The Faber Book of Love Poems [Paperback ed.] 0571131182, 9780571131181

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The Faber Book of

LOVE POEMS edited with an introduction

by Geoffrey Grigson

Boston reiwrcw

THE FABER BOOK OF

LOVE POEMS

also edited

by Geoffrey Grigson

The Faber Book of Popular Verse The Faber Book of Epigrams and Epitaphs The Faber Book of Nonsense Verse The Faber Book of Poems and Places The Faber Book of Reflective Verse

The Faber Book of

LOVE POEMS Love Expected-* Love Begun*

The Plagues of Loving-* Love Continued-* Absences, Doubts, Division-*

Love Renounced

& Love in Death

EDITED WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY

Geoffrey Grigson

ft'

faber andfaber LONDON BOSTON

First

published in '1 97 3

by Faber and Faber Limited 3

Queen Square London wcin 3AU

This paperback edition

first

published in 1983

Printed in England by Clays Ltd, St Ives pic All rights reserved

Introduction and this selection

© Geoffrey Grigson, This book

is

1973

sold subject to the condition that

by way of trade or otherwise, be

it

shall not,

lent, resold, hired

out or otherwise circulated without the publisher's prior consent in it is

any form of binding

or cover other than that in

which

published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser

A CIP is

available

record for

from the

this

book

British Library

isbn o 571 13118 2

BR BR

PN6110 L6 G67 1983x

13

15

17 19 18 16 14 12

TO JANE

CONTENTS Introduction

page 11

i.

Love Expected

2.

Love Begun

3.

The Plagues of Loving

131

4.

Love Continued

179

5.

Absences, Doubts, Division

6.

Love Renounced and Love

17

77

239 in

Death

315

Acknowledgements

369

Notes and References

371

Index of Poets and Poems

379

Index of First Lines

396

INTRODUCTION There are love poems, in-love poems, that is to say, and poems about Both have been included in this collection, but not one for one. The in-love poems are more numerous, as they should be. They are the poems of situation, drama, instantaneity. I love you, or I long for you and you don't love me, or we love each other, isn't it wonderful, or we have to separate, what misery for us, or I love you for ever, or I write this poem about you in which our loving each other and your exquisiteness will be embalmed in spices of image and sound. Or you reject me, and I return, with whatever reluctance and relief, to my senses, and reject love. For the time being. Always an I and You. And of course one's thought about such poems scurries straightaway to 'It was the lark, the herald of the morn' or across another four centuries to Provene, to the alba, the poem of the night of love and then the white dawn (which is what alba first means) and the watchman who calls out that the day is showing in fact to the one particular, famous alba (so well translated by Ezra Pound, love.

—

No.

194):

Oy Dieus,

oy Dieus, de

Ah God! How

l'alba! tan tast ve.

swift the night,?

And day comes

on!

It was a cosy idea, it was a special pink feather in the modern European cap, that Provencal song-makers had invented the love lyric, which corresponded to the new amour courtois, the new mutuality of tenderness, which had been invented in the South all of a sudden at the beginning of the twelfth century. Historians of literature and love, or literature and culture, have altered that. As they say, there are Chinese at any rate two of them, surviving albas written about twenty-five centuries ago, in which lovers are warned by a damnable rooster that the affairs of day have arrived, or are about to arrive, with dawn (Arthur Waley translated them, but I suppose necessarily into that thin line by line prose which now passes too easily for poems: they are Numbers 25 and 26 in his version of The Book of Songs); and there is an Egyptian lyric, too, thirty-three centuries old, in which a swallow warns the girl in bed with her lover that it is almost day. Of course specialists now rightly say that the situations which instigate an alba, or any other kind of in-love poem, or You and I poem, are elemental.

—

—

INTRODUCTION

ȴ II

'The feelings and conceptions of amour courtois', Peter Dronke writes, 'are universally possible', anywhere, at siny time, at any social level. 'They occur in popular as well as in learned or aristocratic love poetry. Like Dante in the fourth book of the Convivio, I hold that here is zgentilezza which is not confined to any court or privileged class, but springs from an inherent virtu; that the feelings otcourtoisie are elemental. In the poet's terms, they allow

even the most

vilain to bcgentil.'

(Medieval Latin and the Rise of European Love-

Lyric, 1968.)

Good. I happened to read in the same few days Peter Dronke's book and that letter William de Morgan picked up on the beach at Sidmouth in 1887, written by a nearly illiterate worker on a farm to his 'Dearest Mary pure and holey meek and loly lovely Rose of Sharon', an exclamation he repeated three times like a refrain (for that writer no illusion that the 'Song of Solomon' was allegorical, and not a straight love poem). 1 But there it is. The silliest things are often said about or against the conventional circumstances which so very widely shape the poems of being in love. But the conventions think of your own life derive

—

—

from the happenings. And there is no such situation in love poems which is not grounded like the myths of Aphrodite and her blind arrow-shooting child, so conveniently popularized and employed

—

—in the psychology and etiology of love. was. But hedges can be thorny and Drain-pipes are — —climbed to windows. One may

again since the Renaissance

Love

is less

difficult.

—

hedged than

it

still

act

still

though one had been hit by a sudden arrow of humiliating insanity. Cocks continue to crow in the morning, swallows to chatter; it continues to be possible to hear nightingales, and then larks with the whitening of the sky and the separation which has to follow. Or if things never get so far, or have been reversed, doors may not be opened. still

as

me

Let

not, for pity, more,

Tell the long hours at your door.

Imagine

this,

experience

Do

not

While

Or

—

if you

mock me

have

to,

in thy

bed

high up in a tower of flats

these cold nights freeze

me

you might have to, after houseboat or outside a closed caravan.

experience this

a cold

it,

dead. all

—by

a

gangway

to

1 'In Hebrew it remains to our day the supreme model for all poetry of this genre, and any study of erotic poetry in that language must take it as a starting-point.' Professor J. B. Segal in A. T. Hatto's Eos: An Enquiry into the Theme of Lovers' Meetings and Partings at Dawn in Poetry, The Hague, 1965.

12

»%•

INTRODUCTION

3

What never impresses me is some chilly statement that a poem having powers to move and to possess say a particular sonnet by

great

simply,

—

—was,

Ronsard or Drayton

by

a great artist.

or was likely to have been, an exercise Poems which have such power cannot be

—

compelled into existence by anything except situations states of ecstasy, states of anguish, states of happiness, confusion, chaos of which have been lived through, however customfeelings, et cetera ary are the incidents and externals of the poem. An example. Sir Philip Sidney's latest editor, William A. Ringler, 1 Love, which reachest but feels no, thinks that 'Leave me, Jr., to dust' (No. 356) wasn't the outcome of having been in love, so irrationally in the nature of the business, and hopelessly, with Lady Rich, the Stella of his grand Astrophel and Stella. He goes on from his argument that this renouncing of love was written earlier than Astrophel and Stella (for this the evidence is circumstantial, not watertight) to remark that 'Sidney was just as capable as any other poet of writing about a number of mistresses real or imaginary (The italics of decided disagreement arc mine.) If one knows about the writing of poems, such a poem as Sidney's, of such quality, cannot be conceived as an exercise to do with fancied

—

—

—

O

.

circumstances.

The wonderful one

may

graveness of Sidney's

think, that he gave

the consequence, within

its

it

poem

(so

important to him,

a postscript in very resonant Latin)

was

convention, surely of a storm of love, for

a girl we know nothing about one thing against another that Sidney ever loved two girls, within a short time, one of them to the pitch of the whole of Astrophel and Stella, one to the ultimate pitch of 'Leave me, love'). Roundabout, then, I reach this point: that poets mean good poems of

someone, whether Penelope Rich or (myself,

I

think

it

unlikely

—

—

setting

O

the kind

we

are discussing.

They

write these

poems

for themselves,

and only in-lovencss, or its recollection, begets in such poems Valery's 'state of song', which we must continue to understand is the proper state of poetry. It is only that condition of pain, pleasure and derangement which can produce, but in the right poet, the lyric at once dramatic and instantaneous and so enchainingly in the first place;

melodic.

Love isn't everything, but it has had a long history, in Peter Dronkc's it, and being immersed in love does rev up and release an

sense of

energy, does cause the poet to invent, to discover, to in particulars, in

movement; 1

his

cognizance

The Poems of Sir

is

relate, in words, suddenly brightened,

Philip Sidney, 1962.

INTRODUCTION

•>

1

—

—

his share

of the world

is

suddenly enlarged.^ So

his love

poems

are likely

to be equal with a poet's best. Being in love, lasting only a short time, raise a not so good poet to his one or two good lyrics, even to his one or two good lines. Several poems in this collection reduce themselves to an exceptional line or two, such as 'I saw my love younger than primroses' (No. 132), 'Love still has something of the sea' (No. 31), 'Cupid and my Campaspe played' (No. no), or (No. 143)

can

King Pandion, he

is

dead,

All thy friends are lapp'd in lead.

can be deceptive, encountering such lines. For instance, when I first Outlaw of Loch Lene' (No. 123), by J. J. Callanan, I dug out his two uncommon books, naively sure that there must be other such lines by him as 'The birds go to sleep by the sweet wild twist of her song'.

It

discovered 'The

There weren't; and one comes to realize that there is not a prodigality of good verse, that there are minor poets who live in a stanza, and much publicized poets who remain dead in five thick collected volumes (with scholar's apparatus). Certainly poetry devoid of love poems is inconceivable; and to think only of single lines again, how many in our own poetry that we could least do without have been due to the interaction of love and the right poet. It would be easy to anthologize this anthology (which readers will no doubt do, in any case), to pick out the lines 'O,

'O

my

love,

my

love

is

young!'

grey-leafy pinks o' the gearden'

'In his

green den the murmuring

'When our furrows snow shall 'Is love's bed always snow ?' 'Upon 'What

this

Primrose

seal'

cover'

Hill'

pomp

have I spied of glittering 'Quondam was I. She said for ever' 'I hear a cry of spirits faint and blind' fair

ladies?'

But where should one stop ? it is thirty-three centuries since the making of that Egyptian which the girl exclaims that she has found her darling on his bed, and that if our own time, for various reasons, is stingy with love poems or poems about love, stingy in fact with the cadences of poetry, I

reflect

alba 1 in

the taste cannot have vanished, the situations persist, and are likely to persist, if

centuries.

we don't ruin and burn ourselves, And since poets are celebrated for 1

14 -V

Text and

INTRODUCTION

for another thirty-three their failure to escape

translation are given in Eos.

'I

must love

her, that loves not

me'

—we haven't finished yet with the

of being in love, by firmly he can in measure:

poet's attempt to solace himself, in the chaos

enclosing as

much of it

as

Then

as th'earth's inward narrow crooked lanes purge sea water's fretful salt away, I thought, if I could draw my pains Through rhyme's vexations, I should them allay, Grief brought to numbers cannot be so fierce, For, he tames it, that fetters it in verse. (No. 148)

Do

There will be more love poets to add— many more— to Donne, Clare, Drayton, Wyatt, Sidney, Barnes, Christina Rossetti, Robert Graves. Two other things. In spite of my quotation above from Peter Dronke I have included next to no popular love poetry, in the shape of ballads, songs, etc. The assembled pick of them is easy to come by in several collections, and a book cannot go on and on. But I shall not apologize for having included a handful at any rate of French poems. French poets have been our historical neighbours in the art, and not infrequently our instructors. Some readers who may not have met them, are going to be grateful, let us say, for reading 'Qu'en avezvous fait' (No. 339) or that wonder work of popular song 'Sur les Marches du palais' (No. 122). What I have not included we have too much of it now for the health of our taste in poetry is the unmeasured, thin-rolled short crust of translation (Chinese, Japanese, Polish, Russian, and so on), useful, but now so easily accepted in itself

— —

as verse.

GEOFFREY GRIGSON

INTRODUCTION

«¥ 15

I

LOVE EXPECTED

I

THE REVELATION

An

idle poet, here and there, Looks round him; but, for all the The world, unfathomably fair, Is

rest,

duller than a witling's jest.

Love wakes men, once a lifetime each; They lift their heavy lids, and look; And, lo, what one sweet page can teach,

They

read with joy, then shut the book.

And some give thanks, and some blaspheme And most forget; but, either way, That and the Child's unheeded dream Is all the light of all their day.

COVENTRY PATMORE

2

BEA UTY AND LQV £,

Beauty and love arc

all

my

They change not with

dream;

the changing day;

Love stays forever like a stream That flows but never flows away;

And

beauty

is

the bright

sun-bow

That blossoms on the spray

Where

the loud water

Making

a

falls

wind among

that

showers

below,

the flowers.

ANDREW YOUNG LOVE BXPBCTBD

-*»

IQ

3 In a herbcr green, asleep whereas

The I

birds sang sweet in the

dreamed

In youth

fast

is

I

lay,

middes of the day,

of mirth and play,

youth

pleasure, in

is

pleasure.

Methought as I walked still to and fro, And from her company I could not go, But when I waked it was not so, In youth

is

my

Therefore

youth

pleasure, in

heart

alone to have a sight,

Which

is

In youth

is

pleasure.

surely pight,

is

Of her

my joy

is

and

heart's delight,

youth

pleasure, in

is

pleasure.

ROBERT WEVER

4 LE

CANARD BLANC (folksong)

Derriere nous, N'cst pas

si

y

un etang

a

creux

commc

il

est

grand

Trois beaux canards y vont nagcant en a deux noirs, y en a un blanc

Y

fils du Roi s'en va chassant Avec son beau fusil d'argent Mire le noir et tue le blanc Toute la plum' s'envole au vent

Le

Trois dam' vont C'est

20 **

pour en

LOVE EXPECTED

la

faire

ramassant

un beau

lit

blanc

—O

fils

du Roi

tu cs

mechant

D 'avoir tue mon canard Tu nic lc paicras Que ferons-nous Nous

Et

It

was

With

les

cinq cents francs

de cet argent?

ferons batir

Pour mcttr'

les

blanc!

un couvent de dix-huit ans

fill'

garcons de vingt-cinq ans.

and

a lover, a hey,

and

his lass,

a ho,

and a hey nonino,

That o'er the green corn

field

did pass,

In the spring time, the only pretty ring time,

When

birds

do

sing,

hey ding a ding, ding.

Sweet lovers love the spring.

Between

With

the acres of the rye,

a hey,

and a ho, and a hey nonino,

Those pretty country

folks

would

lie,

In spring time, the only pretty ring time,

When

birds do sing, hey ding Sweet lovers love the spring.

a ding, cling.

This carol they began that hour,

With

a hey, and a ho, and a

How

that a

life

was but

hey nonino:

a flower,

In spring time, the only pretty ring time,

When

birds do sing, hey ding Sweet lovers love the spring.

a ding, ding.

LOVE EX pre BD i

-> 2\

And therefore take the present time. With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, For love

is

crowned with

the prime.

In spring time, the only pretty ring time,

When

birds do sing, hey ding Sweet lovers love the spring.

a ding, ding.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

6 A SPRING The Spring comes

in

with

MORNING all

her hues and smells,

and dells; her gorgeous drapery

In freshness breathing over hills

May

O'er woods where

And meads washed fragrant by their laughing Fresh are new opened flowers, untouched and

flings,

springs. free

From the bold rifling of the amorous bee. The happy time of singing birds is come, Love's lone pilgrimage now finds a home; Among the mossy oaks now coos the dove, And the hoarse crow finds softer notes for love.

And

The

foxes play around their dens, and bark

In joy's excess, 'mid

woodland shadows

dark.

The

flowers join lips below; the leaves above;

And

every sound that meets the ear

is

Love.

JOHN CLARE 7 IN

My love

is

Though Her

THE SPRING maid ov all maidens, mid be comely,

the all

skin's lik' the

jessamy blossom

A-spread in the Spring. 22 ȴ

LOVE EXPECTED

Her smile

Young Her

so sweet as a beaby's

eyes be as bright as the

A-shed

O

is

smile on his mother,

dew drop

in the Spring.

grey-leafy pinks o' the gear den,

Now bear her sweet blossoms; Now deck wi' a rwose-bud, O briar, Her head

O

in the Spring.

light-rollen

The

Or

vaice

bring

me

wind, blow

ov her

vrom

hither

talken,

her veet the light doust

She do tread in the Spring.

O zun, meake the gil'cups In goold

An' meake

A

bed

O

all glitter,

her;

o' the deaisies'

gay

birds,

drong-way

zing,

Be

around

white flowers

in the Spring.

O whissle, In

all

swingen

an'

up bezide

her,

woodlands,

lark,

now

the clouds

a-vled in the Spring.

An' who, you mid

ax,

be

my

praises

A-mcakcn so much o' ? An' oh 'tis the maid I'm a-hopen !

To wed

in the Spring.

WILLIAM BARNES

LOVE EXPECTFD

*» 2}

8

LOVE WILL FIND OUT THE WAY Over

the mountains

And Over

under the waves,

the fountains

And Over

under the graves,

which

floods

are the deepest

Which do Neptune

obey,

Over rocks which are steepest, Love will find out the way.

Where

there

For the

Where

is

no

there

is

to

lie;

no space

For receipt of a

Where

place

glow-worm fly;

the gnat she dares not venter,

Lest herself fast she lay;

But

if

Love come, he

And

will enter,

will find out the

You may

way.

esteem him

A child by his

force,

Or you may deem him

A

coward, which

is

worse;

whom

Love doth honour Be concealed from the day, Set a thousand guards upon him, Love will find out the way.

But

if

he

Some think to lose him, Which is too unkind; And some do suppose him, Poor

Do

heart, to

be blind;

he were hidden,

If that

you may, you call him,

the best that

Blind Love,

if so

Will find out the way. 24 «¥

LOVE EXPECTED

—

Well may the eagle Stoop down to the Or you may inveigle

fist;

The phoenix of the east; With fear the tiger's moved

To

give over his prey,

But never stop

He

will post

From Dover

And Brave

a lover,

on

his

way.

to Berwick,

nations throughout,

Guy of Warwick,

That champion so

stout,

With his warlike behaviour, Through the world he did

To win Love

his Phyllis'

stray

favour

will find out the

way.

In order next enters

Bevis so brave; After adventures,

And policy grave, To see whom he desired, His Josian so gay,

whom his heart was fired, Love found out the way.

For

The Gordian knot Which true lovers Undo you cannot, Nor yet break it;

Make

knit,

use of your inventions

Their fancies to betray,

To

frustrate

Love

your intentions

will find out the

way.

LOVE EXPECTED

*> 2$

From In

court to the cottage,

bower and

From

in hall,

the king unto the beggar,

Love conquers

Though

all;

and lordly, do what you may, Yet, be you ne'er so hardy, Love will find out the way. ne'er so stout

Strive,

Love hath power over

And

princes

greatest emperor;

In any provinces,

Such There

is

is

Love's power,

no

resisting,

But him to obey; In spite of all contesting, Love will find out the way. If that

he were hidden,

And all men that are, Were strictly forbidden That place to declare, that have no abidings,

Winds

Pitying their delay,

Will come and bring him

And

direct

him

If the earth should part

He would

tidings,

the way.

gallop

it

him

o'er;

If the seas should o'erthwart

He would swim Should

his

love

him,

to the shore;

become

a

swallow,

Through the air to stray, Love would lend wings to follow,

And 26

«*•

LOVE EXPECTED

will find out the

way.

There

To There

is

no

striving

cross his intent, is

no contriving

His plots to prevent;

But if once the message greet him That his true love doth stay, If death should come and meet him, Love will find out the way.

ANON.

9 A

REPORT SONG IN A DREAM, BETWEEN A SHEPHERD AND HIS NYMPH Shall

we go

dance the hay? The hay?

Never pipe could ever play Better shepherd's roundelay. Shall we go sing the song? The song? Never love did ever wrong: Fair

maids hold hands

all

along.

we go learn to woo ? To woo ? Never thought came ever to Shall

Better deed, could better do. Shall we go learn to kiss ? To kiss ? Never heart could ever miss Comfort, where true meaning is.

Thus

at base

When But

they run,

They

run,

was scarce begun: waked, and all was done.

the sport I

NICHOLAS BRETON LOVE EXPECTED

»> 27

[THE SYRENS* SONG]

10

your winged

Steer hither, steer,

pines,

All beaten mariners,

Here

lie

Love's undiscover'd mines,

A Perfumes

prey to passengers;

far

Which make

sweeter than the best the Phoenix' urn and nest.

Fear not your ships,

Nor any

to oppose you save our lips, But come on shore Where no joy dies till love hath gotten more.

But come on shore Where no joy dies till love hath gotten more. For swelling waves, our panting breasts

Where

never storms

arise,

Exchange; and be awhile our guests: For

stars

gaze on our eyes.

The compass love

And

as

shall

hourly sing,

he goes about the ring,

We will not miss To

tell

each point he nameth with a

Then come on

Where no joy

dies

till

kiss.

shore,

love hath gotten more.

WILLIAM BROWNE OF TAVISTOCK

II Choose now among Upon whose breasts

SONG this fairest

number,

would for ever slumber: you may where you will,

love

Choose not amiss since Or blame yourself for choosing 28 *>

LOVE EXPECTED

ill.

Then do not

though

leave,

Till lilies in their

oft the

music

closes,

cheeks be turn'd to roses.

WILLIAM BROWNE OF TAVISTOCK

She

most

is

And when

fair,

they see her pass

The poets' ladies Look no more in But

after her.

On

a bleak

the glass

moor

Running under the moon She lures a poet,

Once proud

or happy, soon

Far from his door.

Beside a train,

Because they saw her go,

Or

failed to see her,

Travellers

Another

and watchers

know

pain.

The simple lack Of her is more to me Than others' presence, Whether life splendid be

Or I

utter black.

have not seen,

I

have no news of her;

I

can

She

tell

is

only

not here, but there

She might have been.

LOVE EXPECTED

•*

2i)

She

is

to be kissed

Only perhaps by me; She

may

Me

and no other; she

May

not

be seeking

exist.

EDWARD THOMAS

LE

13 Sous un image

Tous

Tu

les

les

frais

de

claire mousseline,

dimanches au matin,

venais a

Par

MANCHY

la ville

rampes de

en

manchy de

rotin,

la colline.

La cloche de l'eglise alertement tintait; Le vent de mer bercait les Cannes; Comme une grele d'or, aux pointes des Le feu du soleil crepitait. Le bracelet aux poings, l'anneau sur

savanes,

la cheville,

mouchoir jaune aux chignons, Deux Telingas portaient, assidus compagnons, Ton lit aux nattes de Manille. Et

le

Ployant leur jarret maigre

et

nerveux,

ct chantant,

Souples dans leurs tuniques blanches,

Le bambou lis

Le long de

Ou Par

les

les

Au 30 *>

sur l'epaule et les mains sur les handles,

allaient le

la

long de l'Etang.

chaussee et des varangucs basses

vieux Creoles fumaient,

groupes joyeux des Noirs,

ils

bruit des bobres Madecasses.

LOVE EXPECTED

s'animaient

!

Dans Sur

Au

leger flottait l'odcur des tamarins;

l'air

les

houles illuminees,

en d'immenses trainees,

large, les oiseaux,

Plongeaient dans

brouillards marins.

les

Et tandis que ton pied, Pendait, rose,

A

Pombre

Aux

sorti

de

la

babouche,

au bord du manchy,

des Bois-noirs toufFus, et

fruits

moins pourpres que

Tandis qu'un papillon,

les

deux

du Letchi bouche;

ta

ailes

en

fleur,

Teinte d'azur et d'ecarlate,

Se posait par instants sur

En y

On

laissant

de

ta

peau delicate

sa couleur;

voyait, au travers

Tes boucles dorer

du rideau de

batiste,

l'oreiller,

Et, sous leurs cils mi-clos, feignant de sommeillcr,

Tes beaux yeux de sombre amethyste.

Tu t'en venais ainsi, par ccs matins si De la montagne a la grand'messe, Dans

Au

ta

grace naive et ta rose jeunesse,

pas

rythme de

Maintenant, dans

Sous

Tu

doux,

le

tes

Hindous.

le sable

aride de nos greves,

chiendents, au bruit des mers,

reposes parmi

les

morts qui

me

sont chcrs,

O charme de mes premiers reves CHARLES-MARIE LECONTE DE LISLE

LOVE EXPECTED

»> 31

14 There

Was I

is

and kind, my mind,

a lady sweet

never face so pleas'd

did but see her passing by,

And Her Her

yet

I

love her

gesture,

my

And

I

Her

yet

die.

motion and her

my

wit, her voice

Beguiles

till I

heart,

I

love her

know

till I

free behaviour,

touch'd her not,

And

yet

I

winning looks,

alas

love her

not why,

die.

Will make a lawyer burn I

smiles,

heart beguiles,

not

till I

his

books.

I,

die.

Had I her fast betwixt mine arms, Judge you that think such sports were harms, Wert any harm? no, no, fie, fie, For

I

will love her

Should

I

die.

remain confined

I

So long

till I

Phoebus

as

there,

in his sphere,

to request, she to deny,

Yet would

I

love her

till I

die.

Cupid is winged and doth range, Her country so my love doth change, But change she earth, or change she sky, Yet will

I

love her

till I

die.

ANON.

32

»%»

LOVE EXPECTED

—

FANTAISIE

15 11

un

est

Tout

Un

pour qui je donnerais Mozart et tout Weber

air

Rossini, tout

air tres

vieux, languissant et funebre,

Qui pour moi Or, chaque

De

seul a des

fois

charmes

secrets.

que je viens a Tentendre,

deux cents ans

mon ame

rajeunit:

C'est sous Louis treize; et je crois voir s'ctendre

Un

coteau vert, que

le

couchant jaunit.

Puis

un chateau de brique

Aux

vitraux teints de rougeatres couleurs,

a coins de pierre,

Ceint de grands pares, avec une riviere

Baignant

ses pieds,

qui coule entre des fleurs;

Puis une dame, a sa haute fenetre,

Blonde aux yeux

noirs,

en

ses habits anciens,

Que, dans une autre existence peut-etre, et dontje me souviens! J'ai deja vue...

—

GERARD DE NERVAL

l6

THE MERMAIDENS' VESPER-HYMN Troop home to silent grots and caves! Troop home! and mimic as you go The mournful winding of the waves

Which At

this

In

to their dark abysses flow.

sweet hour,

amorous

The swans

all

things beside

pairs to covert creep;

that brush the evening tide

Homeward

in

snowy couples

keep.

i.ovii

BXPECTBD

->

I

J

den the murmuring

seal

Close by his sleek companion

lies;

In his green

While

And

we

singly

to

bowers of love

In

bedward

steal,

close in fruitless sleep our eyes.

men take their rest, we sigh alone,

In loveless bowers

With bosom

friends are others blest,

—

But we have none! but we have none!

GEORGE DARLEY

17 I

I

my

hid

MY LOVE

HID

love

when young

till I

Couldn't bear the buzzing of a I

Till I

my

hid I

my

love to

could not bear to look

dare not gaze

fly;

despite

upon her

at light:

face

But left her memory in each place; Where'er I saw a wild flower lie I kissed and bade my love good-bye. I

met her

in the greenest dells,

Where dewdrops

pearl the

wood

bluebells;

The lost breeze kissed her bright blue The bee kissed and went singing by, A sunbeam found a passage there,

A As

gold chain round her neck so secret as the

She lay there I

hid

my

34 ->

fair;

wild bee's song the

summer

long.

town would knock me down;

love in field and

Till e'en the

The The

all

breeze

bees seemed singing ballads o'er, fly's

LOVE EXPECTED

eye,

bass turned a lion's roar;

And even silence found a tongue, To haunt me all the summer long; The

riddle nature could not

Was

nothing

prove

but secret love.

else

JOHN CLARE

l8 J'allais

Des

ADOLESCENCE

au Luxembourg rever, 6 temps

l'aurore, et j'etais

moi-meme

le

lointain,

matin.

Les nids dialoguaient tout bas,

et les allees

Descrtes etaient d'ombre et de

soleil

J'etais pensif, j'etais

Commc je

profond,

regardais et

melees;

j'etais niais.

comme j'epiais!

Qui ? La Venus, l'Hebe, la nymphe chasscresse. Je sentais du printemps l'invisible caresse. Je guettais l'inconnu. J'errais. Quel curieux Que Cherubin en qui s'cveille Des Grieux! O femme! mystere! ctre ignore qu'on enccnse! Parfois j'etais obscene a force d'innocence.

Mon Des

regard violait

deesses,

la

vague nudite

debout sous

les feuilles 1'ete;

Je contemplais de loin ces rondeurs peu vctucs, Et j'etais amoureux de toutcs les statues;

Et j'cn

ai

mis plus d'une en colcrc, je

Les audaces dans l'ombre egalcnt Et, hardi

comme un

Oubliant

latin, grec, algebre,

Qui Je

aux Bezouts

resiste

restais la

Comme Soulcvat

si

page

tremblant

et

ayant

brave

les

la

commc

un

lievrc,

ficvrc

Rcstauds,

stupidc au bas des piedestaux,

j'attendais

les

et

crois.

les cffrois,

que

lc

vent sous quclquc arbrc

jupons d'une Diane en marbrc.

victor HUGO LOVE

i

x

i'

i

.(

ill)

->

;s

l

moon

Silly

boy,

Had

thy youth but wit to

'tis

full

yet,

9

thy night

fear,

as

day shines

clearly;

thou couldst not love so dearly.

mourn when all thy pleasures are bereaved; knows he how to love that never was deceived.

Shortly wilt thou Little

This

is

thy

first

maiden flame,

now you

that triumphs yet unstained;

speak, not

one word yet

All

is

artless

All

is

heav'n that you behold, and

But no Spring can want

his Fall,

all

fained;

is

your thoughts are

each Troilus hath

blessed:

his Cressid.

Thy well-order'd locks ere long shall rudely hang neglected; And thy lively pleasant cheer read grief on earth dejected. Much then wilt thou blame thy Saint, that made thy heart so holy, And with sighs confess, in love, that too much faith is folly. Yet, be just and constant

Not

He

unlike a

Summer's

still;

frost,

Love may beget

a

or Winter's

thunder:

fatal

wonder,

day of dying of all that ever breath'd, most worthy the envying.

that holds his sweetheart true unto his

Lives,

THOMAS CAMPION

[HERO FEELS THE SHAFT OF LOVE, 'HERO AND LEANDER']

20

from

'Gentle youth, forbear

To touch the sacred garments which Upon a rock, and underneath a hill, Far

from the town (where

all is

I

wear.

whist and

Save that the sea playing on yellow sand, Sends forth a rattling

Whose sound In silence

36

»%»

murmur

allures the

of the night to

LOVE EXPECTED

to the land,

golden Morpheus visit us)

still,

:

My

turret stands, and there God knows I play With Venus' swans and sparrows all the day.

A

dwarfish beldame bears

me company,

That hops about the chamber where I lie, And spends the night (that might be better spent) In vain discourse, and apish merriment.

Come

As she spake

thither/

this,

her tongue tripped,

For unawares 'Come thither' from her slipped,

And And And

suddenly her former colour changed, here and there her eyes through anger ranged. like a planet,

At one

moving

self instant, she

Loving, not to love Strove to

resist

at

several ways,

poor soul all,

assays,

and every part

the motions of her heart.

And

hands so pure, so innocent, nay such, As might have made heaven stoop to have Did she uphold to Venus, and again

Vowed

a touch,

spotless chastity, but all in vain.

Cupid beats down her prayers with his wings, Her vows above the empty air he flings All deep enraged, his sinewy

And

bow

shot a shaft that burning

he bent,

from him went,

Wherewith she strooken looked so dolefully, As made Love sigh, to see his tyranny.

And as she wept, her tears to pearl he turned, And wound them on his arm, and for her mourned. CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE

21 Would

were chang'd into that golden shower That so divinely streamed from the skies,

To

I

fall in

When

drops upon in her

my

bed she

dainty flower

solitary

lies.

LOVE EXPECTED

*

J7

.

.

Then would

I

hope such showers

as richly shine

Should pierce more deep than thdse waste

tears

of mine.

would I were that plumed swan snow-white Under whose form was hidden heavenly power. Then in that river would I most delight Whose waves do beat against her stately bower And on those banks so tune my dying song Else

That her deaf ears should think

my

plaints too long.

Or would I were Narcissus, that sweet boy, And she her self the fountain crystal clear, Who ravish'd with the pride of his own joy, Drenched his limbs with gazing over near. So should I bring my soul to happy rest To end my life in that I loved best. SIR

ARTHUR GORGES

POUR L'HIVER

22 REVE

A L'hiver, nous irons dans

un

petit

Avec des coussins bleus. Nous serons bien. Un nid de

wagon

.

.

.

ELLE

rose

baisers fous repose

Dans chaque coin moelleux.

Tu

fermeras

l'oeil,

Grimacer

les

pour ne point voir, par ombres des soirs,

Ces monstruosites hargneuses, populace

De demons

noirs et de loups noirs.

Puis tu te sentiras

Un

petit baiser,

la

Te courra par 38

»*»

LOVE EXPECTED

joue egratignee

comme le

une

cou.

.

.

.

folle araignee,

la glace,

.

me

Et tu

diras:

«Cherche!» en inclinant

la tete,

—Et nous prendrons du temps a trouver —Qui voyage beaucoup.

cette bete

.

ARTHUR RIMBAUD

23

Was

a

it

dream?

Martin and

A

We sailed,

down

I,

DREAM I

we

thought

sailed,

a green Alpine stream,

Bordered, each bank, with pines; the morning sun,

On On

the

wet umbrage of their glossy

tops,

the red pinings of their forest-floor,

Drew The

warm

a

scent abroad; behind the pines

mountain-skirts, with

Of bright-leafed And

the

frail

all

change mossed walnut-trees

their sylvan

chestnuts and

scarlet-berried ash, began.

Swiss chalets glittered on the

And from some swarded

dewy

shelf,

Notes of wild pastoral music

slopes,

high up, there came,

—over

all

Ranged, diamond-bright, the eternal wall of snow. Upon the mossy rocks at the stream's edge, Backed by the pines, a plank-built cottage stood, Bright in the sun; the climbing gourd-plant's leaves its walls, and on the stone-strewn roof Lay the warm golden gourds; golden, within, Under the eaves, peered rows of Indian corn.

Muffled

We shot beneath the cottage with the stream. On

the brown, rude-carved balcony,

Came

forth

—

Olivia's,

two forms

Marguerite! and thine.

Clad were they both in white, flowers in their breast; Straw hats bedecked their heads, with ribbons blue,

Which

danced, and on their shoulders, fluttering, played.

LOVE EXPECTED

•%»

39

——

They saw

And more Their

lips

us,

they conferred; their bosoms heaved,

than mortal impulse

moved;

filled their eyes.

white arms, waved eagerly,

their

we rose, we gazed. One moment, on the rapid's top, our boat Hung poised and then the darting river of Life Flashed once, like falling streams;

—

(Such now, methought,

Loud thundering, bore

it

was), the river of Life,

us by; swift, swift

it

foamed,

round headlands shone. Soon the planked cottage by the sun-warmed pines Faded the moss the rocks; us burning plains, Black under

raced,

cliffs it

—

—

Bristled with

cities,

us the sea received.

MATTHEW ARNOLD

24 Bright Star! would

I

were

steadfast as

Not

in lone splendour

And

watching, with eternal

hung

thou

art

aloft the night, lids apart,

Like Nature's patient sleepless Eremite,

The moving

Of pure Or

waters at their priestlike task

ablution round earth's

new

human

shores,

mask Of snow upon the mountains and the moors gazing on the

No—yet

still

steadfast,

Pillowed upon

To feel Awake

its

still

unchangeable,

fair love's

soft fall

ripening breast

and

swell,

for ever in a sweet unrest;

Still, still

And

my

for ever

soft-fallen

to hear her tender-taken breath,

so live ever

—or

else

swoon

to death.

JOHN KEATS 40 »» LOVE

EXPECTED

25

THE VIGIL OF VENUS (pervigilium veneris) I

Tomorrow

O

lover

let loveless, let

spring, singing spring, spring

tomorrow make

love:

of the world renew! marry

In spring lovers consent and the birds

When

the grove receives in her hair the nuptial dew.

Tomorrow may

loveless,

may lover tomorrow make love. II

the day when the prime Zeus made love: Out of lightning foam shot deep in the heaving sea

Tomorrow's

(Witnessed by green crowds of finny horses)

Dione

rising

and

falling,

he made to be!

Tomorrow may loveless, may

lover

tomorrow make

love.

Ill

Tomorrow

the Joiner of love in the gracious shade Twines her green huts with boughs of myrtle claws,

Tomorrow Tomorrow

leads her gangs to the singing

Dione, on high, lays

Tomorrow may

loveless,

down

woods:

the laws.

may lover tomorrow make

love.

IV She shines the tarnished year with glowing buds That, wakening, head up to the western wind In eager clusters. Goddess

!

You

deign to scatter

Lucent night-drip of dew; for you are kind.

Tomorrow may

loveless,

may

lover

tomorrow make

love.

LOVE EXPECTED

»%»

4

V The heavy teardrops stretch, ready to fall, Then falls each glistening bead to the earth beneath: The moisture that the serene stars sent down Loosens the virgin bud from the sliding sheath.

Tomorrow may

may

loveless,

lover

tomorrow make

love.

VI Look, the high crimsons have revealed

their

shame.

The burning rose turns in her secret bed, The goddess has bidden the girdle to loose its folds That the rose at dawn may give her maidenhead.

Tomorrow may

may

loveless,

lover

tomorrow make

love.

VII

The blood of Venus enters her blood, Love's Has made the drowsy virgin modestly bold;

Tomorrow

the bride

The burning

taper

Tomorrow may

is

kiss

not ashamed to take

from

hidden

its

may

loveless,

fold.

lover

tomorrow make

love.

vni The goddess herself has sent nymphs to the woods, The Boy with girls to the myrtles; perhaps you think That Love's not truly tame Go,

girls

!

if

he shows

»*»

arrows ?

Unarmed, Love beckons. You must not

Tomorrow may loveless, may 42

his

LOVE EXPECTED

lover

shrink.

tomorrow make

love.

—

!

IX Bidden unarmed to go and to go naked Lest he destroy with bow, with dart, with brand Yet, girls, Cupid is pretty, and you must know That Love unarmed can pierce with naked hand

Tomorrow may

loveless,

may

lover

tomorrow make

love.

X Here

And

of the farm and

will be girls girls

who

live

The mother of the

And

said:

Now,

by

Flying

girls,

Tomorrow may

Boy

beware

loveless,

girls

of the mountain

or grove, or spring.

forest,

has smiled

his

naked

sting!

may lover tomorrow make love.

XI Gently she asks

may

she

bend

Gently that you, a modest

Now,

virginity ?

girl,

may

yield.

should you come, for three nights you would see

Delirious bands in every grove and field.

Tomorrow may

loveless,

may

lover

tomorrow make

love.

XII

Venus

herself has

maidens

as

pure

as

you;

So, Delia, one thing only we ask: Go away! That the wood shall not be bloody with slaughtered beasts When Venus flicks the shadows with greening spray.

Tomorrow may

loveless,

may

lover

tomorrow make

love.

LOVE EXPECTED

-V 43

—

XIII

Among

the garlands,

among

the myrtle bowers

Ceres and Bacchus, and the god of verse, delay.

Nightlong the watch must be kept with votive cry Dione's queen of the woods: Diana, make way!

Tomorrow may loveless, may

lover

tomorrow make

love.

XIV She places her court

among

the flowers of Hybla;

Presiding, she speaks her laws; the Graces are near.

Hybla, give

The

all

your blossoms, and bring, Hybla,

brightest plain

Tomorrow may

of Enna for the whole loveless,

may

lover

year.

tomorrow make

love.

XV With spring the father-sky remakes the world: The male shower has flowed into the bride, Earth's body; then shifted through sky

To

and

touch the quickening child in her deep

Tomorrow may

loveless,

sea

and land

side.

may lover tomorrow make love.

XVI Over sky and land and down under

On

the sea

the path of the seed the goddess brought to earth

And dropped into our veins created fire, That men might know the mysteries of birth. Tomorrow may loveless, may lover tomorrow make love. 44 *>

LOVE EXPECTED

!

XVII

Body and mind the inventive Creatress fills With spirit blowing its invariable power: The Sabine girls she gave to the sons of Rome

And sowed

the seed exiled

Tomorrow may

loveless,

from the Trojan tower.

may

lover

tomorrow make

love.

XVIII Lavinia of Laurentum she chose to bed

Her son Aeneas, and for the black Mars won The virgin Silvia, to found the Roman line: Romulus, and Caesar her grandson.

Sire

Tomorrow may

loveless,

may

lover

tomorrow make

love.

XIX Venus knows country matters: country knows Venus: For Love, Dione's boy, was born on the farm.

From With

the rich furrow she snatched

tender flowers taught

Tomorrow may

loveless,

him

to her breast,

him

peculiar charm.

may

lover

tomorrow make

love.

