in g : Shak e speare is represente d as owing more to natural en d ow

m e nt a n d to observati on than to stu d y — 14 y e ar : season 19 N or : . .
-
N otice that G ray w as unwilling to ma k e M ilton secon d e ven to Sha k e

spea re —2 0 Ecs tas y : inspire d imagination —2 3 G ray r e fe rr e d to Ez e
k iel i 2 0 2 6 2 8 —28 b e ar : The subj ect is cou rs e rs an d the obj ect is
.
.
, , ,
ca r . D oes G ray seem always happy in his style in pass ages mark e d by
si m ilar grammatical characteristics 30 M eant to express the stately
m ar c h an d soun d ing energy of D ry d en s ri m es ( G ray ) Pope ha d
” ’
.
alre a d y written of D ry d en s long maj estic march an d energy d ivine

“ ’
—
.
,
3 1 h is : G ray seems to be spea k ing of D ryd en i n his capacity of

lyric poet for in his note to l 1 p 1 7 4 he writes : We have ha d in
, .
, .
,
our language no oth e r o d es o f the sublime k in d than that of D ryd en ,
on St Cecilia s D ay ” ’
1 7 4 2 d a ri n g s piri t : G ray himself —

. .
5 [Th e b an e a g l e : Pin d ar ]
10 ori e n t : brigh t —12 vu l g a r fa t e : the fate that in ay be expecte d by
.
the crow d of ord inary m e n — 16 s h e l l : see above note to l 9 p 1 7 1

19 P os s e s s e d : inspire d by a spirit —2 4 m y rt l e s
. .
.
, .
,
- as s ociate d with song.
by the G ree k s who hel d boughs of myrtle when t h e y sang at ban quets
, .
17 5 1 Professor B ronson seems to be right in hol d ing that Fear sig

n ifi e s not coward ice but imaginative an d sublime apprehension of the
te rrible —10 sou n ds : in apposition with m e a s u re s —2 7 war d e nou n cin g

, ,
.
-
.
threatening war .
1 7 6 2 5 th a t so that 26 F a u n follower of the Roman go d Faunus

-
—26 Dry ad : forest nymp h —27 S i s t e rs : followers of D iana 2 7 [cha s t e

. .
e y e d Qu e e n : D iana ] —28 S at y rs followers of Pan 2 8 S y l v an B oy s .
followers of the forest go d of the Romans Sylvanus , .
1 7 7 4 vi ol : a me d ieval stringe d instrument precursor of the violin

—7 Te m pe s val e : situate d in Thessaly an d famous in po e try 11 fan
, .
—
’ -
.
ta s ti c : full of the free d om of fancy 16 sph e re d e s ce n d e d : Com p are .
the phrase music of the spheres an d give an e xplanation of it

2 0—
, .
2 1 Collins wrote an o d e never printe d an d un d iscovere d on the

, ,
M usic of the G recian Theater

”
Perhaps it is to this music that ref
e rence is here ma d e —22 m imi c : Compare A ristotle s vi e w as to the
.
ori g in of al l art —2 7 Warm e n e rgic : full of passion an d energ y

3 l re e d : pip e —3 2 rag e : inspiration
,
2 9 pa g e : that of history .
-
35 The refe rence is to the varie d m usical powers of the organ .
1 7 8 5 [ From that wil d rhapso d y of mingl e d gran d eur ten d erness an d , ,
obscurity that me d ley between inspiration an d poss e ssion which poor

,
”
,
Smart is believe d to h ave written whilst in con fi nement for mad ness ]
9 p e riod : this probably m eans ce s s a t ion of th i n g s or else is e q uiv a lent to
e poch
”
, accord ing as the three verbs in the next line form pre d icates
in inverse or in d irect ord er to the three nouns in this line .
42 8 TH E G O LD EN TREAS U RY
1 7 9 24 [t h e dre adfu l l igh t : of life an d experienc e ] -

25 Hou rs : g od
—
.
d esses of the seasons 28 p u rp l e y e a r bright s e ason : ( Fowler )

the nightingale ] —23 l iq u id : clear —2 5 trim
. .
180 1 [A tt ic wa rb l e r : . .
attire .
181 4 ki n d race of insects — 16 Ou s e : There are thr e e riv e rs o f

:
this name in Englan d This is the G re at Ouse an d two of Cowper s .

,
’
h omes at Hunting d on an d at Olney were in its vicinity

, ,
1 8 2 1—
.
4 This is the form Cowper fi nally gave the last stanz a The .
original form which is better a nd is usually given runs

, ,
’
T is a s ig h t to e n g ag e m e , if an yth in g c an ,
T o m u se o n t h e p e rish in g p l e asu re s o f m an ;
T h ou g h h is l ife b e a d re a m , his e n o y m e n t s , I j se e ,
H ave a b e in g l e s s d u rab l e e ve n t h an h e .
—5 [ slee k
s l e e ki t z ] — 8 [ b i ck e r i n g b ra tt l e : fl itt e ri n g fl ight ] — 9 [l a ith
loath ] —10 [ pat t l e g p l ow staff ] — 17 [w h il e s i at times ] —19 [da im e n
.
i ck e r : a corn ear now an d then ] — 1 9 [ t h rav e z shoc k ] — 2 1 [ l ave

. .
rest ] —2 4 sil l y wa s : wea k wall s — 25 b ig : buil d —

’
26 [fogg a g e : after .
grass ] — 28 [ s n e l l z biting]
1 8 3 5 col t e r : plow shar e — 10 [B u t z without ] — 10 [ hal d : dwellin g
.
place ] 11 [ th ol e : bear] — 12 [cra n re u ch z hoarfrost ] — 13 [t h y l a n e

.
-
.
:
alone ] — 16 [a gl e y : off the right line awry]

-
1 84 1 3 oat e n st op : sheph e r d s pipe —14 This line origin ally stoo d

.
,
’
.
an d is often printe d M ay hope chaste Eve to soothe thy m o d est e ar

—19 b re d e : brai d — 20 wavy b e d : the sun is sink ing into the sea
, , , .
. .
18 5 5 fol din g st a r : the star that indicat e s the time for the cattle t o
-
return to the fol d 7 Hours : A re th e se the H o u rs of G ray s

. O d e on
’
the Spring See above p 1 7 9 l 2 5 — 25 won t : is accustome d

”
.
, .
, . . .
18 6 2 F a n cy : This probably incl u d es both the Imagination an d the

Fancy as these terms are generally use d —
, 5 pa rt in g : L d e p a rt in g
10 ai r : ob j ect of h ol ds — 20 r u d e : une d ucate d
. .
1 8 7 5 t oil : m a d e a true rime with s m i l e —11 Awa its : A re those

. .
e d itors necessarily correct who note that h ou r is t he sub j ect not the ,
obj ect of this verb ? Sometimes the text is m isprinte d A w a it

, .
15 fre tt e d : For this t e chnical word Se e so me goo d d iction ary

17 s t ori e d : telling the life Story in an inscription — l 9 p rov o
.
ke : call '
'
forth —2 7 rag e : enthusiasm

.
. .
188 1 Ham pde n : J ohn Hamp d en who refuse d to pay the ship mon ey ,
exacte d d uring the reign o f Charles I — 12 sh u t an in fi nitive d epen d .
e n t on forb a de Th e i r l ot is the subj ect of all t h e finite verbs in th is

.
stanz a The in fi n it iv e s in the next stanz a Still de pe nd on forba de

13 14 Wh ose are the p a n g s and b l u she s —17 m a ddin g : carrie d away
. .
~ '
—
by enthusiasm 17 18 Explain the sy nta x of these li n es
-
19 s e -
—
.
, .
q u e s t e r d se’
clu d e d r e tir e d 2 1 24 E x plai n the sy ntax of this stanza
, . .
absolute masterpiece of music ten d erness an d simplicity : this Romance , ,
of a life in eight lines ] B u t the two stanz as seem to be the two best
stan as in
z B u rn s s How long an d d reary is the night ( F owler ) See
’ ”
.
A itk en s e d ition of B urns I I 1 8 7 The text of t h e Oxford c omplete

’
e d ition ( p 3 60 ) varies somewhat —2 0 [ e e ri e : strictly scare d : uneasy]

.
, ,
— 23 g l in t e d : spe d swiftly — 25 [ airt s z q uarters ]

. .
,
1 9 8 1 [row : roll ] — 10 [ s h aw z small woo d in a hollow S pinney ]

.
,
13 [ The last two stan zas are n o t by B urns ] They are by J ohn Ham i l
ton a music d ealer of E d inburgh —13 w e stl in : westlan d western
o z sweetheart ] —3 2 [b r e n t z smooth ] high
, , .
2 1 [ k n ow e s : k nolls ] 2 9 [j .
-
1 9 9 3 [ pow : hea d ] — 7 can t y : d elightful — 9 m a u n : mus t — 16 [ l e al