XX how

the bullocks rub their flanks with broom ram pursue through the shade the bleating ewe, For lovers' union is Venus in kind pursuit;

See

See the

And

she

tells

the birds to forget their winter woe.

Tomorrow may

loveless,

may

lover

tomorrow make

love.

LOVE EXPECTED

->

.\

S

!

!

XXI

Now the The

girl

tall

swans with hoarse

Musical change

Her

act

cries thrash the lake:

of Tereus pours from the poplar ring

—sad

who

sister

bewails

of darkness with the barbarous king

Tomorrow may loveless, may lover tomorrow make

love.

xxn She

sings,

Shall

I

we

find

are silent.

my

voice

Silence destroyed the Silent, I lost the

Tomorrow

When

when

I

will

my

be

shall

spring

as the

come ?

swallow ?

Amyclae: they were dumb.

muse. Return, Apollo

let loveless, let

anon,

lover

(translated

tomorrow make

from the Latin byALLENTATE)

26 'Twas when the spousal time of May Hangs all the hedge with bridal wreaths, And air's so sweet the bosom gay Gives thanks for every breath

When And

like to like

is

gladly

it

breathes;

moved,

each thing joins in Spring's refrain,

now who never loved; who have loved love again;'

'Let those love 'Let those

That I, in whom the sweet time wrought, Lay stretch'd within a lonely glade, Abandon'd to delicious thought, 46

»*»

LOVE EXPECTED

love.

Beneath the

The

leaves, all stirring,

A And, So In

softly twinkling shade.

mimick'd well

neighbouring rush of rivers cold, sun or shadow fell, were green and those were gold;

as the

these

dim

And

recesses hyacinths droop'd,

breadths of primrose

Which, wandering through

lit

the

air,

the woodland, stoop'd

And gather'd perfumes here and there; Upon the spray the squirrel swung, And careless songsters, six or seven, Sang lofty songs the leaves among, Fit for their

only

listener,

Heaven.

COVENTRY PATMORE

27 Open The

the door, who's there within ?

fairest

of thy mother's

kin.

come, come, come abroad,

And

hear the

The

air

It is

shrill

birds sing,

with tunes that load.

too soon to go to

The sun not midway The day doth miss

And Until

Were

I

rest,

yet to west. thee,

will not part

it

kiss thee.

as fair as

you pretend,

Yet to an unknown seld-seen friend 1 dare not ope the door.

To

hear the sweet birds sing

Oft proves

a

dangerous thing.

LOVE EXPECTED

.\7

The sun may run

his

wonted

And

on

my

yet not gaze

The day may

race,

poor

face.

miss me;

Therefore depart,

You

shall

not

kiss

me.

ANON.

28 Sweet, Sweet, Sweet,

What do you mean,

let

to

me go, me so,

vex

Cease, cease, cease your pleading force,

Do you

think thus, to extort remorse,

Now, now, now no more. Alas you overbear me, And I would cry, but some would hear, I fear me. ANON.

29 Hot

sun, cool fire, temper'd

Black shade,

fair nurse,

Shine, sun, burn,

Black shade,

fire,

Make

not

my

air,

white

hair,

shroud

nurse) keep

me and please me; me from burning,

glad cause, cause of mourning.

Let not

my

beauty's fire

Enflame unstaid

Nor

my

breathe air and ease me,

fair nurse,

Shadow (my sweet

with sweet

shadow

desire,

pierce any bright eye

That wand'reth

lightly.

GEORGE PEELE 48

*

LOVE EXPECTED

30

MY As

LOVE'S GUARDIAN ANGEL

in the cool-air'd

road

I

come

by,

— the night, the sky, Under the moon-clim'd height — the night, in

o'

in

There by the lime's broad lim's

as I did stay,

While in the air dark sheades wer' at play Up on the windor-glass that did keep

Lew vrom

the wind,

my

true love asleep,

— While

in the night.

in the grey-wall'd height o' the tow'r,

— Sounded the midnight

in the night,

hour,

bell wi' the

—

in the night,

There come

a bright-heair'd angel that shed

vrom

her white robe's zilvery thread,

Light

Wi' her vore-vinger held up to meake Silence around lest sleepers mid weake, 'Oh!

then,' I whisper'd, 'do

Linda,

my

I

— —

in the night.

behold in the night.

true-love, here in the cwold,

—

in the night?'

'No,' she

She I

is

meade answer, 'you do misteake:

asleep,

'tis I

be aweake;

be her angel brightly

a-drest,

Watchen her slumber while

she do

— 'Zee

how

rest,

in the night.'

the clear win's, brisk in the bough,

— While they do

pass,

in the night,

don't smite on her brow,

—

in the night;

LOVE EXPECTBD

»» 49

how the cloud-sheades naiseless do zweep Over the house-top where she's asleep. You, too, goo on, though times mid be near, When you, wi' me, mid speak to her ear Zee

—

in the night.'

WILLIAM BARNES

SONG

31 Love

still

has something of the sea,

From whence

No

time

Nor They

mother rose; from doubt can

his

his slaves

free,

give their thoughts repose:

are

And

becalmed

in clearest days,

rough weather tost; They wither under cold delays,

Or

One

in

are in tempests lost.

while they seem to touch the port,

Then

straight into the main,

Some angry wind in cruel The vessel drives again. At

first

disdain

Which

if

sport

and pride they

fear,

they chance to 'scape,

Rivals and falsehood soon appear In a

more

dreadful shape.

By such degrees to Joy they come, And are so long withstood, So slowly they receive the sum, It

50 »>

hardly does them good.

LOVE EXPECTED

!

'Tis cruel to

And

prolong a pain,

to defer a joy,

Believe me, gentle Celemene,

Offends the winged Boy.

An

hundred thousand oaths your Perhaps would not remove;

And

if I

fears

gazed a thousand years

could no deeper love.

I

SIR

CHARLES SEDLEY

A SA MAISTRESSE

32

ODE Mignonne, Qui ce matin

allons voir

Sa robe de pourpre au

A

si

la

rose

avoit desclose Soleil,

point perdu ceste vespree

Les

de

plis

Et son

sa

teint

Las! voyez

Mignonne, Las

O

!

las

!

ses

robe pourpree,

au vostre

comme

pareil.

en peu d'espace,

elle a dessus la

beautez

laisse

place

cheoir

vrayment marastre Nature,

Puis qu'une

telle fleur

ne dure

Que du

matin jusques au

Done,

vous

si

me

soir!

croyez, mignonne,

Tandis que vostre age fleuronne

En

sa plus verte

nouveautc,

Cueillez, cueillez vostre jeunesse:

Comme a

ceste fleur la vieillesse

Fera ternir vostre beaute.

PIERRE DE

RONSARD

LOVE EXPECTED

*¥ $1

—

!

song.

33

Go, lovely rose Tell her that wastes her time and me,

now

That

When

How

I

she knows,

resemble her to thee,

sweet and

fair

she seems to be.

Tell her that's young,

And

shuns to have her graces spied, That hadst thou sprung In deserts where no men abide, Thou must have uncommended died.

Small

is

the

Of beauty from

worth the light retired:

Bid her come

forth,

Suffer herself to be desired,

And

not blush so to be admired.

Then

die

—that she

!

The common

May

How

fate

of all things rare

read in thee;

small a part of time they share

That are so wondrous sweet and

fair

EDMUND WALLER

34

O O

where are you roaming ? and hear, your true love's coming, That can sing both high and low. mistress mine, stay

Trip no further, pretty sweeting.

Journeys end

in lover's

meeting,

Every wise man's son doth know. 52 *»

LOVB BXPBCTBD

What

love,

is

not hereafter,

'tis

Present mirth, hath present laughter:

What's

to

come,

In delay there

Then come

kiss

unsure.

is still

no

lies

me

plenty,

sweet and twenty:

Youth's a stuff will not endure.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

35

TO

COY MISTRESS

HIS

Had we

but world enough, and time,

This coyness, Lady, were no crime.

We would To Thou by

sit

down and

think which

way

walk and pass our long love's day. the Indian Ganges' side

Shouldst rubies find:

Of Humber would

I

by

the tide

I would Love you ten years before the Flood, And you should, if you please, refuse

Till the

complain.

conversion of the Jews.

My vegetable love

grow more slow; should go to praise should

Vaster than empires, and

An hundred

years

Thine eyes and on thy forehead gaze; Two hundred to adore each breast; But thirty thousand to the rest;

An age at least to every part, And the last age should show your you deserve

For, Lady,

Nor would But

at

I

my

heart;

this state,

love at lower rate.

back

I

always hear

Time's winged chariot hurrying near;

LOVB BXPBCTBD

*> 53

And yonder

all

-before uslie

Deserts of vast eternity.

Thy

beauty

Nor,

in thy

My

shall

no more be found, vault, shall sound

marble

echoing song: then

worms

That long preserved virginity, And your quaint honour turn

And

into ashes

The

grave's a fine

But none,

Now Sits

I

think,

my

lust:

and private

place,

do there embrace.

skin like

hue

morning dew,

while thy willing soul transpires

At every pore with

Now let Rather

Than Let us

instant fires,

we may,

us sport us while

And now,

Our And

to dust,

therefore, while the youthful

on thy

And

all

shall try

at

like

amorous

birds

of prey,

once our time devour

languish in his slow-chapt power. roll all

our strength and

sweetness up into one tear

all

ball,

our pleasures with rough

Thorough

strife

the iron gates of life:

we cannot make our sun yet we will make him run.

Thus, though Stand

still,

ANDREW MARVELL

36 Quand vous

serez bien vieille,

au

soir a la chandelle,

du feu, devidant et filant, Direz chantant mes vers, en vous esmerveillant: «Ronsard me celebroit du temps que j'estois belle.» Assise aupres

54 »>

LOVE EXPECTED

Lors vous n'aurez scrvante oyant Desja sous

Qui au

le

labeur a

demy

telle

nouvelle,

sommeillant,

mon nom ne s'aille resveillant, vostre nom de louange immortelle.

bruit de

Benissant

Je seray sous la terre, et fantome sans os Par les ombres myrteux je prendray mon repos;

Vous

serez au fouyer

Regrettant Vivez,

si

une

mon amour

vieille accroupie, et vostre fier desdain.

m'en croyez, n'attendez

Cueillez des aujourdhuy

a demain:

de

les roses

la vie.

PIERRE DE RONSARD

[BEAUTY]

37 Let us use

we may;

while

it

Snatch those joys that haste away.

Earth her winter-coat

And renew

may

cast,

her beauty past;

But, our winter come, in vain

We solicit spring again: And when Love may

our furrows snow

sir

38

TO THE

shall cover,

return, but never lover.

Richard fanshawe (from the Italian of GIOVAN BATTISTA GUARINl)

VIRGINS,

TO MAKE MUCH OF

TIME Gather ye rose-buds while ye may,

Old Time

is still

a flying:

And this same flower Tomorrow will be

that smiles to-day,

dying.

LOVE EXPECTED

•* 55

The glorious lamp of heaven, the The higher he's a getting; The sooner will his race be run,

And

Sun,

nearer he's to setting.

That age

which is the first, When youth and blood are warmer; But being spent, the worse, and worst is

Times,

best,

Then be not

And

succeed the former.

still

coy, but use your time;

while ye may, go marry:

For having

but once your prime,

lost

You may

for every tarry.

ROBERT HERRICK

BLUE GIRLS

39

Twirling your blue

Under

Go

listen to

the sward

your teachers old and contrary

Without believing Tie the white

And

skirts, travelling

the towers of your seminary,

a

fillets

word. then about your hair

no more of what will come Than bluebirds that go walking on the And chattering on the air. think

Practise

And

I

your beauty, blue

will cry

Beauty which It is

56 ȴ

so

frail.

LOVB BXPECTBD

with all

my

girls,

loud

our power

before

lips

shall

to pass grass

it fail;

and publish never

establish,

For

I

could

know

I

tell

you

a story

with a

a lady

which

is

true;

terrible tongue,

Blear eyes fallen from blue, All her perfections tarnished

—

yet. it is

not long

Since she was lovelier than any of you.

JOHN CROWE RANSOM

40

Now having

leisure,

and a happy wind,

Thou mayst

at pleasure cause the stones to grind,

Sails spread,

and

Fie, stand

not

grist

idlely,

here ready to be ground,

but

let

the mill

go round.

II

How long shall I pine for love ? How long shall use in vain How long like the turtle-dove I

Shall

I

heavenly thus complain ?

Shall the sails

of my love stand

Shall the grists

Oh

fie,

?

oh

fie,

Let the mill,

oh

let

still?

of my hopes be unground ? fie,

the mill

go round.

JOHN FLETCHER

LOVE EXPECTED

•» 57

41

When And

as the

Strawberries

And

rye reach to the chin,

chopcherry, chopcherry ripe within,

swimming

in the

cream,

school-boys playing in the stream:

Then O, then O, then O my Till that time come again, She could not

true love said,

maid.

live a

GEORGE PEELE

42

INVOCATION QUE LES

POURRONT

FAIRE SE

SI

FILLES

ELLES VEULENT

MARIER

Kyrie, je voudrais, Christe, etre mariee,

Kyrie je prie tous

les saints,

Christe que ce soit demain. Sainte Marie, tout le

monde

Saint Joseph, que vous

se marie.

ai-je fait?

Saint Nicolas, ne m'oubliez pas. Saint Mederic, que j'aie

un bon mari.

Saint Mathieu, qu'il craigne Dieu. Saint Jean, qu'il

m' aime tendrement.

Saint Thibaud, qu'il soit joli et beau.

me soit courtois. me soit fidele. soit a mon gre.

Saint Francois, qu'il Saint Michel, qu'il Saint Andre, qu'il

Saint Leger, qu'il n'aime pas jouer.

Saint Severin, qu'il n'aime pas le vin. Saint Clement, qu'il ait

58 •>

LOVE EXPECTED

bon

coeur.

Saint Nicaise,

sois a mon aise. me donne un carrosse. que mon marriage se fasse.

que je

Saint Josse, qu'il

Saint Boniface,

Saint Augustin, des

demain matin.

ANON.

43 The maidens came

When I

had

The The The Red The The The

I

all

was that

my

in I

mother's bower,

wold.

bailie beareth the bell lily,

the rose, the rose

silver is

is

away, I

lay.

white,

the gold,

robes they lay in fold. bailie beareth the bell lily,

And

the rose, the rose

through the

glass

away, I

lay.

window

Shines the Sun.

How The The

should

I

love and

I

so

bailie beareth the bell lily,

the rose, the rose

young ?

away, I

lay.

ANON.

44

[from

EPITHALAMION]

Wake, now my love, awake; for it is time, The Rosy Morn long since left Tithon's bed, All ready to her silver coach to climb,

And Phoebus

gins to

shew

his glorious head.

LOVE BXPBCTBD

«* 59

Hark how

the cheerful birds

And

of love's

carol

do chaunt

their lays

praise.

The merry lark her matins sings aloft, The thrush replies, the mavis descant plays, The ouzel shrills, the ruddock warbles soft, So goodly

To this Ah my

When

all

agree with sweet consent

day's merriment.

why do

dear love,

ye sleep thus long,

meeter were that ye should

now

awake,

T' await the coming of your joyous make,

And

hearken to the birds' love-learned song,

The dewy

leaves

among.

For they of joy and pleasance to you

sing,

woods them answer and

their

That

the

all

My

love

And

her

is

now awake

echo ring.

out of her dream,

dimmed were With darksome cloud, now shew their goodly beams More bright than Hesperus his head doth rear. fair

eyes like stars that

Come now

ye damsels, daughters of delight, Help quickly her to dight, But first come ye, fair hours, which were begot In love's sweet paradise, of day and night,

Which do the seasons of the year allot, And all that ever in this world is fair Do make and still repair. And ye three handmaids of the Cyprian Queen, The which do

still

adorn her beauty's pride,

Help

my

beautifullest bride:

to

adorn

And as ye her array, still throw between Some graces to be seen, And as ye use to Venus, to her sing, The

whiles the

Now Let 60 •» LOVB

is

all

my

woods

love

all

shall

answer and your echo

ready forth to come,

the virgins therefore well await,

EXPECTED

ring.

And

ye fresh boys that tend upon her

Set

all

your things

Fit for so

in

groom

coming straight. seemly good array

Prepare yourselves; for he

is

joyful day,

The joyfulst day that ever sun did see, Fair Sun, shew forth thy favourable ray,

And

let

thy

lifeful

heat Hot fervent be

For fear of burning her sunshiny

Her beauty

O

fairest

If ever

I

Phoebus, father of the Muse, did honour thee aright,

Or

sing the thing, that

Do

not thy servant's

But Let

mote thy mind delight, simple boon refuse,

day, let this one day be mine,

let this all

face,

to disgrace.

the rest be thine.

Then

I

That

all

thy sovereign praises loud will sing, the

Hark how

woods

shall

answer and

the minstrels gin to

their

ring.

aloud

shrill

Their merry music that resounds from

The

echo

far,

and the trembling crowd, That well agree withouten breach or jar. But most of all the damsels do delight, pipe, the tabor,

When And That

The

they their timbrels smite,

thereunto do dance and carol sweet, all

the senses they

do ravish

whiles the boys run up and

quite,

down

Crying aloud with strong confused As if it were one voice.

the street,

noise,

Hymen io Hymen, Hymen they do shout, That even to the heavens their shouting shrill Doth reach, and all the firmament doth fill, To which the people standing all about, As

in

And

approvance do thereto applaud

loud advance her laud,

LOVB BXPBCTBD

•%»

6l

!

And evermore That

all

they

Hymen Hymen

sing,

woods them answer and

the

!

echo ring.

their

Ah when will this long weary day have end, And lend me leave to come unto my love?

How slowly How slowly Haste thee,

do the hours does sad

O

their

Time

numbers spend

move home

his feathers

fairest Planet, to

thy

Within the western foam:

Thy

tired steeds

Long though

And

it

long since have need of rest. be, at last

see

I

it

gloom,

the bright evening star with golden crest

Appear out of the east. Fair child of beauty, glorious lamp of love That all the host of heaven in ranks dost lead,

And

guidest lovers through the nightes dread,

How And

cheerfully thou lookest

As joying

Of these That

all

in the sight

many which

glad the

it is,

Now day Now bring Now night

is

in her

Lay her

And And

in

all

the day

done, and night

sing,

their

echo ring.

was yours: is

nighing

fast:

the Bride into the bridal bowers.

is come, now soon her bed her lay; lilies and in violets,

disarray,

silken curtains over her display,

odour'd

sheets,

Like unto Maia, **»

joy do

damsels, your delights forepast;

that

Behold how goodly In proud humility;

62

for

woods them answer and

Now cease ye Enough

And

from above,

seemst to laugh atween thy twinkling light

LOVE EXPECTED

and Arras

my

when

as

fair

coverlets.

love does

lie

Jove her took,

In Tempe, lying on the flow'ry grass, Twixt sleep and wake, after she weary was,

With bathing

Now And And

it is

leave

in the Acidalian brook.

night, ye damsels

my love

may

be gone,

alone,

leave likewise your former lay to sing:

The woods no more

Now welcome,

shall

answer, nor your echo ring.

Night, thou night so long expected,

That long day's labour dost

my

And

all

Hast

summed

And

in

at last defray,

which cruel love collected, and cancelled for aye: Spread thy broad wing over my love and me, That no man may us see,

From

in one,

thy sable mantle us enwrap,

fear

Let no

cares,

of peril and foul horror

false

free.

treason seek us to entrap,

Nor any dread disquiet once annoy The safety of our joy: But let the night be calm and quietsome, Without tempestuous storms or sad affray: Like as when Jove with fair Alcmena lay, When he begat the great Tirynthian groom:

Or like as when he with thy self did lie, And begot Majesty. And let the maids and young men cease

Ne

let

the

woods them answer, nor

to sing:

their

echo ring.

EDMUND

SPENSER

LOVE EXPECTED

** 63

45 You sec the worst of love, but not the best, Nor will you know him till he comes your guest. Tho' yearly drops some feather from his sides, In the heart's temple his pure torch abides.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

46 As you came from the holy land Of Walsinghame, Met you not with my true love By the way as you came?

How

shall I

know your

true love,

That have met many one As I went to the holy land, That have come, that have gone? She

is

But There

neither white nor as the is

heavens

none hath

brown,

fair:

form

a

In the earth or the

so divine

air.

a one did I meet, good Such an angelic face,

Such

Who By

like a queen, like a

her

She hath

gait,

left

me

All alone as

Who

»*»

here

LOVE EXPECTED

nymph, did

appear,

grace. all

alone,

unknown,

sometimes did

And me 64

by her

Sir,

me

lov'd as her

lead with herself,

own.

What's the cause

And

Who

you alone

take,

loved you once

And I

that she leaves

new way doth

a

her joy did

have lov'd her

all

as her own, you make?

my

youth,

But now old as you see, Love likes not the falling fruit

From

Know

the withered tree:

that

Love

is

a careless child,

And forgets promise past; He is blind, he is deaf when And in faith never fast: His desire

is

he

list

a dureless content

And a trustless joy; He is won with a world of despair And is lost with a toy:

Of womenkind Or

such indeed

word love abused, Under which many childish

is

the love

the

And

But love In the

Never

desires

conceits are excused:

is

sick,

From

a durable fire,

mind ever burning: never old, never dead,

itself

never turning. SIR

WALTER RALEGH

LOVE EXPECTED

ȴ 65

47 THE PRIMROSE, BEING AT

MONTGOMERY CASTLE, UPON THE ON WHICH IT IS SITUATE Upon

Primrose

this

HILL,

Hill,

Where, if Heav'n would distill A shower of rain, each several drop might go To his own primrose, and grow manna so; And where their form, and their infinity

Make

a terrestrial galaxy,

As the small stars do in the sky, I walk to find a true love; and I see That 'tis not a mere woman, that is she, But must, or more, or less than woman Yet

know

I

not which flower

wish, a

six,

or four;

For should

my

true love

I

be.

less

than

woman

be,

She were scarce any thing; and then, should she

Be more than woman,

she

would

All thought of sex, and think to

My heart Both

these

to study her,

and not

were monsters:

Falsehood in

woman,

She were by

art,

I

move to love;

since there

must

reside

could more abide

than nature

Live, Primrose, then,

get above

falsified.

and thrive

With thy true number five; And women, whom this flower doth represent, With this mysterious number be content; Ten is the farthest number; if half ten Belong unto each woman, then Each

66 **

woman may

LOVE EXPECTED

take half us

men;

Or

not serve their turn, since

if this will

Numbers

odd or even, and they

are

women may

First into this five,

all

fall

take us

all.

JOHN DONNE

48 A

NOCTURNAL UPON

ST LUCY'S DAY, BEING THE SHORTEST DAY

'Tis the year's

who

Lucy's,

The sun

midnight, and

spent,

is

Send forth

now

and

general

Whither,

the day's,

balm

his flasks

no constant

light squibs,

The world's whole The

it is

scarce seven hours herself unmasks,

sap

is

rays;

sunk;

hydroptic earth hath drunk,

th'

as to the bed's-feet, life

is

shrunk,

Dead and interr'd; yet all these seem to laugh, Compar'd with me, who am their epitaph. Study

At

me

For In

am

I

love wrought

He

ruin'd me, and

All others,

from form,

by

alchemy.

I

and lean emptiness:

am

re-begot

darkness, death; things

Life, soul,

all

that's

which

are not.

draw all that's good, whence they being have;

things,

spirit,

love's limbeck,

Of all,

new

from nothingness,

dull privations,

Of absence,

I,

be

next spring:

at the

his art did express

quintessence even

From

shall lovers

is,

every dead thing,

whom For

A

you who

then,

the next world, that

am

the grave

nothing. Oft a flood

Have we two wept, and

so

LOVE EXPECTED

»%»

67

Drown'd the whole world, us two; oft To be two chaoses, when we did show Care to ought

else;

Withdrew our

did

we grow

and often absences and made us carcasses.

souls,

I am by her death, (which word wrongs Of the first nothing, the elixir grown;

But

Were

a

I

man,

that

I

needs must know;

I

her)

were one, should prefer,

I

were any beast, Some ends, some means; yea plants, yea And love; all, all some properties invest; If I

If I an ordinary

As shadow,

But

I

You

am

stones detest

nothing were,

a light,

and body must be here.

none; nor will

my

sun renew.

whose sake the lesser sun time to the Goat is run

lovers, for

At

this

To

fetch new lust, and give Enjoy your summer all;

it

you,

Since she enjoys her long night's festival,

Let

me

prepare towards her, and

This hour her

Both

vigil,

let

me

and her eve, since

call

this

the year's, and the day's deep midnight

is.

JOHN DONNE

49 MARRIAGE Light, so

You Here All 68

«%»

LOVE EXPECTED

is

MORNING

low upon

earth,

send a flash to the sun. the golden close of love,

my

wooing

is

done.

Oh,

the

woods and

the

meadows,

Woods where we hid from the wet, Stiles where we stay'd to be kind, Meadows in which we met! Light, so

You

low

in the vale

and lighten afar, For this is the golden morning of love, And you are his morning star. Flash, I am coming, I come, By meadow and stile and wood, Oh, lighten into my eyes and heart, Into my heart and my blood! flash

Heart, are

you

great

enough

For a love that never

O heart,

you

tires?

enough for love? I have heard of thorns and briers. Over the thorns and briers, Over the meadows and stiles, Over the world to the end of it are

great

Flash for a million miles.

ALFRED TENNYSON

50 Across the sky the daylight crept,

And birds grew garrulous in the And on my marriage-morn I slept

A

soft sleep, undisturb'd

by

grove,

love.

COVENTRY PATMORE

LOVE EXPECTED

»

69

5i I

thought once

Of the

Who To

Theocritus had sung

sweet years, the dear and wished-for years,

each one in a gracious hand appears

bear a gift for mortals, old or young:

And, I

how

•

as I

mused

it

in his antique tongue,

saw, in gradual vision through

The

my

tears,

sweet, sad years, the melancholy years,

.

.

.

Those of my own life, who by turns had flung A shadow across me. Straightway I was 'ware, So weeping, how a mystic Shape did move Behind me, and drew me backward by the hair;

And

a voice said in

'Guess

The

now who

silver

mastery while

holds thee?'

answer rang,

.

.

.

strove, — 'Death,' I

I

.

.

said.

.

But, there,

'Not Death, but Love.'

ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING

[LOVE PURSUED]

52

Art thou gone I'll

in haste?

not forsake thee;

Runn'st thou ne'er so I'll

O'er the

dales, o'er the

Through

From

To

fast,

o'ertake thee:

the green

downs,

meadows,

the fields through the towns,

the

dim shadows.

All along the plains,

To

Up

the

From 70

**»

LOVE EXPECTED

low

fountains,

and down agen the high mountains;

Echo

then, shall agen

Tell her

And

I

follow,

the floods to the

Carry

my holla,

woods

holla, ee la,ho ho,hu. 9

9

ANON.

53

LOVERS

HOW THEY COME AND

PART

A

Gyges Ring they bear about them still, be, and not seen when and where they will. They tread on clouds, and though they sometimes They fall like dew, but make no noise at all. So silently they one to th'other come, As colours steal into the pear or plum, And air-like, leave no pression to be seen Where'er they met, or parting place has been.

To

fall,

ROBERT HERRICK

54 friends!

My

who

quickening

have accompanied thus steps,

far

sometimes where sorrow

sate

Dejected, and sometimes where valour stood

Resplendent, right before us; here perhaps

We best might part;

but one to valour dear wrath and calls me worse than Reminding me of gifts too ill deserved. 1 must not blow away the flowers he gave,

Comes up

in

now

foe,

must not efface The letters his own hand has traced for me. Here terminates my park of poetry. Altho'

faded;

I

LOVE EXPECTED

»%»

71

Look out no longer For

clusters

With

stately animals

woods,

for extensive

of unlopt and

lofty trees,

coucht under them,

Or grottoes with deep wells of water And ancient figures in the solid rock:

pure,

Come, with our sunny pasture be content, Our narrow garden and our homestead croft,

And

tillage

not neglected. Love breathes round;

Love, the bright atmosphere, the

Of youth;

without

it life

vital air,

and death are one.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

55

[from

LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST]

(Berowne speaks)

A A

lover's eyes will gaze an eagle blind, lover's ear will hear the lowest sound,

When

the suspicious head of theft

more

is

stopped.

and sensible Than are the tender horns of cockled snails. Love's tongue proves dainty Bacchus gross in Love's feeling

For valour, Still

is

climbing

is

soft

taste.

not Love a Hercules, trees in the

Hesperides ?

Subtle as Sphinx; as sweet and musical

As bright Apollo's lute, strung with his hair. And when Love speaks, the voice of all the gods Makes heaven drowsy with the harmony. Never durst poet touch a pen to write Until his ink were temp'red with Love's sighs; O then his lines would ravish savage ears

And 72 »»

plant in tyrants mild humility,

LOVE EXPECTED

From women's eyes this doctrine I derive. They sparkle still the right Promethean fire; They are the books, the arts, the academes, That show, contain, and nourish

all

the world.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

$6

[from

THE WINTER'S TALE]

Here's flowers for you, perdita Hot lavender, mints, savory, marjoram, The marigold, that goes to bed wi' th' sun And with him rises weeping. These are flowers

Of middle summer, To men of middle CAMILLO I

and

I

think they are given

age. Y'are very

should leave grazing, were

And

I

welcome.

of your

flock,

only live by gazing.

perdita

Out,

You'ld be so lean that

blasts

alas!

of January

through and through. Now, my fair'st had some flowers o' th' spring that might I would Become your time of day, and yours, and yours, That wear upon your virgin branches yet Your maidenheads growing. O Proserpina,

Would blow you

friend,

I

For the flowers

From

Dis's

now

wagon;

that, frighted,

thou

let'st fall

daffodils,

That come before the swallow dares, and take The winds of March with beauty; violets dim,

But sweeter than the

Or

lids

of Juno's eyes

Cytherea's breath; pale primroses,

That die unmarried, ere they can behold

LOVE EXPECTED

«*•

73

Bright Phoebus in his strength— a malady

Most incident to maids; bold oxlips and The crown imperial; lilies of all kinds, The flower-de-luce being one. O, these I lack To make you garlands of, and my sweet friend, To strew him o'er and o'er! What, like a corse? florizel PERDITA No, like a bank for love to lie and play on.

Not

like a corse, or

if,

not to be buried,

mine arms. Come, take your flowers. I have seen them do In Whitsun pastorals. Sure this robe of mine Does change my disposition. What you do florizel Still betters what is done. When you speak, sweet, I'ld have you do it ever. When you sing, I'ld have you buy and sell so, so give alms, Pray so, and for the ord'ring your affairs, To sing them too. When you do dance, I wish you A wave o' th' sea, that you might ever do Nothing but that, move still, still so, And own no other function. Each your doing, So singular in each particular, Crowns what you are doing in the present deeds, That all your acts are queens.

But quick and Methinks

I

in

play as

perdita Your praises

O Doricles, But

that your youth, which peeps fairly through't, Do plainly give you out an unstained shepherd, With wisdom I might fear, my Doricles, You wooed me the false way. florizel I think you have As little skill to fear as I have purpose To put you to't. But come; our dance, I pray.

And

74

»%»

are too large.

the true blood

love expected

Your hand,

my Perdita.

That never mean to

So

turtles pair

part.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

57 and happy he Whose eyes behold her face, But blessed more whose ears hath heard The speeches framed with grace.

Blest, blest

And

he

is

god

half a

That these thy lips may kiss, Yet god all whole that may enjoy

Thy body

as

it is.

ANON.

SONG FOR AUTUMN

58

Come,

love, for

now

the night and day

Play with their pawns of black and white,

And what day loses in her play Is won by the encroaching night. The

clematis

grows old and

clings

Grey-bearded to the road-side

And

in the

Her

The

trees

hedge the nightshade

strings

berries in bright necklaces.

fields are bare; the latest

sheaf

Of barley,

Is

wheat and rusty rye stacked long since; and every leaf Burns like a sunset on the sky.

LOVE EXPECTED

»%»

75

Come,

love, for night and day, alas, Are playing for a heavier stake Than hours of light or leaves or grass; Come, love; come, love, for sweet love's

sake.

ANDREW YOUNG

76 »>

LOVE EXPECTED

2

LOVE BEGUN

59 What With

On

fair

pomp

have

I

spied of glittering Ladies,

locks sparkled abroad,

their ivory

and rosy coronet

brows, track'd to the dainty thighs

With robes like Amazons, blue as violet, With gold aglets adorn'd, some in a changeable with spangs wavering, taught to be moveable.

Pale,

Then

those Knights that afar off with a dolorous viewing

Cast their eyes hitherward:

lo, in

an agony,

All unbrac'd, cry aloud, their heavy state rueing:

Moist cheeks with blubbering, painted

as

ebony

Black; their felter'd hair torn with wrathful hand:

And

whiles astonied, stark in a

maze they

stand.

But hark, what merry sound! what sudden harmony! Look, look near the grove where the Ladies do tread

With

their Knights the measures weigh'd by the melody! Wantons, whose travesing make men enamoured!

Now

they fain an honour,

He must Straight

With

lift

her

aloft,

down under

and

a

pleasant daliance,

Now close, now Changing

now by

the slender waist

seal a kiss in haste.

shadow for weariness they lie hand knit with arm in arm;

set aloof,

they gaze with an equal eye,

kisses alike; straight

with a

false

alarm,

Mocking kisses alike, pout with a lovely lip. Thus drown'd with jollities, their merry days do But

stay!

Toward

now

I

discern they

Love's holy land,

slip.

go on a pilgrimage Paphos or Cyprus.

fair

LOVE BEGUN

*%•

79

Such devotion

is

meet

With sweet youth

it

for a blithsome age;

agrees well to be amorous.

Let old angry fathers lurk in an hermitage:

Come,

we'll associate this jolly pilgrimage!

THOMAS CAMPION

60 LES

GERTRUDE HOFFMANN GIRLS

Gertrude, Dorothy, Mary, Claire, Alberta, Charlotte, Dorothy, Ruth, Catherine,

Emma,

Louise, Margaret, Ferral, Harriet, Sara,

Florence toute nue, Margaret, Toots, Thelma,

Belles-de-nuits, belles-de-feu, belles-de-pluie,

Le cceur tremblant, les mains cachees, les yeux au vent, Vous me montrez les mouvements de la lumiere, Vous echangez un regard clair pour un printemps, Le tour de votre L'audace

et le

taille

pour un tour de

fleur,

danger pour votre chair sans ombre,

Vous echangez l'amour pour des frissons d'epees, Des rires inconscients pour des promesses d'aube. Vos danses sont le gouffre effrayant de mes songes Et je tombe et ma chute eternise ma vie, L'espace sous vos pieds est de plus en plus vaste, Merveilles, vous dansez sur

les

sources

du

ciel.

PAUL ELUARD

80 •>

LOVE BEGUN

AMO, AMAS

6l

Amo, Amas, I love a lass As a cedar tall and slender; Sweet cowslip's grace is her nominative

And

she's

case,

of the feminine gender.

Rorum, Coram, sunt divorum, Harum, Scarum divo; Tag-rag, merry-derry, periwig and hat-band

Hie hoc horum genitivo.

Can I decline a Nymph divine? Her voice as a flute is dulcis. Her oculus bright, her manus white,

And

soft,

when

I

tacto, her pulse

is.

Rorum, Coram, sunt divorum, Harum, Scarum divo; Tag-rag, merry-derry, periwig and hat-band

Hie hoc horum genitivo.

Oh, I'll

how

bella

kiss secula

If I've luck,

O

dies

my

puella,

seculorum.

sir,

she's

my

uxor,

benedictorum.

Rorum, Coram, sunt divorum, Harum, Scarum divo; Tag-rag, merry-derry, periwig and hat-band

Hie hoc horum genitivo.

JOHN O KEEFB

LOVE BEGUN

*» 8l

62 Only joy, now here you Fit to

Let

my

hear and ease

my

are,

care;

whispering voice obtain

Sweet reward for sharpest pain; Take me to thee, and thee to me.

No, no, no, no,

my

Night hath closed

dear, let be.

all

in her cloak,

Twinkling stars love-thoughts provoke, Danger hence good care doth keep, Jealousy

itself

doth

sleep;

Take me to thee, and thee to me. No, no, no, no, my dear, let be. Better place no wit can find,

Cupid's yoke to loose or bind;

These sweet flowers on fine bed too

Us in their best language woo; Take me to thee, and thee to me. No, no, no, no, my dear, let be. This small light the

moon

bestows

Serves thy beams but to disclose;

So to

raise

my

hap more high,

Fear not, else none can us spy;

Take me to thee, and thee to me. No, no, no, no, my dear, let be. That you heard was but a mouse,

Dumb Yet

sleep holdeth

asleep, methinks,

Young

all

the house;

they say,

folks, take time while you may; Take me to thee, and thee to me. No, no, no, no, my dear, let be.

82 >* LOVE BEGUN

Niggard Time

threats, if

This large offer of our

Long

we

miss

bliss,

stay ere he grant the same;

Sweet, then, while each thing doth frame,

Take me to thee, and thee to me. No, no, no, no, my dear, let be.

Your

fair

mother

is

a-bed,

Candles out and curtains spread;

She thinks you do Write, but

let

me

letters write; first indite;

Take me to thee, and thee to me. No, no, no, no, my dear, let be. Sweet,

alas,

Concord

why

strive

you

thus ?

better fitteth us;

Leave to Mars the force of hands,

Your power in your beauty stands; Take thee to me, and me to thee. No, no, no, no, my dear, let be.

Woe to me, and do you swear Me to hate? but I forbear; Cursed be my destines all, That brought me so high to fall; Soon with my death I will please

No, no, no, no,

my

thee.

dear, let be.

SIR PHILIP

SIDNEY

LOVE BEGUN

•¥ 83

!

63

[from

TWO GENTLEMEN

THE

OF VERONA]

{Proteus speaks)

Thus have

And I

I

shunned the

drenched

feared to

me

show

my

where

am

I

drowned.

father Julia's letter,

Lest he should take exceptions to

And

of burning,

fire for fear

in the sea,

with the vantage of mine

my

own

love;

excuse

Hath he excepted most against my love. O, how this spring of love resembleth

The uncertain glory of an April day, Which now shows all the beauty of the And by and by a cloud takes all away

sun,

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

64 I

can not

tell,

not

I,

Awhile so gracious, So grave: I can not

The

violet hangs

It shall

be

cull'd,

its it

why now

she

should be

you why

tell

head awry. shall

be worn,

In spite of every sign of scorn,

Dark

look, and overhanging thorn.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

65

[SAMELA]

Like to Diana in her

summer weed

Girt with a crimson robe of brightest die,

goes 84

»*•

LOVE BEGUN

fair

Samela.

Whiter than be the flocks that straggling feed, When washed by Arethusa, faint they lie, is

fair

Samela.

As fair Aurora in her morning gray Deck'd with the ruddy glister of her is

fair

love,

Samela.

Like lovely Thetis on a calmed day,

When

her brightness Neptune's fancy move,

as

shines fair Samela.

Her Her

tresses gold,

her eyes like glassy streams,

teeth are pearls, the breast

of ivory

of fair Samela. rose and lily yield forth gleams,

Her cheeks like Her brows' bright

arches fram'd

of ebony:

thus fair Samela.

Passeth fair

And Juno

Venus

in the

in her bravest hue,

show of majesty, for she's Samela.

Pallas in wit, all three if

you

will view,

For beauty, wit and matchless dignity yield to Samela.

ROBERT GREENE

66 Crabbed age and youth cannot live together: is full of pleasance, age is full of care; like summer morn, age like winter weather;

Youth Youth Youth Youth Youth Youth Youth

like

summer

brave, age like winter bare.

of sport, age's breath

is

full

is

nimble, age

is

hot and bold, age

is

wild, and age

is

is

short;

lame;

is

is

weak and

cold;

tame.

LOVE BEGUN

»> 85

!

Age,

I

my

O,

do abhor love,

thee; youth,

my

love

is

I

do adore

thee.

young

Age, I do defy thee. O sweet shepherd, hie For methinks thou stays too long.

thee,

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

67 WHITE AN' BLUE

My love

is

o'

comely

height, an' straight,

her ways an'

An' comely

in

In feace she

do show on her eyes be white on

An' her

When

lids

all

gait,

the rwose's hue,

Elemley clubmen walk'd

blue.

May

in

An' vo'k come in clusters, ev'ry way, As soon as the zun dried up the dew, An' clouds in the sky wer white on blue, She come by the down, wi' trippen walk,

By

deaisies, an'

sheenen banks

o' chalk,

An' brooks, where the crowvoot flow'rs did strew

The

sky-tinted water, white

She nodded her head,

A I

singled her out

Vrom

band;

as she did stand;

reel, a- wear en

skirt wi' a jacket,

blue.

as play'd the

She dapp'd wi' her voot, She danced in a

on

new

white wi' blue.

vrom

slender an' stout

thin an' stout, I

chose her out;

An' what, in the evenen, could I do, But gi'e her my breast-knot, white an' blue?

WILLIAM BARNES 86 >*

LOVE BEGUN

68

HEXAMETRA ALEXIS IN LAUDEM ROSAMUNDI

Oft have I heard my lief Cory don report on a love-day, When bonny maids do meet with the swains in the valley by Tempe, How bright eyed his Phyllis was, how lovely they glanced, When fro th'arches ebon black, flew looks as a lightning,

That

set afire

with piercing flames even hearts adamantine:

Face rose hued, cherry red, with a silver taint like a

lily.

Venus' pride might abate, might abash with a blush to behold her.

Phoebus' wires compar'd to her hairs unworthy the praising. state,

and

Pallas'

That grac'd

her,

whom poor

Juno's

Ah, but had Corydon

wit disgrac'd with the Graces,

now

Corydon did choose

for a love-mate:

seen the star that Alexis

Likes and loves so dear, that he melts to sighs

when he

sees her.

Did Corydon but see those eyes, those amorous eyelids, From whence fly holy flames of death or life in a moment. Ah, did he

see that face, those hairs that

Venus, Apollo

Basht to behold, and both disgrac'd, did grieve, that a creature

Should exceed in hue, compare both a god and a goddess:

Ah, had he seen

Then had he For there

is

my

sweet paramour, the saint of Alexis,

down

said, Phyllis, sit

one more

surpassed in

all

points,

than thou, beloved of Alexis.

fair

ROBERT GREENE

69

TAM

O Jean, my Jean,

1

I

when

THE KIRK the bell ca's the congregation

Owre

valley an' hill wi' the ding frae

When

a'body's thochts

Mine's

set

is

set

on

its

iron

mou,

his ain salvation,

on you.

LOVE BEGUN

**»

N7

!

—

!

lies oft the Buik o' the Word afore ye That was growin' braw on its bush at the keek o' day, But the lad that pu'd yon flower i' the mornin's glory,

There's a reid rose

He

canna pray.

He canna pray; but there's nane Whaur he sits sae still his lane at

the kirk will heed

i'

For nane but the reid rose kens what It

an' us

him

the side o' the wa'

my

lassie gie'd

him

twa

He canna sing for the sang that his ain he'rt raises, He canna see for the mist that's afore his een, And a voice drouns the hale o' the psalms an' the paraphrases, Cry in'

!'

'Jean, Jean,

Jean

VIOLET JACOB

70 Mother,

[from

I

SAPPHO]

cannot mind

my

My fingers ache, my lips Oh

wheel; are dry:

you felt the pain I feel But Oh, who ever felt as I ?

No

!

if

longer could

All other

I

doubt him

men may

true;

use deceit:

He always said my eyes were blue, And often swore my lips were sweet.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

88

*>

LOVE BEGUN

71

QUEENS

Seven dog-days

we

Naming Queens

in

All the rare

Wormy

let

pass

Glenmacnass,

and royal names

sheepskin yet retains,

Etain, Helen,

Maeve, and Fand,

Golden Deirdre's tender hand, Bert, the big-foot, sung by Villon, Cassandra, Ronsard found in Lyon. Queens of Sheba, Meath and Connaught, Coifed with crown, or gaudy bonnet, Queens whose finger once did stir men, Queens were eaten of fleas and vermin, Queens men drew like Monna Lisa, Or slew with drugs in Rome and Pisa,

We named Lucrezia Crivelli, And

Titian's lady with amber belly, Queens acquainted in learned sin, Jane of Jewry's slender shin: Queens who cut the bogs of Glanna, Judith of Scripture, and Gloriana, Queens who wasted the East by proxy,

Or drove the ass-cart, a tinker's doxy, Yet these are rotten I ask their pardon And we've the sun on rock and garden, These are rotten, so you're the Queen

—

Of all

are living, or have been. j.

M.

SYNGE

LOVE BEGUN

»* 8g

ON A BIRTHDAY

72

Friend of Ronsard, Nashe, and Beaumont,

Lark of Ulster, Meath and Thomond,

Heard from Smyrna and Sahara To the surf of Connemara, Lark of April, June, and May, Sing loudly

this

my

Lady-day. J.

73 Your Only

SYNGE

TO THE LADY MAY women's mouth awry;

smiles are not, as other

the drawing of the

For breasts and cheeks and forehead Parts

M.

wanting motion,

all

be,

we may

see,

stand smiling by.

Heaven hath no mouth, and yet

is

said to smile

After your style;

No more

hath Earth, yet that smiles too, Just as

No

simpering

Such smiles

as

The sun must

lips

you

do.

nor looks can breed

from your

face proceed.

lend his golden beams,

Soft winds their breath, green trees their shade,

Sweet

fields their flowers, clear springs their streams,

Ere such another smile be made.

But these concurring, we may say, So smiles the spring, and so smiles lovely May.

AURELIAN TOWNSEND

90

•*»

LOVE BEGUN

»

74 Je plante en ta faveur cest arbre de Cybelle, Ce pin, ou tes honneurs se liront tous les jours: J'ay grave sur le tronc nos

Qui

noms

et

nos amours,

croistront a l'envy de l'escorce nouvelle.

Faunes qui habitez

ma

terre paternelle,

Qui menez

sur le Loir vos dances et vos tours,

Favorisez

plante et luy donnez secours,

Que

la

1'Este

ne

la brusle, et

THyver ne

la gelle.

Pasteur, qui conduiras en ce lieu ton troupeau,

Flageolant une Eclogue en ton tuyau d'aveine,

Attache tous

les

passans

Puis l'arrosant de laict et

Dy

«

:

Ce

pin

un tableau, mes amours et ma

ans a cest arbre

Qui tesmoigne aux

peine;

du sang d'un agneau,

est sacre, c'est la

plante d'Helene.

PIERRE DE RONSARD

SPECTRAL LOVERS

75 By

night they haunted a thicket of April mist,

Out of that

black ground suddenly

Else angels lost in each other

Lovers they

knew they were,

Why should And

two

and but

come

fallen

to birth,

on

earth.

why unclasped, unkissed ?

lovers be frozen apart in fear?

yet they were, they were.

Over

the shredding of an April blossom

Scarcely her fingers touched him, quick with care,

Yet of evasions even she made a snare. The heart was bold that clanged within her bosom, The moment perfect, the time stopped for them, Still

her face turned from him.

LOVE BEGUN

»%»

91

Strong were the batteries of the April night

And

the stealthy emanations of the field;

Should the walls of her prison undefended yield

And open 'This

her treasure to the

the

is

mad moon, and

If he but ask

clamorous knight ?

first

shall

surrender all?

I

it I shall.'

And gesturing largely to the moon of Easter, Mincing his steps and swishing the jubilant grass, Beheading some field-flowers that had come to pass, He had reduced his tributaries faster Had

not considerations pinched

Unfitly for his

'Do

I

reel

Blessed

But

is

it is

This

is

Lest

its

And They

with the sap of April he that taketh

marble

like a

this richest

so stainless the sack

that

his heart

art.

fortress

were

a thousand pities.

not to be conquered,

white peace in the black flame turn to tinder

an unutterable cinder.' passed

me

once

in April, in the mist.

No other season is it when one walks Two tall and wandering, like spectral White

Who

drunkard ?

of cities;

in the season's

and discovers lovers,

moon-gold and amethyst,

touch quick fingers fluttering like a bird

Whose

songs shall never be heard.

JOHN CROWE RANSOM

76 FIRST

LOVE

was struck before that hour love so sudden and so sweet, Her face it bloomed like a sweet flower I

ne'er

With

And 92

**•

LOVE BEGUN

stole

my heart away

complete.

—

My face turned pale as deadly pale, My legs refused to walk away, And when

what could I ail? seemed turned to clay.

she looked,

My life and

all

And then my blood rushed to my face And took my eyesight quite away, The trees and bushes round the place Seemed midnight at noonday. I

could not see a single thing,

Words from my eyes did start They spoke as chords do from the

And

blood burnt round

my

string,

heart.

Are flowers the winter's choice? Is love's bed always snow? She seemed to hear my silent voice, Not love's appeals to know. I never saw so sweet a face As that I stood before.

My heart has left And

its

dwelling-place

can return no more.

JOHN CLARE

77 THE SECRET I

loved thee, though

Right

earlily

Thou wert my joy

My theme in

gave

it

told thee not,

in

every spot,

every song.

And when I saw Where beauty I

I

and long,

a stranger face

held the claim,

like a secret grace

The being of thy name. LOVE BEGUN

»%•

93

And all the charms of face Which I in others sec

or voice

Are but the recollected choice Of what I felt for thee.

JOHN CLARE

78

SONG

lark now leaves his wat'ry nest, And climbing, shakes his dewy wings; He takes this window for the east, And to implore your light, he sings, Awake, awake, the morn will never rise,

The

Till she

can dress her beauty at your eyes.

The merchant bows unto the seaman's star, The ploughman from the sun his season takes; But

still

Who

the lover

wonders what they

look for day before

are,

his mistress

wakes.

Awake, awake, break through your veils of lawn, Then draw your curtains, and begin the dawn. SIR

79

JOHN DAVENANT

SONG: TO CELIA

Drink to me, only, with thine eyes, And I will pledge with mine;

Or leave a kiss but in the cup, And I'll not look for wine. 94

»%»

LOVE BEGUN

The thirst, that from the soul doth Doth ask a drink divine:

rise,

But might I of Jove's nectar sup, I would not change for thine. I

sent thee, late, a rosy wreath,

Not

much honouring

so

As giving It

thee,

a hope, that there

it

could not withered be.

But thou thereon

And

sent'st

it

did'st

only breath,

back to me:

when it grows, and Not of itself, but thee.

Since

smells, I swear,

BEN JONSON

80 Pack, clouds, away, and welcome, day

With

night

Sweet

To

air,

we

blow

my

give

banish sorrow;

mount, lark, love good-morrow.

Wings from

soft;

aloft

the wind, to please her mind,

Notes from the lark

I'll

borrow:

Bird, prune thy wing; nightingale, sing,

To To

give give

my my

love good-morrow. love

Notes from them

Wake from

good-morrow all I'll

borrow.

thy nest, robin red-breast!

Sing, birds, in every furrow;

And from Give

my

each

fair

bill let

music

shrill

love good-morrow.

Blackbird and thrush, in every bush, Stare, linnet

and cocksparrow,

LOVE BEGUN

-%•

You

pretty elves,

Sing

my

To

give

fair

my

among

yourselves,

love good-morrow. love

good-morrow

Sing, birds in every furrow.

THOMAS HEYWOOD

81

My

ghostly fadir

First to

That I

I

confess

God and then to you window wot ye how

at a

stale a cosse

of great sweetness

Which done was But

me

it is

out avisiness,

done not undone now,

My ghostly fadir me confess I

First to

God and

then to you.

But I restore it shall doubtless Again if so be that I mow

And And

that to elles I

God

I

make

a

vow

axe forycfnes.

My ghostly fadir me confess I

First to

God and

then to you.

CHARLES D ORLEANS

82 Fair Phyllis

I

saw

sitting all alone,

Feeding her flock near to the mountain

The shepherds knew not whither she was But after, her love Amyntas hied. 96 *>

LOVE BEGUN

side.

gone,

Up and down he wandered whilst she was missing; When he found her, O then they fell a-kissing. ANON.

83

THUNDERSTORM

A

She wore a

And we

new

IN

TOWN

'terra-cotta' dress,

of the pelting storm, Within the hansom's dry recess, Though the horse had stopped; yea, motionless We sat on, snug and warm.

Then

And

stayed, because

the

downpour

ceased, to

my sharp

sad pain

the glass that had screened our forms before

Flew up, and out she sprang to her door: should have kissed her if the rain

I

Had

lasted a

minute more.

THOMAS HARDY

84 Thyrsis and Milla, In

merry

May

arm

in

arm

together,

to the green garden walked,

Where all the way they wanton riddles talked, The youthful boy, kissing her cheeks all rosy, Beseech'd her there to gather him a posy. She straight her light green silken coats up tucked

And may for Mill and thyme for Thyrsis plucked, Which when she brought he clasp'd her by the middle, And kiss'd her sweet but could not read her riddle, Ah fool, with that the Nymph set up a laughter, And blush'd, and ran away, and he ran after. ANON. LOVE BEGUN

»» 97

RONDEAU

85 Blanche

com

En

plus que rose vermeille,

lis,

Resplendissant

com

rubis d'Oriant,

remirant vo biaute nonpareille,

Blanche Sui

si

com

ravis

plus que rose vermeille,

lis,

que mes cuers toudis

veille

Afin que serve a loy de fin amant,

Blanche

com

lys,

Resplendissant

plus que rose vermeille,

com

rubis d'Oriant.

GUILLAUME DE MACHAUT

TROUBLES

86 IANTHE'S From

you, Ianthe,

Like

little

little

ripples

troubles pass

down

a

sunny

river;

Your pleasures spring like daisies in the grass, Cut down, and up again as blithe as ever.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

87 Thou

hast not rais'd, Ianthe, such desire

In any breast as thou hast rais'd in mine.

No

wandering meteor now, no marshy fire, Leads on my steps, but lofty, but divine:

98

»*»

LOVE BEGUN

And,

if

thou

When So

chills

I

chillest

me,

as chill

thou dost

approach too near, too boldly gaze,

the blushing

Of vernal

stars,

morn, so

chills

the host

with light more chaste than

day's.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

88 Within

a

Whenas

greenwood sweet of myrtle savour, was with fair flowers revested,

the earth

I saw a shepherd with his nymph that rested. Thus spake the nymph with sugared words of favour: Say (sweet love) to thy love, tell me, my darling,

Where

is

thy heart bestowed ?

Where

The shepherd answered then with

is

thy liking ?

a deep sighing,

All full of sweetness and of sorrow mixed:

On

thee, dainty dear

my

life,

love

is

fixed.

With that the gentle nymph, full sweetly smiling, With kind words of delight and flattering glozes, She kindly kissed

his

cheek with

lips

of roses.

anon, (from

the Italian)

89 Or, nous cucillions ensemble

la

pcuvenche.

Je soupirais, je crois quelle revait. Ma joue a peine avait un blond duvet. Elle avait mis son

Je

lc baissais

j

upon du dimanchc;

chaquc

fois

Le

qu'une branchc relevait.

LOVE BEGUN

*»

10)

Mon Mon

sein palpite,

me

coeur

quitte

.

.

.

Je vais te voir; Voila le soir.

MARCELINE DESBORDES-VALMORE

97 my

love

other than the country

lass,

Henceforth

On

will not set

I

For in the court

Fancy

The Is

is

I

and prove

see

brittle as the glass.

love bestowed on the great ever

Subject

With

of toil and cares, frown and freat,

full

still

to

sugar'd baits in subtle snares.

good old times it was the guise To show things in their proper kind, Love painted out in naked wise To show his plain and single mind. But since into the court he came In

Infected with a braver style

He

lost

both property and name,

Attired

Yet

all

in craft

in the village

and

still

guile.

he keeps,

And merry makes with little cost, But never breaks their quiet sleeps With jealous thoughts or labour What though in silver and in gold The bonny Yet

«*»

LOVE BEGUN

be not so brave

are her looks fresh to behold

And 106

lass

lost.

that

is it

that love

doth crave.

Fair

the petticoat of red

fall

That

And

veils the skin as

white

as

milk,

would not so be sped Let them go coy the gowns of silk. such

Keep,

as

ladies,

keep for your

own

turns

The Spanish red to mend your looks, For when the sun my Daphne burns She seeks the water of the brooks,

And though

the

musk and amber

fine

So ladylike she cannot get, Yet will she wear the sweet woodbine,

The primrose and

the violet.

SIR

ARTHUR GORGES

98 Still

to be neat,

still

As you were going Still

to be powder'd,

Lady,

it is

Though All

to be drest, to a feast;

is

still

perfum'd:

to be presum'd,

art's

hid causes are not found,

not sweet,

all is

not sound.

Give me a look, give me a face, That makes simplicity a grace;

Robes loosely flowing, hair as free: Such sweet neglect more taketh me

Than They

all

th'adulteries

strike

mine

of art.

eyes, but not

my

heart.

BEN JONSON

LOVE BEGUN

»%»

IO7

!

99

UPON JULIA'S CLOTHES

When

as in silks

my Julia

Then, then (me thinks)

The

goes,

how

sweetly flows

liquefaction of her clothes.

Next, when I cast mine eyes and see That brave vibration each way free,

O how that glittering taketh me ROBERT HERRICK

100 A

CONJURATION, TO ELECTRA By

those soft tods of wool

With which

By

all

the air

is full:

those tinctures there,

That paint the hemisphere:

By dews and

drizzling rain,

That swell the golden grain:

By F

all

those sweets that be

the flow'ry nunnery:

By

silent nights, and the Three forms of Hecate:

By

all

The

aspects that bless

sober sorceress,

While juice

she strains, and pith

To make her philtres with: By Time, that hastens on Things to perfection:

And by your

self,

the best

Conjurement of the

O my Electra

!

rest:

be

In love with none, but rne.

ROBERT HERRICK 108 *>

LOVE BEGUN

101 Thou more

than most sweet glove,

Unto

my

more sweet

Suffer

me

to store with kisses

love,

This empty lodging, that

The pure

art soft,

that bare thee.

but that was

Cupid's self hath kiss'd

Than

e'er

misses

rosy hand, that ware thee,

Whiter than the kid

Thou

now

he did

his

it

softer;

ofter

mother's doves,

Supposing her the queen of loves, That was thy mistress, best of gloves.

BEN JONSON

102

TO

NOT TO SHUT SO SOON

DAISIES,

Shut not so soon; the dull-ey'd night

Has not

as yet

begun

To make a seizure on the Or to seal up the sun.

light,

No marigolds yet closed are; No shadows great appear; Nor doth

the early Shepherds' Star

Shine like a spangle here.

Stay but

Her

And

till

my Julia

close

life-begetting eye;

let

the

whole world then dispose

Itself to live

or die.

ROBERT HERRICK LOVE BEGUN

»%»

109

103

CEAN DUBH DEELISH

Put your head, darling, darling, darling,

Your

darling black head

Oh, mouth of honey, with

my heart above; the

thyme

for fragrance,

Who, with heart in breast, could deny you love? Oh, many and many a young girl for me is pining, Letting her locks of gold to the cold

wind

free,

For me, the foremost of our gay young fellows;

But I'd leave a hundred, pure love, for thee! Then put your head, darling, darling, darling, Your darling black head my heart above; Oh, mouth of honey, with the thyme for fragrance, Who, with heart in breast, could deny you love? SIR

SAMUEL FERGUSON

104 Love, the delight of all well-thinking minds; Delight, the fruit of virtue dearly lov'd; Virtue, the highest good, that reason finds;

Reason, the

fire

wherein men's thoughts be prov'd;

Are from the world by Nature's power And in one creature, for her glory, left. Beauty, her cover

is,

bereft,

the eyes' true pleasure;

In honour's fame she lives, the ears' sweet music;

Excess of wonder grows from her true measure;

Her worth

is

passion's

wound, and

passion's physic;

From her true heart, clear springs of wisdom flow, Which imag'd in her words and deeds, men know. IIO

«%•

LOVE BEGUN

Time

would

might never leave her, Place doth rejoice, that she must needs contain her, Death craves of Heaven, that she may not bereave her, The Heavens know their own, and do maintain her; fain

stay, that she

Delight, love, reason, virtue let

To

set all

women

light,

it

be,

but only she.

FULKE GREVILLE, LORD BROOKE

BALADE

105

Hide, Absalon, thy gilte tresses clear; Ester, lay

thou thy meekness

Hide, Jonathas,

all

all

a-down;

thy friendly maner;

Penalopee and Marcia Catoun,

Make of your wifehood no comparisoun; Hide ye your

beauties, Isoude

and Eleyne:

My lady cometh that all this may distain. Thy

faire

body,

lat it

not appear,

Lavine; and thou, Lucresse of Rome town;

And And

Polixene, that boughten love so dear,

Cleopatre, with all thy passioun, Hide ye your trouth of love and your renown; And thou, Tisbe, that hast of love such pain: My lady cometh that all this may distain.

Hero, Dido, Laudomia,

And And

Phyllis,

all

y-fere,

hanging for thy Demophoun,

Canace, espied by thy chere,

Ysiphile, betraysed with Jasoun,

Maketh of your trouthe

Nor Ypermistre

My

neither boost ne soun;

or Adriane, ye twain:

lady cometh that

all this

may

distain.

GEOFFREY CHAUCER LOVE BEGUN

*» III

106

ON

THE QUEEN OF BOHEMIA

HIS MISTRESS,

You meaner

beauties of the night,

That poorly

satisfy

our eyes

More by your number

than your

light,

You common people of the skies; What are you when the moon shall You

wood,

curious chanters of the

That warble forth

Dame

rise ?

Nature's

lays,

Thinking your passions understood

By your weak

When

accents; what's

Philomel her voice

You violets that By your pure

first

your

praise,

shall raise?

appear,

purple mantles

known

Like the proud virgins of the year,

As

if the spring

What So,

are

were

you when

when my

all

your own;

the rose

is

blown ?

mistress shall be seen

form and beauty of her mind, By virtue first, then choice, a Queen, Tell me if she were not designed In

Th'

eclipse

and glory of her kind? SIR

HENRY WOTTON

107

My

sweetest Lesbia, let us live and love; And, though the sager sort our deeds reprove, Let us not weigh them: Heaven's great lamps do dive Into their west, and straight again revive, 112

*%»

LOVE BEGUN

But, soon as once set

Then must we

is

our

little light,

one ever-during night.

sleep

If all would lead their lives in love like me, Then bloody swords and armour should not be; No drum nor trumpet peaceful sleeps should move, Unless alarm came from the camp of love.

But

fools

And

When

and waste

live,

their little light,

my life and fortune ends, my hearse be vex'd with mourning friends,

timely death

Let not

But

do

seek with pain their ever-during night.

let all lovers, rich in

And

triumph, come,

with sweet pastimes grace

And,

up thou

Lesbia, close

And crown with

my

love

my

my

happy tomb;

little light,

ever-during night.

THOMAS CAMPION

CLAIR DE LUNE

108 Votre ame

est

un paysage

choisi

Que vont charmant masques Jouant du luth,

bergamasques,

et

et dansant, et quasi

Tristes sous leurs deguisements fantasques.

Tout en chantant

sur le

L'arnour vainqueur lis

n'ont pas

l'air

Et leur chanson

Au

calme

Qui

fait

clair

revcr

opportune,

de croire a leur bonheur

se

mele au

de lune les

mode mineur

et la vie

clair

triste et

oiseaux dans

Et sangloter d'extase

les jets

de lune.

beau, les

arbrcs

d'eau,

Les grands jets d'eau sveltes parmi

les

marbres.

PAUL VERLAINE LOVE BEGUN

*» 113

;

MAY TREES

109

How

IN

year of years do

this

A-

I

STORM

best see

These famous blossoms of the dangerous

May?

In headlights wild and scattering,

Threshing in a wind of May?

The halt

four roads join,

but

glitters,

I

choose

Your way.

GEOFFREY GRIGSON

110 Cupid and my Campaspe played At cards for kisses, Cupid paid; He stakes his quiver, bow, and arrows, His mother's doves, and team of sparrows; Loses them too; then, down he throws

The coral of his lip, the rose Growing on's cheek (but none knows how) With these, the crystal of his brow,

And

then the dimple of his chin:

All these did

At

last,

he

my

set

Campaspe win.

her both his eyes;

She won, and Cupid blind did

O Love What

!

rise.

has she done this to thee ?

shall (alas!)

become of me?

JOHN LYLY

114 •*

LOVE BEGUN

Ill

[from

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE]

LORENZO The moon

When And

shines bright. In such a night as this,

wind did gently kiss the trees, make no noise, in such a night methinks mounted the Troyan walls,

the sweet

they did

Troilus

And sigh'd his soul toward the Where Cressid lay that night. JESSICA

Grecian tents

In such a night

Did Thisbe fearfully o'er trip the dew, And saw the lion's shadow ere himself,

And

ran dismay'd away.

LORENZO

In such a night

Stood Dido with a willow in her hand

Upon the wild To come again

sea-banks,

and waft her love

to Carthage.

JESSICA

In such a night

Medea

gather'd the enchanted herbs

That did renew old JEson.

LORENZO

In such a night

Did Jessica

from the wealthy Jew, And with an unthrift love did run from Venice, As far as Belmont. JESSICA

steal

In such a night

Did young Lorenzo swear he lov'd her well, Stealing her soul with many vows of faith,

And LORENZO

n'er a true one.

In such a night

Did

pretty Jessica (like a

little

shrew)

Slander her love, and he forgave

JESSICA

it

her.

would out-night you did no body come: But hark, I hear the footing of a man. I

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

LOVB BEGUN

115

112

A BETROTHAL my

Put your hand on

The woods upon I

will

And

I

the

heart, say that

hills

you love me

cleave to the

hills'

uphold you, trunk and shoot and flowering will hold you, roots

and

fruit

and

as

contours. sheaf,

fallen leaf. E.

J.

SCOVELL

LOUISA

113

AFTER ACCOMPANYING HER ON A MOUNTAIN

EXCURSION met Louisa in the shade, And, having seen that lovely Maid, I

Why

should

I

fear to say

That, nymph-like, she

And down

fleet

and strong.

the rocks can leap along

Like rivulets in

And

is

May?

she hath smiles to earth

unknown;

motion of their own Do spread, and sink, and rise; That come and go with endless play, Smiles, that with

And

ever, as they pass

Arc hidden

away,

in her eyes.

She loves her

fire,

her cottage-home;

moorland will she roam Yet In weather rough and bleak; And, when against the wind she strains, Oh might I kiss the mountain rains That sparkle on her cheek. o'er the

!

Il6 ȴ

LOVE BEGUN

mine 'beneath the moon,' with her but half a noon

Take If I

all that's

May sit beneath the walls Of some old cave, or mossy nook, When up she winds along the brook To hunt

the waterfalls.

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH

114 Among Had

all

lovely things

noted well the

About her home; but A glow-worm, never While

A I

glow-worm

flowers that

one, and this

horse

I

I

knew.

home one stormy

did

I

sight,

leapt; great

joy had

Upon a leaf the glow-worm did I lay, To bear it with me through the stormy And,

as before, it

night

chance to espy;

gave a fervent welcome to the

And from my

grew

she had never seen

riding near her

single

my Love had been;

stars, all

I.

night:

shone without dismay;

Albeit putting forth a fainter light.

When I

went

And

to the dwelling

of my Love

I

came,

into the orchard quietly;

left

the

glow-worm,

Laid safely by

itself,

blessing

beneath a

it

by name,

tree.

The whole next day, I hoped, and hoped with fear; At night the glow-worm shone beneath the tree; I

led

my Lucy

Oh! joy

it

was

to the spot, 'Look here/ for her,

and joy for me!

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH LOVB BEGUN

•* 117

ii5 Wherefore

•

peep'st thou, envious

day?

We can kiss without thee. Lovers hate the golden ray,

Which thou

bear'st

about thee.

Go and give them light Or the sailor flying:

sorrow

that

Our embraces need no morrow Nor our blisses eyeing.

We shall curse thy curious eye For thy soon betraying,

And condemn

thee for a spy

If thou catch us playing,

Get thee gone and lend thy flashes Where there's need of lending,

Our affections are not ashes Nor our pleasures ending.

Were we

cold or withered here

We would stay thee by us, Or

but one another's fear

Then thou

shouldst not fly us.

We are young, Go

thou

spoil'st

our pleasure;

to sea and slumber,

Darkness only gives us

Our

stol'n

leisure

joys to number.

ANON.

Il8 ȴ

LOVE BEGUN

!

—

——

!

SHE TELLS HER LOVE WHILE HALF ASLEEP

Il6

She

tells

her love while half asleep,

In the dark hours,

With As Earth

And

half-words whispered low:

stirs

in her winter sleep

puts out grass and flowers

Despite the snow, Despite the falling snow,

ROBERT GRAVES

117

THE RAGGED

WOOD

O hurry where by water among the trees The

delicate-stepping stag

When

and

his lady sigh,

they have but looked upon their images

Would none had Or have you

ever loved but

you and

heard that sliding silver-shoed

Pale silver-proud

queen-woman of the

sky,

When

the sun looked out of his golden

O

none ever loved but you and

that

I

hood ?

I

hurry to the ragged wood, for there 1

will drive

all

those lovers out and cry

O my share of the world, O No

yellow hair! one has ever loved but you and I.

w.

B.

LOVB BBGUN

YEATS

*» II9

n8 Thus

When we

my

saith

of love

sit

•

Chloris bright

down and

talk together:

Beware of Love, Love is a walking sprite, And Love is this and that, And O I wot not what, And comes and goes again, I wot not whither. No, no, these are but bugs to breed amazing, For in her eyes I saw his torchlight blazing.

anon, (from the Italian of GIOVAN BATTISTA GUARINl)

119 THEE, THEE, The dawning of morn, The night's long hours

ONLY THEE the daylight's sinking, still

find

me

Of thee, thee, only thee. When friends are met, and goblets And

thinking

crown'd,

smiles are near that once enchanted,

Unreach'd by

My soul, By

all

like

that sunshine round,

some dark

thee, thee,

Whatever

in fame's

My spirit once

is

spot,

is

haunted

only thee. high path could waken

now

forsaken

For thee, thee, only thee. Like shores by which some headlong bark

To

the ocean hurries, resting never,

Life's scenes I

120 **

go by me, bright or dark

know not, heed not, hastening To thee, thee, only thee.

LOVE BEGUN

ever

I

have not a joy but of thy bringing, pain itself seems sweet when springing

And

From

thee, thee,

only thee.

nought on earth can break, the charm have spoken, know Till lips that This heart, howe'er the world may wake Its grief, its scorn, can but be broken Like

spells that

By

thee, thee,

only thee.

THOMAS MOORE

120

AUTUMN

This sunlight shames

IDLENESS

November where he grieves him shun

In dead red leaves, and will not let

The

day, though

bough with bough be over-run.

But with a blessing every glade receives

High salutation; while from hillock-eaves The deer gaze calling, dappled white and dun, As if, being foresters of old, the sun Had marked them with the shade of forest-leaves. Here dawn to-day unveiled her magic Here noon now gives the thirst and Till

eve bring

And While

rest

when

other

good

glass;

takes the

dew;

things pass.

here the lost hours the lost hours renew I still

lead

Nor know,

my

shadow

o'er the grass,

for longing, that

which

I

should do. D. G.

ROSSETTI

LOVB BBGUN

*» 121

THE

121

Not

SPIRIT'S

in the crises

Of compass'd Or

acts

Are

EPOCHS

of events, hopes, or fears

fulfill'd,

of gravest consequence,

life's

delight

and depth

The day of days was not

reveal' d.

the day;

That went before, or was postponed; night Death took our lamp away Was not the night on which we groan'd.

The I

drew

my bride, beneath the moon, my threshold; happy hour!

Across

But, ah, the walk that afternoon

We saw the water-flags in flower! COVENTRY PATMORE

122

SUR LES MARCHES DU PALAIS (folksong) Sur

les

march' du

palais

Sur

les

march' du

palais

Y

a un' tant belle fille

Lon

Y a un'

d'amoureux d'amoureux

Qu'elle ne

sait

Lon Qu'elle ne

*

LOVE BEGUN

fille

Elle a tant

Elle a tant

122

la

tant belle

lequel prendre

la sait

lequel prendre

C'est C'est

un un

Qu'a eu

p'tit

cordonnicr

p'tit

cordonnier

sa

Lon Qu'a eu

sa

preference la

preference

C'est en lui chaussant l'pied C'est en lui chaussant l'pied

Qu'il lui

fit sa

Lon Qu'il lui

La La

demande

la

fit sa

demande

bell' si

tu voulais

bell' si

tu voulais

Nous dormirions ensemble Lon la Nous dormirions ensemble Dans un grand Dans un grand

lit

carre

lit

carre

Aux

belles taies blanches

Aux

belles taies blanches

Aux Aux

quatre coins

Lon

la

quatre coins du

lit

du

lit

Quat' bouquets de pervenches

Lon

la

Quat' bouquets de pervenches

Dans le mitan du lit Dans le mitan du lit La riviere est profonde Lon la La riviere est profonde

LOVE BEGUN

»%•

12}

— — !

Tous Tous

les les

ohevaux du Roi chevaux du Roi

Pourraient y boire ensemble

Lon

la

Pourraient y boire ensemble

Nous y pourrions dormir Nous y pourrions dormir Jusqu'a la fin du monde Lon la Jusqu'a

la fin

du monde.

THE OUTLAW OF LOCH LENE

123

O many a day have I made good ale in the glen, That came not of stream, or malt, like the brewing of men. My bed was the ground, my roof, the greenwood above, And the wealth that I sought one far kind glance from my

—

Alas

on that night when the horses I drove from the was not near from terror my angel to shield.

!

That

field,

I

She stretched forth her arms,

And swam would

And

love.

I'd ask

With

Loch Lene, her outlawed lover

to find.

that a freezing sleet-winged tempest did sweep,

and

I

o'er

—her mantle she flung to the wind,

my love were

not a

alone far off on the deep

ship, or a bark, or

her hand round

pinnace to save,

my waist,

I'd fear

not the wind or the wave.

'Tis down by the lake where the wild tree fringes its sides, The maid of my heart, the fair one of Heaven resides 1

think as at eve she wanders

The

birds

go

to sleep

its

mazes along,

by the sweet wild

twist

of her song.

JEREMIAH JOSEPH CALLANAN 124 •*

LOVE BEGUN

124

On

the

smooth brow and

clustering hair

Myrtle and rose! your wreath combine;

The

would wear,

duller olive

I

constancy,

its

Its

peace, be mine.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

CALLED PROUD

125 If I

am

Ianthe

And

proud, you surely know,

!

who

made me

has

so,

only should condemn the pride

That can

arise

from aught

beside.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

126

O Divine Thou Thou

in

Star

of Heaven,

power above

the seven:

sweet kindler of desires,

Till they grow to mutual fires: Thou, O gentle Queen, that art Curer of each wounded heart: Thou the fuel, and the flame; Thou in Heaven, and here the same: Thou the wooer, and the woo'd: Thou the hunger, and the food:

LOVE BEGUN

*¥ 125

Thou the prayer, and the pray'd; Thou what is, or shall be said: Thou still young, and golden tressed, Make me by thy answer blessed.

JOHN FLETCHER

127 PERSPECTIVE What

seems to us for us

The

And

yet,

No

is

true.

no proper light, when Venus is in view,

planet has

primal

star

is

half so bright.

COVENTRY PATMORE

[BALADE SIMPLE]

128 Fairest

And

of stars, that with your persant

light

with the cherishing of your streames

clear,

Causen in love heartes to be light Only thorough shining of your glad sphere,

Now laud Be

to

This

man

Willy

and

price,

O

Venus, lady dear,

your name, that have withoute

sin

fortuned his lady for to win.

planet,

O

Esperus, so bright,

That woeful heartes can appease and steer, And ever are ready thorough your grace and might

To help all those And have power Honour

to

That have 126 *>

LOVE BBGUN

that

you of all this

buy love

heartes to set

man

that

his

so dear,

on

fire,

ben herein,

lady

made

to win.

—

O

mighty goddess, day

Gladding the

To

star after night,

morrow when ye do

appear,

void darkness thorough freshness of your

sight,

Only with twinkling of your pleasant cheer, To you we thank, lovers that been here, That

this

man

—and never for to twin

Fortuned have

his

lady for to win.

JOHN LYDGATE

129 Whirl'd off at

To

last,

But, whilst

'Look,

is

deliver'd

not

new wing

'You'll see

drew the

it,

I

sought,

countenance;

my

thought,

mine from

this a pretty

'Aunt's parting

I

in

vainly tax'd

I

Her voice

'The

for speech

keep shy Love

gift.'

trance:

shawl,

'She's

always kind,'

spoils Sir John's old Hall: if

silk: in

you

pull the blind.'

heaven the night

Was

dawning; lovely Venus shone, In languishment of tearful light,

Swathed by the red breath of the

sun.

COVENTRY PATMORE

HO J

L'HEURE DU BERGER

La lune

est

Dans un

rouge au brumeux horizon;

brouillard qui danse,

S'endort fumcuse, et

Par

les

la

la prairie

grcnouille crie

joncs verts ou circulc un frisson;

LOVE BEGUN

*%»

127

Les fleurs des eaux refcrment leurs corolles;

Des

aux

peupliers profilent

lointains,

Droits et serres, leurs spectres incertains;

Vers

les

buissons errent

les lucioles;

Les chats-huants s'eveillent, et sans bruit

Rament Et

l'air

noir avec leurs

ailes lourdes,

zenith s'emplit de lueurs sourdes.

le

Blanche, Venus emerge, et

c'est la

Nuit.

PAUL VERLAINE

131

LOVE'S IMMATURITY

Not weaned

yet,

without comprehension loving,

We feed at breasts of love;

like a

still

cat

That wears and loves the fire in peace, till moving She slips off fire and love, to cross the mat

As new as birth; so by default denying House-roof and human friends that come and go, The landscape of life's dream. Antelopes flying

Over

his

wild earth serve the lion

so.

We are blind children who answer with love A warmth and

We sleep Out

Those even we love most and rove and late return and coast

sweetness.

within their

in the night,

lives like cats,

Their souls like furniture. Oh, Light

till

we

understand they

life

live,

should give they

live. E.

128 »»

LOVE BEGUN

J.

SCOVELL

132 I

saw

my

love,

Sleeping in a

IN A

WOOD

younger than primroses,

wood.

Why do I love best what sleep

uncloses,

Sorrowful creaturehood ?

Dark, labyrinthine with anxiety, His face

is

like coiled infancy;

Like parched and wrinkled buds, the

Thrown Stiller

out on winter

first

of the year,

air.

than close eyes of a nested bird,

Clear from the covert of his sleeping,

One But

looked out that knows no gives

me

human word

love and weeping. E.

J.

SCOVELL

LOVE BEGUN

»%»

129

3

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

133 am, come from the deeps below,

Orpheus

I

To To

fond man, the plagues of love to show:

thee,

the fair fields

where loves

There's none that come, but

Hark and beware,

eternal dwell

first

unless

they pass through

hell:

thou hast lov'd ever,

Belov'd again, thou shalt see those joys never.

Hark how they groan

O

that died despairing,

take heed then:

Hark how they howl All these

for over-daring,

were men.

They that be fools, and die They lose their name;

And

for

fame

they that bleed

Hark how they

speed.

Now in cold frosts, now scorching fires They

Nor Till

sit,

and curse

their lost desires:

shall these souls

women

be free from pain and

waft them over

fears,

in their tears.

JOHN FLETCHER

134 Whither

shall

I

go

To escape from folly? For now there's love I know, Or else 'tis melancholly, Heigh, heigho.

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

»%»

1

33

Yonder lies the snow,* But my heart cannot melt Love shoots from his bow,

And my poor

heart hath

it;

felt

it,

Heigh, heigho.

ANON.

135 April

is

in

And July

my

mistress* face,

in her eyes hath place,

Within her bosom is September, But in her heart a cold December.

anon, (from

the Italian)

136

O

Friendship

!

Friendship

Lies always at the

!

the shell of Aphrodite

bottom of thy warm and limpid

waters.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

137 Wand'ring

No

in this place as in a wilderness,

comfort have

I

nor yet assurance,

Desolate of joy, repleat with sadness:

Wherefore

Non

I

may

say,

O

est dolor, sicut dolor

dens, deus,

mens.

ANON. 134 •>

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

138 Shall

I

come, sweet Love, to thee, the ev'ning beams are set?

When

I not excluded be? Will you find no fained let? Let me not, for pity, more,

Shall

Tell the long hours at

Who can

tell

what

your door.

thief or foe,

In the covert of the night,

For

his prey, will

work

my

woe,

Or through wicked So may I die unredress'd,

foul despite:

my

Ere But, to

let

Which 'Tis

such dangers pass,

a lover's thoughts disdain,

enough

To

long love be possess'd.

in such a place

attend love's joys in vain.

Do

not

While

mock me

in

thy bed,

these cold nights freeze

me

dead.

THOMAS CAMPION

139

SONNET

Fra banc to banc, fra Ourhailit with

Lye

Or

til til

Twa

wod

my feble

a leif that

fallis

to

wod,

I

rin

fantasie,

from

a trie

a reid ourblawin with the wind.

gods gyds me: the ane of tham

is

blind,

Ye, and a bairn brocht up in vanitie;

The

nixt a

And

lichter

wyf ingenrit of the

se,

nor a dauphin with hir

fin.

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

*%•

I35

Unhappie is the man for evirmaire That teils the sand and sawis in the aire; Bot twyse unhappier is he, I lairn, That feidis in his hairt a mad desyre, And follows on a woman throw the fyre, Led be a blind and teichit be a bairn.