. .
. .
faithful ]
2 00 5 [fain : happy ] —9 S cie n ce : all k nowle d ge not merely natural
scienc e —10 [ Henry V I foun d e d Eton ]
.
,
19 ca r e l e s s : probably use d
”—
in the sense of free from care
“
2 9 m a rg e n t : margin
2 01 7 They were preparing for coming classe s —19 b ux om : vigor
. .
o u s —2 1 ch e e r : D oes this n e cessarily refer to the expression of the
countenance
202 22 g ri s l y : frightful — 2 3 pai n fu l fam il y : pain causing atten d ants
.
-
.
203 7 [ W ritten in 1 7 7 3 towar d the beginning of Cowper s secon d

’
,
attac k of m elancholy ma d ness — a time when he altogether gave u p ,
prayer saying For him to implore mercy woul d only anger G o d the
, ,
more Y e t ha d he given it up when sane it woul d have been maj or

.
”
,
204 1 Compare with this noble poem W ord sworth s O d e to D uty ’

,
in the Fourth B oo k p 2 5 8 1 1 b irt h : chil d -
205 3 Gorg on : see a classical d ictionary —4 b an d : of the Furies

, . . .
. .
13 e xt in ct : though practically extinct 15 Ex act : D oes this m e an

or is it a verb in the imperative ? —17 A lexan d er Sel k ir k was
.
e x ac tly ,
a sailor who after a q uarrel with his captain was put ashore on the u m
inhabite d islan d of J uan Fernan d ez where he remaine d fi ve years ( 1 7 04 ,
1 7 0 9 ) before he was rescue d His a d ventures suggeste d to D efoe the

.
writing of Robinson Crusoe .
2 06 8 A t this point a sta nz a is omitte d .
207 1 [ The e d itor woul d venture to class in the very fi rst ran k this
sonnet which with
, , record s Cowper s gratitu d e to the lad y whose ’
affectionate care for m any years gave what sweetness he coul d en j oy

to a life ra d ically wretche d Petrarch s sonnets have a more ethereal .
’
grace an d a more perfect fi nish ; Shak espeare s more passion ; M ilton s ’ ’
stan d supreme in stateliness ; W ord swort h s in d epth an d d elica c y ’

.
B u t Cowper s unite with an ex q uisiteness in the turn of thought which

’
the ancients woul d have c a lle d I rony an intensity of pathetic ten d er ,
ness peculiar to his loving an d ing e nuous nature There is m uch man .
n e ris m much that is unimportant or of now exhauste d inte rest in his

,
N OTE S 43 1
poe m s ; but where he is great it is w ith that elementary greatness ,
which rests on the most universal human feelings Cowper is our .
highest master in simple pathos ] 9 B ook : compare Revelation

xx 1 2
, .
2 09 9 [ Cowper s last original poem found e d upon a story tol d in

’
,
A nson s V oy ages I t was written M arch 1 7 99 ; he d ie d in next

“ ’ ”
year s A pril ] — 16 h e : G eorge Lor d A nson who saile d aroun d the

,
.
worl d 1 7 40—
,
1 7 44 — 2O N or h im b e h e l d : nor d i d he b e hol d him

.
, .
2 6 d e s pai r of l ife : W hat is the exact meaning of this phrase as use d

h e re ?
2 10 13 s t il l : N otice the position of this a dverb .
2 11 11 [ V ery little except his name appears recoverable with regard

to the author of t his truly noble poem which a ppeare d in the Scrip ,
s c ra p o l o g ia or Collins D oggerel D ish of A ll Sorts

”
,
’
with three or four ,
o t h er pieces of merit B irmingham 1 8 0 4 ] — 15 pad pon y : ro a d pony

one traine d to pace the roa d s easily —25 Nab ob any Englishman w h o
-
, , ,
had sought his fortune in I n d ia an d return e d home .
2 12 8 t h re ad : of life Compare the threa d spun by the Fat es

. .
12 [Ev e rl as t in g z use d with si d e allusion to a cloth so name d at the

ti m e when Collins wrote ]
2 14 1 [ This beautiful lyric printe d in 1 7 83 seems to anticipate in its
, ,
imaginative music that return to our great early ag e of song whi c h in

—
,
B la k e s own lifetime was to prove h ow gloriously ! t hat the English

’
,
M uses ha d resume d their anc ient melo dy : K eats Shelley Byron

“ ”
—h e overlive d them al l ] — 1 Ida s : p rob ab l v the famous mountain in

, , ,
the Troad —2 4 parl e : speech

.
. .
2 1 5 3 t e n t e d : covere d as with tents by the fl o w e rs — 8 t ra n cé d : I t

, , .
woul d be pleasant t o thin k that K eats thought of the nightingale as

enchante d with its own sweet so n g but the use of s e n se l e ss m ak es one ,
thin k he may have me ant t o e m phasiz e the bird s lac k of feeling ’
10 n u m b e rs : verse s — 1 8 N ever slu m bering ( put to sleep ) or sati a te d

.
2 16 1 re al m s of g ol d : of great boo k s chie fl y of poetry —6 de m e sn e

.
sovereign estate — 8 Chap m an G eorge ( 1 5 5 7

.
,
the Eli zabeth a n

d ramatist an d translator — 12 [ st ou t Cort e z : Hist o ry woul d here sug
,
gest B a l b oa I t m ay be n o tice d that to fi n d in Chapman s Homer ’
the pure serene of the original t h e read er must bring wi t h him the
”
,
imagination of the youthful poet ; he must be a G ree k himself as“ ”

,
Shelley fi nely sai d of K eats ]

2 18 2 5 s e n s e : sensation .
2 1 9 23 [ The m ost ten d er an d true of Byron s smaller poems ]

’
25 m y rt l e an d iv y : compare the secon d line of Lyci das p 7 3

”
, . .
2 20 2 B athing in M ay d ew was suppose d to pro d uce beauty 7 di s

show — 13 [ This po e m exe m pli fi es the peculi a r s k ill
.
cove r : reveal , .
with which Scott employs pr oper names : a rarely mislea d ing sign of
43 2 TH E G O LD E N TREA S U RY
t rue poetical genius ] This poem is an imita tion of the famous balla d
of The N u t brown M ai d I t is from Ro k eby I II xvi xvii The
“ -
” ”
place names belong to Y ork shire —16 Woul d : which woul d

.
, , , .
2 2 1 7 r e a d y ou : guess who you are —19 b ra n d : s aber — 19 m u s

. _
.
k e t oon : short mus k et 22 t u ck : beating

. 2 9 m i ckl e : much . .
30 Woul d : who woul d

2 2 3 7 cham pa k : an I n d ia n fl ower of the magnolia ty p e —24 M e e t
.
Explain the use of the plural — 28 Ha d : woul d have . .
2 24 7 This poem was inspire d by W ord sworth s wife an d com pose d

’
about two years after his marriage

2 2 5 24 t hin e : heart or d evotion ? —26 Dove : The l oc al it v is not cer
.
t ain l y i d enti fi e d .
2 2 7 16 sta t e : sta teliness 24 s e cre t : seclu d e d

.
- .
2 2 8 15 m oonl ig h t : suggestive of the calm beauty of moonlight .
2 2 9 2 m or e s ad an d fa ir : perhaps once fairer than the present but , ,
now sa dd er wh en viewe d in the light of memory Fowler suggests the .
paraphrase I n d ays which even when fuller of pain were d earer to

“
, , ,
me than the present ”

15 s il v e r pou n d
. The poun d is now a gol d coin ,
but its twenty shillings were originally e quivalent to a p ou n d of silver .
The poun d Scots was however only a twelfth of th e poun d sterling

See the Century D ictionary — 17 Loch gy l e : an arm of the s e a on the
.
, ,
west coast of M ull ( Fowler) .
2 30 1 Wi g h t : man fellow person — 4 W in s om e : pleasant an d gracious

, , . .
10 wat e r wrai t h : apparition ascen d ing from the water

-
.
2 3 1 9 [ Simple as Lucy G ray seems a mere narrati v e of what has ,
been an d may be again yet every touch in the chil d s picture is

, ,
’
m ar k e d by the d eepest an d purest i d eal character Hence pathetic as .

,
the situation is this is not strictly a pathetic poem such as Word sworth
, ,
gives us in 2 2 1 Lamb in 2 64 an d Scott in his M ai d of N ei d path ” '
, _ , ,
almost more pathetic as Tennyson once remark e d than a man has

”
, ,
the right to be A n d Lyte s lovely stanz as ( 2 2 4 ) suggest perhaps

”
.
’
, ,
the same remar k ] One may as k whether some criticis m is not more
critical than any criticism has a right to b e —2 7 m in st e r cl oc k : cathe .
d ral c loc k The inci d ent on which the poem is foun d e d occurre d n e ar
.
Halifax in Y ork shire

, .
2 3 2 1 2 Loosene d a bun d le of stic k s an d twigs with a lopping tool

—6 wan t on : S portive
.
,
2 3 3 3 This is almost as u n ad o m e d a li ne as Word sworth ever wro te ,
an d t h e entire poem is as severely simple as poetry can w e ll be Y et

m any capable rea d ers —not all read ers —feel it to be one of th e most
.
moving an d truly noble poems ev e r written by an English poet To .
appreciate it is to mak e one s calling an d election as a lover of poetry

’
about as sure as such an unspectacular consecration can be ma d e
19 l oot : l e t —2 4 Lan g l e y d al e : in the county of D urham

.
- .
—13 [ This beautiful sonnet was the last wor d of a youth in whom if , ,
the ful fi llment may ever safely be prophesie d from the promis e Eng ,
lan d lost one of t h e most rarely gifte d in the long roll of her poets .
Shak es p eare an d M ilton ha d their lives been clos e d at twe nty fiv e

,
-
,
woul d ( so far as we k now ) have left poems of less excellence an d hope

than the youth who from the petty scho o l an d the Lon d on surg ery
, ,
passe d at once to a place with them of high collateral

“
16 Ere m i t e : herm it
24 8 3 ch ara ct ry : printe d character s —6 rom a n ce : that of creation
.
of the won d ers of the in fi nite univers e —8 ma g ic ha n d of chan ce : in

,
spiration — 15 The title means A b s e n t th i n g s l on g e d fa n — 17 Th e e

.
Wor d swort h s daughter Catharine who d ie d in early chil d hoo d

’
, .
249 4 [ I t is impossible not to regret that M oore has written so little

in this sweet an d genuinely national style ] —4 w e e pin g : D ew was the
tears of the stars — 11 ori s on : prayer —l 4 [ A masterly exa m ple of
. .
Byron s comman d of strong thought an d close reasoning in vers e : as

’
the next is e q ually characteristic of Shelley s wayward intensity ] ’
2 5 0 7 W hat I love d so well has now become nothing — not literally ,
however Compar e p 2 5 1 11 2 3—
. 2 5 .
, . .
2 5 1 2 6 e n de ars : What is the subj ect of this verb — 2 8 On e word

love Compare the secon d stanz a which explains the fi rst
.
, .
”
2 5 2 4 t ha t : Fowler says that here th a t must mean love B u t m ust .
it ? I t may not be very great poetry which Shelly gives us if th a t stan d s

for p i ty but even Shelley may have en d e d a sta n za in a wea k fashion ,
an d even he is not exempt fro m obe d ience to the rules of grammar .
13 P ib roch : mart ial music on the bagpipe The time of the s e verses is
1 4 3 1 A D ; the scene the nort hern H ighlan d s —2 3 p e n non : pennant
.
. .
,
fl ag .
2 5 3 22 ma n How is this phrase use d ? D oes it mak e a goo d rime

se t
with on s e t D oes the blemish seriously mar the splen d i d ly spirit e d war
song ? W oul d it not b e well if some mo d ern critics were t o revise th e ir
un fl attering opinions of Scott as a poet ? —2 5 sh e e t : a rope o r chain
use d to move a sail — 2 5 fl ow in g : rising
2 5 5 1 Robert B lak e ( 1 5 99—
. .
1 6 5 7 ) an d Horatio N elson ( Lor d N elson ,
1 7 58 two of the greatest of Englan d s naval heroe s — 8 s t e e p ’
d oubtless use d for the cli ffs that lin e the coast of Englan d — 2 7 The
battle of the Baltic commemorate d in this stirring o d e was fought un d e r
N elson on A pril 2 1 80 1 For its r e sults on Englan d s relat ions with
’
, .
the nort hern nations s e e some English h istory .
2 5 6 2 1 h urri ca n e e cl i p s e eclipse blotting out by a great storm

, .
2 5 7 15 fu n e ral l igh t : light that lit up the spectacle of d e struction

oy of l 1 7 i s to be e xhibit e d —
.
19 20 These lines show how t h e j

, 25 E1 .
”—
.
s in ore : a D anish s e aport Compare Haml e t . 2 9 E dwar d Riou .
( 1 7 58 a captai n k ille d in the battle 3 2 m e rm aid s son g : This .

’
N OT E S 43 5
touch has be e n obj e cte d to as arti fi cial I s this criticism or h yp e rc rit i .
c is m ? I n other word s d oes th e fact that the m erm ai d is an acc e pt e d

,
fi gure of po e tical mytholo gy minimiz e to a cons i d erable extent the , ,
inc o ngruity an d arti fi c ial ity ?

2 5 8 1 Da u gh t e r of t h e Voi ce : e cho D e Q uincey q uote d by Fowl e r .
,
.
— 12 s e n s e : perhaps nearly e q uiv alent to “ in t uitions ” — 15 16 M any .

,
read ers may prefer another read ing of these lines :

k l
L on g m ay t h e in d y im p u s e las t ! l
y l
B u t T h o u , if th e s h o u d t o tt e r, t e ac h t h e m t o s tan d fast .
24 I s this b e tter than the read in g Y et fi n d that other stren g th , ,
accord ing to th e ir nee d

2 5 9 5 u n ch art e r d : unre g ulate d The poet perh aps ha d in m in d the
’
.
charters that h elp e d to r e duce to ord er the lawlessness of the M i dd le

A ges —9—16 This stanz a shoul d be carefully stud ie d as an illustration
.
of the work ing of a noble i m ag in atio n — 2 5 [ B o n n iv ard a G e n e vese , ,
was imprisone d by the D u k e of Savoy in Chillon on t h e lak e of G eneva

for his courageous d efense of his co u n try agai n st the tyranny with
which Pie d mo nt threat e n e d it d uring the fi rst half of t h e s e v e nte e nth
‘
c e ntury This noble sonnet is worthy to stan d n e a r M ilton s on the

.
’
V au d ois massacre ]
2 60 9 [ Switz erlan d was usurp e d by the F r e nch un d e r N apol e o n in
1 8 0 0 ; V e ni c e in 1 7 9 7 —1 3 t yran t : N ap o l e on — 23 in fe e : as a .
fi e f o r d e p e n d e ncy S e e a s k e tch of the history of V e nice in some

.
goo d e ncyclop e d ia .
2 6 1 3 4 A r e fe r e nce to the custo m of the d oge goi n g out to e spouse

,
t h e Ad riatic 11 Po e ts have not infr e q u e ntly bemoan e d the con d iti o n

.
of th e ir country in t e rm s of unwarrant e d severity Cowp e r h ad d on e it .
b e fore W ord sworth Y e t on t h e whole noble fau l t fin din g is more s t im u

.
, ,
l ati n g than m o st p rais e w hic h so oft e n an d e a sily t e n d s to be ch auvinistic

,
an d fatuous A n d Word sworth apologi z e s fi nely in 2 5 8 — 2 2 ca u se : of

. .
home an d fath e rlan d 2 3 fe a rfu l : full of fe ar lest it d o wro n g

. .
2 62 3 p e n : us e d with refe r e nc e t o writers an d stu d ents in general .
8 m ann e rs go o d habits that m ak e characte r .
2 6 3 4 [ Thi s b a tt l e was fo ught D e c e m b e r 3 1 80 0 b e twe e n the A us , ,
t rian s un d e r A rch d u k e John an d the Fr e n c h un d e r M or e au in a for e st

n e a r M unich ] { oh e n L i n d e n m e ans H zgh L zn ze t re e r ] — 2 5 d u n : d ark
,
’
. . .
264 3 M u n ich : the B av a rian c apit al .
2 65 6 w on de r w ai t in g w aiting in won d e r to h e ar t h e story

-
15 B l e n .
he im : a vill ag e on t h e D anub e n e ar the N e b e l ( r e fe rr e d to in t h e n e xt

,
lin e ) wh e re on A ugust 1 3 1 7 0 4 t h e D u k e of M arlbor ough a n d Prince

, , ,
Eug e n e of Savoy c o m man d ing t h e alli e s ( Englan d Hollan d a n d t h e

, , ,
Em pir e ) d e fe a te d t h e Fr e nch in one of t h e m ost famous o f battl e s

,
16 hard b y : near that l ittle stream — 2 3 chil din g : wi th chil d

.
. .
26 6 2 Prince Eugene ( 1 663 —

our : 1 7 3 6) was a Frenchman who through ,
in d ignation at his treatment by Fran ce entere d the A ustrian servic e

H e was a very able sol d ier an d statesman —13 The title is from
, .
H orace s O d e s B oo k I I I o d e ii 1 3 an d is the conclusion of the line

’
, , , , ,
which translate d means I t is sweet an d glorious to d ie for the father

l an d . 17 m y : These lines a dd resse d to I relan d are put in the mouth
, ,
of Robert Emmet ( 1 7 7 8 who was execute d for his share in t h e

I rish uprising of 1 803 .
2 6 7 1 [ A fter the c apture of M ad ri d by N apoleon Sir J ohn M oore ,
r e treate d before Soult an d N e y to Corunn a an d was k ill e d whilst ,
covering the embar k ation of his troops] J anuary 1 6 1 8 09 , ,
2 6 8 5 Ca rdig an : in Wale s — 2 9 B ut oh t h e h e avy chan g e : a re m in is

.
cence of Lyci d as ”
.
2 7 1 1 de e d s : the obj e ct of re t u rn i n g which participle is construe d

with h e a rt s u n ki n d —2 s til l : ever —
,
14 fri e n d : the po e t Charl e s .