MARK ALEXANDER BOYD

140

THE RESOLUTE COURTIER Prithee, say aye or no; If thou'lt not I

Nor

have me,

cannot

will

A I

am

so;

wait upon

I

smile or frown.

If thou wilt have

Then

me

tell

stay,

me,

thine, or else

Be white

or black;

Dependence on

I

I

say;

am mine own. hate

a checkered fate;

Let go, or hold;

Come,

either kiss or not:

Now to And Is

a fantastic fever

A

be hot,

then again

tedious

And worse by

you have

woo far

For 136 **

if I

base,

we

stay,

lingering spoils the roast,

Or Nor

is

got.

than a long grace:

For whilst

Our

as cold,

stomach's

can,

nor will

lost; I

sup not quickly,

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

stay; I

will fast.

Whilst

And

we

vigorous, Alas,

are fresh let

us to

and stout

't:

what good

From wrinkled man

appears,

Gelded with years, his thin wheyish blood

When Is far less

comfortable than his tears?

THOMAS SHIPMAN

141 I

laid

me down upon

Where I

heard

a

bank

love lay sleeping.

among

the rushes dank

Weeping, weeping.

Then

I

went

to the heath

and the wild,

To the thistles and thorns of the waste, And they told me how they were begmTd, Driven out, and compell'd to be

chaste.

WILLIAM BLAKE

142

THE GARDEN OF LOVE went

Garden of Love, I never had seen: A Chapel was built in the midst, Where I used to play on the green. I

to the

And saw what

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

•» 137

And the gates of this Chapel were shut, And 'Thou shalt not* writ over the door; So I turn'd to the Garden of Love That so many sweet flowers bore;

And And And And

I

saw

was

it

filled

with graves,

tomb-stones where flowers should be; Priests in black

gowns were walking

my joys

binding with briars

and

their rounds,

desires.

WILLIAM BLAKE

143 As

upon a day, merry month of May,

it fell

In the

Sitting in a pleasant shade,

Which

a

grove of myrtles made,

Beasts did leap, and birds did sing,

Trees did grow, and plants did Every thing did banish moan,

spring:

Save the Nightingale alone. She, poor bird, as

all

forlorn,

Lean'd her breast against a thorn,

And

there sung the dolefull'st ditty,

That

to hear

Fie, fie, fie,

it

was great

now would

pity.

she cry;

Teru, tern, by and by: That to hear her so complain, Scarce I could from tears refrain:

For her

Ah

I38

*%»

think

(thought

None

shown upon mine own.

griefs so lively

Made me

I)

thou mourn'st in vain,

takes pity

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

on thy

pain:

Senseless trees, they cannot hear thee,

Ruthless beasts, they will not cheer thee;

King Pandion, he

dead,

is

All thy friends are lapp'd in lead.

do sing, of thy sorrowing: Even so, poor bird, like thee, None alive will pity me. All thy fellow birds Careless

RICHARD BARNIIELD

LOVE WITHOUT HOPE

144

Love without hope, as when the young bird-catcher Swept off his tall hat to the Squire's own daughter, So

let

the imprisoned larks escape and fly

Singing about her head,

as she

rode by. >

TO A LADY

145 Sweit

rois

Delytsum

of vertew and of gcntilncs, lyllie

of everie

lustynes,

Richest in bontie and in bewtic

And

ROBERT GRAVES

everie vertew that

is

cleir,

held most dcir,

Except onlie that ye are mercyles. In to your garthe this day

Their saw

I

I

did persew,

flowris that fresche

wer of hew;

Baith quhyte and rcid moist lusty wer to seyne,

And halsum Yit

leif

herbis

upone

nor flour fynd could

stalkis I

grcnc;

nanc of rcw.

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

-> 13

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

1

i6o Sweet

trees

who

shade

this

mould

Of earth, your heads down bend, When you those eyes behold Of my best-loved friend. whose bright appear

Fair stars,

Doth

beautify the sky,

Why wake you not my

dear,

If he asleeping lie?

You

whose warblings prove

birds,

Aurora draweth near,

Go That

fly, I

The

and

expect

tell

him

my

love,

here.

night doth posting move,

Yet comes he not again;

God

Do

not

grant

my

some other love

love detain.

james mabbe (from

the Spanish)

161 Nothing but no and

How I tell

With

falls it

and

I

and no,

out so strangely you reply?

ye, fair, this

I,

I'll

not be answered

affirming no, denying

so,

I.

you sleightly answer, I: you pule me out a no: I say, I die, you echo me with I: Save me, I cry, you sigh me out a no; love,

I

say,

I

I

say,

you

love,

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

»%»

1

5

Must woe and Thave nought but no and I? I, if I no more can have; I Answer no more, with silence make reply, And let me take myself what I do crave, Let no and I, with I and you be so: Then answer no and I, and I and no.

No am

MICHAEL DRAYTON

162

O take those lips away, That so sweetly were forsworn, And those eyes: the break of day Lights that do mislead the morn; But my kisses bring again, bring again, Seals of love, but seal'd in vain, seal'd in Take,

vain.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

163

I'LL

NEVER LOVE THEE MORE

My

dear and only love, I pray That little world of thee Be governed by no other sway

Than For

if

purest monarchy;

confusion have a part

(Which virtuous

And I'll

152 *>

souls abhor),

hold a synod in thine heart, never love thee more.

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

—

Like Alexander

And

I

will reign,

I

will reign alone;

My thoughts did A

rival

on

my

evermore disdain throne.

He either fears his fate too much, Or his deserts are small, That dares not put

To

gain or lose

it

to the touch,

it all.

And in the empire of thine heart, Where I should solely be, If others

do pretend

a part

Or Or if Committees thou erect, And go on such a score, dare to vie with me,

laugh and sing

I'll

And But

if

thy neglect,

thou wilt prove

And

faithful then,

constant of thy word,

make

I'll

at

never love thee more.

thee glorious

And famous by my

by

my pen

sword;

serve thee in such noble

I'll

Was

ways

never heard before;

crown and deck thee all with bays, love thee more and more.

I'll

And

JAMES GRAHAM, MARQUIS OF MONTROSE

164 A

BROKEN APPOINTMENT

You did not come, And marching Time drew on, and wore me numb. Yet

less

Than

of your dear presence there thus found lacking in your make

for loss

that

I

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

*» 153

That high compassion which can overbear Reluctance for pure lovingkindness' sake

Grieved

I,

when,

hope-hour stroked

as the

You

its

sum

did not come.

You love not me, And love alone can lend you loyalty; I know and knew it. But, unto the store Of human deeds divine in all but name, Was it not worth a little hour or more To add yet this: Once you, a woman, came To soothe a time-torn man; even though it be You love not me?

—

THOMAS HARDY

165 With how

How

sad steps,

silently,

What, may

it

if that

Moon, thou climb'st how wan a face.

his sharp

read

To me Then Is

it

arrows

feel'st a lover's case;

in thy looks, thy languish'd grace,

that feel the like, thy state descries.

ev'n of fellowship,

O

Moon,

constant love deem'd there but

Are

Do

tries?

long with love acquainted eyes

Can judge of love, thou I

the skies,

be that even in heav'nly place

That busy archer Sure

O

and with

beauties there as

proud

as

tell

me

want of wit?

here they be ?

they above love to be lov'd, and yet

Those lovers scorn

Do

they

call

whom

that love doth possess?

virtue there ungratefulness

?

SIR PHILIP 154 *>

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

SIDNEY

166 Dear,

why make you more

If he

do

love,

I

If he wait well,

burn, I

I

of a dog than me?

burn

in love:

never thence would move:

dog can be. worth is he;

If he be fair, yet but a Little

He

he

is,

so

barks,

little

my

songs thine

own

voice oft doth prove:

Bidd'n, perhaps he fetcheth thee a glove,

But I unbid, fetch even my soul to thee. Yet while I languish, him that bosom clips, That lap doth lap, nay lets, in spite of spite, This sour-breath' d mate taste of those sugar' d lips. Alas, if you grant only such delight To witless things, then Love I hope (since wit Becomes a clog) will soon ease me of it. SIR PHILIP

I67 LIKE

SIDNEY

THE TOUCH OF RAIN

Like the touch of rain she was

On a man's flesh and hair When the joy of walking Has taken him by

With

He

and eyes thus

surprise:

the love of the storm he burns,

he laughs, well I know how, But forgets when he returns As I shall not forget her 'Go now.' sings,

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

»%»

1

55

Those two words shjut a door Between me and the blessed rain That was never shut before And will not open again.

EDWARD THOMAS

168 What, have I thus betrayed my liberty? Can those black beams such burning marks engrave In

my

free side? or

am

I

born a

slave,

Whose neck becomes such yoke of tyranny? Or want I sense to feel my misery? Or sprite, disdain of such disdain to have?

Who May

for long faith, tho' daily help

get

I

crave,

no alms but scorn of beggary.

Virtue, awake. Beauty but beauty is, may, I must, I can, I will, I do Leave following that, which it is gain to I

Let her go. Soft, but here she comes.

Unkind,

I

love

Doth make

my

you

Go

miss. to,

O

me, that eye heart give to my tongue the not:

lie.

SIR PHILIP

169 A I

LOVE SONNET

loved a

As

lass,

a fair one,

fair as e'er

was

seen;

She was indeed a rare one,

Another Sheba queen. I56

•*•

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

SIDNEY

But I

fool as then

was,

I

me

thought she loved

But now

alas she's left

too,

me,

Falero, lero, loo.

Her

hair like gold did glister,

Each eye was

like a star;

She did surpass her

Which

passed

She would She'd,

But

now

sister,

all

others

me honey

far.

call,

O she'd kiss me too; alas she's left

me,

Falero, lero, loo.

In

summer time

My love and The boatmen

Medley would go;

to

I

there stood ready,

My love and

to row.

I

For cream there would

we

call,

For cakes, and for prunes too,

But now

alas she's left

me,

Falero, lero, loo.

Many

merry meeting My love and I have had; She was my only sweeting, a

She made

The

my

heart full glad,

stood in her eyes,

tears

Like to the morning dew,

But now

alas she's left

me,

Falero, lero, loo.

And

as

As Oft

abroad

we

walked,

lovers' fashion

as

we

is,

sweetly talked

The Sun should

steal a kiss:

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

•*»

1

57

The wind upon

her

lips

Likewise most sweetly blew;

But

now

me,

alas she's left

Valero, lero, loo.

Her cheeks were like the cherry, Her skin as white as snow, When she was blithe and merry, She angel-like did show.

Her waist exceeding small, The fives did fit her shoe; But now alas she's left me, Valero, lero, loo.

In

summer time She had her

I still

or winter

heart's desire;

did scorn to stint her

From sugar, sack, or fire: The world went round about,

No

cares

But now

we

ever knew,

me,

alas she's left

Valero, lero, loo.

As we walked home together At midnight through the town,

To

keep away the weather

O'er her

No

cold

I'd cast

my Love

my

gown.

should

feel,

Whate'er the heavens could do; But now alas she's left me, Valero, lero, loo.

Like doves

And

clip

we would and

be

billing,

kiss so fast;

Yet she would be unwilling That I should kiss the last; 158

**

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

They're Judas

now,

kisses

Since that they prov'd untrue.

For

now

alas she's left

me,

Falero, lero, loo.

To

maidens'

vows and swearing

Henceforth no credit give,

You may

them the hearing, But never them believe. They are as false as fair, give

Unconstant,

For mine

untrue;

frail,

alas has left

me,

Falero, lero, loo.

'Twas I that paid for all things, 'Twas others drank the wine, I

cannot

now

recall things,

Live but a fool to pine.

'Twas

The

I

that beat the bush,

bird to others flew,

For she

alas

hath

left

me,

Falero, lero, loo.

If ever that

For

Dame

Nature,

this false lover's sake,

Another pleasing creature Like unto her would make, Let her

remember

To make For

this alas

this,

the other true;

hath

left

me,

Falero, lero, loo.

No riches now can raise me, No want make me despair, No misery amaze me, Nor

yet for

want

I

care:

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

»*»

I

>9

I

have- lost a world

itselfe,

My earthly heaven, Since she alas hath

left

adieu,

me,

Falero, lero, loo.

GEORGE WITHER

170

THE LOVER COMPARETH HIS STATE TO A SHIP IN PERILOUS STORM TOSSED ON THE SEA My galley charged with forgetfulness, Thorough sharp

seas in

Tween rock and

rock, and eke

That

And

is

my

winter nights doth pass

lord, steereth

with

mine enemy,

alas,

cruelness,

every oar a thought in readiness,

As though

that death

were

light in such a case.

An endless wind doth tear the sail apace, Of forced sighs and trusty fearfulness.

A rain

of tears, a cloud of dark

disdain,

Hath done the weared cords great hinderance; Wreathed with error and eke with ignorance.

The stars be hid that led me to this pain; Drowned is reason that should me confort,

And sir

160 »»

I

remain despairing of the port.

thomas wyatt

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

(from the

Italian

of petrach)

!

!

171 Behold, love, thy power

how

she despiseth

My great pain how little she regardeth whereof she taketh no cure, Broken she hath; and yet she bideth sure Right at her ease and little she dreadeth. Weaponed thou art, and she unarmed sitteth;

The holy

oath,

To the disdainful To me spiteful

her

life

she leadeth,

without cause or measure,

Behold, love.

am in hold: if pity thee moveth, Go bend thy bow, that stony hearts breaketh, And with some stroke revenge the displeasure Of thee and him, that sorrow doth endure,

I

And,

lowly entreateth.

as his lord, the

Behold, love.

THOMAS WYATT

SIR

172

LOVE'S DEITY

I

long to talk with some old lover's ghost,

I

cannot think that he,

Who

God of Love was born: who then lov'd most,

died before the

Sunk so low, as to love one which did But since this god produc'd a destiny,

And I

that vice-nature, custom, lets

must love

Sure, they

Nor he, But when His

her, that loves not

it

scorn.

be,

me.

which made him god, meant not young godhead practis'd it;

so

much,

in his

an even flame

office

two

was indulgently L

hearts did touch,

to

fit

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

-%•

l6l

Actives to passives. Correspondency

Only

was;

his subject

Love,

till I

cannot be

it

love her, that loves me.

But every modern god His vast prerogative,

To

now

will

commend,

rage, to lust, to write to, to

All

is

extend

as far as Jove.

God of Love.

the purlieu of the

Oh were we waken' d by this tyranny To ungod this child again, it could not be I should love her, who loves not me. Rebel and

why murmur

atheist too,

I,

As though I felt the worst that love could do ? Love might make me leave loving, or might try

A

deeper plague, to

Which,

Falsehood If she

make

her love

since she loves before, is

worse than

whom

I

hate;

I

am

and

me

that

love, should love

too,

loth to see;

must

be,

me.

JOHN DONNE

173 What

should

Since faith

is

I

say

dead,

And truth alway From you is fled ? Should

With

I

be led

doubleness?

Nay, nay, I

mistress!

promised you

And you promised me To be as true As 162 «»

I

would

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

be;

——

But

since

I

see

Your double Farewell

heart,

my part!

For though to take

my

mind

It is

not

But

to forsake

I

am

And

not blind as I find

So will

I trust.

Farewell, unjust!

Can ye say nay? But you said That I alway Should be obeyed;

And thus betrayed Or that I wist Farewell, unkissed!

SIR

THOMAS WYATT

174

Who But

so

list

as for

to hunt,

me,

helas,

know where is I may no more:

I

an hind,

The vain travail hath wearied me so sore, I ame of them that farthest cometh behind; Yet may I by no means my wearied mind

Draw from Fainting

I

the deer: but as she flecth afore,

follow,

Since in a net

Who

list

I

I

leave off therefore,

seek to hold the wind.

her hunt,

I

put

him out of doubt,

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

•%»

163

As well -is may Spend Ins time Ami, graven with diamonds, in I

There

Ami

round about:

written, her fair neek

ia

Noli mi

Caesar's

Uttlgert, for

I

in vain:

letters plain,

ame,

wild for to hold, though

seem tame.

I

THOMAS WYATT

SIR

1

7S

THE OVER COMPLAINETH THE UNKINDNESS OF His LOVE 1

My

awake! perform the

Ittte

last

aboUT that UlOU and shall waste. And end that have now begun; 1

I

1

:

l

when

or

My

this

be

lute

song

still,

sung and

is

for

1

past,

have done.

As to be heard where ear

is

none,

As lead to grave in marble stone. My song may pieree her heart as soon;

we

Should

then sigh, or sing, or

my

No, no,

lute, for

1

moan?

have done.

The rocks do not so cruelly Repulse the waves continually,

mv suit and aileetion. am past reined v: Whereby my lute and have As she

So

that

1

1

Proud

of the spoil that

done.

thou hast got

Of simple heard thorough love's shot. By whom, unkind, thou hast them won. Think not he hath his bow forgot. Although 10.}

*>

i

in

1

1

A

i.

i

is

my

lute

01 ioving

and

1

have done.

Vengeance shall fall on thy disdain, That makest but game on earnest pain; Think not alone under the sun

Unquit to cause thy lovers plain, Although my lute and I have done. Perchance thee

The winter

lie

withered and old,

nights that are so cold,

Plaining in vain unto the

Thy

who

Care then

And

then

The time

To

moon;

wishes then dare not be told;

may that

list,

for

I

have done.

chance thee to repent

thou hast

and spent

lost

cause thy lovers sigh and swoon;

Then

And

shalt

thou

know

wish and want

Now

cease,

my

lute

beauty but

as I

!

lent,

have done.

this is

the

last

Labour that thou and I shall waste, And ended is that we begun; Now is this song both sung and past: My lute, be still, for I have done. SIR

I76

THOMAS WYATT

THE FOLLY OF BEING COMFORTED One

that

is

ever kind said yesterday:

'Your well-beloved's hair has threads of grey, And little shadows come about her eyes;

Time can but make it Though now it seems All that

you need

is

easier to

be wise

impossible, and so

patience/

Heart

cries,

'No,

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

->

[6j

have not a crumb of comfort, not a grain. Time can but make her beauty over again: I

Because of that great nobleness of hers

The

about her,

fire that stirs

Burns but more

When

all

clearly.

the wild

O heart! O heart! You'd know the

O

when

summer was if she'd

folly

she

stirs,

she had not these

ways

in her gaze.'

but turn her head,

of being comforted.

w.

B.

YEATS

177 When And

thou must

home to shades of underground, new admired guest,

there arriv'd, a

The beauteous spirits do engirt thee round, White lope, blithe Helen, and the rest,

To

hear the stories of thy finish'd love

From

that

Then

wilt thou speak of banqueting delights,

smooth tongue, whose music

hell

can move:

Of masks and revels which sweet youth did make, Of tourneys and great challenges of knights, And

all

When Then

these triumphs for thy beauty's sake.

thou hast told these honours done to thee,

tell,

Oh,

tell

how

thou didst murder me.

THOMAS CAMPION

l66 »>

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

i 78

Where

are

Whither

thy beauties now,

all

are thy flatterers

All fled; and thou alone

Thy

rich state

gone with

as

Who

die in flatt'rers'

are thy loves that so

art,

their faining?

all

here remaining.

still

of twisted gold to baize

Cold

thou

hearts enchaining?

all

is

turned;

much

burned:

arms are seldom mourned.

Yet, in spite of envy, this be

still

proclaimed,

That none worthier than thyself thy worth hath blamed: When their poor names are lost, thou shalt live famed.

When

thy story, long time hence,

shall

be perused,

Let the blemish of thy rule be thus excused:

None

ever liv'd

more just, none more

abused.

THOMAS CAMPION

179

MY

SILKS

AND

FINE

ARRAY

My silks and fine array, My smiles and languish'd air, By love are driv'n away; And mournful lean Despair Brings me yew to deck my grave: Such end true lovers have. His face

is

When

fair

and heav'n,

springing buds unfold;

O why to him was't giv'n, Whose

heart

is

wintry cold?

His breast

is

Where

love's pilgrims

all

love's

all

worship'd tomb,

come.

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

»%»

167

!

me an axe and spade, me a winding sheet;

Bring

Bring

When I my

grave have made.

Let winds and tempests beat:

Then down

as

I'll lie,

True love doth

pass

cold

as clay.

away

WILLIAM BLAKE

180 The Queen of Paphos,

Erycine,

Adon love, He mortal was but she divine, And oft with kisses did him move; In heart did rose-cheek'd

With

great gifts

still

But he would never

Then

since the

him woo,

she did

yield thereto.

Queen of Love by Love

To love was once a subject made, And could thereof no pleasure prove. By day, by night, by light or shade,

Why

being mortal should

I

grieve.

Since she herself could not relieve

She was

And

a

goddess heavenly,

lov'd a

Who

?

fair fac'd

earthly boy,

contemn her deity, And would not grant her hope of joy, For Love doth govern by a fate, did

That here plants

But

To 168

*>

I

a hapless

will,

and there leaves

mortal wight,

an immortal beaut v sue:

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

hate.

No

marvel then she loathes

Since

Adon Venus would

Hence, groaning Before

sighs,

my life, my

my

sight,

not woo,

mirth be

my friend

love shall end.

ANON.

l8l

LIKE

TO A HERMIT POOR

Like to a hermit poor in place obscure, I

mean

To

to spend

my

days of endless doubt,

wail such woes as time cannot recure,

Where none but Love

shall

ever find

me

out.

My food shall be of care and sorrow made, My drink nought else but tears fall'n from mine eyes, my

And

for

The

flames shall serve,

light in such

obscured shade,

which from

my

heart arise.

A gown of gray my body shall attire, My staff of broken hope whereon stay, I'll

Of late

repentance link'd with long desire

The couch

is

fram'd whereon

my

limbs

And at my gate Despair shall linger still, To let in Death when Love and Fortune ?

sir

I'll

lay.

will.

Walter r^legh

(from the French

of PHILIPPE DESPORTES)

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

-> l6y

l82

O Love,

FATIMA

Love, Love!

O

withering might!

from thy noonday height

sun, that

Shudderest

when

Throbbing

thro'

strain

I

sight,

thy heat and

all

Lo, falling from

my

my

light,

constant mind,

Lo, parch'd and wither'd, deaf and blind, I

whirl like leaves in roaring wind.

Last night

Below

wasted hateful hours

I

the city's eastern towers:

1

thirsted for the brooks, the showers:

I

roll'd

among

my

my

mouth;

crush' d

I

look'd athwart the burning drouth

Of that

From my

when some one spoke

swift blood that

thousand

Were

breast,

long desert to the south.

Last night,

A

the tender flowers:

them on

I

his name, went and came

of flame

little shafts

my

narrow frame. O Love, O fire! once he drew With one long kiss my whole soul My lips, as sunlight drinketh dew. shiver' d in

Before he mounts the

He cometh Sweet

quickly:

gales, as

hill, I

my

know

from below

from deep gardens, blow

my

brow.

spirit

soon,

Before him, striking on In

thro'

dry brain

my

Down-deepening from swoon to swoon, Faints like a dazzled morning moon. 170 *>

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

The wind sounds

like a silver wire,

And from beyond Is

pour'd upon the

The

skies stoop

And,

isled in

My heart,

noon

the

hills,

down

a fire

and nigher

in their desire;

sudden

of light,

seas

pierced thro' with fierce delight,

Bursts into blossom in his sight.

My whole soul waiting

silently,

All naked in a sultry sky,

Droops blinded with

his shining eye:

him or will die. I will grow round him in his place, Grow, live, die looking on his face, possess

I will

Die, dying clasp'd in his embrace.

ALFRED TENNYSON

183

My thoughts Mount,

And

are

winged with hopes,

love, unto the

moon

wanes and waxeth

my

move

delight:

And whisper this but softly in her ears, Hope oft doth hang the head, and trust And you my If for mistrust

with love,

in clearest night,

say as she doth in the heavens

In earth so

my hopes

shed

tears.

thoughts that some mistrust do carry,

my

Say though you

mistress

alter,

yet

As she doth change, and

do you blame, you do not varry,

yet remain the same:

Distrust doth enter hearts, but not infect,

And

love

is

sweetest seasoned with suspect.

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

*• I7I

If she for this,

And make

with clouds do mask her

eyes,

the heavens dark with her disdain,

With windy

sighs disperse

Or with

tears dissolve

them in the skies, them into rain; Thoughts, hopes, and love return to me no more, Till

thy

Cynthia shine

as she

hath done before. ?

184

WALTER RALEGH

SIR

THE DEFINITION OF LOVE My Love

is

of a birth

as rare

As 'tis for object strange and high: It was begotten by Despair

Upon

Impossibility.

Magnanimous Despair alone Could show me so divine a thing,

Where

feeble

Hope

But vainly flapped

could ne'er have flown

its

tinsel

wing.

And yet I quickly might arrive Where my extended soul is fixt, But Fate does iron wedges drive, And always crowds itself betwixt. For Fate with jealous eye does see

Two

perfect Loves; nor

lets

them

close:

Their union would her ruin be,

And

her tyrannic

And

therefore her decrees of steel

Us

power

as the distant poles

depose.

have placed,

(Though Love's whole world on

Not by 172 »>

us doth wheel)

themselves to be embraced.

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

Unless the giddy heaven

And

earth

fall,

some new convulsion

tear;

And, us to join, the world should Be cramped into a planisphere.

As

lines so

Loves oblique

may

all

well

Themselves in every angle greet:

But ours

Though

so truly parallel, infinite,

can never meet.

Therefore the Love which us doth bind

But Fate Is

so enviously debars,

the conjunction of the mind,

And

opposition of the

stars.

ANDREW MARVELL 185

My hopes retire; my wishes as before Struggle to find their resting-place in vain:

The ebbing sea thus beats against the The shore repels it; it returns again.

shore;

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

186 MEDIOCRITY Give

me more

The

SONG IN

LOVE REJECTED

love or

more

torrid or the frozen

Bring equal ease unto

The temperate

my

affords

disdain;

zone pain,

me

none:

Either extreme of love or hate, Is

sweeter than a calm estate.

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

•*»

1

73

!

Give

me

a storm; if

be-love,

it

Like Danae in that golden shower, I

swim

in pleasure; if

prove

it

Disdain, that torrent will devour

My vulture-hopes; Of heaven,

that's

and

he's possess'd

but from

hell released.

Then crown my joys or cure my pain: Give me more love or more disdain.

THOMAS CAREW

187 You smiled, you spoke, and I believed, By every word and smile deceived. Another man would hope no more; Nor hope But

let

I

not

what

I

tins last

hoped before: wish be vain;

me

Deceive, deceive

once again

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

188 And

if I did what then? Are you aggriev'd therefore ? The sea hath fish for every man, And what would you have more?

Thus did

my

Mistress once,

Amaze my mind with doubt: And popt a question for the nonce, To beat my brains about. 174

*

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

Whereto

thus replied,

I

Each fisherman can wish, That all the sea at every tide,

Were

And But

his alone to fish.

so did since

I

(in vain),

may

it

not be:

Let such fish there

And

And with I

such luck and

will content

Till tides

Such

my

loss,

self:

of turning time

fishers

And when

on the

will

may

toss,

shelf.

they stick on sands,

That every man

Then

as find the gain,

leave the loss for me.

I

As they do

may

see:

laugh and clap

now

at

my hands,

me.

GEORGE GASCOIGNE

I89 Ring out your bells, let mourning shows be spread, For Love is dead: All Love is dead, infected With plague of deep disdain: Worth as nought worth rejected,

And

Faith fair scorn doth gain.

From so ungrateful fancy, From such a female franzy, From them that use men thus, Good Lord deliver us. THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

*%•

17s

Weep, neighbours? weep, do you not That Love

hear

it

said,

dead ?

is

His death-bed, peacock's His winding-sheet

is

folly,

shame,

His will false-seeming holy,

His sole exec'tor blame.

From so ungrateful fancy, From such a female franzy, From them that use men thus, Good Lord deliver us. Let dirge be sung, and trentals rightly read,

For Love Sir

is

dead:

Wrong

his

My mistress' Which

tomb

marble

ordaineth, heart,

epitaph containeth,

'Her eyes were once

his dart.'

From so ungrateful fancy, From such a female franzy, From them that use men thus, Good Lord deliver us. Alas,

I lie:

rage hath

this error

bred,

Love is not dead. Love is not dead, but sleepeth In her unmatched mind:

Where Till

she his counsel keepeth,

due desert she

find.

Therefore from so vile fancy,

To

call

such wit

Who Love can Good Lord

a franzy,

temper

thus,

deliver us.

SIR PHILIP

I76 *>

THE PLAGUES OF LOVING

SIDNEY

SONG

190

I

Fire, fire, Is

Are

there

no help

Doth Trent

And

for thy desire?

tears all spent ?

stand

is

Humber low ?

still ?

doth Thames not flow ?

does the Ocean backward go ?

Though

all

these can't thy fever cure,

Yet Tyburn is a cooler lure, And since thou can'st not quench thy Go hang thy self, and thy desire.

fire,

II

Fire, fire,

Here's one

left

for thy desire,

Since that the rainbow in the sky, Is

bent a deluge to deny,

As

loth for thee a

Let gentle rope

One born

to

God

should

lie,

come dangling down,

hang

shall

never drown,

And since thou can'st not quench the Go hang thy self, and thy desire.

fire,

HENRY BOLD

M

THB PLAGUES OF LOVING

»%»

I77

4

LOVE CONTINUED

!

TO HELEN

191

Helen, thy beauty

is

me

to

Like those Nicean barks of yore,

That gently, o'er

a

perfumed

sea,

The weary, wayworn wanderer bore

To

On

his

own

native shore.

desperate seas long

wont

to roam,

Thy hyacinth hair, thy classic face, Thy Naiad airs have brought me home To the glory that was Greece, To the grandeur that was Rome. Lo

!

yon

in

brilliant

How statue-like I

window

niche,

see thee stand,

The agate lamp within thy hand Ah, Psyche, from the regions which Are Holy Land!

EDGAR ALLAN POE

LOVE WHAT

192 Love

is

In the

IT IS

a circle that doth restless

same sweet

eternity

move

of love.

ROBERT HERRICK

LOVB CONTINUBD

•%»

l8l

!

193

•

Like

as a

huntsman

after

•

weary chace,

game from him cscapt away, Sits down to rest him in some shady place, With panting hounds beguiled of their prey: Seeing die

So

long pursuit and vain assay,

after

When The

I all

weary had the chace forsook,

gentle dear return'd the selfsame way,

Thinking to quench her thirst at the next brook: There she beholding me with milder look,

Sought not to fly, but fearless still did bide: I in hand her yet half trembling took,

Till

And

with her

own

goodwill her firmly

tied.

Strange thing meseem'd to see a beast so wild,

So goodly

won

with her

own

will beguil'd.

EDMUND SPENSER

194 VERGIER In orchard under the

She has her lover Till the traist

till

man

Them. God, how

hawthorne morn,

cry out to

warn

swift the night,

And day comes on

O

Plasmatour, that thou end not the night,

Nor Nor

take I,

'Fore

my

beloved from

my

sight,

nor tower-man, look on daylight,

God,

how

swift the night,

And day comes 182

*%•

LOVE CONTINUED

on!

'Lovely thou

Now

art,

me

to hold

and

close

cry the birds out, in the

meadow

Despite the cuckold, do thou as thou

kisst,

mist,

list,

So swiftly goes the night,

And day comes 'My

pretty boy,

Here 'Till

make we our

in the orchard

where the

on!

play again birds complain,

the traist watcher his song unrein,

Ah God! How

swift the night,

And day comes

on!'

'Out of the wind that blows from her,

That dancing and gentle

Have

I

is

and thereby pleasanter,

drunk a draught, sweeter than scent of myrrh.

Ah God How !

swift the night,

And day comes Venust the lady, and none

on!'

lovelier,

For her great beauty, many men look on

Out of my love will her heart By God, how swift the night,

not

her,

stir.

And day

comes on!

ezra pound (from

195 As cool

ALBA

as the pale

She lay beside

the Provencal)

me

wet leaves of lily-of-thc-valley in the dawn.

EZRA POUND LOVB CONTINUBD

«%»

183

196 The

gloom

torch of Love dispels the

Of life,

and animates the tomb;

But never

On

•

let it

idlv flare

gazers in the

open

air,

Nor turn it quite away from one To whom it serves for moon and And who alike in night or day Without

it

could not find

his

sun,

way.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

197 Fain

would

change that note

I

To which fond

love hath charmed me,

Long, long to sing by

rote,

Fancying that that harmed me;

Yet when this thought doth come Love is the perfect sum

Of all I

delight.

have no other choice

Either for pen or voice,

To

O Love,

sing or write:

they

wrong

That say thy sweet

When

thee

is

thy ripe fruit

much,

bitter,

is

such

As nothing can be sweeter. Fair house of joy and bliss,

Where I84 *¥

LOVE CONTINUED

truest pleasure

is,

I

do adore thee: what thou

I

know

I

serve thee with

thee

And

fall

art,

my heart,

before thee.

ANON.

DUET

I98 1.

Is it

the

wind of the dawn

in the pine 2.

No; but

1.

Is

the

that

I

the voice of the deep as cliffs

hear

overhead ? it

hollows

of the land.

there a voice

coming up with the

voice of the deep from the strand,

One coming up with

a

song in the

2.

of the glimmering red? Love that is born of the deep coming up with the sun from the sea.

1.

Love

flush

that can shape or can shatter a

life till

the

life shall

have fled?

1.

welcome him, Love that Nay, can lift up a life from the dead. Keep him away from the lone little isle.

2.

Nay,

2.

let us

Let us be, let

let

us be.

him make

reign in

it

—

he,

it

his

it is

own,

let

him

he,

Love that is born of the deep coming up with the sun from the sea.

ALFRED TENNYSON

LOVB CONTINUED

ȴ 185

199 IN

We heard the And saw

thrushes

the golden

KERRY

by the shore and

Then round we went

the lane

by Thomas Flynn,

Across the church where bones

And

there

Of strange

I

sea,

stars' nativity,

lie

out and

in;

asked beneath a lonely cloud

delight,

with one bird singing loud,

What change you'd wrought in graveyard, rock and This new wild paradise to wake for me. Yet knew no more than knew these merry sins Had built this stack of thigh-bones, jaws and shins. .

.

J.

200

have stepped across

But

M.

SYNGE

FRONLEICHNAM

have come your way, I have come my way; have stepped across your people, carelessly, hurting them

You You I

sea,

.

steadily, surely,

my people,

and hurt them

in spite

of

and notwithstanding

We have come our ways and met at last Here

in this

upper room.

Here the balcony Overhangs the street where the bullock- wagons slowly Go by with their loads of green and silver birch-trees For the feast of Corpus Christi. Here from the balcony We look over the growing wheat, where the jade-green river Goes between the pine-woods, Over and beyond to where the many mountains Stand in their blueness, flashing with snow and the morning. 186

»%»

LOVE CONTINUED

all;

my care.

!

I

have done;

a

quiver of exultation goes through me, like the

first

Breeze of the morning through a narrow white birch.

You glow at last like the mountain Day and make magic in heaven. At

last I

tops

away world without

can throw

when

they catch

end, and meet

you

Unsheathed and naked and narrow and white;

At

last

you can throw immortality

Glistening with

all

the

Shameless and callous

I

off,

moment and

all

and I see you your beauty.

love you;

Out of indifference I love you; Out of mockery we dance together, Out of the sunshine into the shadow, Passing across the shadow into the sunlight, Out of sunlight to shadow. As we dance

Your

eyes take

all

of me

in as a

communication;

As we dance I

see you, ah, in full

Only

to dance together in

Two

white ones, sharp, vindicated,

triumph of being together

Shining and touching, Is

heaven of our own, sheer with repudiation D. H.

201

LAWRENCE

BIBLIOTHECA BODLEIANA Edwardus Comes Clarendoniae

Clamped

to his niche

Lifts to the

by an

iron brace

white mercy of sparrows

His foppish foolish

face.

LOVE CONTINUED

»%»

187

Primus Angliae Canfellarius, He's joined the race of stone. I

belong

still

to

your race

Of warm mouth

and bone.

Bibliotheca Bodleiana,

My library O Illuminatio

is

love for a while. mea,

I

wait

For your entering smile.

GEOFFREY GRIGSON

202 On

a time, the

amorous

Silvy,

how do you? God be wi' you,

Said to her Shepherd, Sweet Kiss

me

this

once, and then

My sweetest dear. Kiss

For

me this once, and then God be wi' now the morning draweth near.

With

that her fairest

Opening her

lips,

bosom showing,

rich perfumes blowing;

Now kiss me and be going, My sweetest dear.

She

said,

Kiss

me this once and then be going, now the morning draweth near.

For

With

you,

that the

Shepherd wak'd from sleeping,

And spying where the day was peeping, He said, Now take my soul in keeping:

My Kiss

me, and take

Since

I

sweetest dear.

my

soul in keeping,

must go now, day

is

near.

anon, (from »*

LOVE CONTINUED

the French)

»

CHANT DU

203 La Le La Le Le Le

fleur des

Alpes

disait

coquillage disait a

mer

disait

bateau feu

au feu:

«

«

disait:

«

«

tu luis »

tu resonnes »

tu trembles »

tu brilles »

disait: « je brille

me

bateau

au coquillage:

men

au bateau:

disait

me

la

CIEL

moins que

ses

yeux

»

«je tremble moins que ton

quand elle parait La mer me disait: « je resonne moins que son

cceur

en ton

amour

nom

»

Le coquillage me disait: « je luis moins que le phosphore du desir dans ton reve creux » La fleur des Alpes me disait: « elle est belle » elle est belle, elle est belle, elle est

Je disait: « vante »

emou-

ROBERT DESNOS

204 SHEPHERDESS All day

my

sheep have mingled with yours.

They

strayed

Into your valley seeking a change of ground.

Held and bemused with what they and I had found, Pastures and wonders, heedlessly I delayed.

Now The

it is late.

stars

How can

The

tracks leading

and landmarks I

take

Shepherdess,

my

in

home

are steep,

your country are strange.

sheep back over the range?

show me now where

I

may

sleep.

NORMAN CAMERON

LOVB CONTINUED

*» 189

WITH GARMENTS FLOWING

205

Come, come, my love, the bush is growing. The linnet sings the tune again He sung when thou with garments flowing

Went

talking with

me down

the lane.

Dreaming of beauty ere I found thee, And musing by the bushes green; The wind, enamoured, streaming round Painted the visions

I

had

was

beautiful as e'er

thee

seen.

guessed thy face without the

Was I

I

knowing

seen;

thought so by thy garments flowing

And gait Thy shape,

as airy as a

thy

size,

queen;

could not deceive me:

Beauty seemed hid

in

every limb;

And then thy face, when seen, believe me, Made every former fancy dim. when thy face in beauty brightened The music of a voice divine,

Yes,

Upon my

heart thy sweetness lightened;

Life, love, that

All

I

moment,

all

were

thine;

imagined musing lonely,

When Seeming

dreaming 'neath the greenwood to fancy visions only,

Breathed living

when

I

met with

thee.

wander oft, not to forget thee But just to feel those joys again. When by the hawbush stile I met thee I

And 190

»%»

heard thy voice

LOVE CONTINUED

adown

the lane

tree,

—

!

me its good-humoured greeting: And oh, what music met my ear! And then thy looks of wonder meeting, To see me come and talk so near Return

Thy face that held no sort of scorning, Thy careless jump to reach the may; That bush I saw it many a morning And hoped to meet thee many a day;

—

Till

winter came and stripped the bushes,

The

withered on the moors,

thistle

Hopes sighed I

But

like

winds along the rushes

could not meet thee out of doors.

winter's

gone and spring

is

going

And by thy own fireside I've been, And told thee, dear, with garments flowing I met thee when the spring was green;

When

travellers

Far from the

How little

rustle,

of humankind,

seems the noise and bustle

Of places And on

through snow-deserts

strife

they have

left

behind!

long-remembered morning heart of mine, Fame, all I'd hoped for, turned to scorning And love and hope lived wholly thine; I told thee, and with rapture glowing that

When

first I lost this

I heard thee more than once declare, That down the lane with garments flowing Thou with the spring wouldst wander there.

JOHN CLARE

LOVE CONTINUED

*%»

191

UNDER THE LIME TREE

206 Under

Two

the lime tree

on the

daisied

ground

know of made this bed. There you may see heaped and scattered round that

I

Grass and blossoms broken and shed All in a thicket

Tandaradei

Ere

I set

down

in the dale;

—sweetly sang the nightingale.

foot in the

Some one was

meadow

already

waiting for somebody;

—

There was a meeting Oh! gracious lady, There is no pleasure again for me, Thousands of kisses there he took. Tandaradei

—

see

my lips, how red

they look.

Leaf and blossom he had pulled and piled For a couch, a green one, soft and high;

And many

a one hath gazed and smiled

Passing the

And

bower and

pressed grass by;

the roses crushed hath seen,

—where

Tandaradei

I laid

my head

between.

In this love passage if any one had been there,

How sad and shamed should I be; But what were we adoing alone among the green there No soul shall ever know except my love and me, And

the

Tandaradei

(translated

192

»%»

—

little

she, I

nightingale,

wot, will

no

tale.