,
Lloy d ( Fowler) .
2 7 4 16 t ha t it wa s g ray : a clause g iving the reason for s m il e d

17 prodi g al s : Y outh an d the season of sp rin g —18 m i s e r s : A ge an d
.
’ ’
the seaso n of winter .
2 7 5 1 3 in fe a t h e rs : with flight li k e that of bird s .
2 7 7 13 Th e sa g e : I t is not clear what special sage if an y S h e l l e y ha d

'
in m in dL—2 7 Compare the manner of Shell e y s d eath A fi fth stan za

, ,
’
.
has been omitt e d from the poem as it was originally wri tten in D ec e m
ber 1 8 1 8 Note that if each of t h e fi rst eight lines had an add itional
, .
foot this poem woul d be in Sp e nserian stan z as

, .
2 7 8 24 [ The M ermai d was the clubhouse of Shak espeare B e n Jonson ,
—
,
”
n d other choice spirits of that ag e ] 30 R ob i n Hood : See Iv anho e
. .
2 7 9 2 b ows e : boo e d r n k heavily

z i ,
— 1 Z
2 od ia c :
“
A n imaginary b e lt
.
n c irc l in
g the heavens within which are the larger planets I t is .
d ivi d e d into tw elve parts calle d signs of the Zo d iac which form e rly
, ,
correspon d e d to tw e lve constellations b e aring the same name ( The ”
Stu d ents Stan d ard D ictionary ) See some almanac A re the poets in
’
. .
the Zo d iac or is the M ermai d th e re as a new constellation or are b o th

, , ,
there 17 [ Scott has given us nothing m ore compl e te an d lov e ly than

this little song] from The Heart of M i d lothian Ch apter X L [which ”
,
unites simplicity an d d ram atic power to a w il d woo d m usic of the rar e st -
quality N o moral is d rawn far l e ss any conscious analysis of feeling

.
,
att e mpte d ; the pathetic meaning i s l e ft to be sugge st e d by the m e re

pre sentment of the si t u ation A narrow criticism has often name d this
.
,
which may be calle d the Homeri c manner sup e r fi cial from its appar e nt , ,
simple facility ; but fi rst rate e xcellence in it is in truth one of the leas t
-
common triumphs of poetry This style shoul d be compare d with what

.
is not less p e rfe ct in its way the searching out of inner fe e ling the
, ,
expression of hi dd en meanings the rev e lation of the heart of nature ,

2 99 2 1 m e a s u re s musical strains : .
3 00 18 pa ram ou rs : lov e rs .
3 01 9 [ This poem h a s a n e xaltation an d a glory j oin e d with an e x ,
q u i s it e n e s s of expression which place it in the highest ran k among the

,
m any m asterpiec e s of its illust rious author ] .
3 02 14 Le t h e ward s : towar d the river of forgetfulnes s — 1 7 Dry ad

-
see a cl assic a l d ictionary — 23 F l ora : the Rom an go dd ess of fl ow e r s

.
—24 P rove n cal s on g : the poetry of the troubad ours of Provence in t h e

.
south of France - 26 Hippocr e n e : the spring of the M uses on M t H e li

. .
con . 2 7 w i n ki n g : har d to ren d er in prose ; spar k ling gl e e fully perh aps , .
3 03 12 pa rd s : tigers o r lynxes that d rew the wine go d s chariot

’
.
3 1 Da rkl in g : hi dd e n in the d ark .
304 10 cl ow n : rustic .
305 17 d e b on air : P e rhaps this means h e re charming rath e r than e l e

gant — 2 0 P h il om e l : the nightingale 25 This sonnet is probably d u e
. .
mor e or less to Shelley s own inv e ntion ’

.
3 06 11 N e idpa t h Ca st l e : s e e above poems 2 40 an d 2 4 1 , .
308 2 6 p e e rs : those of e q ual station .
3 1 1 2 8 Ch e ap s ide : for these streets see B ae d e k er s Lon d on ’

.
3 12 7 Ari e l t o M iran da : see Sha k espear e s The Tempest ’

.
3 0 [ in t e rl u n ar swoon : interval of the m oon s invisibility ]

’
.
3 1 5 17 18 These lines were supplie d to the poet by his wife

3 1 6 1 da ppl e d : spotte d varieg ate d with the d aisie s — 9 port : bear
.
,
, ,
ing — 17 Cy cl op s : see a classic al d iction a ry a n d the O d yssey

3 1 8 1 b arred cl ou d s : that suggest bars ( probably ) —
. .
1 b l oom : r e fl e ct .
the rosy glow of or give a glowing q uality to — 4 riv e r sal l ows will ows
,
.
by the river 6 h il l y b ou rn : boun d ary of hills —8 g a rde n croft : in

- .
closure th at serves as a gar d e n — 10 fi e ry m an t l e d : cover e d with fi re

.
-
,
as the chee k with blush e s — 20 [ Ca l pe : G ibraltar ] — 2 2 b ux om b row n .

-
brown with health — 2 3 Que e n of vi n ta g e : autumn I n this st an z a .
C ampbell is apparently affecte d by the style of Collins .
3 1 9 1 [Lofod e n z the maelstrom whirlpool o ff the northwest co ast of

”—
N orway ] See Poe s The D escent of the M aelstrom
’
. 3 R u n ic Od in .
t h e chief go d of the north e rn mytholo g y celebrate d in runic poetry , .
1 1 Of pow e r : which ( the shaft ) has the power — 34 t e n t e d : This o d e .
was wri tten when war w as wi d espre ad .
3 2 0 1 1 [ This lov e ly poem refers here an d there to a ballad by Hamil

ton o u the subj e ct bett e r tre ate d in 1 63 an d
,
— 16 M a rrow : mate ,
c omp anion his siste r D orothy W ord sw orth — 18 B ra e s : slopes

-
the mead ows along the riv e r Le ad e r —29 Dry b u rgh

.
, ,
2 7 Le a d e r Hau g h s .
the seat of the abbey — 3O l in twh it e s : linnets

3 2 1 1 Tiv iot d al e : also Teviot —1 3 h ol m s : alluvial fi e l d s — 17 strat h
. .
- . .
vall e y
32 3 5 —
.
12 Compare above poems 1 63 an d 1 64 ,

.
N OTE S 439
3 25 1 This poem is not given in its c omplete form —3 4 N ote the ,

”—
.
in fl uence of M ilton s L A l l e g ro ’
9 h al cy on : c alm
’
S e e a classical . .
d ictionary un d e r A l c yon e
“ ”
3 26 3 d u n : d ark —
.
8 n e ve r s e t s : blooms at al l s e ason s — 2 1 t hou

.
Sh e lley s fri e n d M rs J ane William s

’
, . .
3 2 7 2 7 W i t h : Fowler notes that Palgrave follows W M Rossetti s

’
. .
e d ition other e d itions r e a d ing by

,
.
3 2 9 18 Ab rah am s b os om : s e e Lu k e xvi
’
,
M
3 3 1 15 See above poe m 5 8 , .
3 3 2 5 s e n t in e l s t ars Lovelace ha d alread y employe d this phrase

3 33 6 cops e : thi c k e t —9 pi e d : varie gat e d — 10 [ Arct u ri z s e e m ingly
.
us e d for n orth e rn s ta rs ] — 10 11 Co m pare p 3 2 6 l 8 — 13 t al l fl ow e r , , .
Wh at fl ower d i d Shell e y m ean ? — 2 1 [An d wil d ros e s : O u r language

. . .
has p e rhaps no lin e mo d ulate d with more subtle sweetn e ss ] —2 6 pra n k d .

_
’
ad orn e d d e c k e d
, .
3 3 4 9 Ke p t : t h e subj ect is ch il d re n the obj ects are h u e s an d a rray

Woul d a comma after a rray hel p the awkward pass age ? — 13 [ Cole
.
ri d ge d e scrib e s this po e m as the fragment of a d ream vision perhaps

an opium d re arn P— which compose d its e lf in his m in d wh e n fallen
,
asleep after r e ad ing a fe w lines about the K han Ku b l a in Purchas s ” ’
Ku b l a K han foun d er of the M ongol D ynasty an d buil d e r

,
of Pe k ing live d in the thirteenth century of this era — 2 5 cov e r : woo d

13 m e a s u r e : music —17 d u l cim e r : a
,
33 5 1 vau l t e d : l e ap e d u p —
. .
. .
stringe d instrument play e d with two padd e d hammers — 2 1 M ou n t Ab ora .
in A byssinia .
3 3 6 19 2 0 The rim e s suggest the remar k that e d itors who are elo
,
qu e ntly censorious with re gard to t h e faulty rimes of Byron an d Cam pbe ll

accept thos e of K eats an d Sh e lley with a gaping gratitu d e of silence
3 3 7 2 i n g l e : fi re p l ac e — 7 s hoon : ol d plural of shoe s
.
3 3 8 1 S ha d e d that has grown up in the shad e ( probably ) — 3 1 [ C e re s ’
da u gh t e r : Proserpine ] —
.
32 [ God of Torm e n t : Pluto ] — 35 He b e : s e e

. .
a cl assical d i c tionary .
3 3 9 2 k i rt l e : a g arm e nt with a s k irt — 7 The comp arison of this

poem with L A l l e g ro is i nevitable D e spite the wealth of b e auty
" ’ "
.
lavishe d by the ro m antic poet the stu d e nt will d o well to note t h e ,
s uperiority o f the more restrain e d poet who is the supr e m e English ,
re pr e sentative of classical art .
3 40 5 This poem shows N atur e s in fl u e nce in the formation of an evil

’
c har acter as poem 2 2 2 shows h e r power to train a noble so u l

, .
26 Ch e rok e e s : The stu d e nt nee d not be surprise d that althou g h he w as ,
a n English m an W ord sworth s e l e cte d t h e na m e of a tri b e of In d i ans

,
who w e re r e ally foun d in the southern stat e s H e had read such boo k s .
as William B artram s Trav e ls an d had c aught from them so m e

“ ” ’
,
notions of the b e auty of s e mitro p ic al nature .

440 THE G O LD E N TREAS URY
3 4 1 20—
22 Compare Othello s wooing of D es d emona
’
.
34 2 7 savan n ah s : mea d ows ( Spanish ) . Compare the name of th e

G eorgia city
forest —2 0 2 7 D o these lines represent the prosaic
.
343 2 s y l van : -
Word sworth —2 7 We st I s Word sworth s geography becoming hazy ?

.
34 6 4—
6 These lines seem labore d when compare d with the following
more appropri ate close of the stanz a
An d th e re s h e _s an g tu m u ltu ou s s on g s ,
By re c o l l e c t io n o f he r wro n g s
T o fe arfu l p ass io n ro u s e d .
11 r : This once rea d w i l d — 17 it l ik e d h e r : note the archaic

cl e a
touch —2 2 Ton e : a small river in Somersetshire near the Q uantoc k

.
,
Hills ( see p 3 4 7 l . 25 e n g in e s : W ord sworth seems to assume

, .
-
that Ruth ha d as philosophic an insight into the e ffects of free nature

as ha d the thoughtful but in this c ase rather fantastic poet .
3 48 1 [ The lead ing i d ea of this beautiful d escription of a d ay s lan d ’
scape in I taly appears to be : On the voyage of life are many moments

of pleasure given by the sight of nature who has power to h e al ev e n
, ,
the worl d liness an d the uncharity of man ] The poem has been short
ene d — 14 dran k : strictly the preterite for m — 3 1 E u ga n e an : hills b e
.
tween Pad ua an d V erona — 3 2 pa an choral song add ress e d to A pollo

.
. .
”
3 4 9 8 g ra in : d y e or color See above I l P e nseroso p 1 2 9 l 17
—25 [Am ph itrit e : d aughter to Ocean ] —33 A s : as if
,
.
, .
, . .
. .
3 5 0 13 wa t e ry b i e r : a phrase use d by M ilton in Lyci d as p 7 3 l 2 8

”
—16 sl ave of s l ave s : N apoleon —a moral rather than historic al j ud g

.
.
, , .
ment —33 m a s k : d ance

,
3 5 1 5 ai r di ssol ved : d issolve d into air whatever that phenomeno n

-
may b e —
,
.8 profou n d : d epth — 18 d u n : d ark —22 ol iv e s an dal d : The. .

- ’
r e ference is to the olive trees lining the foot of the mountains .
3 5 3 7 int e rv al obj ect of s upp l i e s two lines below 1 5 it the heal , .
ing parad ise of p 3 5 2 1 3 6 A re th ey the Spirits of p 3 5 2 1 3 4

” “
.
, . . .
, .
,
or the polluting multitu d e of p 3 53 l 1 .

, .
3 5 4 7 [M am a d : a frenz ie d n ymph atten d ant on D ionysus in the ,
G ree k mythology M ay we not call this the most vivi d sustaine d an d

.
, ,
impassione d amongst all Shelley s magical p e rs on ifi c at io n s of nature ’
-
18 B aiaa s b ay : a resort of t h e Romans at the west e rn en d of t h e
’
B ay of N aples — 2 5 [ Pl a nts un d er water sym pathi z e with the s e asons

.
of the lan d an d hence with the win d s which affect them ]

, .
3 5 5 22 [ Written soon after the d e ath by shipwr e c k of Wordsworth s

’
,
brother John ] see p 3 5 6 l 2 8 [ This poem may be pro fi tably compare d

.
, . .
with Shell e y s following it Each is th e most complete expression o f

’
.
the innermost spirit of his art given by t h e se great p 0 ets — o f that ,
I d ea which as i n t h e c a s e of t h e true painter ( to q uote the word s o f

,
3 7 0 18 The fun d amental i d e a of this great o d e — alr e a dy e xpress e d

in V aughan s b e autiful poem ( see above p 8 4 ) —is Platonic W ord s
’
, . .
worth hel d it true only in a poetic sense .
3 7 1 12 t ab or : a small d rum — 3 1 coron al : wre a th D o you li k e the

. .
cad ence of this line

3 7 3 9 t h e Ch il d : Hart ley Coleri d ge There a re lin e s in this stan za
.
which to some re a d e rs come near to being d og ger e l D e spite the .
truth to nature of the d escription the po e t s style see m s to d rop d is

,
’
t re s s in g l y far b e low the spl e n d i d level maintain e d in t h e stan zas tha t

prece d e an d follow Lines 1 2 1 3 are unamenable to this criticis m ; but
.
, ,
in contrast see 11 30 3 1
.
, .
3 7 5 14— 20 A splen d i d illustration of W or d sworth s imagination a t i ts

3
height ,
— the power of seeing an d ma k ing others see the light th at
“
nev e r was on sea or lan d ”

.
3 76 4 — 20 These lines are both nobly calm an d pi e rcingly path e tic .
W hich seems in excess the calm or the pathos — 2 1 This snatch o f

,
suggestive m e lo d y form s a lov e ly e pilogue to t h e m ost bea u tiful vol u m e

of lyric poet ry in the English languag e C omi n g as it d o e s a ft e r th e
.
d eep harmony of W ord sworth s conclud ing stanza it helps us to c orn

’
,
prehen d the range of our lyric verse .

I N D EX OF WR I T E RS
AND
I N DEX O F F I RST L I N E S
AG E
—8
P
BY R O N G EO R G E N O E L G O R D O N
, ( 1 7 88 1 2 4)
A ll for Love
There be none o f B eauty s d aughters ’
She wal k s in beauty li k e the night ,
W h e n we t wo parte d
Elegy on Thy rza
On the Ca s tle of Chillo n
Y o u th an d A ge
Ele g y
C A M P B E LL T H O M A S ( 1 7 7 7 1 8 4 4 )
,
-
Lord U llin s D aughter ’
To the Evening Sta r

Earl M arch l o o k d on his d ying c hi l d
’
Ye M ariners of Englan d
B attle of the B altic
Hoh e nlin d en
The B eech Tree s Petition ’
O d e to W inter
Song to the Evening Star
The S ol d ier s D rea m ’
The River of Life

C A M P I O N T H O M A S ( c 1 5 67 —1 6 1 9)
, .
B asia
Advice to a G irl
I n Imagine P e rt ran s it H omo
Sleep angry beauty sleep
, ,
A Renunciation
O C ru d e l is A mor
'
Sic Transit
The man of life upright
A Hymn in Praise of N eptune
Cherry Ripe -
Fortunati N im iu m
C A R Ew T H O M A S ( 1 5 9 8 —
, I 63S)
The True B eauty

C A R EY H EN R Y
, 1 7 43 )
Sally in our A lley

C IBB E R CO LL EY ( 1 67 1 —1 7 5 7 )
,
The B lin d B oy
I N DEX OF W RITE RS 44 7
P AG E
C O L E RI D G E H A RT L EY ( 1 7 9 6 —1 8 49 )
,
She is not fair to outward vi e w