WALTHER VON DER VOGELWEIDE thomas lovell beddoes)

from the German by

LOVE CONTINUED

tell

!

!

207 Strange

And But

I

fits

of passion have

will dare to

known:

I

tell,

in the Lover's ear alone,

What

When

once to

she

me

befell.

loved looked every day-

I

Fresh as a rose in June, I

my

to her cottage bent

way,

Beneath an evening-moon.

Upon

the

moon

All over the

I

fixed

wide

my

eye,

lea;

With quickening pace Those paths so dear

my horse to

drew nigh

me.

And now we reached the orchard-plot; And, as we climbed the hill, The sinking moon to Lucy's cot Came near, and nearer still. In one of those sweet dreams

Kind Nature's

And

all

On

the while

my

the descending

My horse He

gentlest

moved

raised,

I

slept,

boon

eyes

I

kept

moon.

on; hoof after hoof

and never stopped:

When down

behind the cottage roof,

At once,

moon

What

the bright

dropped.

fond and wayward thoughts will

slide

Into a Lover's head

'O mercy!' to myself I cried, 'If Lucy should be dead!'

WILLIAM WORDSWORTH LOVE CONTINUED

•%»

193

208

THE QUESTION 'ANSWER'D What The

What The

is it

men

in

women do

require?

lineaments of Gratified Desire. is it

women do

in

men

require?

lineaments of Gratified Desire.

WILLIAM BLAKE

209 Abstinence sows sand

The

all

over

ruddy limbs and flaming hair,

But Desire

Gratified

Plants fruits of life

and beauty

there.

WILLIAM BLAKE

210 BRIDAL By female

We have bathed,

SONG voices

where none have seen

us,

In the lake and in the fountain,

Underneath the charmed

statue

Of the timid, bending Venus, When the water-nymphs were

counting

waves the stars of night, And those maidens started at you, Your limbs shone through so soft and bright. But no secrets dare we tell, In the

For thy slaves unlace thee,

he who shall embrace thee, Waits to try thy beauty's spell.

And

194

*

LOVE CONTINUED

By

male voices

We have crowned thee queen of women, Since love's love, the rose, hath kept her

Court within thy

And

and blushes,

lips

swimming, up the sceptre,

thine eye, in beauty

Kissing, rendered

At whose touch

the startled soul

Like an ocean bounds and gushes,

And

bend

spirits

But no

thy controul.

at

secrets dare

we

tell,

For thy slaves unlace thee,

And Is at

he,

who

shall

embrace

thee,

hand, and so farewell.

THOMAS LOVELL BEDDOES

211 I

am

among

the rose of Sharon, and the thorns, so

As the apple his fruit

is

tree

among the sons. and

THE SONG OF SOLOMON]

[from

I

me

valleys.

As the

lily

the daughters.

among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved down under his shadow with great delight,

sat

was sweet

banqueting house, and Stay

of the

lily

my love among

with flagons,

my

He brought me to the me was love. comfort me with apples, for I am sick of to

his

taste.

banner over

hand is under my head, and his right hand doth embrace me. I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, by the roes, and by the hinds of the field, that ye stir not up, nor awake love. His left

my

love,

The

till

he please.

voice of my beloved! behold, he cometh leaping upon the

mountains, skipping upon the a

young

hart: behold,

forth at the

hills.

My

beloved

is

like a roc or

he standeth behind our wall, he lookcth

windows, shewing himself through the

lattice.

LOVE CONTINUED

»*»

[$>j

My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and

come away.

For, lo, the winter

is

past, the rain

is

over and

gone, -Xhe-flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds

is

is heard in our land. The and the vines with the tender my love, my fair one, and come

come, and the voice of the

fig tree putteth forth her

green

turtle

figs,

grape give a good smell. Arise,

away.

O my dove that art in the clefts of the rock, in the secret places of the

stairs, let

for sweet

is

foxes, the

me

see

thy countenance,

little

me

let

thy voice, and thy countenance

is

hear thy voice;

comely. Take us the

foxes, that spoil the vines: for our vines

have

tender grapes.

My beloved

is

mine, and

I

am his:

Until the day break, and the shadows

and be thou

like a roe or a

young

he feedeth flee

hart

among

away, turn,

upon

the

lilies.

my beloved,

the mountains of

Bether.

212 Je ne veux comparer

tes

beautez a

la

Lune:

La Lune est inconstante, et ton vouloir n'est qu'un. Encor moins au Soleil: le Soleil est commun,

Commune est sa lumiere, et tu n'es pas commune. Tu forces par vertu l'envie et la rancune. Je ne suis, te louant, un flateur importun. Tu sembles a toy-mesme, et n'as portrait aucun:

Tu

ton Dieu, ton Astre

es toute

et ta

Fortune.

Ceux qui font de leur Dame a toy comparaison, Sont ou presomptueux, ou perclus de raison: D' esprit

et

de scavoir de bien loin tu

les passes.

Ou bien quelque Demon de ton corps s'est vestu, Ou bien tu es portrait de la mesme Vertu, Ou bien tu es Pallas, ou bien l'une des Graces. PIERRE DE RONSARD I96 »»

LOVE CONTINUED

213

NO LOATHSOMENESS

IN

LOVE

What I fancy, I approve, No dislike there is in love: Be

my Mistress

And Be

short or

tall,

distorted therewithal:

she likewise one of those,

That an acre hath of nose: Be her forehead, and her eyes Full

of incongruities:

Be

her cheeks so shallow too,

As

to

Be

her

And

shew her tongue wag through: lips

ill

hung, or

set,

her grinders black as jet;

Has she thin She's to

me

hair,

hath she none,

a paragon.

ROBERT HERRICK

214 Ces longues nuicts d'hyver, ou la Lune ocieuse Tourne si lentement son char tout a l'entour, Ou le coq si tardif nous annonce le jour, Ou la nuict semble un an a Tame soucieuse, Je fusse mort d'ennuy sans ta forme douteuse, Qui vient par une feinte alleger mon amour, Et faisant toute nue entre mes bras sejour, Me pipe doucement d'une joye menteuse. Vraye tu es farouche, et fiere en cruaute. De toy fausse on jouyst en toute privaute. Pres ton mort je m'endors, pres de luy je repose: Rien ne m'est refuse. Le bon sommeil ainsi Abuse par le faux mon amoureux souci. S'abuser en amour n'est pas mauvaise chose.

PIERRE DE

RONSARD

LOVE CONTINUED

*%»

I97

HEEDLESS

215

MY LOVE

O'

I vu'st know'd o' my true love, As the bright moon up above, Though her brightness wer my pleasure, She wer heedless o' my love. Tho' 'twer all gay to my eyes,

Oh!

Where

her feair feace did

She noo

Than

Oh!

thought upon

moon

my

thoughts,

in the skies.

vu'st heard her a-zingen,

I

As

mwore the high

arise,

sweet bird on a

a

Though

tree,

her zingen wer

my pleasure,

'Twer noo zong she zung

to

me.

Though her sweet vaice that wer nigh, Meade my wild heart to beat high, She noo

Than

Oh! As

mwore the birds

a

would

my

thoughts,

passers by.

know'd her a-weepen,

vu'st

I

thought upon

rain-dimm'd mornen sky,

Though her tear-draps dimm'd her They wer noo draps I could dry. Ev'ry bright tear that did

Wer

a

keen pain to

But noo

Wer

heart's

vor

my

my

blushes,

roll,

soul,

pang she did then words to console.

veel,

But the wold times be a-vanish'd, An' my true love is my bride, An' her kind heart have a-meade her As an angel at my zide; 198 »*

LOVE CONTINUED

I've her best smiles that

me'th when she

I've her

When I

mid

play,

gay,

is

her tear-draps be a-rollen,

can

now wipe em

away.

WILLIAM BARNES

NO PLATONIC LOVE

2l6 Tell

me no more

And That

of minds embracing minds,

hearts exchang'd for hearts;

spirits spirits

And mix

meet, as winds do winds,

their subt'lest parts;

That two unbodied essences

And I

was

To I

may

then like angels, twist and that silly thing that

kiss,

feel

one

bliss.

once was wrought

practise this thin love;

climb'd from sex to soul, from soul to thought;

But thinking there to move, Headlong I roll'd from thought

From

soul

As some

I

strict

down-look' d

Who yet in closets So lovers

to soul,

and then

lighted at the sex agen.

who

men

pretend to

fast,

eat;

profess they spirits taste,

Feed yet on grosser meat; I

know

they boast they souls to souls convey,

Howe'er they meet, the body

Come,

I

the way.

is

will undeceive thee, they that tread

Those vain aerial ways, Are like young heirs and alchymists misled To waste their wealth and days, For searching thus to be for ever

They only

rich,

find a med'cine for the itch.

WILLIAM CARTWRIGHT LOVE CONTINUED

»*»

I99

217 MEETING AT NIGHT

The grey

And And

and the long black land;

sea

the yellow half-moon large and low; the startled

In fiery ringlets

As

waves

little

from

that leap

their sleep,

gain the cove with pushing prow,

I

And quench

its

speed

i'

the slushy sand.

II

a mile of warm sea-scented beach;

Then Three

A

fields to cross

till

a

farm appears;

tap at the pane, the quick sharp scratch

And And

blue spurt of a lighted match,

Than

a voice less loud, thro'

the

two

its

joys and

fears,

hearts beating each to each!

ROBERT BROWNING

2l8 She

[from

IN A

GONDOLA]

sings.

i

The moth's Kiss

me

kiss first!

as if

You were

you made

not sure,

How my face, Its

brush

Who 200

«%»

your flower, had pursed

petals up; so, here

You

believe

this eve,

it, till I

and there

grow aware

wants me, and wide ope

LOVE CONTINUED

I

burst.

now! you entered gay some noonday,

The

bee's kiss,

Kiss

me

as if

My heart at A bud that dares not disallow The

claim, so

And

passively

all is

Over your head

rendered up,

shattered cup

its

to sleep

I

bow.

ROBERT BROWNING

219 GOING Come, Madam, come, Until

The Is

I

labour,

I

TO BED all rest

in labour

my powers

defy,

lie.

foe oft-times having the foe in sight

tired

with standing though he never

fight.

Off with that girdle, like heaven's zone glittering, But a far fairer world incompassing. Unpin that spangled breastplate which you wear, That th'eyes of busy fools may be stopt there. Unlace yourself, for that harmonious chime Tells me from you that now it is bed time. Off with that happy busk, which I envie, That still can be, and still can stand so nigh.

Your gown going off such beauteous state reveals As when from flow'ry meads th'hill's shadow steals. Off with that wiry coronet and show The hairy diadem which on you doth grow:

Now

off with those shoes, and then safely tread

In this love's hallow'd temple, this soft bed.

In such white robes, heaven's angels us'd to be

Receiv'd by men; thou angel bring'st with thee

LOVE CONTINUED

•> 201

!

A

heaven

111

spirits

By

Mahomet's

like

walk

in white,

this these angels

Those

paradise;

we

from an

and though

know

easly

evil sprite,

set

our

hairs,

License

my

roving hands, and

but these our

flesh upright.

let

them

go,

Before, behind, between, above, below.

O my America! my new-found-land, My kingdom, safeliest when with one man mann'd, My mine of precious stones, my emperie, How blest am I To

in this discovering thee

enter in these bonds,

Then where

my

hand

is

to be free;

is set,

my

Full nakedness! All joys are

As

seal shall be.

due to

souls unbodied, bodies uncloth'd

thee,

must

be,

To taste whole joys. Gems which you women use Are like Atlanta's balls, cast in men's views, That when a fool's eye lighteth on a gem, His earthly soul

may

covet

theirs,

not them.

Like pictures, or like books' gay coverings

For lay-men, are

all

women

Themselves are mystic books, which only

(Whom

their

imputed grace

made

thus array'd;

we

will dignify)

Must see reveal'd. Then since that I may know, As liberally, as to a midwife, show

Thy

self: cast all,

There

is

yea, this white linen hence,

no penance due

to innocence.

To teach thee, I am naked first; why then What need'st thou have more covering than

a

man ?

JOHN DONNE

202

**•

LOVE CONTINUED

!

220 THE VISITOR She brings that breath, and music too,

That comes when

And

April's days begin;

Autumn

sweetness

never had

In any bursting skin.

She's big with laughter at the breasts,

Like netted fish they leap:

Oh

God,

Or

that

I

were

far

from

here,

lying fast asleep

w. H. DAVIES

TO

221 Come

HIS

LOVE

away, come, sweet love,

The golden morning All the earth,

all

breaks,

the air

Of love and pleasure speaks, Teach thine arms then to embrace, And sweet rosy lips to kiss, And mix our souls in mutual

bliss.

Eyes were made for beauty's grace, Viewing, rueing love's long pain, Procur'd by beauty's rude disdain.

Come

away, come, sweet love,

The golden morning While

the sun

from

His fiery arrows

Making

all

wastes,

his

sphere

casts:

the shadows

fly,

Playing, staying in the grove,

LOVE CONTINUED

*> 203

To

entertain the stealth

Thither, sweet love,

let

of love, us hie,

Flying, dying, in desire,

Wing'd with sweet hopes and heav'nly

fire.

Come away, come, sweet love, Do not in vain adorn Beauty's grace that should

rise

Like to the naked morn:

on the

Lilies

And

fair

river's side,

new blown,

Cyprian flowers

Desire no beauties but their own,

Ornament

is

nurse of pride,

Pleasure, measure, love's delight,

Haste then, sweet love, our wished

flight.

ANON.

222

[from

TROILUS AND CRESSIDA]

Her bed

is

India; there she

lies,

a pearl.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

223

[from

ROMEO AND JULIET] i

(Enter Juliet alone: she speaks)

Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds, Towards Phoebus' lodging Such a wagoner As Phaeton would whip you to the west !

And

bring in cloudy night immediately.

Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night, 204

»*»

LOVE CONTINUED

That runaways' eyes may wink, and Romeo Leap to these arms un talked of and unseen. Lovers can see to do their amorous

By

their

own

beauties; or, if love

rites

be blind,

best agrees with night. Come, civil night, Thou sober-suited matron, all in black, And learn me how to lose a winning match, It

Played for a pair of stainless maidenhoods.

Hood my unmanned With thy

blood, bating in

black mantle

till

my cheeks,

strange love

grow

bold,

Think true love acted simple modesty. Come, night; come, Romeo; come, thou day in night; For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night Whiter than new snow upon a raven's back, Come, gentle night; come, loving, black-browed night; Give me my Romeo; and, when he shall die, Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fine That all the world will be in love with night And pay no worship to the garish sun. O, I have bought the mansion of a love, But not possessed it; and though I am sold, Not yet enjoyed. So tedious is this day As is the night before some festival

To an impatient child that hath new robes And may not wear them. O, here comes my nurse, And she brings news; and every tongue that speaks But Romeo's name speaks heavenly eloquence.

ii

(Enter

Romeo and Juliet

aloft)

JULIET Wilt thou be gone ? It is not yet near day. It was the nightingale, and not the lark,

LOVE CONTINUED

•*•

205

That pierced the

hollow of thine

fearful

ear.

Nightly she sings on yond pomegranate Believe me, love,

it

was the

tree.

nightingale.

ROMEO was the

It

lark, the herald

of the morn;

No nightingale. Look, love, what envious streaks Do lace the severing clouds in yonder East. Night's candles are burnt out, and jocund day Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain tops.

must be gone and JULIET I

Yond It is

light

is

live,

or stay and die.

not daylight;

some meteor

I

know

it, I.

that the sun exhales

To be to thee this And light thee on

night a torchbearer

thy

way

to

Mantua.

Therefore stay yet; thou need'st not to be gone.

ROMEO Let me be ta'en, I am content, so I'll

yon grey

say

'Tis

let

me

be put to death.

thou wilt have is

it

so,

not the morning's eye,

but the pale reflex of Cynthia's brow;

Nor that is not the lark whose notes do beat The vaulty heaven so high above our heads. I

have more care to stay than will to go.

Come,

How

death,

is't,

my

and welcome

!

Juliet wills

soul? Let's talk;

it is

it

so.

not day.

JULIET It

is, it is!

It is

Hie hence, be gone, away!

the lark that sings so out of tune,

Straining harsh discords and unpleasing sharps.

Some

say the lark

This doth not

Some O,

206 »*

division;

she divideth us.

say the lark and loathed toad change eyes;

now I would

Since

makes sweet

so, for

they had changed voices too,

arm from arm

LOVE CONTINUED

that voice

doth us

affray,

Hunting thee hence with hunt's-up to the day. O, now be gone! More light and light it grows.

ROMEO More

light

and

light

—more dark and dark our woes. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

224 And

is it night? Are they thine eyes that shine? Are we alone and here and here alone ?

May I come Is

O

near,

may

I

Jealousy asleep, and

Gods, no more,

but touch thy shrine? is

silence

he gone?

my lips

Lips, kisses, joys, hap, blessings

O

come,

And

my

dear,

our

with

most

thine,

divine.

griefs are turn'd to night,

night to joys, night blinds pale Envy's eyes,

Silence

and

sleep prepare us

our delight,

O cease we then our woes, our griefs, our cries, O vanish words, words do but passions move, joys sweet, O sweetest love. O dearest life,

ANON.

225

Now

sleeps the

crimson

petal,

now

the white;

Nor waves the cypress in the palace walk; Nor winks the gold fin in the porphyry font. The fire-fly wakens; waken thou with me. LOVE CONTINUED

^» 207

Now droops And

like a

Now lies And

all

the milk-white peacock like a ghost,

ghost she glimmers on to me.

the Earth

thy heart

Danae to the stars, open unto me.

all

lies

Now slides the silent meteor on, and leaves A shining furrow, as thy thoughts in me. Now folds And

slips

So fold Into

the

lily all

into the

my

thyself,

my bosom

her sweetness up,

bosom of the

lake:

and

dearest, thou,

and be

lost in

slip

me.

ALFRED TENNYSON

226 LES ROSES DE SAADI J'ai

voulu, ce matin, te rapporter des roses;

Mais j 'en

Que

les

avais tant pris dans

Les nceuds ont

Dans

eclate.

le vent, a la

mer

Elles ont suivi l'eau

La vague en

Ce

soir

mes

ceintures closes

nceuds trop serres n'ont pu

ma

contenir.

Les roses envolees s'en sont toutes allees.

pour ne plus

a paru rouge et

robe encore en

Respires-en sur

les

revenir.

comme

est

moi Todorant

tout

enflammee:

embaumee:

souvenir.

MARCELINE DESBORDES-VALMORE

208

«%•

LOVE CONTINUED

227 by the rose, rose, night by the rose I lay;

All night All

Dared

And

I

not the rose

yet

I

steal,

bare the flower away.

ANON.

228

A

SONG

me no more where Jove bestows, When June is past, the fading rose; Ask

For in your beauty's orient deep

These flowers,

as in their causes, sleep.

Ask me no more whither do stray The golden atoms of the day; For in pure love heaven did prepare

Those powders

to enrich

your

hair.

Ask me no more whither doth haste The nightingale, when May is past; For in your sweet dividing throat

She winters, and keeps

Ask

warm

me no more where

her note.

those stars 'light,

That downwards fall in dead of night; For in your eyes they sit, and there Fixed become,

as in their sphere.

Ask me no more if east or west The phcenix builds her spicy nest; For unto you at last she flies, And in your fragrant bosom dies.

THOMAS CAREW LOVE CONTINUED

»%»

209

—

!

EP02 A'AYTE

229

Crimson nor yellow

.

.

.

nor

roses,

The savour of the mounting Arc worth the perfume That clings to thee.

sea

adore

I

The languid-headed lilies tire, The changeless waters weary me. I

ache with passionate desire

Of thine

and

thee.

There are but these things Thy mouth of fire,

Thy breasts, thy And my desire

in the

world

hands, thy hair upcurled,

THEODORE WRATISLAW

230 STANCES Quand au temple nous

serons

Agenouillez, nous ferons

Les devots selon

De

la

ceux qui pour

Humbles

se

guise loiier

Dieu

courbent au lieu

Le plus secret de l'Eglise. Mais quand au lict nous serons Entrelassez,

Les

lascifs

nous ferons

selon les guises

Des Amans qui librement Pratiquent folastrement

Dans les draps cent mignardises. Pourquoy donque, quand je veux Ou mordre tes beaux cheveux, 210

•*»

LOVE CONTINUED

Ou Ou

bouche aimee, toucher a ton beau sein, Contrefais-tu la nonnain Dedans un cloistre enfermee? Pour qui gardes-tu tes yeux baiser ta

Et ton

sein delicieux,

Ton front, ta levre jumelle? En veux-tu baiser Pluton La

bas, apres

que Charon

T'aura mise en sa nacelle?

Apres ton dernier

trespas,

Gresle, tu n'auras la bas

Qu'une bouchette blesmie; Et quand mort je

te verrois

Aux Ombres je n'avou'rois Que jadis tu fus m'amie. Ton test n'aura plus de peau,

Ny

ton visage

si

beau

N'aura veines ny

Tu

n'auras plus

arteres:

que

dents

les

Telles qu'on les voit dedans

Les testes de cimeteres.

Donque

tandis

que tu

vis,

Change, Maistresse,

d'avis,

Et ne m'espargne

bouche.

ta

Incontinent tu mourras,

Lors tu te repentiras

De

m'avoir

este farouche.

Ah, je meurs! ah, baise moy! Ah, Maistresse, approche toy!

Tu

fuis

comme un

fan qui tremble.

Au-moins souffre que ma main S'esbate un peu dans ton sein, Ou plus bas, si bon te semble. PIERRE DE

RONSARD

LOVE CONTINUED

•* 211

[THE FACE

231

THOUSAND

THAT LAUNCHED A

SHIPS, from

DOCTOR FAUSTUS]

(Doctor Fanstus speaks)

Was And

this

the face that launched a thousand ships ?

burnt the topless towers of Ilium ?

me

Sweet Helen, make

Her

lips

And I

suck forth

all is

my

dross that

is

immortal with a soul, see

where

kiss:

it flies:

not Helena:

and for love of thee,

will be Paris,

Instead of Troy shall

Wertenberg be

sack'd,

And I will combat with weak Menelaus, And wear thy colours on my plumed crest: Yea I will wound Achillis in the heel, And then return to Helen for a kiss.

O

thou

Clad

art fairer

in the

than the evening

beauty of a thousand

air,

stars,

Brighter art thou than flaming Jupiter,

When More

he appear' d to hapless Semele,

monarch of the sky wanton Arcthusa's azur'd arms, And none but thou shalt be my paramour. lovely than the

In

CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE

232 In

CORINNAE CONCUBITUS summer's heat and mid-time of the day

To rest my limbs upon a bed I lay, One window shut, the other open stood, Which gave such light as twinkles in a wood, Like twilight glimpse

Or 212

**»

:

at setting

of the sun

night be ng past, and yet not day begun.

LOVE CONTINUED

!

Such

!

shamefaced maidens must be shown,

light to

may

sport, and seem to be unknown. Then came Corinna in a long loose gown, Her white neck hid with tresses hanging down:

Where

they

Resembling

Or I

Semiramis going to bed

fair

of a thousand wooers sped.

Lais

snatched her gown, being thin, the

Yet

strived she to

And

harm was

small,

be covered therewithal.

one that would be cast, and yielded at the last. she stood before mine eye,

striving thus as

Betrayed

herself,

Stark naked as

Not one wen

body could

in her

What arms and

shoulders did

I

I

spy.

touch and

see,

How apt her breasts were to be pressed by me! How smooth a belly under her waist saw I How large a leg, and what a lusty thigh To

leave the

rest, all

liked

me

passing well,

dinged her naked body, down she fell, Judge you the rest: being tired she bad me I

Jove send

me more

such afternoons

kiss,

as this.

CHRISTOPHER MARLOWE (from the Latin of ovid)

233 La tres-chere

LES BIJOUX

etait

Elle n'avait garde

Dont

le

nue,

que

et,

ses

connaissant

riche attirail lui donnait

Qu'ont dans

leurs jours

mon

coeur,

bijoux sonores,

heureux

l'air

les

vainqucur

esclavcs des

Mores.

Quand il jette en dansant son bruit vif et moqueur, Ce monde rayonnant de metal et de pierre

Me

ravit

en extase,

Les choses ou

le

et

j'aime a

son se mele a

la la

fureur lumiere.

LOVE CONTINUED

*> 21}

!

Elle etait

done couchee

Et du haut du divan

A mon Qui

amour profond

vers elle montait

air

Et

candeur unie a

la

vague

et

et

et sa

comme

Polis

de

mer,

tigre

elle essay ait

dompte,

des poses,

la lubricite

ses

metamorphoses;

jambe,

et sa cuisse et ses reins,

l'huile,

onduleux

Passaient devant

Et son ventre

la

vers sa falaise.

comme un

reveur

Donnait un charme neuf a Et son bras

doux comme

comme

Les yeux fixes sur moi,

D'un

et se laissait aimer,

elle souriait d'aise

mes yeux

comme un

cygne,

clairvoyants et sereins;

et ses seins, ces

grappes de

ma

vigne,

S'avancaient, plus calins que les Anges du mal, Pour troubler le repos ou mon ame etait mise, Et pour la deranger du rocher de cristal Ou, calme et solitaire, elle s'etait assise.

Je croyais voir unis par un nouveau dessin Les hanches de l'Antiope au buste d'un imberbe,

Tant

sa taille faisait ressortir

Sur ce

— Et

teint

la

Comme Chaque 11

fauve

lampe le

et

brun

le

son bassin. fard etait superbe

s'etant resignee a

foyer seul illuminait

fois qu'il poussait

mourir, la

chambre,

un flamboyant

soupir,

inondait de sang cette peau couleur d'ambre!

CHARLES BAUDELAIRE

214 »> LOVE

CONTINUED

!

WITH A

234

GIFT OF RINGS

It was no costume jewellery I sent: True stones cool to the tongue, their settings ancient, Their magic evident. Conceal your pride, accept them negligently But, naked on your couch, wear them for me.

ROBERT GRAVES

235

PARFUM

LE

Lecteur, as-tu quelquefois respire

Avec

Ce

Ou

ivresse et lente

gourmandise

grain d'encens qui remplit une eglise,

d'un sachet

le

muse

invetere?

Charme profond, magique, dont nous Dans

le

present le passe restaure

Ainsi l'amant sur

un corps adore

Du

souvenir cueille

De

ses

cheveux

la fleur

exquise.

elastiques et lourds,

Vivant sachet, encensoir de

Une

grise

l'alcove,

senteur montait, sauvagc ct fauve,

Et des habits, mousseline ou velours,

Tout impregnes de sa jeunesse pure, Se degageait un parfum dc fourrure.

CHARLES BAUDELAIRE

LOVE CONTINUED

»> 215

—

236 "RIDDLE Their tongues are knives, their forks are hands and

They

feet.

feed each other through their skins and eat

Religiously the spiced, symbolic meat.

The loving oven cooks them

Two

curried lovers

on

in

its

heat

a rice-white sheet.

ADRIAN MITCHELL

237 CALYPSO'S

My hands are They can

SONG TO ULYSSES

tender feathers,

teach your

body

to soar.

My feet are two comedians With jokes your

never heard before.

flesh has

So try to read the meaning Of the blue veins under my skin

And

feel

my

breasts like gentle wheels

Revolving from your thighs to your chin.

And

listen to the

Of my

rhythm

heartbeat marking the pace

And

see the visions sail across

The

easy-riding waters of

my

face.

What is sweeter than the human body? Two human bodies as they rise and fall. What is sweeter than two loving bodies? There

is

nothing sweeter

at all.

Lose yourself, find yourself, Lose yourself again

On

the island of Calypso.

ADRIAN MITCHELL 2l6

»*»

LOVE CONTINUED

238

[from

TRILOGY FOR

X]

And love hung still as crystal over the bed And filled the corners of the enormous room; The boom of dawn that left her sleeping, showing The

flowers mirrored in the

mahogany

table.

O my love, if only I were able To Not

protract this hour of quiet after passion,

door for ever

ration happiness but keep this

Closed on the world,

its

own world

closed within

it.

But dawn's waves trouble with the bubbling minute, The names of books come clear upon their shelves, The reason delves for duty and you will wake With a start and go on living on your own.

The

first train

passes

and the windows groan,

Voices will hector and your voice become

A drum in

tune with

theirs,

which

all last

night

Like sap that fingered through a hungry tree Asserted our one night's identity.

LOUIS MACNEICE

239 RIVER ROSES By

the

Isar, in

the twilight

We were wandering and singing, By

the

Isar, in

We climbed

the evening

the huntsman's ladder

and

sat

swinging

In the fir-tree overlooking the marshes,

While

river

met with

river,

and the ringing

LOVE CONTINUED

•%»

21J

Of their pale-greets glacier water By the Isar, in the twilight

filled

the evening.

We found the dark wild roses Hanging red at the river; and simmering Frogs were singing, and over the river closes

Was

savour of ice and of roses; and glimmering

Fear was abroad.

Let

it

Here

be

as the

in this

We whispered:

'No one knows

simmering marsh.' D. H.

240 In front of the

sombre mountains, it,

I

still

in the green wheat.

me, and your naked

feet in their sandals,

through the scent of the balcony's naked timber

distinguish the scent of

Lightning

Adown

A

of rainbow;

a faint, lost ribbon

the thunder;

the green wheat, the labourers

Stand like dark stumps, are near to

LAWRENCE

ON THE BALCONY

And between us and And down below in

You And

us.

snake disposes

falls

your

hair: so

now

the limber

from heaven.

the pale-green glacier river floats

dark boat through the gloom

—and whither?

The thunder roars. But still we have each other! The naked lightnings in the heavens dither

And

disappear

The boat

—what have we but each other?

has gone. D. H.

2l8 •*

LOVE CONTINUED

LAWRENCE

GREEN

241

The dawn was apple-green, The sky was green wine held up in the The moon was a golden petal between. She opened her

They For the

eyes,

and green

shone, clear like flowers first

time,

sun,

now

for the

undone

first

time seen. D. H.

LAWRENCE

242 GLOIRE DE DIJON When I

she

linger to

the

rises in

watch

morning

her;

She spreads the bath-cloth underneath the

And

window

the sunbeams catch her

on the shoulders, While down her sides the mellow Golden shadow glows as Glistening white

She stoops to the sponge, and her swung breasts

Sway

yellow

like full-blown

Gloire de Dijon roses.

She drips herself with water, and her shoulders Glisten as silver, they crumple

Like wet and falling

roses,

and

up listen

I

For the sluicing of their rain-dishevelled In the

window

full

petals.

of sunlight

Concentrates her golden shadow

Fold on fold, until

Mellow

as the

it

glows

as

glory roses. D. H.

LAWRENCE

LOVE CONTINUED

ȴ 2I

LOVE CONTINUED

tell

me,

This wild-mint-sccnted scene

And And

wild roses wrinkle of water descending

Tending

to laughter;

Together, then After.

GEOFFREY GRIGSON

254 Let

me

not to the marriage of true minds

Admit impediments, love

is

not love

Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove.

O

no

!

it is

an ever-fixed mark,

That looks on tempests and It is

is

never shaken;

the star to every wand'ring bark,

Whose

worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and checks Within his bending sickle's compass come, Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom: If this I

be error and upon

never writ, nor no

man

me

proved,

ever loved.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

255

COUNTING THE BEATS You, love, and I, (He whispers) you and I, And if no more than only you and What care you or I?

I

LOVE CONTINUED

*%»

22Q

Counting the beats', Counting the slow heart beats, The bleeding to death of time in slow heart Wakeful they lie.

beats,

Cloudless day,

Night, and a cloudless day;

Yet the huge storm

From

shall

we

one day

be,

(She whispers) where

When Not

their heads

a bitter sky.

Where

Who

upon

will burst

shall

death strikes home,

were you and

we

O

be,

where then

shall

we

be

I ?

there but here,

(He whispers) only

As we are, here, Always you and

here,

together,

now

and here,

I.

Counting the beats, Counting the slow heart beats, The bleeding to death of time in slow heart Wakeful they lie.

beats,

ROBERT GRAVES

256 So well

I

love thee,

as

without thee

I

Love nothing; if I might choose, I'd rather Than be one day debarr'd thy company.

die

Since beasts, and plants do grow, and live and move, Beasts are those

He 230 »>

only

men,

lives, that

LOVE CONTINUED

that such a

deadly

is

life

in love.

approve:

!

The corn

ground is sown first dies do many ears arise: world's corn, by dying multiplies.

that in the

And of one Love,

this

seed

of love first by thy eyes were thrown ground untill'd, a heart unknown To bear such fruit, till by thy hands 'twas sown.

The

seeds

Into a

Look

as

your looking-glass by chance

Divide and break in

And

many

may

fall,

pieces small

yet shows forth the selfsame face in

all:

Proportions, features, graces just the same,

And

So

all

one deserves,

my

I

as in the richest

frame.

thoughts are pieces but of you

Which put As

name

in the smallest piece as well the

Of fairest

together makes a glass so true

therein

no

other's face but yours can view.

MICHAEL DRAYTON

257 now, O sleep now, you unquiet heart voice crying 'Sleep now'

Sleep

O A

Is

The Is

O

heard in

my heart.

voice of the winter

heard

at the

sleep, for the Is

door.

winter

crying 'Sleep no more'.

LOVE CONTINUED

»%»

23I

!

—

My kiss^will give .peace now And

quiet to your heart on in peace now, you unquiet heart!

Sleep

O

JAMES JOYCE

258

WINTER WINDS COLD AND BLEA Winter winds cold and blea Chilly blows o'er the lea: Wander not out to me, Jenny so

Wait I

in

will

fair,

thy cottage

free.

be there.

Wait in thy cushioned chair Wi' thy white bosom bare. Kisses are sweetest there:

Leave

it

for

me.

Free from the chilly I

will

meet

air

thee.

How sweet can courting prove, How can I kiss my love Muffled in hat and glove

From

the chill air?

Quaking beneath the grove,

What

love

is

there

Lay by thy woollen vest, Drape no cloak o'er thy breast: Where my hand oft hath pressed, 232

•*•

LOVE CONTINUED

Pin nothing there:

Where my head droops Leave

its

to rest,

bed bare.

JOHN CLARE

259 Weep you no more, sad fountains, What need you flow so fast, Look how the snowy mountains Heav'n's sun doth gently waste.

But

my

sun's heav'nly eyes

View not your weeping,

now lies sleeping now softly lies sleeping.

That Softly

Sleep

is

a reconciling,

A rest

that peace begets:

Doth not

When

the sun rise smiling, fair at

Rest you, then

Melt not

in

While she Softly

now

ev'n he rest,

sets ?

sad eyes,

weeping,

lies

sleeping

softly lies sleeping.

ANON.

260 CASHEL OF

MUNSTER

IRISH RUSTIC

BALLAD

wed you without herds, without money, or rich array, And I'd wed you on a dewy morning at day-dawn grey; My bitter woe it is, love, that we arc not far away I'd

In Cashel

bed

town, though the bare deal board were our marriage-

this

day;

LOVE CONTINUED

*> 233

!

Oh,

fair

maid, remember the green

Remember how I hunted about the Time now, has worn me; my locks The

year

is

scarce

and

I

am

hill side,

valleys wide;

are turn'd to grey,

poor, but send

me

not, love,

away!

Oh, deem not my blood is of base strain, my girl, Oh, deem not my birth was as the birth of the churl; Marry me, and prove me, and say soon you will, That noble blood is written on my right side still

My

purse holds no red gold, no coin of the silver white,

No

herds are mine to drive through the long twilight!

But the pretty girl that would take me, all bare though I be and lone Oh, I'd take her with me kindly to the county Tyrone. Oh,

my

girl, I

can see

'tis

in trouble

you

are,

:. oh, my girl, I see 'tis your people's reproach you bear: 1 am a girl in trouble for his sake with whom I fly, And, oh, may no other maiden know such reproach as I!'

SIR

SAMUEL FERGUSON

26l

O

you

sweetheart, hear

Your

lover's tale;

A man shall have sorrowWhen friends him fail. For he

shall

know

then

Friends be untrue

And

a

little

ashes

Their words 34 ->

LOVE CONTINUED

come

to.

But one unto him

move woo him

Will softly

And In

softly

ways of love.

His hand

is

under

Her smooth round So he

who

Shall

breast;

has sorrow

have

rest.

JAMES JOYCE

262 Nothing

will

fill

ALONE the

later

Ripe to

walls and

its

caves our youth wore:

salt

nor a house with corn

Happiness

open door. sky and flowed into

We filtered through to A

pit full

Even

of stars; so

in this

we

being alone

are each alone. I

meet with you. E. j.

SCOVELL

263 To me,

old,

For

I

as

fair friend, you never can be you were when first your eye

eyed,

Such seems your beauty still: Three winters cold, Have from the forests shook three summers' pride; Three beauteous springs to yellow autumn turned, In process of the seasons have I seen, Three April perfumes Since

first I

saw you

in three

fresh

hot Junes burned,

which yet

arc green.

LOVE CONTINUED

»> 2}$

Ah!

yet doth beauty, like a dial-hand,

Steal

from

his figure,

and no pace perceived;

So your sweet hue, which methinks

still

doth stand,

Hath motion, and mine eye may be deceived. For fear of which, hear

this, thou age unbred, Ere you were born was beauty's summer dead.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

264 When

to the sessions

of sweet

silent

thought,

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

I

Then can

I

drown an eye

waste:

(unus'd to flow)

For precious friends hid in death's

dateless night,

And weep afresh love's long-since cancell'd woe, And moan th' expense of many a vanish'd sight: Then can

I

grieve at grievances foregone,

And

heavily

The

sad account of fore-bemoaned

Which But

I

from woe

new pay

if the

while

as if I

to

woe

tell

o'er

moan,

not paid before.

think on thee (dear friend)

All losses are restor'd, and sorrows end.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

265 Take heed of loving me; At least remember I forbade

Not

that

I

shall repair

Of breath 236 *>

my

it

thee;

unthrifty waste

and blood, upon thy

LOVE CONTINUED

sighs

and

tears,

By

me

being to thee then what to

But Then,

so great joy our lest

thy love by

my

thou wast;

once outwears.

life at

death frustrate be,

If thou love me, take heed of loving me.

Take heed of hating me,

Or

too

Not

much triumph

that

And

I

in the victory;

be mine

shall

own

But thou

wilt lose the style of conqueror,

If I, thy conquest, perish

Then, If

officer,

hate with hate again retaliate;

lest

my

by thy

hate.

being nothing lessen thee,

thou hate me, take heed of hating me.

Yet, love and hate

me

too;

So these extremes shall neither's office do; Love me, that I may die the gentler way;

Hate me, because thy love

Or

let these

So

shall I live

let

me

too great for me;

thy stage, not triumph be.

Lest thou thy love

To

is

two, themselves, not me, decay;

live,

me undo, hate me too!

and hate and

oh, love and

JOHN DONNE

266

SONG

Chloris, forbear a while,

Do

not o'er joy me,

Urge not another Lest

it

smile

destroy me.

LOVE CONTINUED

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

Of me,

that

wonted

to rejoice

fortune of my pleasant choice;

The

Good

ladies,

help to

Of thoughts, sails

and pleasures

past,

that hath in governance

My life, With

voice.

rememberance

In ship, freight with

He

my mourning

fill

while

it

will

last;

scalding sighs, for lack of gale,

Furthering his hope, that

Toward me,

is

his sail,

the sweet port of his avail.

how oft in dreams I see Those eyes, that were my food; Which sometime so delighted me, That yet they do me good; Wherewith I wake with his return, Alas

Whose absent flame But when I find the

When

did

make me

lack,

Lord,

burn:

how I mourn!

other lovers in arms across

Rejoice their chief delight,

Drowned I

In

in tears, to

mourn

my

my window,

where

Before the winds

how

I

may

And

waves when the by rage of wind,

in green

Doth

rise,

thousand fancies in that Assail

Alas,

my

now

restless

left

flee.

made me. salt

flood

mood

mind.

my sweet foe, of my heart did

drencheth

That with the

And

see

the clouds

Lo, what a mariner love hath

A

loss

stand the bitter night

me;

spoil

but, alas,

why

go,

did he so?

ABSBNCBS, DOUBTS, DIVISION «» 245

And when the seas wax calm To chase fro me annoy,

My doubtful

again,

hope doth cause

me

plain;

So dread cuts off my joy. Thus is my wealth mingled with woe, And of each thought a doubt doth grow;

Now he comes,

will

he come? Alas, no no.