C O L E RI D G E S A M U E L T AY L O R ( 1 7 7 2 —1 8 3 4 )
,
Love ( G enevieve )
Ku b l a K han
Y outh an d A ge
C O LLI N S J O H N
,
—1 808 )
To morrow
-
C O LLI N S W ILLI AM ( 1 7 2 1 1 7 5 9 )
,
-
O de to Simplicity
O de written in 1 7 4 6
The Passions
O de to Evening
C O WL EY AB R A H AM ( 1 6 1 8 1 667 )
,
-
A Supplication
On the D eath of M r . W
il liam H ervey
C O W PE R W ILLI AM ( 1 7 3 1 —1 8 00 )
,
Loss of the Royal G eorge

To a Y oung Lad y
The Poplar Fiel d
The Shrubbery
The Solitu d e of A lexan d er Sel k irk
To M ary U nwin
To the Sam e
The Castaway
C R A S H A W R I C H A R D ( 1 6 1 3 —1 649 )
,
W ishes for the Suppos e d M istress

C U N N I N G H A M ALL A N ( 1 7 8 4 —
,
1 84 2 )
A wet sh e et an d a fl owing sea

D A N I EL S AM U EL ( 1 5 62 —
,
1 6 19 )
Care charm e r Sl e ep
-
D EKK E R T H O M A S ( 1 5 7 0 —1 64 1
,
The Happy Heart

D EVE RE U x R O B E R T ( Earl of Ess e x ) ( 1 5 66 —
,
1 60 1 )
A W ish
D O N N E J O H N ( 1 5 7 3 1 63 1 )
,
-
Pr e s e nt in Abs e nc e
4 48 THE G O LD E N T REAS U RY
P AG E
D R AY TO N MI C H A E L , ( 1 5 63
-
1 63 1 )
Love s Farewell ’
D R U M M O N D W ILLI A M ( 1 5 8 5 — , 1 64 9 )
Summons to Love
A Lament
To his Lute
This Life which s e e m s s o fair ,
The Lessons of N ature

D oth then the worl d go thus ?
Saint J ohn Baptist
D RYD EN J O H N ( 1 63 1 —1 7 00 )
,
Song for St Cecilia s D ay 1 68 7 .

’
,
A lexan d er s Feast ’
E LLI O T J A N E ( 1 7 2 7 1 8 0 5 )
,
-
The Flowers of the Forest ( Flo dd en )

F L ET C H E R J O H N ( 1 5 7 9 — 1 62 5 )
,
M elancholy
G A Y J O H N ( 1 68 5 —
, I 73 2 )
B lac k Eye d Susan -
G O L D S M IT H O LI V E R ( 1 7 2 8 1 7 7 4 )
,
-
When lovely woman stoops to folly

GR A H A M RO B E RT ( 1 7 3 5 1 7 9 7 )
,
-
I f d oughty d ee d s my la d y please
GR A Y T H O M A S ( 1 7 1 6 —1 7 7 1 )
,
O d e on the Pleasure arising from V icissitu d e

On a Favorite Cat
The B ard
The Progress of Poe s y
O d e on the Spring
Eleg y written in a Country Churchyar d
O d e on a D ista nt Prospect of Eton Colleg e
Hymn to Ad versity
GR EEN E RO B E RT ( 1 5 5 8 —1 5 9 2 )
,
S e p h e st ia s Song to her Chil d

’
H A B I N GT O N W ILLI A M ( 1 60 5 — , 1 654)
Nox Nocti I n d icat S c ie n t iam

HE RB E RT G EO R G E , ( 1 —
5 9 3 63 3 ) 1
The G ifts of Go d
P AG E
L AM B M A R Y ( 1 7 64 —
, 1 84 7 )
I n M emoriam
LI N DSAY A N N E ( 1 7 50 1 8 2 5 )
,
-
A ul d Robin G ray
LO D G E T H O M A S ( 1 5 5 8 —
, 1 62 5
)
Rosaline
Rosalyn d s M a d rigal ’
L O G A N J O H N ( 1 7 4 8 —1 7 8 8 )
,
The B raes of Y arrow

L O V EL A C E R I C H A R D ( 1 6 1 8 —1 6 5 8 )
,
To Lu c as ta on going to the Wa rs ,
To A lthea from Prison

To Lu c as t a going beyon d the Seas ,
LY L Y J O H N ( 1 5 5 3 —1 606)
,
Cupi d an d Campaspe
L YT E H EN R Y F R A N C I S ( 1 7 9 3 1 8 4 7 )
,
-
A Lost Love
A gnes
M A RLO W E C H RI ST O P H E R ( 1 5 64 —
, 1 5 93 )
The Passionate Shepher d to his Love

M A RV ELL A N D R E W ( 6 1 —1 67 8 )
, 1 2
Horatian O d e upon Cromwell s Return fr ’

om I relan d
The Picture of Little T C . .
The G irl d escribes her Fawn

Thoughts in a G ard e n
Song of the Emigrants in B ermu d a
MI C K LE W ILLI A M J U LI U S
, ( 1 73 5 —1 7 88 )
The Sailor s Wif e ’
MILT O N J O H N ( 6 8 —1 67 4 )
, 1 0
O d e on the M orning of Christ s N ativity ’
On the late M assacre in Pie d m ont

Lyci d as
W hen the A ssault was inten d e d to the City
On his B lin d ness
To M r L wrence . a
To C y i k S k inner r ac
To t h La dy M argaret L y e e
I N D E X O F WR I TE RS 45 1
P AG E
MILT O N J O H N , (Con ti n u e d )
L A l l e g ro
’
Il Penseroso
A t a Sol e mn M usic
M O O R E TH O M A S
, ( 1 7 79 —1 8 5 2 )
Echoes
A t the mi d hour of night
Pro Patria M ori
The J ourney onward s
The Light of other D ays
M U N DAY A N T H O N Y, ( 1 5 53 —1 633 )
Colin
NA IR N E C A R O LI N A O LI PH A N T
, , BA RO N ES S ( 1 7 66 —1 8 4 5 )
Th Lan d the Leal ’
e 0
N ASH , TH O M A S ( 1 5 67 -
1 60 0
Spring
NO RRI S J O H N
, ( 1 65 7 —1 7 1 1 )
H ymn to D ark ness
P H ILI P S E ,1 A M B R O S ( 67 5 —1 7 49 )
To Charlotte Pulteney
P O P E AL EX A N D E R ( 1 688 —1 7 44 )
,
Solitu d e
P RI O R , M A TT H EW ( 1 664 —1 7 2 1 )
Th e m e rchant , to s e cure his treasure
Q UA RL ES F R A N C I S ( 5 9 —644 )
, 1 9
. 1
A Mystical Ecstasy
RO G E R S S AM U E L ( 1 7 63 —1 8 5 5 )
,
The Sl e eping B e auty

A Wish
S C O TT WA LT E R ( 1 7 7 1 —
, 1832 )
Th e Outlaw
Joc k of H aze l d ean
A Serenad e
Where S hall the l over rest ?
Th e Rover
T h e M ai d of N e id p a th
P AG E
S C O TT W A LT E R (Con ti n u e d )
,
G athering Song of D onal d the Blac k

The Pri d e of Y outh
Coronach
Rosabelle
Hunting Song
B atur H ora Q uieti
S E D L EY C H A RL ES ( 1 63 9 —1 7 0 1 )
,
Chil d an d M ai d en
N o t Celia that I j uster am
, ,
S H AK E S P E A R E W ILLI AM ( 1 5 64 —1 6 1 6)
,
The Fairy Life 1 ,
The Fairy Life 2 ,
Sonn e t s
Time an d Love 1 ,
Time a n d Love 2 ,
A M ad rigal
U n d er the greenwoo d tree
I t was a lover an d his lass
Sonnets
A bsence
A bsence
A Consolation
The U n changeable
To his Love
To his Love
Love s P e rj uries
’
Sonnet
True Love
Carpe D iem
W inter
Sonnets
That ti m e of year
M emory
Revolutions
Farew e ll !
The Life wi thout Passion
Fru s tra — Tak e 0 tak e those lips away
,
Sonn e t B lin d Love

45 4 T HE GO L D E N T REAS U RY
AG E
S I D N EY P H ILI P ( 1 5 5 4 —
P
, 1 5 8 6)
V ia A m o ris
A D itty
Sleep
The N ightingale
The M oo n
S MA RT C H RI ST O P H E R ( 1 7 2 2 —
, 177 1)
T h e Song of D avi d
S O U T H E Y RO B E RT ( 1 7 7 4 —1 8 4 3)
,
A fter B lenheim
The Scholar
S P EN S E R E DM U N D ( 1 5 5 2 —1 5 99 )
,
Prothalamion
S U C K LI N G J O H N ( 1 609 —
, 1 64 2 )
Encouragements to a Lover
S Y L V EST E R J O S H U A ( 1 5 63 —I 6 1 8 )
,
Love s O m nipresence
’
T H O M SO N , _ J A M ES ( 1 7 00 —1 7 48 )
Rule B ritannia
Forever Fortune wilt thou prove, ,
V A U G H A N H EN R Y ( 1 62 2 1 69 5 )
,
-
The Retreat
F rien d s in Para d ise
A V ision
VERS T E GA N R I C H A R D ( c 1 63 5 )
, .
U pon my lap my sovereign S i ts

WA LL E R E DM U N D ( 1 60 6 —
,
1 68 7 )
G o lovely Rose
,
O n a G ird le
W E B S TE R J O H N ( 1 5 8 0 —
,
I 62 5 )
A Lan d D irge
W IL M O T J O H N ( 1 64 7 1 68 0 )
,
-
Consta ncy
W I T H E R G EO R G E ( 1 5 88 —
, 1 6 67 )
The M anly H eart

W O L F E C H A RL ES ( 1 7 9 1 1 8 2 3 )
,
-
The B urial of Sir J ohn M oo re

T o M ary
I N D E X O F W RITE RS 45 5
PA GE
WO R D S W O R T H W ILLI AM ( 1 7 7 0 —1 8 5 0 )
,
She was a Phantom of d elight

She dwelt among the untro dd en ways
I t rav e l d among un k nown men
’
The Ed ucation of N ature

A slumber d i d m y spirit seal
Lucy G ray
To a D istant Frien d
D e si d eria
O d e to D uty
Englan d an d Switz e rl a n d 1 8 0 2
,
On t h e Extinction of the V enetian Republic

Lon don 1 8 0 2
,
Lon d on 1 80 2
,
When I have borne in memory

Simon Le e
A Le sson
The A fll ic t io n of M argaret
To t he S k ylark
The G reen Linnet
To the Cuck oo
U pon W e stminster B ri dge
Compose d at N ei d path Castle
Admonition t o a Traveler
To the Highlan d G irl of I n v e rs n e y d e
The Reaper
The Reverie of Poor Susan
The D affo d ils
To the D aisy
Y arrow U nvisite d 1 8 0 3 ,
Y arrow V isite d 1 8 1 4,
By the Sea
To Sleep
The I nner V ision
W ritten in Early Spring
Ruth or the I n fl u e nces of N ature
,
N ature an d the Poet

G len A l m ain t h e N arrow G len
-
,
The Worl d is too much with us

Within K ing s College Chapel Cambri dge
’
,
P AG E
WO R D S W O R TH W ILLI A M (Con ti n u e d )
,
The Two A pril M ornings

The Founta in
The T rosa c h s
M y heart leaps up
O d e on Intimations of Immortality
WO TT O N H EN R Y ( 1 5 68 —1 639 )
,
Character of a H appy Life

Eliz abeth of B oh e mia
WYA T TH O M A S ( 1 5 03 —1 5 4 2 )
,
A Supplication
The Lover s A ppeal ’
A N O N YM O U S .
Omnia V incit
A Picture
A Song for M usic
I n La c rim a s
Love s I nsight
’
A n H onest A utolycus
The U nfaithful Sheph e rd ess
Advice to a Lover
A Sweet Lullaby
A D il e mma
The G reat Ad venturer
Love in thy youth fair M ai d
,
M y Love in her attire

Love not me for comely grace
Forsa k en
Fair Helen
The Twa Corbies
W illie d rowne d in Y arrow
Absence
B eing your slave what shoul d I d o but ten d

,
B eneath these fruit tree boughs that S h e d -
B est an d brightest come away ,
B id me to live an d I will live

,
B lest pair of Sirens ple d ges of Heaven s j

’
,oy
B low blow thou winter win d

, ,
B right Sta r ! w o ul d I were stea d fast as th ou art
Call for the robin re d breast an d the wren

-
Calm was the d ay an d through the trembling air

,
Captain or Colonel or K night in A rms

, ,
Care charm e r Sleep son of the sable N ight

-
,
Come C heerful d ay part of my lif e to me

, ,
Come Sleep 0 Sle e p ! the certain k not of pe a c e

,
Come away come away D eath

, ,
Come littl e babe come silly soul ,
Come live with me an d be my Love

.
Come unto these yellow san d s

Crabbe d A ge an d Y outh
Cupi d an d m y Campasp e p l ay d ’
C y ria c k whose gran d sire on the royal bench

, ,
D aughter of J ove relentless power ,
D aughter to that goo d Earl once Presi d ent ,
D egenerate D ouglas ! oh the unworthy l rd , o
D oth then the worl d go thus d oth all thus move ,
D own in yon gard en sweet an d gay

D rin k to m only with thine eyes
e
D uncan G ray cam here to woo

Earl M arch l k d on his dying chil d
oo
’
Eart h has not anything to show more fai r

E en li k e two little ban k d ivi d ing broo k s
’
-
Eternal Spirit of the chainless M in d

Ethereal minstrel ! pilgrim of the s k y
Ever let the Fancy roam
Fain woul d I change that note
F ai r D affo d ils we weep to see
,
Fair ple d ges of a fru itful tree

Farewell ! thou art too d ear for my possessing
I N D E X O F FI RST LI N E S 459
P AG E
Fear no m ore the heat 0 the sun ’
Fine k nac k s for la d ies c heap choice brav e , , , , new
Follow thy fair sun unhappy shad ow ,
F or e v e r Fortun e wilt thou prove

, ,
Forget not yet the trie d intent

Four Se a s ons fi ll the measure of the year
From Harm ony from heav e nly Harm ony
,
From Stirling Castle we ha d seen

Full fathom fi ve thy father li e s
G ather ye rosebud whil ye may s e
G em of the cri m son l d Even -

c o or
’
Ge t up get u p for sham e ! The bl o o m i n g

, , m orn
G o lovely Ros e
,
G 0 fetch to m e a pint 0 wine

’
H ail thou m ost sacre d venerable thing

Hail to th ee blithe Spirit
,
Happy the man whose wish an d care

,
Happy those early d ays when I ,
Happy w e re he coul d fi nish forth his fate

H e is gone on the mounta in
He sang of G o d the mighty source
,
H e that loves a rosy chee k

H ence all you vain d e lights
,
Hence loathed M elan c holy

,
Hence vain d elu d ing J oys

,
Highway since you m y chief Parnassus be

,
How happy is he born an d taught

H ow li k e a winter h ath m y absen c e be e n
H ow S leep the brave who sin k to re st ,
H ow sweet the answer Echo m ak e s

H ow vainly m e n the m selves amaz e
am monarch of all I surv ey

arise fro m d reams of Th e e
cannot chan ge as oth e rs d o ,
d re a m d that as I w a n d e r d by the w a y
’ ’
fear thy k isses gentle mai d en

,
have had playmates I have had compani o ns ,

TH E G O L D E N T RE A S U RY
I have no name
I hear d a thousan d blen d e d notes
I m wearing awa J e an
’ ’
,
I meet thy pensive m oonlight fa ce ,
I met a traveler fro m an anti qu e l a n d

I remember I rememb e r ,
I saw Eternity the other night

I saw her in chil d hoo d
I saw my La d y we e p
I s aw where in the shrou d d i d lur k
I t rav e l d a m ong un k nown men
’
I v e heard the m lilting at our e we mil k in g

’
-
I wa n d e r d l o nely as a clou d
’
I was thy neighbor once thou rugge d Pile ,
I wi s h I were where Helen lies

I f aught of oaten stop or pastoral song
I f d oughty d ee d s my la d y please
I f I ha d thought thou coul d st hav e d ie d
I f Thou survive my well contente d d ay -
I f to be ab s ent were to be
I n a d rear nighte d D ec e m ber
-
I n the d o wnhill of life when I fi n d I m d e c li n in g

’
,
I n the sweet shire of Card i g an

I n this still place remote from m e n
,
I n X ana d u d i d Ku b l a K han
I t is a beauteous evening cal m an d fr e e ,
I t is not growing li k e a tree

It was a d is m al an d a fea rful ni g ht
I t was a l ov e r an d his las s
I t wa s a s u m m e r evening
J ac k an d J oan th y thin k no ill
, e
J ohn A n d erson m y j J ohn o,
Lad y when I behol d the roses sprouting

,
Lawrence of virtuous fath e r virtuous s o n

,
Let me not to the m arriag e of true m in d s

Life ! I k now not what thou art
Li k e as t h e waves mak e towar d s the pebble d sh o re
Li k e to the cl e ar in high e st sphe re
4 62 THE G O L D E N T REAS U RY
O m y Lu v e li k e a re d re d rose
’
s ,
0 never s ay t h at I w as false of heart

,
0 s aw ye bonnie Lesley
0 say what is that thing c a l l d Light ’
O ta l k not to me of a n ame g reat in story