HENRY HOWARD, EARL OF SURREY

THE LADY PRAYETH THE RETURN OF HER LOVER ABIDING ON THE SEAS

273

no whit the near, And shall I still complain to thee, the which me will not hear ? Alas say nay, say nay, and be no more so dumb, But open thou thy manly mouth, and say that thou wilt come; Shall

I

thus ever long, and be

Whereby

my heart may

think, although

That thou wilt come, thy word

The

roaring hugey waves, they threaten

And

toss thee

Shall they not

up and down the

make me

I

see

not thee,

so sware, if thou a livesman be.

seas, in

fear that they

my poor

ghost,

danger to be

lost.

have swallowed thee?

most sure alive so wilt thou come to me; go see thy ship ride on the strand And think and say, Lo where he comes, and sure here will he

But

as

thou

Whereby

And And And

art

I shall

up to thee

my

hand,

then

I shall lift

thou

shalt think thine heart in ease, in health to see

if

thou come indeed

(as

little

land.

me

stand.

Christ thee send to do),

Those arms that miss thee now shall then embrace thee too. Each vein to every joint the lively blood shall spread, Which now for want of thy glad sight doth show full pale and dead. 246

»%»

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

But if thou As minutes

slip

thy troth and do not

in the clock

do

come

at all,

strike so call for death I shall:

please both thy false heart, and rid myself from woe, That rather had to die in troth than live forsaken so.

To

ANON.

274 Like

mourning

And For

So

I

Culver on the bared bough,

as the

Sits

for the absence

in her songs sends

his return that

alone

now

left

many

of her mate: a wishful

seems to linguer

vow,

late:

disconsolate,

Mourn to myself the absence of my love: And wand'ring here and there all desolate, Seek with

my plaints

to

match

that

mournful dove:

Ne joy

of aught that under heaven doth hove, Can comfort me, but her own joyous sight: Whose sweet aspect both God and man can move, In her unspotted pleausance to delight.

Dark

is

my

day, whiles her fair light

And dead my

life

that

I

miss,

wants such lively

bliss.

EDMUND SPENSER

275

TO ALTHEA, FROM PRISON When

Love with unconfined wings Hovers within my gates;

And my divine Althea brings To whisper at the grates; ABSBNCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

•» 247

When

I lie

And

tangled in her hair,

fettered to her eye;

The Gods

Know When

that wanton in the no such liberty.

air

flowing cups run swiftly round

With no allaying Thames, Our careless heads with roses bound Our hearts with loyal flames;

When thirsty grief in wine we steep, When healths and draughts go free, Fishes that tipple in the deep

Know

no such

liberty.

When, like committed linnets, I With shriller throat shall sing The sweetness, mercy, majesty, And glories of my King;

When He

I

is,

how good

shall

voice aloud

how

great should be,

Enlarged winds that curl the flood

Know

no such

liberty.

Stone walls do not a prison make,

Nor

iron bars a cage;

Minds innocent and

quiet take

That for an hermitage; If I have freedom in my love,

And

in

my

soul

am

free;

Angels alone that soar above

Enjoy such

liberty.

RICHARD LOVELACE

248 ** ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

276 Constant Penelope sends to thee, careless Ulysses.

Write not again, but come, sweet mate, thy

self to revive

me.

Troy we do much envy, we desolate lost ladies of Greece, Not Priamus, nor yet all Troy can us recompense make. O that he had, when he first took shipping to Lacedaemon, That adulter I mean, had been o'erwhelmed with waters. Then I had not lain now all alone, thus quivering for cold,

Nor

used this complaint, nor have thought the day to be so long.

anon, (from

277 AS

IF

A

phantom

the Latin of ovid)

PHANTOM CARESS'D ME

me, I thought I was not alone walking here by the shore; But the one I thought was with me as now I walk by the shore, the one I loved that caress' d me, As I lean and look through the glimmering light, that one As

if a

caress'd

has utterly disappear'd,

And

those appear that are hateful to

me

and mock me.

WALT WHITMAN

ELEGY ON HIS MISTRESS

278 By By By

our all

first

strange and fatal interview,

desires

which thereof did ensue,

our long starving hopes, by that remorse

Which my words'

masculine persuasive force

ABSBNCBS, DOUBTS, DIVISION

255

I

sigh,

I

plain continually;

on my bed do lie Always methinks they lie awry: What means this?

The

clothes that

In slumbers oft for fear

For heat and cold

burn and shake;

I

my

For lack of sleep

What means

quake;

I

head doth ache:

this?

A-mornings then when I do rise turn unto my wonted guise; All day after muse and devise What means this?

I

And

if

perchance by

She unto

The

whom

if

I sit

yet

voice

my heart

my mouth

What means To

my

face:

this?

near her by,

With loud

And

there pass

cold blood forsaketh

What means But

me

sue for grace,

I

ask for help

My tongue

doth cry,

dumb and

is

dry:

this?

no heart I have, fail what I should

doth

crave,

Yet inwardly I rage and rave: What means this?

Thus have

And many

I

passed

many

a day, tho

a year

naught appear;

But most of that that I most What means this?

fear:

SIR

256

»%»

ABSENCBS, DOUBTS, DIVISION

THOMAS WYATT

—

A DENIAL

285

I

We have met late — O friend, not more

too late to meet,

it is

than friend!

Death's forecome shroud

And

if I step

or

is

tangled round

my

feet,

touch the end.

stir, I

In this last jeopardy

Can

approach thee,

I

How

Look

in

who

I,

move?

cannot

answer thy request for love ?

shall I

mv

face

and

see.

II I

love thee not, In silence;

If

thou seek

I

dare not love thee

drop

my

go

!

hand.

them where they blow

roses, seek

In garden-alleys, not in desert-sand.

Can

life

and death agree,

That thou shouldst stoop thy song I

cannot love thee. If the

Look

in

my

face

and

word

is

to

my

complaint?

faint,

see.

Ill

might have loved thee in some former days, Oh, then, my spirits had leapt As now they sink, at hearing thy love-praise.

I

Before these faded cheeks were overwept,

Had this been asked of me, To love thee with my whole strong I

should have said

'Look

in

my

still

face

.

and

.

.

yes,

heart and head,

but smiled and

said,

see!'

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

-> 2>7

——

!!

.

IV'

now God sees me, God, who took my And drowned it in life's surge. In all your wide warm earth I have no part A light song overcomes me like a dirge. But

.

.

.

heart

Could Love's great harmony The saints keep step to when their bonds are loose, Not weigh me down? am I a wife to choose? Look in my face and see.

V While

who

behold, as plain as one

I

Some woman of full worth, Whose voice, as cadenced as a silver Shall

dreams,

stream's,

prove the fountain-soul which sends

forth;

it

One younger, more thought-free And fair and gay, than I, thou must forget, With brighter eyes than these which are not wet .

.

Look

my

in

face

and

see

VI So farewell thou,

To

let

thee

whom

come

have

I

Be counted happy while men

And one Not I

am

I!

beloved

woman

—that cannot

lost, I

am

The change Look in my

known

too

late

so near.

thee great,

thee dear

!

be.

changed,

shall take

call

feels

—

me

I

must go

farther,

where

worse, and no one dare

face to see.

VII Meantime I

258

»*»

I

bless thee.

bless thee

from

all

By

these thoughts

such

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

of mine

!

I

thy lamp to

bless

Thy

Of loyal I

thy cup to wine,

oil,

hearth to joy, thy hand to an equal touch troth.

love thee not,

I

For me, love thee not

!

no more courage in my 'Look in my face and see.'

—away soul to say

Here's

ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING

286 When I all

And And

in disgrace

alone

beweep

with fortune and men's

my

trouble deaf heaven with

my

look upon myself, and curse

Wishing

me

like to

eyes,

out-cast state,

bootless cries,

my

fate,

one more rich in hope, him with friends possess'd,

Featur'd like him, like

art, and that man's scope, most enjoy contented least,

Desiring this man's

With what Yet

I

in these thoughts

Haply

I

my

almost despising,

think on thee, and then

(Like to the lark at break

From

self

sullen earth, sing's

my

of day

hymns

state,

arising) at

heaven's gate;

For thy sweet love rememb'red such wealth brings,

That then

I

scorn to change

my

state

with kings.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

287

YOUTH AND BEAUTY

Thou art so fair, and young withal, Thou kindl'st young desires in me, Restoring

And

life

to leaves that

fall,

sight to eyes that hardly see

Half those fresh beauties bloom

in thee.

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

•%»

259

Those, under sev'ral herbs and flow'rs

were

Disguis'd,

When

all

Medea

gave,

she recall'd time's flying hours,

And

aged Aeson from

For beauty can both

his grave,

kill

and

save.

Youth it enflames, but age it cheers, I would go back, but not return

To twenty Not

but to twice those years;

but ever constant burn,

blaze,

For fear

my

cradle prove

my

urn.

AURELIAN TOWNSEND

288

YOUNG LADY TO HER ANCIENT LOVER

A SONG OF A

Ancient person, for

whom I

All the flattering youth defy,

Long be

it

ere

thou grow old,

Aching, shaking, crazy, cold;

But

still

continue

as

thou

art,

Ancient person of my heart.

On

thy withered

Which

lips

like barren

Brooding

and dry,

furrows

kisses I will

lie,

pour

Shall thy youthful heat restore

(Such kind showers in autumn

fall,

And a second spring recall); Nor from thee will ever part, Ancient person of my heart. 260 »> ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

Thy

nobler part, which but to

In our sex

By

name

would be counted shame,

age's frozen grasp possessed,

From

And

his ice shall

my reviving

hand,

warmth and vigor

stand.

soothed by

In former

be released,

All a lover's wish can reach

For thy joy

And

my love

shall teach,

for thy pleasure shall

improve

All that art can add to love.

Yet

still I

love thee without

art,

Ancient person of my heart.

JOHN WILMOT, EARL OF ROCHESTER

289 Is it

possible

That so high debate, So sharp, so

sore,

and of such

rate,

Should end so soon and was begone so Is it

possible?

Is it

possible

So cruel

late ?

intent,

So hasty heat and so soon spent, From love to hate, and thence for to relent? Is it

possible?

Is it

possible

That any may find Within one heart so diverse mind, To change or turn as weather and wind ? Is it

possible?

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

•%»

26l

possible

Is it

To

spy

it

in

an eye

That turns as oft as chance on die? The truth whereof can any try? Is it

possible ?

It is

possible

For to turn so

oft,

To bring that lowest that was most And to fall highest yet to light soft: possible.

It is

All

Who

possible,

is

so

list

believe;

Trust therefore

As men wed All

aloft,

and

first,

ladies

by

after preve:

licence

and

leave,

possible.

is

SIR

290 A WELL-WISHING

THOMAS WYATT

TO A PLACE OF

PLEASURE See the building

Where

whilst

my mistress

lived in

Was pleasure's essence, See how it droopeth And how nakedly it looketh Without her presence: Every creature That appertains to nature 'Bout

Doth

this

house

living,

resemble,

If not dissemble,

Due 262

**»

praises giving.

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

Hark,

how

the hollow

Winds do blow

And seem

to

murmur

In every corner

For her long absence:

The which doth plainly show The cause why I do now All this grief and sorrow show.

See the garden

Where For

I

receiv'd

my

Behold those

Where

I

reward

in

true love: places

receiv'd those graces

The Gods might move. The Queen of plenty With all the fruits are dainty, Delights to please, Flora springing Is

ever bringing

Dame Venus

Oh

ease.

see the arbour

With melting

where

that she

kisses

Distilling blisses

From her true self With joy did ravish me. The pretty nightingale Did

sing melodiously.

Hail to those groves

Where I enjoy' d those So many days.

loves

Let the flowers be springing,

And

sweet birds ever singing

Their roundelays,

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

»%»

263

Many Cupid's measures And cause for true love's Be Let

pleasures

danc'd around,

contentment

all

For mirth's presentment This day be found:

And may the grass grow Where we two lying Have

More

oft

When By

been trying

several

Than

ways

beauty's lovely

she in bed with

all

ever green

was

the gods

Queen Mars

seen.

ANON.

291 Retired

And

this

Now the Ianthe,

Verse

For

hour from wondering crowds

flower-fed poets swathed in clouds, dull dust

list

is

to

what

blown away,

is

I

say.

not always sure to please

lightness, readiness,

Romantic

ladies like

it

and

ease;

not

Unless its steams are strong and hot As Melton-Mowbray stables when Ill-favored frost comes back again. Tell me no more you feel a pride

To To

be for ever

When I

•>

my

side,

who pine for it are pomp and a parade

all

hate a

Of what .64.

at

think your beauty will be read

should ever

dead.

rest in shade;

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

What not the slenderest ray should reach, Nor whispered breath of guarded speech: There even Memory should sit Absorbed, and almost doubting

it.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

292 Art thou afraid the adorer's prayer

Be overheard?

He waves It

that fear resign.

the incense with such care

leaves

no

stain

upon the

shrine.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

SERENADE

293

Comme la voix d'un mort Du fond de sa fosse, Maitresse, entends

Ma voix De ma

monter vers ton

retrait

aigre et fausse.

Ouvre ton ame Pour

qui chanterait

et

ton oreille au son

mandoline:

toi j'ai fait,

pour

toi, cette

chanson

Cruelle et caline.

Je chanterai tes yeux d'or et d'onyx

Purs de toutes ombres, Puis le Lethe de ton sein, puis

De

tes

le

Styx

cheveux sombres.

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

•%»

265

!

Comme la voix d'un mort Du fond de sa fosse,

monter vers ton

Maitresse, entends

Ma

qui chanterait

voix aigre

retrait

et fausse.

comme

Puis je louerai beaucoup,

il

convient,

Cette chair benie

Dont

le

parfum opulent

me

revient

Les nuits d'insomnie.

Et pour fmir je

De Et

douceur a

ta

dirai le baiser,

rouge,

ta levre

me

martyriser,

— Mon Ange — ma Gouge !

Ouvre ton ame

De ma Pour

et

ton oreille au son

mandoline:

toi j'ai fait,

pour

toi, cette

chanson

Cruelle et caline.

PAUL VERLAINE

294

NON SUM

QUALIS ERAM BONAE

SUB REGNO CYNARAE Last night, ah, yesternight, betwixt her lips and

There

fell

mine

thy shadow, Cynara thy breath was shed !

Upon my soul between the kisses and the wine; And I was desolate and sick of an old passion, Yea, I was desolate and bowed my head: I

have been

All night

faithful to thee,

upon mine

heart

Cynara! in

I felt

Night-long within mine arms 266

*%»

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

her

my

warm

in love

and

fashion.

heart beat, sleep she lay;

I

mouth were sweet; was desolate and sick of an old passion, When I awoke and found the dawn was gray: have been faithful to thee, Cynara in my fashion.

I

have forgot much, Cynara! gone with the wind,

Surely the kisses of her bought red

But

I

!

Flung

roses, roses riotously

Dancing, to put thy pale,

and

with the throng, out of mine;

lost lilies

of an old passion, But Yea, all the time, because the dance was long: in my fashion. I have been faithful to thee, Cynara I

was

desolate

sick

!

I cried for madder music and for stronger wine, But when the feast is finished and the lamps expire,

Then

And

thy shadow, Cynara! the night

falls

am

I

I

and

desolate

Yea hungry have been

sick

is

thine;

of an old passion,

of my desire: to thee, Cynara in my fashion.

for the lips

faithful

!

ERNEST

DOWSON

295 An

evil spirit,

Wherewith

me

your beauty haunts

have been long

(alas) I

still,

possess'd,

Which ceaseth not to tempt me to each ill, Nor gives me once, but one poor minute's In

me

it

speaks,

And when by With

And

tortures

And

my

hastes

Now

I

sleep or

greater torments then

Before

And

whether

means, to drive

me

face,

in it

me on

it

it

wake,

out

me

rest:

I

try,

doth take,

most extremity;

lays

down my

despairs,

unto a sudden death;

tempting me, to drown myself in then in sighing, to give up

my

tears,

breath;

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

»> 267

am

Thus

By

this

I still

pro vok'd to every

good wicked

evil,

sweet angel devil.

spirit,

MICHAEL DRAYTON

296

NO ONE No

one so much

Loves

this

my

Or would Its

MUCH

SO

AS

YOU

you

as

clay,

lament

you

as

dying day.

You know me Though

I

through and through

have not

told,

And though with what you know You are not bold. None As

I

Not

ever was so

fair

thought you: a

word can

I

bear

Spoken

against you.

All that

I

ever did

For you seemed coarse

Compared with what Nor put in force.

My eyes

scarce dare

I

hid

meet you

Lest they should prove I

but respond to you

And do

not love.

We look and understand, We cannot speak Except in

Words

and most weak.

trifles

the

268 ȴ ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

—

For

at

I

Your

most accept

love, regretting

That

is all: I

Only

have kept

a fretting

That

could not return

I

All that

And

—

you gave

could not ever burn

With

the love

you have,

it did seem were Never to see you more

Till

sometimes

Better

Than

it

linger here

With only

gratitude

Instead of love

A pine in

solitude

Cradling a dove.

EDWARD THOMAS

297 THE OLD STORY The old story is true of charms fading; He knew her first before her charm was mellow Slim; surprise in her eyes; like a

Crept abroad

Who,

who

woodland creature

found the world amazing,

afterwards maturing, yet was dainty,

Light on her feet and gentle with her fingers;

Put on a

little flesh,

became an easy

Spreadeaglcd beauty for Renaissance painters.

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

»» 269

—

And

then she went; he did not see her after

Until by the shore of a cold sea in winter

With

years behind her and the waves behind her. Drubbing the memory up and down the pebbles.

Flotsam and wrack; the bag of old emotions;

Watch

in the swirl her ten years

White

as a

back

reflections

drowning hand, then gone for ever; Here she stands who was twenty and is thirty.

The same but

A

different

and he found the difference

surgeon's knife without an anaesthetic;

He had known of course that this happens But had not guessed the pain of it or the panic, And

could not say

'My

love',

could hardly

no longer knowing Whom he was talking to but watched the water Massing for action on the cold horizon. Say anything

at

all,

LOUIS MACNEICE

298 She

EROS TURANNOS fears

What

him, and will always ask fated her to choose him,

She meets

in his

engaging mask

All reasons to refuse him;

But what she meets and what she fears Are less than are the downward years,

Drawn

slowly to the foamless weirs

Of age,

were she

to lose him.

270 »> ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

—

—

—

Between a blurred sagacity That once had power to sound him,

And

Love, that will not

The Her pride assuages her As if it were alone the Judas that she

let

him be

found him, almost, cost.

He sees that he will not be lost, And waits and looks around him.

A

of ocean and old trees allures him;

sense

Envelops and

Tradition, touching

all

he

sees,

Beguiles and reassures him;

And all her doubts of what he says Are dimmed with what she knows of days Till

even prejudice delays

And

fades,

and she secures him.

The falling leaf inaugurates The reign of her confusion; The pounding wave reverberates The dirge of her illusion;

And home, where

passion lived and died,

Becomes a place where she can While all the town and harbor

hide, side

Vibrate with her seclusion.

We

tell

The As

you, tapping on our brows,

story as

if the story

Were

it

should be,

of a house

told, or ever

We'll have no kindly

could be; veil

between

Her visions and those we have seen, As if we guessed what hers have been, Or what they are or would be. ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

•%»

2J\

!

Meanwhile we do no harm; for they That with a god have striven, Not hearing much of what we say, Take what the god has given; Though like waves breaking it may be,

Or like a changed familiar tree, Or like a stairway to the sea Where down the blind are driven.

EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON

299 It is

the season of the sweet wild rose,

My Lady's

emblem in the heart of me So golden-crowned shines she gloriously, And with that softest dream of blood she glows: Mild as an evening heaven round Hesper bright! I

pluck the flower, and smell

it,

and revive

The time when in her eyes I stood alive. I seem to look upon it out of Night. Here's Madam, stepping hastily. Her whims Bid her demand the flower, which I let drop. As

I

And

proceed,

crush

it

I

feel

her sharply stop,

under heel with trembling limbs.

She joins me in a cat-like way, and talks Of company, and even condescends To utter laughing scandal of old friends. These are the summer days, and these our walks.

GEORGE MEREDITH

272

»%»

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

SONG

300

TO MY INCONSTANT MISTRESS

When

thou, poor excommunicate

From all the joys of love, shalt see The full reward and glorious fate Which my strong faith shall purchase me, Then curse thine own inconstancy.

A

fairer

That

And

to

Than

hand than thine which thy

heart,

my

soul a soul

thine shall

And both Then

To

shalt

When

all

as

I

oaths did

wound;

more pure

by Love's hand be bound,

entreat,

complain

did once to thee;

thy tears

As mine were

Damn'd

cure

false

with equal glory crown'd.

thou weep,

Love,

shall

shall

be

as

vain

then, for thou shalt be

for thy false apostacy.

THOMAS CAREW

301

THE SCRUTINY I

Why should

you swear I am forsworn, I vow'd to be? already morn,

Since thine

Lady,

it is

And That fond

'twas

last

night

I

swore to thee

impossibility.

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

»%»

273

II

Have

I

not lov'd thee

A I

must

long,

other beauties wrong,

all

And Could

much and

tedious twelve hours' space?

I still

rob thee of a

new

embrace,

dote upon thy face.

Ill

Not, but

all

By But

I

joy

in

others

thy

may

brown

hair

be found;

must search the black and Like

fair

skilful mineralists that

sound

For treasure in unploughed-up ground.

IV Then,

With

when I have lov'd my round, Thou prov'st the pleasant she,

if

spoils I

of meaner beauties crown'd

laden will return to thee,

Ev'n sated with

variety.

RICHARD LOVELACE

302

INCONSTANCY REPROVED

do confess thou'rt smooth and fair, And I might have gone near to love thee, Had I not found the slightest prayer That lips could move, had power to move But I can let thee now alone As worthy to be loved by none. I

274

**»

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

thee;

!

I

do confess thou'rt sweet; yet find Thee such an unthrift of thy sweets,

Thy

And

wind

favours are but like the

That

kisseth everything

since

it

meets:

thou canst with more than one,

Thou'rt worthy to be kissed by none.

The morning

rose that untouched stands

Armed with

her briers,

how

sweet she smells

But plucked and strained through ruder hands, Her sweets no longer with her dwells: But scent and beauty both are gone, And leaves fall from her, one by one. Such

fate ere

When With

long will thee betide

thou hast handled been awhile,

sere flowers to

And To see

I

shall sigh,

be thrown

aside;

while some will smile,

thy love to every one

Hath brought thee

to be loved

by none. SIR

303

ROBERT AYTON

AGAINST CONSTANCY Tell

me no more

The

of constancy,

frivolous pretence

Of cold

age,

Disease,

narrow jealousy,

and want of sense.

Let duller fools, on

Some

whom

kind chance

easy heart has thrown,

Despairing higher to advance,

Be kind

to

one alone.

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

ȴ 275

—

Old men and weak, whose Their

own

idle

flame

defects discovers,

Since changing can but spread their shame,

Ought

to be constant lovers.

But we, whose hearts do justly swell With no vainglorious pride,

Who know how we Long

my

Then bring

bath, and strew

As each kind night I'll

change

And

in love excel,

to be often tried.

a mistress

change

fate

my

bed,

returns;

I'me dead

till

me

worms.

to

JOHN WILMOT, EARL OF ROCHESTER

LOVE AND

304 All

my

The

past

life is

LIFE mine no more;

flying hours are gone,

Like transitory dreams given o'er

Whose images By memory Whatever

How The

is

can

present

And

are kept in store alone.

to it

come

is

not:

then be mine?

moment's

all

my

lot,

that, as fast as it is got,

Phyllis,

Then

is

wholly

talk not

False hearts,

thine.

of inconstancy,

and broken vows;

276 *> ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

—

If

I,

by

miracle, can be

This livelong minute true to thee, 'Tis all that

heaven allows.

JOHN WILMOT, EARL OF ROCHESTER

305

THE FOREBODING

Looking by chance in at the open window I saw my own self seated in his chair With gaze abstracted, furrowed forehead,

Unkempt I

hair.

thought that

That to

Until the pen

And

I

had suddenly come to die, was my farewell,

a cold corpse this

moved

slowly upon paper

tears fell.

He had written a name, yours, in printed letters: One word on which bemusedly to pore

No

protest, no desire, your naked name, Nothing more.

Would

it

And

I

be tomorrow, would

it

be next year?

was not false, this much I knew; turned angrily from the open window

But the Aghast

vision

at

you.

Why never

a warning, either by speech or look, That the love you cruelly gave me could not last ? Already it was too late: the bait swallowed,

The hook

fast.

ROBERT GRAVES ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

»*•

277

3°6

•

Ask me no more: the moon may draw the sea; The cloud may stoop from heaven and take the shape With fold to fold, of mountain or of cape; But O too fond, when have I answer'd thee? Ask me no more. Ask me no more: what answer should I

I

give?

love not hollow cheek or faded eye:

Yet,

O my friend,

Ask me no more,

will not

I

lest I

have thee

should bid thee

die!

live;

Ask me no more.

Ask me no more: thy I

fate

Let the great river take

No

and mine are

strove against the stream and

more, dear love, for

me

at a

seal'd,

in vain;

all

to the main:

touch

I

yield;

Ask

me no

more.

ALFRED TENNYSON

307 Love

is

a law, a discord

of such force

That 'twixt our sense and reason makes divorce. Love's a desire that to obtain betime We lose an age of years pluck'd from our prime, Love is a thing to which we soon consent,

As soon refuse, but sooner far repent. Then what must women be that are the cause, That Love hath life ? that Lovers feel such laws ? They're like the winds upon Lapanthae's shores, 278

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

That

A

still

are changing.

woman's love

is

Oh

then love no more.

like that Syrian flow'r

That buds, and spreads, and withers

in

an hour.

ANON.

308

Oh

no more, no more, too

late

Sighs are spent; the burning tapers

Of a

life as

chaste as Fate,

Pure

as are

unwritten papers,

Are burnt out: no

heat,

Now remains,

ever night.

Love

is

dead,

Lock'd

'tis

no

light

let lovers' eyes,

in endless dreams,

Th'extreme of all extremes,

Ope no more,

for

Now Love dies,

now Love

dies,

implying

Love's martyrs must be ever, ever dying.

JOHN FORD

309 ANNIHILATION While

the blue

noon above

us arches

And

the poplar sheds disconsolate leaves,

Tell

me

again

And what Is it

why

love bewitches

love gives.

the trembling finger that traces

The eyebrow's curve, the curve of the cheek? The mouth that quivers, while the hand caresses, But cannot speak? ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

*> 279

—

—

No, not these, not in these is hidden The secret, more than in other things: Not only the touch of a hand can gladden blood

Till the

It is

sings.

the leaf which

falls

between

us,

The bell that murmurs, the shadows that move, The autumnal sunlight that fades upon us, These things are love.

It is

the 'No, let us

The 'Wait These

And

sit

here longer,'

to-morrow/ the 'Once I knew' said as you touch my finger

till

trifles,

the clock strikes two.

is intricate, and we are nothing. complex world of grass, The twig on the path, a look of loathing,

The world It is

the

Feelings that pass

These are the

When, I

see in

And

and

secret;

as I lean for

your eyes that

that love

could hate you

I

another I

kiss,

do not meet you,

is this.

Rock meeting rock can know love better Than eyes that stare or lips that touch. All that

And

we know

it is

in love

is

bitter,

not much.

CONRAD AIKEN

280

**»

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

3io There was never nothing more

me

pained,

Nor nothing more me moved, As when my sweet heart her complained That ever she

me

loved.

Alas the while!

With

piteous look she said and sighed:

Alas, what aileth

me

my

To

love

and

On

him

that loveth not

set

wealth so light

me?

Alas the while!

Was I not well void of all pain, When that nothing me grieved? And now with sorrows I must complain, And cannot be relieved. Alas the while!

My

restful nights

Since I began

Be

and joyful days

to love

take from me; all thing decays,

Yet can I not remove.

Alas the while!

She wept and wrung her hands withal,

The

tears fell in

my neck;

She turned her face and

let it fall;

Scarcely therewith could speak.

Alas the while!

Her

pains tormented

me

so sore

That comfort had I none, But cursed my fortune more and more To see her sob and groan: Alas the while!

SIR

THOMAS WYATT

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

»%•

28l

!

ESTHETlQUE

311 La

Femme mur ou jeune ai frole

J'en

fille,

toutes les sortes,

Des faciles, des difFiciles. Void, l'avis que j'en rapporte: C'est des fleurs diversement mises,

Aux

airs fiers ou seuls selon l'heure, Nul cri sur elles n'a de prise; Nous jouissons, Elle demeure.

Rien ne

les tient,

Elles veulent

Qu'on

rien ne les fache,

qu'on

les

trouve

le leur rale et leur

Et qu'on

les

comme

use

belles,

rabache,

telles;

Sans souci de serments, de bagues,

Sucons le peu qu' elles nous donnent, Notre respect peut etre vague, Leurs yeux sont hauts et monotones. Cueillons sans espoirs et sans drames,

La chair

Oh Car

!

vieillit

apres les roses;

parcourons il

le

plus de

gammes

n'y a pas autre chose.

JULES LAFORGUE

312

UPON

HIS

'Tis

LEAVING

not that

Of being

I

HIS MISTRESS

am weary grown

yours, and yours alone;

But with what face can I incline To damn you to be only mine? 282

*%»

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

whom

You,

By

some kinder power did

The joy

at least

Let meaner

spirits

of one whole nation.

of your sex

With humbler aims

And

fashion,

merit and by inclination,

boast if

by

their

thoughts perplex,

their arts they

can

make one happy man; Whilst, moved by an impartial sense, Favours like nature you dispense With universal influence.

Contrive to

Sec, the

kind seed-receiving earth

To

every grain affords a birth.

On

her no showers

Her

willing

unwelcome

fall;

womb retains 'em all. my Celia be confined ?

And

shall

No

Live up to thy mighty mind,

!

And

be the mistress of mankind.

JOHN WILMOT, EARL OF ROCHESTER

AN APPEAL TO CATS IN THE BUSINESS OF LOVE

313

Ye

cats that at

Who I

midnight

spit

love at each other,

of a passionate lover, appeal to your scratches and your tattered fur, best feel the pangs

of love be no more than to purr. Old Lady Grimalkin with her gooseberry eyes Knew some thing when a kitten, for why she was You find by experience, the love-fit's soon o'er,

If the business

wise;

Pussl Pnssl lasts not long, but turns to Cat-whore\

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

•%•

283

Men

ride

many miles, many tiles,

Cats tread

Both hazard Only

From Keep

their necks in the fray; cats,

when

they

fall

a house or a wall,

their feet,

mount

their

tails,

and away!

THOMAS FLATMAN

314 THE APPARITION

When by And

thy scorn,

that

O

murd'ress,

From all solicitation from me, Then shall my ghost come to thy

And

I

am

dead,

thou thinkst thee free

thee, fain'd vestal, in

bed,

worse arms

shall see;

Then thy sick taper will begin to wink, And he, whose thou art then, being tir'd before, Will, if thou stir, or pinch to wake him, think

Thou call'st for more, And in false sleep will from thee shrink, And then poor aspen wretch, neglected thou Bath'd in a cold quicksilver sweat wilt

A verier What

I

ghost than

will say,

I

will not

tell

thee

Lest that preserve thee; and since I

lie

I;

now,

my

love

is

spent,

had rather thou shouldst painfully repent,

Than by

my

threat' nings rest

still

innocent.

JOHN DONNE

284

*

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

END OF THE AFFAIR

315

my poisoned candies through the my bomb in your suburban road.

she

I

send set

he

I

she

I

use this poisoned ink to

he

I

haunt your marriage

make you

like the

mail.

die.

magic toad.

My needling nib

reddens your reptile eye. may. But I'm the black-legged spider now Upon your bedroom wall. Wait on his bed and watch me

she

he

It

Till I

fall.

GEOFFREY GRIGSON

316 Since there's

Nay,

And

I

no

help,

come

let

us kiss

and

part,

have done: you get no more of me,

I

am

glad, yea, glad

with

all

my heart,

That thus so cleanly I myself can free, Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows,

And when we meet Be

it

That

we one jot

Now at When,

When And

at

any time again,

not seen in either of our brows, the

last

of former love gasp,

of love's

retain;

latest breath,

his pulse failing, passion speechless

faith

is

kneeling by his bed of death,

innocence

is

closing

Now if thou would'st, From

lies,

death to

life,

up

his eyes,

when

all

have given him over,

thou might'st him yet recover.

MICHAEL DRAYTON

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

**»

285

317 Silent,

Nor

you

say,

I'm grown of late,

you

yield, as

•

do, to our fate?

Ah! that alone is truly pain Of which we never can complain.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

3i8 No, thou

hast never griev'd but

Smiled thou hast often

when no

I

griev'd too;

smile of mine

Could answer it. The sun himself can give But little colour to the desert sands.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

319 Away

THE SAD SONG go seek some other dwelling, For I must die:

delights,

Farewell, false Love, thy tongue

Lie after

For ever

let

me

rest

is

ever telling

lie.

now from

thy smarts,

Alas, for pity go,

And

fire their hearts

That have been hard

to thee,

Never again deluding love For

And

all

I

•*»

shall

so.

know me,

will die;

those griefs that think to over-grow me, Shall be as

286

mine was not

I:

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

!

For ever will

I

sleep,

while poor maids cry,

Alas, for pity stay,

With

thee,

And let us die men cannot mock

us in the clay.

JOHN FLETCHER

320

LAMENT OF THE MASTER OF ERSKINE Depairt, depairt, depairt,

Alas

I

!

must depairt

From her that has my hairt, With hairt full sore, Aganis

And I

my

will indeed,

can find no remeid:

wait the pains of deid

Can do no more.

Now must I

go, alas

From sicht of her sweet face, The ground of all my grace,

And sovereign; What chance that may Sail I

never merry be,

Unto

the time

My sweet I

I I

I

fall

me,

see

again.

go, and wat not where, wander here and there, weep and sichis sair

With

painis smart;

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

«%»

287

— Now

must I

pass

In wilderness and

Alas

!

this

away, away,

wilsome way,

woeful day

We suld depairt! My spreit does quake for dread, My thirlit hairt does bleed, My painis does exceed What I,

suld

say?

I

woeful wicht, alone,

Makand Alas

!

ane piteous moan,

my

hairt

is

gone

For ever and aye.

Through languor of my sweet So

thirlit is

My

my

spreit,

days are most complete

Through her

my

Ingravit in

Because

From Adieu,

I

absence:

knew my

Christ sen sho

must

smart,

hairt,

depairt,

her presence.

my

awin sweet

thing,

My joy and comforting, My mirth and solacing Of erdly Fair weel,

gloir:

my

lady bricht,

And my remembrance

richt;

Fare weel and have gude nicht: I

say

no more.

ALEXANDER SCOTT

288

**•

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

321 The

mill-stream,

Under

And

the bridge

it

its

peace;

murmurs

by,

made

the world

I

cannot

I.

tell;

am I in hell. now my knuckles

made, and here

My hand, I

that noises cease,

here are night and hell and

Who 'Tis

now

that does not hold

Is all

though

bleed,

never soiled with such a deed.

And so, no Some have

Who And

doubt, in time gone by, suffered

more than

I,

only spend the night alone strike

my fist

upon

the stone. A. E.

322 What of her

WITHOUT HER glass

without her ? The blank grey

There where the pool

Her

dress

HOUSMAN

is

blind of the moon's face.

without her ? The tossed empty space

Of cloud-rack whence the moon has passed away. Her paths without her? Day's appointed sway Usurped by desolate night. Her pillowed place Without her? Tears, ah me! for love's good grace, And

cold forgetfulness of night or day.

What of the

heart without her?

Of thee what word

A

Nay, poor

heart,

remains ere speech be

wayfarer by barren ways and

still?

chill,

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

»%»

289

—

Steep ways and weary, without her thou

Where

art,

the long cloud, the long wood's counterpart,

Sheds doubled darkness up the labouring

hill.

D. G.

ROSSETTI

323

My life It

closed twice before

its

close

yet remains to see

If Immortality unveil

A

third event to

me

So huge, so hopeless to conceive

As

these that twice befell.

Parting

is all

And

we

all

we know of heaven,

need of hell.

EMILY DICKINSON

324

SLEEP WITH THEE, AND WAKE WITH THEE

TO MARY: I

sleep

And I fill

I

with thee, and wake with

thee,

yet thou art not there;

my

arms with thoughts of thee,

And press the common air. Thy eyes are gazing upon mine,

When

My lips

thou

art

out of sight;

are always touching thine,

At morning, noon, and 290

»%•

ABSENCES. DOUBTS, DIVISION

night.

I

think and speak of other things

To But

keep

still

my mind at rest: my memory clings

to thee

Like love in woman's breast. I

hide

it

And But

from the world's wide

think and speak contrary;

soft the

And

wind comes from

whispers

tales

the sky,

of Mary.

The night wind whispers in my The moon shines in my face;

A

burden I

eye,

still

of chilling

ear,

fear

find in every place.

The

breeze

And

is

whispering in the bush,

dews fall from the tree, All sighing on, and will not hush, Some pleasant tales of thee. the

JOHN CLARE

TO MARY:

325

IT IS

THE EVENING

HOUR It is

the evening hour,

How silent all

doth

lie,

The horned moon he shews

his face

In the river with the sky. Just

by

The

flaggy lake

Spirit

the path

of her

I

on which we

pass,

lies still as glass.

love,

Whispering to me, Stories of sweet visions, as I rove, Here stop, and crop with me Sweet flowers that in the still hour grew, We'll take them home, nor shake off the bright dew. ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

*%»

291

Mary, or sweet spirit of thee, As the bright sun shines to-morrow,

Thy

dark eyes these flowers

Gathered by In the

shall see,

in sorrow,

hour when my mind was free yet wish I walk'd with thee.

still

To walk

me

alone

—

JOHN CLARE

326 Over the sweet summer closes, The reign of the roses is done; Over and gone with the roses, !

And

over and gone with the sun.

Over! the sweet summer

And

never a flower

Over and gone with

And

closes,

at the close;

the roses,

winter again and the snows.

ALFRED TENNYSON

327 Oft have

Why

I

mused, but

those that die,

now at length I find, men say they do depart:

word so gentle to my mind, Weakly did seem to paint death's ugly

Depart, a

But now the

Me I

one to

stars

with

leave,

«*•

their strange course

with

whom

I

leave

my

hear a cry of spirits faint and blind,

That parting thus 292

dart.

my

chiefest part

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

I

part.

do bind heart.

!

Part of

my

the loathed part to me,

life,

Lives to impart

But

that

good

my

part,

weary clay some

wherein

all

breath.

comforts be,

Now dead,

doth shew departure is a death. Yea worse than death, death parts both woe and joy,

From joy

part

I

living in annoy.

still

SIR PHILIP

SIDNEY

TWO SONNETS FROM MONNA

328

INNOMINATA

'Era gia Vora che uolge 'Rieorro al tempo

I

wish First

I

cW

desio*

il

to vi vidi

could remember that

hour,

first

If bright or

Summer

first

Petrarca.

day,

moment of your meeting me,

dim

the season,

or Winter for aught

So unrecorded did

So blind was

Dante.

prima*

it

slip

might be

it

I

can say;

away,

and to foresee, to mark the budding of my to see

I

So dull That would not blossom yet for If only I could recollect

A

it,

many

tree

a

May.

such

It

day of days I let it come and go As traceless as a thaw of bygone snow; seemed to mean so little, meant so much;

If

only

now

First

touch of hand in hand

!

I

could

recall that touch,

—Did one but know

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

*» 293

—

—

11 'E

la

Sua Volontade

e nostra pace.'

Dante.

'Sol con questi pensier, con altre chiome.'

Petrarca.

Youth gone, and beauty gone if ever there Dwelt beauty in so poor a face as this; Youth gone and beauty, what remains of bliss ? I

will not bind fresh roses in

To shame

Leave youth I

my hair,

a cheek at best but

who

his roses,

little fair,

can bear a thorn,

will not seek for blossoms anywhere,

Except such common flowers as blow with corn. Youth gone and beauty gone, what doth remain? The longing of a heart pent up forlorn, A silent heart whose silence loves and longs; The silence of a heart which sang its songs While youth and beauty made a summer morn, Silence

of love

that cannot sing again.

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

329 moment,

from the beach beyond my reach! Stand there a little while, and wave once more That 'kerchief; but may none upon the shore Dare think the fond salute was meant for him! Dizzily on the plashing water swim My heavy eyes, and sometimes can attain Thy lovely form, which tears bear off again. In vain have they now ceast; it now is gone Too far for sight, and leaves me here alone.

Have

I,

this

Into the boat?

294

»%»

now

led thee

far

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

!

could 1

curse

I

hear the creaking of the mast!

present,

it

I

regret

past.

it

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

330 fond, but fickle and untrue,

my

Ian the take

Your

last

adieu.

you why

heart one day will ask

forced from me this farewell sigh. Have you not feign' d that friends reprove The mask of Friendship worn by Love? Feign'd, that they whisper'd you should be The same to others as to me? Ah little knew they what they said How would they blush to be obey'd!

You

!

Too

swiftly roll'd the wheels

These woods and airy downs Fain

would we

And

hardly wisht for

trace the

when

we

last

past.

winding path,

blissful

At every spring you caught

Bath.

my

arm,

And every pebble roll'd alarm. On me was turn'd that face divine, The view was on 1

smiled

The

left

.

the right so fine:

those conscious eyes

.

was

now

withdrew

.

.

the finer view.

Each trembled for detected wiles, And blushes tinged our fading smiles. But Love turns Terror into jest .

We laught, Laugh,

we

kisses,

And Love

and

kist,

we

.

confest.

confidence are past,

goes too

.

.

but goes the

last.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

•> 295

—

MEETING

331

we shall live, we live: we shall die, we die: If we live we shall meet again: If

If

But

to-night, good-bye.

One word,

let

but one be heard

What, not one word ?

we sleep we shall wake again And see to-morrow's light: If we wake, we shall meet again: If

But

to-night, good-night.

Good-night, Still

If If

we

we

die,

live,

we

If we die,

Only

By

my

lost

and found-

not a sound?

we must

part:

part in pain:

we

shall part

meet again. those tears on either cheek, to

To-morrow you

will speak.

To meet, worth living for: Worth dying for, to meet. To meet, worth parting for: Bitter forgot in sweet.

To

meet, worth parting before,

Never ii

to part

more.

June 1864.

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

296 *> ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

——

332 A

!

DREAM WITHIN A DREAM Take this kiss upon the brow! And, in parting from you now, Thus much let me avow You are not wrong, who deem That my days have been a dream: Yet if hope has flown away In a night, or in a day, In a vision, or in none,

therefore the

Is it

All that

less

see or

gone?

seem

but a dream within a dream.

Is

I

we

amid the roar

stand

Of a

surf-tormented shore,

And

I

hold within

my hand

Grains of the golden sand

How few

!

yet

how

they creep

Through my fingers to the deep, While I weep while I weep

—

O God Them

O

!

can

!

can

One from But

a

not grasp

with a tighter clasp ?

God

Is all

I

I

not save

the pitiless

we

wave ?

seem dream within a dream?

that

see or

EDGAR ALLAN POE

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

»> 297

—

——

—

!

LA FIGLIA CHE PIANGE

333 O

QUAM

TE

MEMOREM VIRGO

Stand on the highest pavement of the

.

.

.

stair

Lean on a garden urn

Weave, weave

the sunlight in your hair

Clasp your flowers to you with a pained surprise Fling

them

With

a fugitive

to the

ground and turn

resentment in your eyes:

But weave, weave the sunlight So So So

As As I

in

your

hair.

would have had him leave, I would have had her stand and grieve, he would have left the soul leaves the body torn and bruised, the mind deserts the body it has used. I

should find

Some way incomparably light and deft, Some way we both should understand, Simple and

faithless as a smile

and shake of the hand.

She turned away, but with the autumn weather

Compelled

Many Her

my

days and

imagination

many

hair over her

many

days,

hours:

arms and her arms

And I wonder how

full

of flowers.

they should have been together

and a pose. Sometimes these cogitations still amaze The troubled midnight and the noon's repose. I

should have

lost a gesture

T.

298

»*»

ABSENCES DOUBTS, DIVISION

S.

ELIOT

—

334 Quondam was

in

I

think as well as

I

my

now

lady's grace,

be you;

And when

that

Then

you know my words

shall

you have

That quondam was

Quondam was

I.

She

trad the trace,

be

true,

I.

said for ever:

That lasted but a short while; Promise made not to dissever. thought she laugh'd

I

—she did but smile,

Then quondam was

Quondam was In her It is

I:

arms with

enough

he that

Quondam was since the

I.

full oft

lay

many one. may say, moo now I be

kisses

that this

I

Though among the Yet quondam was

That

I.

gone,

I.

Yet she

will

hour she was

you

first

tell

born

She never loved none half so well As you. But what altho she had sworn, Sure quondam was I. SIR

335 I

cannot

But

this

Upon

THOMAS WYATT

MAY

you how it was; know: it came to pass

tell I

and breezy day was young, ah pleasant May!

a bright

When May

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

** 299

——

As yet the poppies were not born Between the blades of tender corn; The last eggs had not hatched as yet, Nor any bird forgone its mate. I

you what it was; know: it did but pass. passed away with sunny May,

cannot

But It

tell

this I

With

And

it passed away, and cold, and grey.

sweet things

all

me

left

old,

20 November 1855.

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

TWICE

336 I

my heart in my hand, my love, O my love),

took

(O I

Let

said:

Let

me

me

fall

or stand,

live or die,

But this once hear me speak (O my love, O my love) Yet a woman's words are weak;

You You

should speak, not

took

my heart

in

I.

your hand

With a friendly smile, With a critical eye you scanned, Then set it down,

And

said: It

is still

unripe,

Better wait awhile;

Wait while Till the

As you

the skylarks pipe,

corn grows brown.

set it

Broke, but

down I

it

broke

did not wince;

300 ** ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

— ———

you spoke, At your judgment that I heard: But I have not often smiled I

smiled at the speech

Since then, nor questioned since,

Nor cared for corn-flowers wild, Nor sung with the singing bird.

my heart in my hand, O my God, O my God, My broken heart in my hand: I

take

Thou

judge Thou.

hast seen,

My hope was written

on sand, God, O my God: Now let Thy judgment stand Yea, judge me now.

my

This contemned of a man, This marred one heedless day,

Thou

This heart take

to scan

Both within and without: Refine with

fire its gold,

Purge Thou

dross

its

away

it in Thy hold, Whence none can pluck

Yea, hold

I

take

my

1 shall

Before I,

for

I

All that

But

die,

out.

my hand

but

live

Thy face I stand; Thou callest such:

All that

Smile

heart in

not

it

have I

am

bring,

I

Thou and shall

give;

I I

shall sing,

not question much.

June 1864.

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

**»

3OI

337 I

loved a child of this countrie,

And

so

I

wend he had do me;

Now my-self the That he

sooth

I see,

is far.

Were

it

undo that

is

y-do

I would he-war.

He said to me he would be true, And change me for none other new; Now I sykke and am pale of hue, For he

is far.

Were

it

undo that

is

y-do

I would he-war.

He

he would fulfil, him have all his will; sykke and mourne still,

said his saws

Therefore

Now

I

For he

is

I let

far.

Were

it

undo that

is

y-do

I would he-war.

ANON.

338

GRIEF OF A GIRL'S HEART (from the irish)

O Donal

Oge,

if

you go

across the sea,

Bring myself with you and do not forget

it;

And you will have a sweetheart for fair days and market days, And the daughter of the King of Greece beside you at night. 302

•%•

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

night the dog was speaking of you; was speaking of you in her deep marsh. It is you are the lonely bird through the woods; And that you may be without a mate until you find me. It is late last

The

snipe

You promised me, and you said a lie to me, That you would be before me where the sheep I

gave a whistle

And

I

and three hundred

found nothing there but

You promised me

A

a thing that

cries to

a bleating

was hard

are flocked;

you,

lamb.

for you,

of gold under a silver mast; Twelve towns with a market in all of them, ship

And

a fine

white court by the side of the

You promised me

a thing that

That you would give That you would give

And

a suit

me me

of the dearest

is

sea.

not possible,

gloves of the skin of a

fish;

shoes of the skin of a bird; silk in Ireland.

Donal Oge, it is I would be better to you Than a high, proud, spendthrift lady: 1 would milk the cow; I would bring help to you; And if you were hard pressed, I would strike a blow

for you.

O, ochone, and it's not with hunger Or with wanting food, or drink, or sleep, That I am growing thin, and my life is shortened; But it is the love of a young man has withered me away. early in the morning that I saw him coming, Going along the road on the back of a horse; He did not come to mc; he made nothing of me; And it is on my way home that I cried my fill. It is

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

»%»

303

When

go by myself to the Well of Loneliness, I go through my trouble; When I see the world and do not see my boy, He that has an amber shade in his hair.

It

I

down and

I sit

was on

Sunday

that

The Sunday

that

is

I

last

gave

And myself on my knees And my two eyes giving O, ay a!

And

my

give

my

love to you;

before Easter Sunday.

reading the Passion; love to

you

for ever.

mother, give myself to him;

him

all

that

you have

in the

world;

Get out yourself to ask for alms, And do not come back and forward looking for me.

My

mother

said to

Or to-morrow, It It

not to be talking with you, to-day,

was a bad time she took for telling me that; was shutting the door after the house was robbed.

My heart Or Or It

me

or on Sunday;

as the

is

black as the blackness of the sloe,

as

black coal that

as the sole

of a shoe

was you put

is

on the smith's

left in

white

that darkness over

forge;

halls;

my

life.

You have taken the east from me; you have taken the west from me, You have taken what is before me and what is behind me; You have taken the moon, you have taken the sun from me, And my fear is great that you have taken God from me! AUGUSTA GREGORY

304

»*»

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

339

QU'EN AVEZ-VOUS Vous Moi,

mon

aviez

FAIT?

coeur,

j'avais le votre:

Un coeur pour un coeur; Bonheur pour bonheure! Lc votre Je n'en

est

plus d'autre,

ai

Le votre Le mien

rendu;

est

rendu,

est

perdu.

La

feuille et la fleur

Et

le fruit

La

feuille et la fleur,

L'encens,

lui-meme,

la

couleur:

Qu'en avez-vous

Mon

fait,

maitre supreme?

Qu'en avez-vous fait, ce doux bienfait?

Dc

Comme

un pauvre

enfant,

Quitte par sa mere,

Comme Que

un pauvre

enfant,

rien ne defend:

Vous me laissez la, Dans ma vie amerc; Vous me laissez la, Et Dieu voit cela! Savcz-vous qu'un jour,

L'hommc

est scul

au

mondc?

Savcz-vous qu'un jour, 11

revolt l'amour?

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

*> 305

Vous

appellerez,

Sans qu'on vous reponde,

Vous

appellerez;

Et vous songerez!

Vous viendrez

ma Ami comme Sonner a

'Personne

On

vous

.

.

.

.

revant.

porte;

avant,

Vous viendrez Et Ton vous

.

revant.

dira:

morte.'

elle est

.

le dira:

Mais, qui vous plaindra!

MARCELINE DESBORDES-VALMORE

340 Farewell,

all

my

welfare,

My shoe trod awry; Now I may cark and care is

To

sing lullay by by.

Alas,

what shall I do thereto? is no shift to help me now.

There

Who

made

it

such offence

To love for love again ? God wot that my pretence Was but to ease his pain; For

I

Alas,

had ruth to

more

fool,

see his

why

306 •» ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

woe.

did

I

so?

me

For he from

is

gone

And makes thereat a game, And hath left me alone To suffer sorrow and shame. Alas,

To It is

To

he

unkind doubtless

is

leave

me

thus

comfortless.

all

a grievous smart suffer pains

But most

it

and sorrow;

grieved

my heart

He laid his faith to borrow: And falsehood hath his faith and truth, And he forsworn by many an oath. All ye lovers, perdy,

Have

cause to blame his deed,

Which shall example be To let you off your speed; Let never

woman

again

Trust to such words

For

I,

unto

men

can

fain.

my cost,

Am warning to you That they

as

whom

all

you

Soonest deceive you

trust

most

shall;

But, complaint cannot redress

Of my

great grief the great excess.

SIR

341

THOMAS WYATT

LA PROMENADE D'AUTOMNE Te souvient-il, 6 mon ame, 6 ma vie, D'un jour d'automne et pale et languissant? 11

Aux

semblait dire un adieu gemissant bois qu'il attristait dc sa mclancolie.

ABSBNCBS, DOUBTS, DIVISION

*%»

307

Les oiseaux dans

Une

les airs

ne cnantaient plus

froide rosee enveloppait leurs

Et, rappelant

au nid leurs compagnes

Sur des rameaux sans

fleurs

ils

l'espoir;

ailes,

fideles,

attendaient

le soir.

Les troupeaux, a regret menes aux paturages,

N'y Et

trouvaient plus que des herbes sauvagcs;

le patre,

oubliant sa rustique chanson,

Partageait le silence et

le deuil

Rien ne charmait F ennui de

La

du la

vallon.

nature.

feuille qui perdait sa riante couleur,

Les coteaux depouilles de leur verte parure,

Tout demandait au

un rayon de

ciel

chaleur.

Seule, je m'eloignais d'une fete bruyante;

Je fuyais tes regards, je cherchais ma raison: Mais la langueur des champs, leur tristesse attrayante,

A ma

langueur secrete ajoutaient leur poison.

Sans but et sans espoir suivant

ma

reverie,

Je portais au hasard un pas timide et lent; L' Amour m'enveloppa de ton ombre cherie, Et,

malgre

la saison, Fair

me

parut brulant.

Je voulais, mais en vain, par un effort supreme, En me sauvant de toi, me sauver de moi-meme;

Mon

ceil,

voile de pleurs, a la terre attache,

Par un charme invincible en fut

A Le 11

mon

soleil reparait,

entr'ouvre

sein

arrache.

une image legere

travers les brouillards,

Fit palpiter

comme

de tendresse

et d'effroi;

l'environne, l'eclaire,

les cieux.

.

.

.

Tu

parus devant moi.

Je n'osai te parler: interdite, reveuse,

Enchainee

et

soumise a ce trouble enchanteur,

Je n'osai te parler: pourtant j'etais heureuse; Je devinai ton ame, et j'entendis 308 -V ABSENCES,

DOUBTS, DIVISION

mon

cceur.

—

ma main

Mais, quand ta main pressa

:

tremblante,

Quand un frisson leger fit tressaillir mon corps, Quand mon front se couvrit d'un rougeur brulante, Dieu! qu'est-ce done que je J'oubliai de

Pour

Ma

la

premiere

douleur a

mon ame

Et

la

fois ta

sentis alors?

de

te fuir, j'oubliai

te craindre;

bouche osa

se plaindre,

tienne osa se reveler,

vers toi fut pres de s'exhaler.

m'en souvient! Ten souvient-il, ma vie, De ce tourment delicieux, De ces mots arraches a ta melancolie: «Ah! si je souffre, on souffre aux cieux! II

Des bois nul autre aveu ne troubla

Ce jour

fut

de nos jours

Pret a s'eteindre, enfin

Et

sa fuite a

mon

Je

Et dans nos cceurs Il

le silence.

plus beau,

plus doux;

le

s'arreta sur nous,

cceur presagea ton absence

L'ame du monde vis ses derniers

il

le

»

eclaira notre

amour;

feux mourir sous un nuage; brises, desunis sans retour,

n'en reste plus que l'image!

MARCELINE DESBORDES-VALMORE

342 I

do not look I

for love that

is

a

dream

only seek for courage to be

still;

To bear my grief with an unbending And when I am a-weary not to seem. Let the round world

roll

on;

Let the wind blow, and

let

let

the sun

the rivers

will,

beam; fill

The everlasting sea, and on the hill The palms almost touch heaven, as children deem. ABSBNCBS, DOUBTS, DIVISION

** 309

—

And, though young spring and summer pass away, And autumn and cold winter come again, And though my soul, being tired of its pain, Pass from the ancient earth, and though my clay Return to

No man 18

dust,

shall

my

tongue

mock me

shall

after this

not complain;

my

day.

February 1848.

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

SONG

343 She

sat

By

and sang alway

the green margin of a stream,

Watching the

fishes leap

and play

Beneath the glad sunbeam. I sat

and wept alway

Beneath the moon's most shadowy beam,

Watching the blossoms of the

Weep I

wept

May

leaves into the stream.

for

memory;

She sang for hope that

is

so fair:

My tears were swallowed by the sea; Her songs died on

the

air.

26 November 1848.

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

310 *¥ ABSENCBS, DOUBTS, DIVISION

344 BITTER FOR Summer Its Its

SWEET

gone with all its roses. sun and perfumes and sweet flowers, warm air and refreshing showers:

And

is

even

Autumn

closes.

Yea, Autumn's chilly self is going,

And Winter comes which

is

yet colder;

Each day the hoar-frost waxes bolder,

And i

the

last

buds cease blowing.

December 1848.

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

song

345

When I am

dead,

my

dearest,

Sing no sad songs for me; Plant thou

no

roses at

my head,

Nor shady cypress tree: Be the green grass above me With showers and dewdrops

wet:

And if thou wilt, remember, And if thou wilt, forget.

I shall I I

not see the shadows,

shall

shall

not

feel the rain:

not hear the nightingale

Sing on as if in pain:

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

•% 311

And dreaming

through the twilight

That doth not rise nor Haply I may remember,

And

haply

may

set,

forget.

12 December 1848.

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

346 Loves

And

flies

LOVE AND AGE

with

bow

unstrung

when Time

appears,

trembles at the approach of heavy years.

A few

bright feathers leaves he in his flight,

Quite beyond

recall,

but not forgotten quite.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

347 The Loves who many

A

years held

charge so troublesome

all

my

mind,

at last resign'd.

Among my

books a feather here and there what the inmates of my study were. Strong for no wrestle, ready for no race, They only serve to mark the left-off place. 'Twas theirs to dip in the tempestuous waves, 'Twas theirs to loiter in cool summer caves; But in the desert where no herb is green Tells

Not

one, the latest of the flight,

is

seen.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR 312 ** ABSENCES,

DOUBTS, DIVISION

348 That time of year thou mayst

When

yellow

Upon

those boughs

in

me

behold,

or few do hang which shake against the cold, Bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. In me thou see'st the twilight of such day, As after sunset fadeth in the west, Which by and by black night doth take away, Death's second self that seals up all in rest. In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire, That on the ashes of his youth doth lie, As the death bed, whereon it must expire, Consum'd with that which it was nourish' d by. This thou perceiv'st, which makes thy love more strong, To love that well, which thou must leave ere long. leaves, or none,

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

ABSENCES, DOUBTS, DIVISION

•¥ 313

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN

DEATH

7

349

Casting

down

Quenching

Queen of Love sat mourning, wreaths her heavenly brow adorning:

a cypress shade, the

Underneath

the rosy

fiery sighs

with

tears,

but yet her heart

still

burning.

For within the shady bourne, the cause of her complaining, Myrrha's son the leafy bowers did haunt, her love disdaining,

Counting

Why

is

all

her true desires in his fond thoughts but feigning.

youth with beauty graced, unfeeling judge of kindness,

Spotting love with the foul report of cruelty and blindness,

Forcing to unkind complaints the

Stint thy tears, fair sea-born

When

Queen of all

Queen, and grief in vain lamented,

desire hath burnt his heart that thee

Then too

scorn of youth

late the

divineness ?

by age

hath discontented,

shall

be repented.

ANON.

350 Blow, blow, thou winter wind,

Thou art not so unkind, as man's ingratitude, Thy tooth is not so keen, because thou art not

seen,

Although thy breath be rude. Heigh ho, sing heigh ho, unto the green holly, Most friendship, is feigning; most loving, mere

Then heigh This

life is

folly:

ho, the holly,

most jolly.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

ȴ

3

1

Freeze, freeze, thou bitter sky that dost not bite so nigh

As

benefits forgot:

Though thou As

the waters warp, thy sting

remembered

friend

is

not so sharp,

not.

Heigh ho, sing heigh ho, unto the green holly, Most friendship, is feigning; most loving, mere Then heigh ho, the holly, This

life is

folly:

most jolly.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

351

A RENOUNCING OF LOVE Farewell, Love, and

Thy

Senec and Plato

To

call

perfect wealth

In blind error

Thy

thy laws for ever:

me from

my wit

when

I

me no thy

more;

lore,

for to endeavour.

did persever,

sharp repulse, that pricketh ay so sore,

Hath taught

And

all

baited hooks shall tangle

me

to set in

no

trifles

scape forth, since liberty

is

store,

lever.

Therefore, farewell: go trouble younger hearts,

And

in

With

And

me

idle

claim no

more

authority;

youth go use thy property,

thereon spend thy

For hitherto though

Me lusteth no

I

many

have

brittle darts;

lost all

•%»

time,

longer rotten boughs to climb. SIR

318

my

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVB IN DEATH

THOMAS WYATT

THE BARREN SHORE

352 Full

many

sing to

me

and thee

Their riches gather'd by the

But

I

will sing, for

sea;

I'm footsore,

The burthen of the barren The hue of love how

lively

shore.

shown

In this sole found cerulean stone

By

twenty leagues of ocean

roar.

O, burthen of the barren shore!

And As

these

few

crystal

fragments bright,

clear as truth, as strong as right, I

found

in footing

twenty more.

O, burthen of the barren shore!

And how

far did I

go

for this

Small, precious piece of ambergris?

Of weary

leagues I went threescore. O, burthen of the barren shore!

The sand

And

is

poor, the sea

is

rich,

am I know not which; And well it were to know no more I,

I

The burthen of the barren

shore!

COVENTRY PATMORE

353

Out

in the

yellow meadows, where the bee

Hums by us with the honey of the Spring, And showers of sweet notes from the larks on wing Are dropping

like a

noon-dew, wander we.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVB IN DEATH

•¥ 319

Or

now?

it then? for now, from running rings pour showers: The golden foot of May is on the flowers, And friendly shadows dance upon her brow. What's this, when Nature swears there is no change is it

or was

As

then, the larks

To

challenge eyesight?

Of heaven Nor

eyes,

Now,

as then, the

seems holding earth in

nor

its

heart, has she to feel

Look, woman,

in the

strange?

it

West. There wilt thou

An amber

cradle near the sun's decline:

Within

featured even in death divine,

Is

it,

grace

embrace.

by

lying a dead infant, slain

see

thee.

11

Not

solely that the Future she destroys,

And For

Nor

life which in the distance men, beckoning out from dim

the fair

all

that the passing hour's supporting joys

Have

lost the

keen-edged flavour, which begat

Distinction in old times, and

Sweet Memory, and Hope,

And

lies

rich skies:

still

—

should breed

earth's

modest

seed,

heaven's high-prompting: not that the world

Since that soft-luring creature

Among

I

is flat

embraced

the children of Illusion went:

were content, on which my foot is based, Were firm, or might be blotted: but the whole Of life is mixed: the mocking Past will stay: Methinks with

If the

And

mad

if

I

all this loss I

Past,

drink oblivion of a day,

So shorten

I

the stature of

my

soul.

GEORGE MEREDITH

320

»%•

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

354 Farewell sweet boy, complain not of

my

truth;

Thy mother lov'd thee not with more devotion; For to thy boy's play I gave all my youth, Young

master,

I

did hope for your promotion.

While some sought honours, princes' thoughts observing, Many woo'd Fame, the child of pain and anguish, Others judg'd inward good a chief deserving, I in thy wanton visions joy'd to languish.

bow'd not to thy image for succession, Nor bound thy bow to shoot reformed kindness, Thy plays of hope and fear were my confession, The spectacles to my life was thy blindness; But Cupid now farewell, I will go play me, With thoughts that please me less and less betray me. I

FULKE GREVILLE, LORD BROOKE

355

WHEN YOU ARE OLD

When you

are old

and gray and

full

of sleep,

And nodding by the fire, take down this book, And slowly read, and dream of the soft look Your

eyes had once, and of their shadows deep;

How many And

loved your

moments of glad

loved your beauty with love

false

grace,

or true;

But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you, And loved the sorrows of your changing face.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

•» 32

And bending down Murmur,

And And

a

little

beside the glowing bars

sadly,

how

love fled

paced upon the mountains overhead hid his face amid a crowd of stars.

W. (after the

French

B.

YEATS

ofRONSARD

1

)

356 Leave me,

O Love,

which

reachest but to dust,

And thou my mind aspire to higher things: Grow rich in that which never taketh rust: Whatever

but fading pleasure brings.

fades,

Draw in thy beams, and humble all thy might, To that sweet yoke, where lasting freedoms be: Which breaks the clouds and opens forth the light, That doth both shine and give us

O

take fast hold,

let that light

sight to see.

be thy guide,

which birth draws out to death, becometh him to slide, seeketh heav'n, and comes of heav'nly breath.

In this small course

And

think

Who

Then

how

evil

farewell, world, thy uttermost

Eternal Love, maintain thy

life

in

I see,

me.

Splendidis longum valedico nugis.

SIR PHILIP 1

322 »»

p. 377.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

SIDNEY

—

357

I

not

'It is

SAID

l

said to

now

When men

TO love

Love,

as in

old days

adored thee and thy ways

All else above;

Named

Who

thee the Boy, the Bright, the

One

spread a heaven beneath the sun,' I

said to

Love.

I

said to

Love,

'We now know more of thee

than then;

We were but weak in judgment when, With

hearts abrim,

We clamoured Inflict

on I

I

'Thou

thee that thou would'st please

us thine agonies/

art

said to

him.

said to

him,

not young, thou art not

No

elfin darts,

Are

thine; but features pitiless,

And

iron daggers of distress,'

fair,

no cherub air, Nor swan, nor dove

I

said to

Love.

'Depart then, Love!

— Man's race

.

.

.

shall perish, threatenest thou,

Without thy kindling coupling-vow ? The age to come the men of now

Know

We We

fear

nothing of

not such a threat from thee;

are too old in apathy!

Mankind

shall cease. I

said to

— So

let it

be/

Love.

THOMAS HARDY LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

»%»

323

358Mark where Its

the pressing

shadow on

skeleton

wind shoots javelin-like

the broad-backed wave!

Here is a fitting spot to dig Love's grave; Here where the ponderous breakers plunge and strike, And dart their hissing tongues high up the sand: In hearing of the ocean, and in sight

Of those

ribbed wind-streaks running into white.

If I the death I

of Love had deeply planned,

never could have

made

it

half so sure,

As by the unblest kisses which upbraid The full-waked sense; or failing that, degrade! 'Tis morning: but no morning can restore What we have forfeited. I see no sin: The wrong is mixed. In tragic life, God wot,

No

villain

We

are betrayed

need be! Passions spin the plot:

by what

is

false

within.

GEORGE MEREDITH

UN VOYAGE

359

Mon

coeur,

comme un

A CYTHERE

oiseau, voltigeait tout joyeux

Et planait librement a l'entour des cordages;

Le navire roulait sous un ciel sans nuages, Comme un ange enivre du soleil radieux. Quelle

Nous

est cette ile triste et

dit-on,

— C'est Cythere,

un pays fameux dans

Eldorado banal de tous Regardez, apres tout, 324 **

noire?

les

c'est

les

chansons,

vieux garcons.

une pauvre

terre.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

!

— He dcs doux secrets

du coeur De l'antique Venus le superbe fantome Au-dessus de tes mers plane comme un arome, Et charge les esprits d'amour et de langueur. Belle

ile

aux myrtes

et des fetes

verts pleine de fleurs ecloses,

Veneree a jamais par toute nation.

Ou

les

soupirs des cceurs en adoration

Roulent

comme

l'encens sur

un jardin de

roses

Ou

le

Un

desert rocailleux trouble par des cris aigres.

roucoulement eternel d'un ramier!

— Cythere

un objet

J'entrevoyais pourtant

Ce

n'etait pas

Ou

la

qu'un terrain des plus maigres,

n'etait plus

singulier!

un temple aux ombres bocageres,

jeune pretresse, amoureuse des

Allait, le

fleurs,

corps brule de secretes chaleurs,

Entre-baillant sa robe

aux

Mais voila qu'en rasant

la

brises passageres;

cote d'assez pres

Pour troubler les oiseaux avec nos voiles blanches, Nous vimes que e'etait un gibet a trois branches,

Du

ciel se

De

feroces oiseaux perches sur leur pature

detachant en noir,

comme un

cypres.

un pendu deja mur, Chacun plantant, comme un outil, son bee impur Dans tous les coins saignants de cette pourriture;

Detruisant avec rage

Les yeux etaient deux trous, et

Les intestins pesants

Et

ses

lui

du ventre efFondre

coulaient sur

les cuisses,

bourreaux gorges de hideuses delices

L'avaient a coups de bee absolument chatre.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

»> 325

!

Sous

les pieds,

Le museau

Une

un troupeau de jaloux quadrupedes,

releve, tournoyait et rodait;

plus grande bete au milieu s'agitait

Comme

un executeur entoure de

ses aides.

Habitant de Cythcre, enfant d'un

ciel

si

beau,

Silencieusement tu sourTrais ces insultes

En

expiation de

tes

infames cultes

Et des peches qui t'ont interdit

Ridicule pendu,

tes

le

douleurs sont

Je sends a Taspect de

tes

tombeau.

les

membres

miennes!

flottants,

Comme un vomissement, remonter vers mes dents Le long fleuve de fiel des douleurs anciennes; Devant

toi,

pauvre diable au souvenir

si

cher,

machoires

J'ai senti tous les bees et toutes les

Des corbeaux lancinants et des pantheres noires Qui jadis aimaient tant a triturer ma chair.

— Le

ciel etait

Pour moi tout

charmant, etait

Helas! et j'avais,

Le cceur

la

mer

etait unie;

noir et sanglant desormais,

comme

en un suaire

epais,

enseveli dans cette allegoric

Dans ton ile, 6 Venus! je n'ai trouve debout Qu'un gibet symbolique ou penchait mon image Ah Seigneur donnez-moi la force et le courage .

—

De

!

contempler

.

.

!

mon

cceur et

mon

corps sans degout

CHARLES BAUDELAIRE

326

»%•

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

!

SONG

360 Love

'Tis

To

woman? You're

a r

most

an

ass!

insipid passion

choose out for your happiness

The

silliest

part of God's creation.

Let the porter and the groom,

Things designed for dirty

Drudge

To

in fair Aurelia's

slaves,

womb

get supplies for age and graves.

Farewell,

woman

!

I

intend

Henceforth every night to

my lewd,

With

sit

well-natured friend,

Drinking to engender wit.

Then give me And,

if

health, wealth, mirth,

and wine,

busy love entrenches,

There's a sweet, soft page of mine

Does the

trick

worth forty wenches.

JOHN WILMOT, EARL OF ROCHESTER

361

Am

I

failing ?

For no longer can

I

cast

A

glory round about this head of gold. Glory she wears, but springing from the mould;

Not Is I

soul beggared?

cry for

still: I

In having I

of the Past! Something more than earth

like the consecration

my

cannot be

Love upon

cannot take the

at

peace

a mortal lease.

woman

at

her worth

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

»%»

327

—

Where is the ancient wealth wherewith I Our human nakedness, and could endow With spiritual splendour a white brow That

Of a

is

but a

kiss

at

now

!

me

you

eat

will

!

we'll

the fact

I

loathed?

and no wave

great flood that whirls

But, as

And

had grinned

else

A kiss

clothed

sit

me

to the sea.

contentedly,

our pot of honey on the grave.

11

What

we

animals; and next on whom Pale lies the distant shadow of the tomb, And all that draweth on the tomb for text. Into which state comes Love, the crowning sun: Beneath whose light the shadow loses form. We are the lords of life, and life is warm. Intelligence and instinct now are one. But nature says: 'My children most they seem When they least know me: therefore I decree That they shall suffer.' Swift doth young Love flee, And we stand wakened, shivering from our dream. Then if we study Nature we are wise. Thus do the few who live but with the day: are

first? First,

Intelligences at a leap;

The

scientific

Lady,

this

is

animals are they.

my

sonnet to your eyes.

GEORGE MEREDITH

328 «»

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

!

362

THE COMET AT YELL'HAM I It

bends

far

over Yeirham Plain,

And we, from Yeirham Stand and regard

its

Height,

fiery train,

So soon to swim from

sight.

II It

will return long years hence,

now

As Will

its

when

strange swift shine

on Yeirham; but not then that sweet form of thine.

fall

On

THOMAS HARDY

LE PORTRAIT

363 La Maladie

De De De

tout

le

et la

Mort

font des cendres

feu qui pour nous flamboya.

yeux bouche ou

ces grands

si

cette

mon

fervents et

si

tendres,

cceur se noya,

De ces baisers puissants comnie un dictame, De ces transports plus vifs que des rayons, Que reste-t-il ? C'est affreux, 6 mon ame Rien qu'un dessin fort

Qui,

pale,

aux

trois crayons,

comme

Et que

le

moi, meurt dans la solitude, Temps, injurieux vieillard,

Chaque jour

frotte avec son aile

rude

.

.

.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

** 329

—

!

Noir assassin de la Vicet de l'Art, ne tueras jamais dans ma memoire

Tu

mon

Celle qui fut

plaisir et

ma

gloire!

CHARLES BAUDELAIRE

364 THE AZALEA There, where the sun shines

first

Against our room,

She

train' d

whose perfume from her breathing grace dispersed.

the gold Azalea,

She, Spring-like,

Last night the delicate crests of saffron bloom,

For

this their

dainty likeness watch' d and nurst,

Were just at point to burst. At dawn I dream'd, O God, that she was dead, And groan'd aloud upon my wretched bed, And waked, ah, God, and did not waken her, But

lay,

with eyes

still

closed,

Perfectly bless' d in the delicious sphere

By which I knew

My heart to

so well that she

was near, composed.

speechless thankfulness

Till 'gan to stir

A

dizzy

It

was the

somewhat

my

in

azalea's breath,

troubled head and she was dead

The warm night had the lingering buds disclosed, And I had fall'n asleep with to my breast

A

chance-found

letter press'd

which she said, 'So, till to-morrow

In

eve,

my Own,

adieu!

Parting's well-paid with soon again to meet,

Soon

in

your arms to

Sweet to myself that

feel so

am

small and sweet,

so sweet to you!'

COVENTRY PATMORE 330 *>

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

DREAM OF DEATH

A

365

dreamed that one had died in a strange place Near no accustomed hand; And they had nailed the boards above her face The peasants of that land, I

Wondering

And

A

to lay her in that solitude,

above her

raised

And And

mound

had made out of two

cross they

bits

of wood,

planted cypress round; left

Until

her to the indifferent

stars

above

carved these words:

I

She was more But uow

lies

beautiful than thy first love,

under boards.

w.

Than Is

YEATS

THE LEPER

366 Nothing

B.

is

better, I well think,

love; the hidden well-water

not so delicate to drink: This was well seen of me and her.

I

served her in a royal house; I

served her wine and curious meat.

between her brows had no heart to sleep or eat.

For will to I

Mere

scorn

kiss

God knows

A poor scribe, nowise Who plucked his clerk's Her curled-up

lips

me;

she had of great or

fair,

hood back

and amorous

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

to see

hair.

IN

DEATH

*> 331

—

I

my head

vex

with thinking

this.

God always hated me, me now that I can kiss

Yea, though

And

hates

Her

up her

eyes, plait

hair to see

How she

then wore it on the brows, Yet am I glad to have her dead Here in this wretched wattled house Where I can kiss her eyes and head.

Nothing

Than

Or

better, I well

is

no amber

love;

know, in cold sea

gathered berries under snow:

That

is

well seen of her and me.

Three thoughts

my

make

I

First I take heart

pleasure of:

and think of this:

That knight's gold hair she chose to love, His mouth she had such will to kiss.

Then I

I

remember

that

sundawn

brought him by a privy

Out

her

at

What

lattice,

gracious

and thereon words she found

(Cold rushes for such

Both

feet

could

A marvel was

it

lie

little

into

Now am Nor

shall

For 332

«%•

my

I

to say.

feet

my

hand.

of my sweet

Her upright body could 'Sweet friend,

way

God

so stand.)

you thank and grace; whole of shame,

give

clean and

men burn me

in the face

sweet fault that scandals them.'

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

I

tell

you over word by word. on her bed,

She, sitting edgewise

Holding her

A God,

The

feet, said thus.

sweeter thing than these,

that

And

third, said.

I

makes time and ruins abiding God,

it,

alters not,

Changed with disease her body sweet, The body of love wherein she abode. Love

more sweet and comelier

is

Than

a dove's throat strained out to sing.

All they spat out

And

cast

and cursed

at

her

her forth for a base thing.

They cursed

her, seeing

how God had wrought

This curse to plague her, a curse of his. Fools were they surely, seeing not

How sweeter He

than

all

sweet she

had held her by the

that

With

is.

hair,

kissing lips blinding her eyes.

Felt her bright

bosom, strained and

Sigh under him, with short

mad

bare, cries

Out of her throat and sobbing mouth And body broken up with love, With sweet hot tears his lips were loth Her own should taste the savour of, Yea, he inside whose grasp

Her

fervent

body

all

night

leapt or lay,

Stained with sharp kisses red and white,

Found her

a plague to spurn

away.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

»* 333

I

hid her in I

this

wattled house,

served her water and poor bread.

For joy to

kiss

between her brows I was nigh dead.

Time upon time Bread

failed;

And I

we

got but well-water

gathered grass with dropping seed.

had such joy of kissing her, I had small care to sleep or

Sometimes when

The

made me

service

sharp tears leapt between

on

Falling

To do 'I

feed.

her, such

the service

pray you

let

me

joy

be

forbids.

at peace,

Get hence, make room for She said

that: her

poor

lip

me

'Bethink yourself

to die/

would

Put up to mine, and turn to

I said,

lids,

had

I

God

glad

my

how

cease,

cry.

love

Fared in us twain, what either did; Shall

unclothe

I

That

I

should do

Yea, though

God

That hardly

Love

faileth

Till

it

If

all

»*•

this,

hateth

of the work

grow

God us,

forbid.'

he knows

it

does

ripe for gathering.

now my sweet is dead I know not

trouble takes me;

were done

No word 334

soul thereof?

in a little thing

Six months, and

A

my

well,

all

well said,

or tender deed forgot.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

!

Too

sweet, for the least part in her,

To have shed life out by fragments; yet, Could the close mouth catch breath and stir, I might see something I forget. Six months, and

Her

I sit still

and hold

two cold palms her cold two

In

Thrills

me

feet.

grey half ruined gold,

hair, half

and burns

me

in kissing

it.

Love bites and stings me through, to see Her keen face made of sunken bones. Her worn-off eyelids madden me, That were shot through with purple once. She

said,

So If

'Be good with me;

tired for shame's sake,

you

And

I I

grow

shall die

say nothing:' even so. she

is

dead now, and shame put by.

Yea, and the scorn she had of me In the old time, doubtless I

vexed her then.

never should have kissed her. See

What

fools

God's anger makes of men

She might have loved

Had But

I

that

me

a

little

too,

been humbler for her sake.

new shame

She saw not

could

make

new

love

—yet her shame did make.

much upon my love, Having for such mean service done Her beauty and all the ways thereof, Her face and all the sweet thereon.

I

took too

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

*%»

335

——

Yea,

while

all this

I

tended her,

know the old love held fast his part: know the old scorn waxed heavier, I

I

Mixed with It

may

A

be

Spoilt

my

writ

after the blind

surely

I

would

I

failed,

She kept I

evensong

music with no perfect word. fain

All things the best

Because

wrong awry and blurred,

love went

work

scribe's

Scrawled

But

all

sad wonder, in her heart.

I

came

have done

could. Perchance short of one,

at heart that other man's.

am grown

blind with

all

these things:

may be now she hath in Some better knowledge; still It

The

old question. Will not

sight

there clings

God do A.

right?*

C.

SWINBURNE

* En ce temps-la estoyt dans ce pays grand nombre de ladres et de meseaulx, ce dont le roy eut grand desplaisir, veu que Dieu dust en estre moult griefvement courrouce. Ores il advint qu'une noble damoyselle appelee Yolande de Sallieres estant atteincte et touste guastee de ce vilain mal, tous ses amys et ses parens ayant devant leurs ycux la paour de Dieu la firent issir fors de leurs maisons et oncques ne voulurent recepvoir ni reconforter chose mauldicte de Dieu et a tous les hommes puante et abhominable. Ceste dame avoyt este moult belle et gracieuse de formes, et de son corps elle estoyt large et de vie lascive. Pourtant nul des amans qui l'avoyent souventesfois accollee et baisee moult tendrement ne voulust plus heberger si laide femme et si detestable pescheresse. Ung seul clerc qui feut premierement son lacquays et son entremetteur en matiere d'amour la recut chez luy et la recela dans une petite cabane. La mourut la meschinette de grande misere et de male mort: et apres elle deceda ledist clerc qui pour grand

amour tous

336 »»

les

l'avoyt six mois durant soignee, lavee, habillee et deshabillee

jours de

ses

mains propres.

Mesme

dist-on que ce meschant

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

homme et

et

mauldict clerc

sc

femme

guastee de ceste

rememourant de

se

grande beaute passee

la

delectoyt maintesfois a la baiser sur sa

bouche ordc et lepreuse et l'accoller doulcement de ses mains amouAussy est-il mort de ceste mesme maladie abhominable. Cecy advint pres Fontainebellant en Gastinois. Et quand ouyt le roy Philippe ceste adventure moult en estoyt esmerveille. reuses.

Grandes Chroniques de France, 1505.

367 One day

I

wrote her name upon the strand,

But came the waves and washed it away: Again I wrote it with a second hand, But came the tide, and made my pains his prey. Vain man, said she, that dost in vain assay

A

mortal thing so to immortalize,

For

I

And Not

so,

To

myself shall eke

like to this decay,

my name

(quod

I) let

be wiped out likewise.

baser things devise

die in dust, but

you

My verse your virtues And

in the

by fame:

rare shall eternize,

heavens write your glorious name:

Where, whenas Death

Our

shall live

love shall

shall all the

and

live,

later life

world subdue, renew.