0 Thou by N ature taught
,
O waly waly u p the ban k

0 what can a il the e k night at arms ,
- -
0 wil d W est Win d thou breath of A utu m n s being

’
,
0 Worl d ! 0 Life ! 0 Time

Obscurest night involve d the s k y
Of al l the girls that are so smart
Of a the ai rts the win d can blaw
’
Of N elson an d the N ort h

Of N eptune s empire let us sing
’
Of this fair volume which we W orl d d o nam e

Oft I had heard of Lucy G ray
Oft in the stilly night
Oh s n at c h d away in beauty s bloo m
’ ’
On a d ay,alac k the d ay
On a Poet s lips I slept
’
On Lin d e n when the sun w a s low

,
On c e d i d She hol d the gorgeous East in fee

O n e more U nfortunate
One wor d is too often profane d
Our bugles sang truce for the night clou d had l o w e r d
,
’
Ov e r the mountains
Pac k clou d s away an d w e lco m e d ay
, , ,
Ph oebus arise ,
Pibroch of D o n u il D hu
Poor Soul the center of m y S inful earth
,
Prou d M aisie is in the woo d

Q ueen an d Huntress chaste an d fair ,
Rough W in d that m o an e s t lou d

,
Ruin seiz e thee ruthless K ing ,
Season of mists an d m ellow fruitfulness

See wi th what simplicity
I N D E X O F FI R S T LI N E S 4 63
S hall I wasting in d espair

,
Shall I compare thee to a summer s d ay ’
She dwelt among the untro dd en ways

She is not fair to outwar d view
She wal k s in b e auty li k e t h e n i ght ,
She was a Phantom of d elight

Since brass nor ston e nor earth nor boun d less sea
, , ,
Since there s no help c ome l e t us k iss an d part

’
,
Sleep angry b eauty sleep an d fe ar n o t me

, ,
Sle e p sleep beauty bright

, ,
Sleep on an d d r e am of Heav e n awhile

,
Souls of Poets d ead an d gone

Spring the sweet Spring is the year s pl e asant king
, ,
’
Star that bringest home the bee

Stern D aughter of the V oice of G o d
Surprise d by j oy i m patient as the win d
Sweet be no t prou d of those two eyes
,
Swe et Highlan d G irl a very shower ,
Sweet Love if thou wilt gain a monarch s glory

,
’
Sweet stream that win d s through yon d er gla d e

,
Swiftly wal k over the western wave

Ta k e 0 tak e those lips away
,
Tax not the royal Saint with vain expense

Tell me not Sweet I am un k in d
, ,
Tell me where is F ancy bre d

That time of year thou m ay st in me behol d ’
That which h e r slen d er waist c o n fi n e d

The curfew tolls the k nell of parting d ay
The forward youth that woul d app e ar
The fountains mingle with the river
The g l o ries of our bl o o d an d S tate
The last an d greatest H eral d of H eaven s K ing ’
The lovely lass o Inverness ’
The m an of life upright

The merchant to secure his tre asure ,
The more we live more brief appear ,
The nightingale as soon as A pril bringeth

,
The p o plars are fe l l d ; farewell to the shad e ’
T h e s e a hath m any th o us a n d s an d s
4 64 THE G O LD E N T RE A S U RY
The sun is warm the s k y is clear ,
The sun upon the la k e is low

The tw entieth year is well nigh pa s t -
The W orl d is too much with us ; late an d soon

There be none of B eauty s d aughters ’
There is a Flower the lesser Celan d ine ,
There is a gard en in her face

There s not a jo y the wo rl d can g ive li k e th at it tak e s
’
Ther e s not a noo k within this solemn P as s

’
There was a time when mea d o w grove an d S trea m , ,
They are all gone into the worl d of light

They that have power to hurt an d wil l d o no n e ,
Th is is the month an d this the h appy m or n ,
This Life which seems so fair ,
Thou art n ot fair for a l l thy re d an d w h it e ,
Thou still u n rav ish d bri d e of q uietne s s ’
Though oth e rs m ay her brow ad ore

Three years she grew in sun an d S how e r
Thy braes were bonny Y arrow strea m ,
Timely bloss om I nfant fair ,
Tir e d with a l l these for re s tfu l d e ath I cry ,
To m e fair F rien d you never can be ol d

, ,
To one who has been long in city pent

Toll fo r the B rave
Turn bac k you wanton fl y e r ,
T was at the royal feast for P e rsia won

’
T was on a lofty vase s si d e

’ ’
Two V o ices are there ; one is of the Sea
U n d er the greenwoo d tre e
U po my lap m y sovereign sit

n s
V r e a bree e m id blossoms straying

e s , z
’
V ictorious men of earth no more ,
W a k en lord s an d la d ies gay

,
We ta l k d with open heart an d tongue

’
,
W e wal k d along while bright an d re d

’
,
We wat c h d her breathing thro the night

’ ’
4 66 TH E GO L D E N T REAS U RY
With little here to d o or see

With sweetest mil k an d sugar fi rst
Y e bank s an d braes an d streams aroun d
Y e ban k s an d braes o bonnie D oon
’
Y e d istant spires ye anti que towers

,
Y e M ariners of Englan d
Y es there is holy pleasure in thine eye
,
Y et once more 0 ye laurels an d once more

, ,
Y ou meaner beauties of the nig ht

TheGoldenTreasury 10448612

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

You might also like

TheGoldenTreasury 10448612

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

TheGoldenTreasury 10448612

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

U n de r the greenwoo d tree

poems speak for themselves a dding only such notes of i nformation

part we have avoide d m sth e tic criticism Where all is so excellent th e ,

reader cannot go wrong if he makes his own choices an d discoveries .

I n prepari ng the notes we have consulte d the available annotations ,

an d wish to acknowledge much serviceable guidance especially from

the elaborate commentary by M r J H Fowler and M r W Bel l

publishe d by the Macmillan Company an d from the e d ition b y M r

H erbert B ates publishe d by Lon g m an s Green an d Co I n the

omission of all metrical an d O f most etymological questions we have ,

wished to make clear to teachers an d stu d ents what seem to us the

whi ch is written to be sung or which sounds as if it might be sung ,

we should have to include under our d eﬁnition the O l d E nglish or

feeling or S ituation Yet this formula di d not represent his notion

of the lyric ; for he ad d s that he excluded n arrative d escriptive , ,

and di d actic poems unless accompan i ed by rapidity of movement

b revi ty and the coloring of human passion The heart of his de ﬁ

essay expresses thought I n his stu d y of The School Of Giorgione ”

s tir emotions rather th an to sta te intellectual i d eas A musician is .

sugar So the painter is annoyed at the common attempt to read

a story into a picture ; to him the picture is a scheme of color and

the ear But the average man looks for an idea

shall say something that can be translate d into wor d s .

tones give us a luxurious sadness although we have no reason to be ,

to waltzing an d the drums and ﬁ fe s of the military band make us

feel like marching These different emotions we notice can be in d i

c at e d only by mentioning the ins truments that stimulate them ; if the

reader has experience d the emotions he will understand the reference , ,

otherwise it will mean nothin g to him So the lyric nearest of all .

literary types to music says to us many delicious things

The chief language so to speak which the lyric employs in ad d i

tion to actual words is rhythm Whether the beat of the l ines is .

strong or weak grave or merry ; whether the measure beﬁts a song

or a dance tune or a military march we feel all this before we even ,

attend to the intellectual message of the verse The rhythm the .

Poems with a strongly marke d rhythm like J onson s Hymn to ,

Diana ( p suggest and stimulate a well de ﬁ n e d state of feel

ing wherein the emotion easily dominates as in the lyric it should

Wishes for the Supposed Mistress ( p 8 7 ) indicates at once by its .

less deﬁnite rhythm that its emoti onal energy is relaxed an d u n im p or

are prescribed a read er O f even slight experience d etects di fferences

of rhythmic energy between Shakespeare s Let me not to the mar ’

riag e of true minds

are necessary to express as in page 6 7 line 3 0 the sensation roused

by trumpet an d drum ; or as in page 68 line 7 the feeling sti rre d by

classical poets the change of rhythm is formal an d for a set purpose ;

resemble the movements of a sonata or symphony I n the romantic .

accommodates itself to its subj ect like mo d ern music measure by ,

1 6 of Shelley s famous verses Written among the E u g an e an H ills

Riving sail an d c ord an d plan k

Till the ship has almost d ran k

A n d sin k s d own d wn li k e that sleep

When the d ream er seems to be

Next after rhythm time the t e mp o of music — is the vehicle of

lyric expression I t is an error to think of all verse or of all the lines

in one poem as measure d by ﬁxe d time beats The ﬁrst line of B u rn s s .

the thir d ; an d the stanz as of Gray s O n a Favorite Cat ( p 1 4 8 )

may be compared with those of Wordsworth s The Education of ’