EDMUND

SPENSER

368 La blanche Aurorc a peine finyssoit D'orner son chef d'or luisant, et des

Quand mon

Au

esprit,

qui

du tout

roses,

perissoit

fons confus de tant diverses choses,

Revint a

moy

soubz

les

custodes closes

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

**•

337

Pour plus me rendre envers Mort invincible. Mais toy qui as toy seule le possible De donner heur a ma fatalite, Tu me seras la myrrhe incorruptible Contre les vers de ma mortalite.

—

—

MAURICE SCEVE

369

How many paltry, That

now

foolish, painted things,

in coaches trouble ev'ry street,

Shall be forgotten,

whom

Ere they be well wrapp'd

Where

When

I

no poet in their

sings,

winding-sheet?

to thee eternity shall give,

nothing

remaineth of these days,

else

And queens hereafter shall be glad to live Upon the alms of thy superfluous praise; Virgins and matrons reading these Shall be so

That they

To have So

my

rhymes,

delighted with thy story,

grieve they liv'd not in these times,

shall

seen thee, their sex's only glory:

shalt

Still

much

thou

above the vulgar throng,

fly

to survive in

my

immortal song.

MICHAEL DRAYTON

370 Si tu

Lon

t'

Comme

»*»

sur

mys deux elementz

tu voys

Entre elementz 338

pourquoy

enquiers

auroit

mon tombeau contraires,

estre le feu, et l'eau,

les

deux plus

adversaires:

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

J

t'

advertis, qu'ilz sont tresnecessaires

Pour

Que

te si

monstrer par signes evidentz,

en

moy

Larmes et Qu' apres

ont este residentz

feu, bataille

ma mort

asprement rude:

encores cy dedens

Je pleure, et ars pour ton ingratitude.

MAURICE SCEVE

371

No

longer

Than you

mourn shall

for

me when I am

dead,

hear the surly sullen bell

am

Give warning to the world that

I

From

worms

Nay

this vile

world with

vilest

fled

to dwell:

you read this line, remember not The hand that writ it, for I love you so, That I in your sweet thoughts would be forgot, If thinking on me then should make you woe. O if (I say) you look upon this verse, When I (perhaps) compounded am with clay, if

much as my poor name rehearse; your love even with my life decay Lest the wise world should look into your moan, And mock you with me after I am gone.

Do

But

not so let

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

372 Past ruin'd Ilion Helen lives,

from the shades; them forth; 'tis verse

Alcestis rises

Verse

calls

that gives

Immortal youth to mortal maids.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

*

339

!

!

Soon shall Oblivion's, deepening veil Hide all the peopled hills you see,

The

gay, the proud, while lovers hail

In distant ages

The

you and me.

tear for fading

beauty check,

For passing glory cease to

One form shall rise above One name, Ianthe, shall

sigh;

the wreck,

not

die.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

373

Ah what avails the sceptred race, Ah what the form divine What every virtue, every grace Rose Aylmer, all were thine. Rose Aylmer, whom these wakeful eyes

May

A

weep, but never

see,

night of memories and of sighs I

consecrate to thee.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

374 Proud word you never spoke, but you will speak Four not exempt from pride some future day. Resting on one white hand a warm wet cheek Over my open volume you will say, 'This man loved me! then rise and trip away. 1

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR 340

**»

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

1

:

375 Twenty

my

years hence

eyes

may grow

If not quite dim, yet rather so, Still

yours from others they

shall

know

Twenty Twenty That

I

years hence tho'

be

nap where thunder-clap

call'd to take a

In a cool cell

Was There breathe but o'er

A

years hence.

may hap

it

my

never heard.

arch of grass

not too sadly sigh'd Alas,

And

I

you can pass, That winged word.

shall catch, ere

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

376 Come And

away, come away death,

in sad cypress let

Fly away, fly I

am

slain

by

away

me

laid.

breath,

a fair cruel

maid:

My shroud of white, stuck all with yew, O My part of death no one so true did share

prepare

it.

it.

Not

a flower,

On my Not

not a flower sweet

black coffin,

a friend,

My poor corpse, A

let

there be strown:

not a friend greet

where

my

bones

shall

be thrown

thousand thousand sighs to save, lay

Sad true lover never find

my

grave, to

me

O

weep

where there.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

*%•

34

"

Because

Than

377

you

better

man

to say,

liked

I

suits a

irked you, and

It

To throw

To

•

promised

I

the thought away.

put the world between us

We parted, stiff and dry; 'Good-bye', said you, 'forget me.' 'I

will,

If here,

no

fear', said

I.

where clover whitens

The dead man's knoll, you pass, And no tall flower to meet you Starts in the trefoiled grass,

Halt by the headstone naming

The

heart

no longer

And say the lad Was one that

stirred,

that loved

kept

his

you

word. A. E.

378

How should By

I

OPHELIA'S SONG your true love

his cockle hat

He

is

At

his

and

staff,

head a grass-green his

shroud

know from

and

dead and gone, lady, he

White

HOUSMAN

his sandal

is

another one? shoon.

dead and gone,

turf, at his heels a stone.

as the

mountain snow,

Larded with sweet flowers:

Which bewept to the grave did go, With true-love showers. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 342

«%•

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

!

379 OPHELIE I

Sur l'onde calme et noire ou dorment les etoiles La blanche Ophelia flotte comme un grand lys, Flotte tres lentement, couchee en ses longs voiles

— On entend dans

les

.

bois lointains des hallalis.

Void

plus de mille ans que la triste Ophelie

Passe,

fantome blanc, sur

le

long fleuve noir.

Voici plus de mille ans que sa douce folie

Murmure Le vent

romance

se

a la brise

du

soir.

baise ses seins et deploie en corolle

Ses grands voiles berces mollement par

les

eaux;

Les saules frissonnants pleurent sur son epaule,

Sur son grand front reveur s'inclinent

les

roseaux.

Les nenuphars froisses soupirent autour d'elle; Elle eveille parfois, dans

Quelque

nid,

un aune qui

dort,

d'ou s'echappe un petit frisson

— Un chant mysterieux tombe des

d'aile:

astres d'or.

II

O pale

Ophelia belle

comme

la

ncigc!

Oui, tu mourus, enfant, par un fleuve emportc

— C'est que

les

vents tombant des grands

monts de Norwege

T'avaient parle tout bas de l'apre liberte;

C'est qu'un souffle, tordant ta grandc chcvelure,

A

ton esprit reveur portait d'etranges bruits;

Que Dans

ton cceur ecoutait les plaintes

le

chant de

de l'arbre

la

Nature

et les soupirs des nuits;

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

»> 343

C'est que

voix des mers

la

immense rale, humain et trop doux;

folles,

Brisait ton sein d'enfant, trop

un beau cavalier muet a tes genoux!

C'est qu'un matin d'avril,

Un

pauvre fou,

Ciel!

Tu

Amour!

s'assit

Liberte!

te fondais a lui

Quel

reve, 6 pauvre Folle! une neige au feu;

comme

Tes grandes visions etranglaient

— Et

pale,

ton

l'lnfini terrible effara

ta

parole

ceil

bleu!

Ill

— Et Tu Et

le

Poete

dit

qu'aux rayons des

viens chercher, qu'il a

vu

etoiles

que tu

la nuit, les fleurs

cueillis,

sur l'eau, couchee en ses longs voiles,

La blanche Ophelia

flotter,

comme

un grand

lys.

ARTHUR RIMBAUD

380

TWO WELSH

PENILLION

i

THE YEW-TREE What

happiness

Underneath

When Dear

in

this

my

heart,

you gave

to

me

graveyard tree

embraces wound,

you

lay

above the ground.

ii

THE ROCK By

My 344

**»

a flat rock

on the shore of the sea Wild thyme

dear one spoke to me.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

Now

grows by the rock, a sprig of the rosemary.

And

anon,

(translated

by Geoffrey grigson)

COLLOQUE SENTIMENTAL

381 Dans

le

vieux pare

Deux formes ont

solitaire et glace

tout a l'heure passe.

Leurs yeux sont morts et leur levres sont molles,

Et Ton cntend a peine leurs paroles.

Dans

le

Deux

vieux pare

spectres ont

solitaire et glace

evoque

le passe.

— Te souvient-il de notre extase ancienne? — Pourquoi voulcz-vous done m'en souvienne? qu'il

— Ton cceur

bat-il toujours a

Toujours vois-tu

— Ah! Ou

les

mon ame

etait bleu, le ciel, et

Tels la

ils

seul

nom?

— Non.

beaux jours de bonheur indicible

nous joignions nos bouches!

— Qu'il — L'espoir a Et

mon

en reve?

fui,

les

possible.

grand, l'espoir!

vaincu, vers

marchaient dans

— C'est

le ciel noir.

avoines

folles,

nuit seule entendit leurs paroles.

PAUL verlaine

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

»*•

345

382 Lay

a garland

Of the

my

on

hearse

dismal yew;

Maidens, willow branches bear;

Say

My

I

died true.

Love was

false,

but

I

was firm

From my hour of birth. Upon my buried body lay Lightly, gently, earth.

JOHN FLETCHER

383 Fear no

more

the heat o' the' sun,

Nor the furious winter's rages, Thou thy worldly task hast done,

Home

art gone, and ta'en thy wages. Golden lads, and girls all must, As chimney-sweepers come to dust.

Fear no

Thou

more

frown

the

o' th' great,

art past the tyrant's stroke,

Care no more to clothe and

To

thee the reed

The

is

as the

oak;

sceptre, learning, physic

All follow

this,

Fear

no more

Nor

th'

eat,

and come to

must dust.

the lightning flash,

all-dreaded thunderstonc.

Fear not slander, censure rash.

Thou 346 «>

hast finish'd

joy and moan.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

All lovers young,

all

lovers must,

Consign to thee and come to

No

harm

exorciser

Nor no

witch-craft

dust.

thee,

charm

thee.

Ghost unlaid forbear thee.

Nothing ill come near thee. Quiet consummation have, And renowned be thy grave.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

384 Thus sung Orpheus to his strings, When he was almost slain, Whilst the winds, soft murmuring, Answered all his woes again: Ah, dear Eurydice, he cried; Ah, dear Eurydice and so he died. Ah, dear Eurydice the echoing winds replied.

—

ANON.

385

When my

THE RELIC grave

Some second

is

broke up again

guest to entertain,

(For graves have learn'd that

To

woman-head

be to more than one a bed)

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

»> 347

And

he that digs

it,

A bracelet of bright hair Will he not

And

let

.spies

about the bone,

us alone,

think that there a loving couple

Who

thought that

To make Meet

this

If this

fall

Where

some way

busy day,

their souls, at the last

and make a

at this grave,

lies

device might be

little

stay?

in a time, or land,

mis-devotion doth command,

Then, he that digs us up will bring Us, to the Bishop, and the King,

To make Thou

shalt

A

be a

us relics; then

Mary Magdalen, and

something

I

else thereby;

women shall adore us, and some men; And since at such times miracles are sought, All

I

would have

What

that age

miracles

we

by

this

paper taught

harmless lovers wrought.

First, we lov'd well and faithfully, Yet knew not what we lov'd, nor why; Difference of sex no more we knew,

Than our guardian angels Coming and going, we Perchance might

kiss,

Our hands

Which

we

All measure, and

Should

I tell

but not between those meals;

ne'er touch'd the seals,

nature, injur' d

These miracles

do;

all

what

by

late law, sets free:

did; but

now

language,

I

alas,

should pass,

a miracle she was.

JOHN DONNE

348

»*•

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

386 AFTER

DEATH

were half drawn, the floor was swept And strewn with rushes, rosemary and may Lay thick upon the bed on which I lay,

The

curtains

Where through the lattice ivy-shadows crept. He leaned above me, thinking that I slept And could not hear him; but I heard him say, 'Poor child, poor child' and as he turned away Came a deep silence, and I knew he wept. :

He

did not touch the shroud, or raise the fold

That hid

my

face,

or take

my hand

in his,

Or ruffle the smooth pillows for my head: He did not love me living; but once dead He pitied me; and very sweet it is To know he still is warm though I am cold. 28 April 1849.

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

387

THE CHURCHYARD ON THE SANDS My Love lies in

the gates of foam,

The last dear wreck of shore; The naked sea-marsh binds her home, The sand her chamber door. The gray gull flaps the written The ox-birds chase the tide;

And

stones,

near that narrow field of bones

Great ships

at

anchor

ride.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

*%»

349

Black piers with crust of dripping green,

One

foreland, like a hand,

O'er intervals of grass between

Dim

A

lonely dunes of sand.

church of silent weathered looks,

A breezy reddish A

yard whose

tower,

mounded

Are tinged with

resting-nooks

sorrel flower.

In peace the swallow's eggs are laid

Along

the belfry walls;

The tempest does not reach The rain her silent halls.

her shade,

sails are sweet in summer sky, The lark throws down a lay; The long salt levels steam and dry, The cloud-heart melts away.

But

But patches of the sea-pink

shine,

The pied crows poise and come; The mallow hangs, the bindweeds twine, Where her sweet lips are dumb. The

passion of the

wave

is

mute;

No sound or ocean shock; No music save the rilling flute That marks the curlew

flock.

But yonder when the wind

And

rainy air

is

is

keen,

clear,

The merchant city's spires are seen, The toil of men grows near. 350 »>

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

1

Along the coast-way grind the wheels Of endless carts of coal; And on the sides of giant keels

The

shipyard

The world

And The

hammers

upon

creeps here

my heart

stirs

roll.

mist descends and blots

And

am

I

the shout,

in pain;

out,

it

strong again.

Strong and alone,

my

dove, with thee;

mine eyes be wet, There's nothing in the world to So dear as my regret. And,

I

tho'

my

would not change

me

sorrow, sweet,

For others' nuptial hours; I

love the daisies at thy feet

More

than their orange flowers.

My hand alone shall From

And

leaf-bud to

tend thy

tomb

leaf-fall,

wreathe around each season's bloom

autumn

Till

ruins

all.

Let snowdrops, early in the year,

Droop

And

o'er her silent breast;

bid the later cowslip rear

The amber of its

Come

crest.

hither, linnets tufted-red,

Drift by,

O

Set pure vale

At her

wailing tern;

lilies at

her head,

feet lady-fern.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

•*»

35

!

Grow, samphire, at the Wave, pansies of the

To

whisper

Of her

how

I

think

for evermore.

Bring blue

sea-hollies thorny, keen,

Long lavender Gray

alone

tidal brink,

shore,

in flower;

wormwood

like a

hoary queen,

Stanch mullein like a tower.

O

sea-wall

mounded long and low

Let iron bounds be thine;

Nor

let

the

salt

That breast

I

wave overflow held divine.

Nor float its sea-weed to her hair, Nor dim her eyes with sands:

No

fluted cockle

burrow where

Sleep folds her patient hands.

Tho' thy

crest feel the

Tho' tide-weight

wild

sea's breath,

tear thy root,

Oh, guard the treasure house, where Death Has bound my darling mute. Tho' cold her pale

With

love's

own

lips to

reward

mysteries,

Ah, rob no daisy from her sward, Rough gale of eastern seas

Ah, render sere no silent bent, That by her head-stone waves; Let noon and golden summer blent Pervade these ocean graves. 352

»*»

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

—

And,

ah, dear heart, in thy

still

nest,

of woes, Forget the ardours of the west, Neglect the morning glows. Resign

Sleep,

and forget

Heard

How

this earth

lonely

Until

I

things but one,

the years will run

all

rest

all

wave of sea,

each

in

by

thee.

JOHN LEICESTER WARREN, LORD DE TABLEY

388 Conic not, when I am dead, To drop thy foolish tears upon

my

grave,

To trample round my fallen head, And vex the unhappy dust thou wouldst wind sweep and But thou, go by.

There

let

the

Child, if it I

care

were thine error or thy crime

no longer, being

Wed whom And

I

Pass on,

Go

not save.

the plover cry;

thou

wilt,

all

but

I

unblcst:

am

sick

of Time,

desire to rest.

weak by,

heart,

and leave

me where

I lie;

go by.

ALFRED TENNYSON

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

•%»

353

389 DIRGE Stand close around, ye Stygian

set,

With Dirce in one boat convey'd, Or Charon, seeing, may forget That he

is

old,

and she

a shade.

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR

ON

390

HIS

Methought I saw Brought to me

Whom Jove's

my

DEAD WIFE late

espoused saint

like Alcestis

from the grave,

great son to her glad husband gave,

Rescued from death by Mine,

as

whom

force, though pale and faint. washed from spot of childbed taint

Purification in the old

And

Law

such

as yet

once more

Full sight

of her

in

Came Her

vested face

all

was

did save, I

trust to

heaven without

in white,

pure

veiled, yet to

as

my

have

restraint,

her mind. fancied sight

Love, sweetness, goodness, in her person shined

So clear as in no face with more delight. But O as to embrace me she inclined, I waked, she fled, and day brought back

my

night.

JOHN MILTON

391

THE WIND AT THE DOOR As day did darken on There

To

still

wi'

stay a- while at

Within the house, I

354 *>

zot

me

the dewless grass

nwone a-come by me,

hwome by me; dumb by me,

all

sad as the eventide did pass.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

i

—— —

!

An' there a win'-blast shook the rattlen door, An' seemed, as win' did mwone without, As if my Jeane, alwone without, A-stannen on the stone without,

Wer I

a-come wi' happiness oonce mwore.

there

went

vrom

to door; an' out

My head,

upon the

blast

Sweet blossoms wer

trees

above

by me, by me,

a-cast

As if my love, a-past by me, Did fling em down a token ov her

—

love.

o' the tree where I do mum/ you did blow vor her, Vor apples that should grow vor her, A-vallen down below vor her, O then how happy I should zee you kern.' 4

I

Sweet blossoms thought,

'if

But no. Too soon I voun' my charm abroke. Noo comely soul in white like her

Noo

soul a-steppen light like her

An' nwone

Went

o'

by; but

comely height all

like

my grief agean

her

awoke.

WILLIAM BARNES

392

THE VICTORIES OF LOVE]

[from

Your love

lacks joy,

your

letter says,

Yes; love requires the focal space

Of recollection Ere

Too

it

or of hope,

can measure

its

soon, too soon

own

scope.

comes Death

to

show

We love more deeply than we know LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

*> 355

!

!

The

rain, that fell

Too

gently to be call'd delight,

upon

the height

Within the dark vale reappears As a wild cataract of tears;

And

love in

life

should strive to see

Sometimes what love Easier to love, It is

we

in death

would be

so should find,

than to be just and kind.

COVENTRY PATMORE

THE VOICE

393

Woman much

missed,

how you

call to

me,

now you are not as you were When you had changed from the one who

call to

me,

Saying that

But

when our day was

as at first,

was

all

hear ? Let me view you, then, drew near to the town Where you would wait for me: yes, as I knew you Even to the original air-blue gown

Can

it

be you that

Standing

Or

is it

as

when

I

only the breeze, in

Heard no more again

far or

to

me

here,

existlessness,

near?

faltering forward,

I:

Leaves around

Wind

then,

its listlessness

mead

being ever consigned to

Thus

me,

I

Travelling across the wet

You

to

fair.

me

falling,

oozing thin through the thorn from norward,

And

the

woman

calling.

THOMAS HARDY 356

**»

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

I

—— — LUKE HAVERGAL

394 Go

Luke Havergal,

to the western gate,

There where the vines cling crimson on the wall, And in the twilight wait for what will come.

The

leaves will whisper there

of her, and some,

Like flying words, will strike you

But go, and

Go

if

you

as

they

fall;

listen she will call.

Luke Havergal

to the western gate,

Luke Havergal.

No,

To

there

rift

is

not a

dawn

in eastern skies

the fiery night that's in your eyes;

where western glooms are gathering, end the dark, if anything: God slays Himself with every leaf that flies, And hell is more than half of paradise. No, there is not a dawn in eastern skies

But

there,

The dark

will

In eastern skies.

Out of a grave I come to tell you this, Out of a grave I come to quench the kiss That flames upon your forehead with a glow That blinds you to the way that you must go. Yes, there Bitter,

is

yet one

but one that

way

faith

Out of a grave I come tell you this.

to

where she

may

to

tell

is,

never miss.

you

this

To

There

is

the western gate,

Luke Havergal,

There are the crimson leaves upon the wall. Go, for the winds are tearing them away,

Nor

think to riddle the dead words they say,

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

*> 357

—

!

Nor any more to feel tHem as they fall; But go, and if you trust her she will call. There is the western gate, Luke Havergal Luke Havergal.

EDWIN ARLINGTON ROBINSON

YOU HAD KNOWN

IF

395

If you

had known

When listening with her to the far-down moan Of the white-selvaged and empurpled sea, And rain came on that did not hinder Or damp your flashing facile gaiety In turning

By

home,

despite the

crooked ways, and over If you

talk,

slow wet walk

stiles

of stone;

had known

You would

lay roses,

on her monument, that discloses Its graying shape upon the luxuriant green; Fifty years thence to an hour, by chance led there, What might have moved you? yea, had you foreseen That on the tomb of the selfsame one, gone where The dawn of every day is as the close is, You would lay roses Fifty years thence,

—

THOMAS HARDY

396 AFTER A Hereto

I

come

Whither,

Up

the

And 358

**»

cliff,

to

view

JOURNEY

a voiceless ghost;

O whither will down,

till

its

whim now draw me?

I'm lonely,

lost,

the unseen waters' ejaculations

awe me.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

—

Where you

be

will next

Facing round about

there's

me

And

gray

Yes:

I

Summer gave

I have tracked you; of our past the dark space wherein I have lacked you?

With

see

the spots

autumn wrought

lastly as firstly

us twain,

closed

what you

To

to say

us sweets, but

Things were not

all's

at last;

the years, through the dead scenes

Scanned across

I

hair,

and rose-flush coming and going.

What have you now found

But

no knowing,

have re-entered your olden haunts

Through

!

everywhere,

With your nut-coloured eyes,

!

now,

you

division ?

well

tell?

despite Time's derision.

you

are doing:

are leading

we knew when we

me on

haunted here together,

The waterfall, above which the mist-bow shone At the then fair hour in the then fair weather,

And

the cave just under, with a voice

That

it

seems to

When you And

call

out to

were

all

is

so hollow

forty years ago,

aglow,

not the thin ghost that

Ignorant of what there

still

me from

I

now

flitting

frailly

here to

follow

see,

The waked birds preen and the seals flop lazily; Soon you will have, Dear, to vanish from me, For the stars close their shutters and the dawn whitens Trust me, I mind not, though Life lours, The bringing me here; nay, bring me here again I am just the same as when Our days were a joy, and our paths through flowers. Pentargon

hazily.

Bay

THOMAS HARDY

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

•%•

359

:

EXEQUY

397 THE

Accept, thou shrine of my dead Saint! Instead of dirges this complaint;

And

crown thy

for sweet flowers to

hearse,

Receive a strew of weeping verse

From

thy griev'd friend,

Quite melted into

Dear

loss

!

thee,

on

thee:

to meditate

thou

book,

art the

The library whereon I look Though almost blind. For thee I

thou might'st see

since thy untimely fate

My task hath been On

whom

tears for thee.

(lov'd clay!)

languish out, not live the day,

Using no other exercise But what I practise with mine eyes. By which wet glasses I find out

How lazily To one

that

time creeps about

mourns:

So

I

only

this,

My exercise and bus'ness

this

is:

compute the weary hours

With sighs dissolved into showers. Nor wonder if my time go thus Backward and most

Thou

preposterous;

hast benighted

me.

Thy

set

This eve of blackness did beget,

Who wast my

day, (though overcast

Before thou had'st thy noon-tide passed)

And I remember must Thou

in tears,

scarce had'st seen so

As day

tells

hours.

By

many

My love and fortune first did But thou

wilt never

Folded within

my

years

thy clear sun run;

more appear

hemisphere

Since both thy light and motion 36O

»*»

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

Like a fled

And

twixt

The earth With such As I

ne'er

star

and gone;

fall'n

is

me and my soul's now interposed is, a strange eclipse

was read

could allow

dear wish

doth make

in|

almanake.

thee^

for a time

To darken me and my sad clime, Were it a month, a year, or ten, I

would thy

And

all

exile lhfe

that space

my

then;

till

mirth adjourn

So thou wouldst promise to return; putting off thy ashy shroud

And

At length disperse this sorrow's cloud. But woe is me! the longest date Too narrow is to calculate These empty hopes. Never shall I

Be

so

much

blest, as to

descry

A glimpse of thee, till that day come Which shall the earth to cinders doom, And a fierce fever must calcine The body of this world,

(My

Little

Once

off,

like thine

World!). That

our bodies

fit

of fire

shall aspire

To our souls' bliss: then we shall rise, And view ourselves with clearer eyes In that calm region,

Can

where no night

hide us from each other's sight.

Meantime, thou hast her

May my harm do With Heaven's

will

Her longer mine,

My short-liv'd In her,

With I

a

whom most

I

give thee

right living

free

give thee what

I

it

stood

might not

I

and I

much good

earth:

thee. Since

call

all

interest

lov'd best:

and bounteous

grief,

could not keep.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

*> )6]

Be kind to her, and prithee look Thou write into thy Doomsday book Each

parcel of this rarity

Which

thy casket shrin'd doth

in

See that thou

And

make thy

lie:

reck'ning straight,

yield her back again

by weight;

For thou must audit on thy

trust

Each grain and atom of this dust: As thou wilt answer Him, that lent,

Not gave

thee,

my

dear

monument.

So close the ground, and 'bout her shade Black curtains draw, my bride is laid. Sleep

Never

on (my

love!) in thy cold

My last good night Till I

thy fate

!

Thou

wilt not

It

so

my

much

wake

shall overtake:

Till age, or grief, or sickness

Marry

bed

to be disquieted,

body loves;

My heart keeps

must

to that dust

and

fill

empty

in

the

room

thy tomb.

Stay for me there; I will not fail To meet thee in that hollow vale. And think not much of my delay; I am already on the way, And follow thee with all the speed Desire can make, or sorrows breed.

Each minute is a short degree ev'ry hour a step towards thee. At night when I betake to rest, Next morn I rise nearer my west Of life, almost by eight hours' sail, Than when sleep breath'd his drowsy gale. Thus from the sun my bottom steers, And my days' compass downward bears.

And

Nor 362 •»

labour

I

to

stem the

tide,

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

Through which 'Tis true;

Thou,

And

to thee

swiftly glide.

I

with shame and grief I

yield,

like the van, first took'st the field,

gotten hast the victory

In thus adventuring to die

Before me; whose more years might crave

A just precedence in the grave. But hark My pulse, like a soft drum !

my approach, tells thee I come; And slow howe'er my marches be,

Beats

I shall

at last sit

down by

The thought of this

And

wait

my

thee.

bids

me go

on,

dissolution

With hope and comfort. Dear! (forgive The crime) I am content to live Divided, with but half a heart, Till

we

shall

meet and never

part.

HENRY KING

398

O

all

ye

fair ladies

And your

THE REVENANT

with your colours and your graces,

eyes clear in flame of candle and hearth,

Toward the dark of this old window lift not up your Where a Shade stands forlorn from the cold of the

God knows

I

could not

rest for

one

I still

Like a rose sheathed in beauty her

Now

spirit

smiling faces, earth.

was thinking was to me;

of;

out of unforgottenness a bitter draught I'm drinking

'Tis sad

of such beauty unremembered to

of,

be.

Men all are shades, O Women. Winds wist not of the way they Apart from your kindness,

life's at

blow.

best but a snare.

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

-> jdj

—

Though

now

a tongue,

know What solitude

means, and how, homeless,

Strange, strange, are ye

Since

Not

I

life

seek one

enough

past praise, this bitter thing doth say,

I

I

all

—except

loved, yet

was

heaped, so thus

Now wrapt in the gross

I

I fare.

with her

in beauty shared

faithless to in death.

my

heart

clay, bereft

must

fare

with her,

of life's breath.

WALTER DE LA MARE

399

THE POOR GHOST

'Oh whence do you come, my dear friend, to me, With your golden hair all fallen below your knee,

And your And your

face as white as

'From the other world

My locks

snowdrops on the

I

come back

to you:

are uncurled with dripping drenching dew.

You know

the old, whilst

I know the new: know this too.'

But to-morrow you

shall

'Oh not to-morrow

into the dark,

Oh

I

pray;

not to-morrow, too soon to go away:

Here Give

I feel

me

warm and

well-content and gay:

another year, another day.'

'Am I so changed in a day and a night That mine own only love shrinks from Is

fain to turn

And 364 *>

lea,

voice as hollow as the hollow sea?'

cover up

away

me

to left or right

his eyes

from the

sight?'

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE IN DEATH

with

fright,

'Indeed

my

loved you,

I

loved you for

I

but

life,

chosen friend, life

has an end;

Through sickness I was ready to tend; But death mars all, which we cannot mend. Indeed If

you

Where Which 'Life

is

I

have planted a

the

gone, then love too

was a reed Never doubt

'I

not

I

Warm

in

will leave

to

is

the

dew makes

wet.'

gone,

upon:

you alone

rattling

bone with bone.

my bed, and deep

at the head,

with a load of lead, for the forgotten dead.

did your tears soak through the clay,

wake me where I enough away: now till the Judgment Day.*

did your sobs

was away,

me

leant

at the foot

enough

'But why And why

Let

I

wake you

deep

Roofed

I

that

go home alone

Dug

violet,

wind waves, which

It

And

I love you yet, where your bed is set,

loved you;

I

will stay

lay ?

far

sleep

2$ July 1863.

CHRISTINA ROSSETTT

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

*

j6j

AN END

400

Love, strong

as

Come,

make

let

Among

A

us

Death, his

is

dead.

bed

the dying flowers:

green turf at his head;

And

a stone at his feet,

Whereon we may

sit

In the quiet evening hours.

He was born in the spring, And died before the harvesting: On the last warm summer day He left us; he would not stay For autumn twilight cold and grey. Sit

we by

He

is

his grave,

and sing

gone away.

To few chords and Sing we so: Be our

eyes fixed

Shadow-veiled

sad and

on the

low

grass

as the years pass,

While we think of all

that

was

In the long ago. 5

March 1849.

CHRISTINA ROSSETTI

366

**•

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

401 Shall

I

compare thee

to a

summer's day?

Thou art more lovely and more temperate: Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date: Sometime too hot the eye of heaven

shines,

And often is his gold complexion dimm'd; And every fair from fair sometime declines, By chance, or nature's changing course untrimm'd; But thy

Nor Nor

eternal

summer

lose possession shall

When

shall

of that

not fade,

fair

thou ow'st,

death brag thou wander'st in his shade,

in eternal lines to

men

So long

as

So long

lives this,

time thou grow'st,

can breathe, or eyes can

and

see,

this gives life to thee.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

LOVE RENOUNCED AND LOVE

IN

DEATH

*

J67

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Permission to use copyright material

is

gratefully

acknowledged

to the

following:

Mr. Alan Hodge and The Hogarth Press for 'Shepherdess' from Poems 1905-1953 by Norman Cameron; Mrs. H. M. Davies and Jonathan Cape Ltd. for 'The Visitor' from The Complete Poems of W. H. Davies; the Literary Trustees of Walter de la Mare and the Society of Authors for 'The Revenant' from The Collected Poems of Walter de la Mare 1969; Faber and Faber Ltd. for 'La Figlia Che Piange' Collected

from

Collected

Poems 1909-1962 by T.

Gertrude Hoffman

S. Eliot;

Editions Gallimard for

from Capitale de la Douleur by Paul Eluard; Mr. Robert Graves for four poems from Collected Poems 1965, 'Song: How Can I Care' from Poems 1965-68, and 'With a Gift of Rings' from Poems 1970-72 by Robert Graves; Colin Smythe Ltd. for 'Donal Oge' by Augusta Gregory; the Trustees of the Hardy Estate, the Macmillan Company of Canada and Macmillan, London and Basingstoke, for seven poems from Collected Poems by Thomas Hardy; the Society of Authors for the Estate of A. E. Housman and Jonathan Cape Ltd. for two poems from Collected Poems by A. E. Housman; John Murray (Publishers) Ltd. for 'Tarn i' the Kirk' from Songs of Angus by Violet Jacob; the Society of Authors for the Estate of James Joyce for two poems by James Joyce; Laurence Pollinger Ltd. and the Estate of Mrs. Frieda Lawrence for five poems from The Complete Poems ofD. H. Lawrence published by William Heinemann Ltd.; Faber and Faber Ltd. for two poems from The Collected Poems by Louis MacNeice; Jonathan Cape Ltd. for 'The Riddle' from Poems and 'Calypso's Song to Ulysses' from Ride the Nightmare by Adrian Mitchell; Faber and Faber Ltd. for two poems from Collected Shorter Poems by Ezra Pound; Laurence Pollinger Ltd. for two poems from 'Les

Selected

woode

Girls'

Poems by John Crowe Ransom published by Eyre & Spottis& Jenkins for four poems by E.J. Scovcll; London

Ltd.; Barric

Magazine for

'Part

of Plenty' by Bernard Spencer; Oxford University by Allen Tate and included in

Press for 'The Vigil of Venus' translated

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

**»

)6g

The Swimmers and Other

Selected Poems;

d'Aute' from Selected Poems

Garnerstone Press for 'Eros

by Theodore Wratislaw;

Clark and the Trustees of the

Andrew Young

to

by Andrew Young; and to the Oxford University Press tion' from Collected Poems by Conrad Aiken. a

While every effort has been made few cases proved impossible to trace

apologize for our apparent negligence.

370 »>

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Mr. Leonard two poems

Estate for

for Annihila-

to secure permission,

it

has in

the author or his executor.

We

NOTES AND REFERENCES (For the poems from the sixteenth- and seventeenth-century songbooks references are given below to E. A. Fellowes, English Madrigal Verse, 3rd edn., 1967, and to Edward Doughtie, Lyrics from English Airs 1596-1622, Harvard 1970.) 2.

Death of Eli, 1921.

3.

Lusty Juventus,

8.

c.

Tudor

Facsimile Texts, 1907.

1632. Roxburghe Ballads

13. Poesies

ii.

639.

Completes 1858. manchy: a rattan

stringed musical instrument

made from

litter,

a calabash.

bobre: a one-

These are two

words from Reunion, the French colony in the Indian Ocean where Lecante de Lisle grew up, and which is the setting of the poem. 14.

Thomas

Ford, Musicke of Sundrie Kindes, 1607. Doughtie, p. 277.

19. cheer: fave,

countenance.

21.

Formerly attributed to Ralegh. A version of Ronsard, Amours de Cassandre XX; Gorges substitutes a swan for Ronsard' s white bull.

25.

The

26.

The Angel

27.

Martin Peerson, Private Musicke 1620. Fellowes,

28.

William Corkine, Ayrcs, 16 10. Doughtie,

Pervigilium Veneris, by an unknown writer of the fourth (?) century a.d. In No. 26 Patmore gives his version of the refrain. in the

House, Canto VII. See note

37. II Pastor Fido, 1637,

Guarini's 40.

The Maid

II

Act

3,

Scene

on No.

25.

p. 174.

p. 336.

5 (translation

of Giovan

Battista

Pastor Fido, 1590).

in the Mill,

1647, Act

5,

Scene

I.

from Harleian MS. 7578. Not (as stated by Chambers and Sidgwick, Early English Lyrics, 1907) a 'short extract* from a longer poem, but a song, or part of a song, inserted

43. Archiv 107, 61 (1901),

in a doggerel description

on

St.

Cuthbert's

Day

of Elizabethan

—mummers,

through every thus can they

jollifications in

Durham

pipers, dancers, singing, etc., strcit

go

NOTBS AND RBF1RBNCII

•* 37*

and every man horn did blow

his

tro tro tro tro

ro ro ro ro ro ro troro tro tro tro

—

which follows

after

song of the bride,

this

bailie: bailiff,

beareth the bell away: carries off the prize. 47.

track up to the ruins of Montgomery Castle every spring with huge primroses.

The

is still

illuminated

House, close of Canto XI.

50.

The Angel

51.

Sonnets from the Portuguese.

52.

The Thracian Wonder, 1661 (ascribed to Webster and Rowley), Act 1, Scene 1.

55. Love's

in the

Labour

56.

The Winter

57.

Sixteenth

s Lost,

Act

Act

s Tale,

4,

4,

Scene

Scene

3.

4.

from the Bannatyne MS.,

century,

Scottish

Text

Society. 58.

Death of Eli, 1921.

59. pale: pall, mantle,

spangs: spangles, felter'd: felted,

matted,

travesing: traversing. 62.

The Fourth Song

63.

The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act

in Astrophel and Stella. 1,

Scene

3.

65. Menaphon, 1589. 68. Greenes

Mourning Garment, 1590.

69. Songs of Angus, 191 5. 70.

An

expansion o£ Sappho 90:

Sweet mother, I cannot work the loom Tender Aphrodite subdues me so with longing for 73. Ault, Seventeenth Century Lyrics, 1928.

(Bodley

a boy.

MS. Malone

13.)

The Rape of Lucre ce, 1630.

80.

81. avisiness: deliberation. 82.

John Farmer, The

First Set

p. 104.

372 »>

NOTES AND REFERENCES

of English Madrigals, 1599. Fellowes,

84.

Thomas Morley's

88.

Nicholas Yonge, Musica Transalpine 1588. Fellowcs,

89. In

97.

many

parts

of France periwinkle

copses in the

still

No. 122 and

note.

Based on

Booke of Ayrcs, 1600. Fcllowes,

Firste

leafless

is

as

common

in

p. 623.

p. 326.

woods and

spring as primroses in England. See also

French chanson.

a

coy: stroke. 103.

Cean Dubh

Deelish: dear black head.

look pale,

105. distain: cause to

chere: expression, look. 107.

The

first

stanza

is

a version

no. Alexander and Campaspe, in. The Merchant of

Venice,

of Catullus's Vivamus, mea

Act

5,

Scene

1.

115.

John Wilson,

Cheerful Ayres or Ballads, 1660.

118.

John Wilbye,

First Set

Guarini's Dice

la

mia

of English Madrigals, 1598. A translation of from Rime, 1598 (Fcllowes, p. 306).

bellissima,

120.

The House of Life, LXIX.

121.

The Angel

in the

Lesbia.

1632.

House, Canto VII.

was regarded in the Middle Ages and after as a venereal plant. It was eaten to increase love and appetite between husband and wife. See also No. 89.

122. Periwinkle

126.

The

Mad Lover,

1647, Act 4, Scene

127.

The Angel

128.

The Temple ofGlas;

in the

1.

House, Preludes. a balade simple,

i.e.

without an envoi,

persant: piercing. glad: shining, price:

honour, glory,

willy: kindly, benevolent,

gladding: brightening, twin: part. 129.

The Angel

133.

The

134.

The Thracian Wonder, 1661 (ascribed to Webster and Rowley), Act 2, Scene 1.

135.

Thomas Morley,

in the

Mad Lover,

stanza

of an

House, Canto XI. 1647,

Act

4,

Madrigalls

Italian

poem by

Scene

1.

Foure Voyces, 1594, from the first Livio Ccliano (Fcllowes, p. 139).

to

NOTBS AND REFERENCES

•%»

373

137-

Michael Cavendish, 14 Ayres, 1598.

O

dots, deus, etc.:

'O God, God, there

is

no

my

grief like

adapted from the Lamentations of Jeremiah, of the Vulgate (Doughtie, p. 90).

1,

grief,

12, in the Latin

overwhelmed.

139. ourhailit:

140. Carolina;

or,

Loyal Poems, 1683.

143. England's Helicon, 1600.

More Chaste Than Kind, 1596.

146. Fidessa,

147. 149.

The Chances, 1647, Act

3,

John Wilbye, The Second

153. Richard Alison,

An

Scene

2.

Set of Madrigales, 1609. Fellowes, p. 311.

Honres Recreation

in

Musicke, 1606. Fellowes,

p. 12.

154.

c.

1580. Printed in

A

Handeful of Pleasant Delites, 1584.

Yonge, Musica

155. Nicholas

Transalpina:

The Second Booke of Madri-

galles, 1597.

156. Sonnets pour Helene, 2 e Livre. 159.

William Corkine, Ayres, To Sing and Play Doughtie, p. 337. carted: publicly trundled

160.

170.

round

in a cart as a

The Spanish Bawd, 163 1 (from the Comedia by Francisco de Rojas).

A

to

the Lute,

1610.

whore.

de Calisto

y Melibea,

version of Petrarch's Sonnet 189.

173. or: ere, before. 174. Noli

me

Caesar's

touch me not. ame: the hind is Henry

tangere: I

A

John

181.

A version of sonnet VIII,

Bartlet,

VIII's

Anne Boleyn.

Booke of Ayres, 1606. Doughtie,

180.

Philippe Desportes

(1

p. 244.

2 e Livre, Les

546-1606):

'J

e

Amours de Diane, 1573, by me veux rendre Hermite, et

faire penitence.'

188. ^4 discourse of the adventures passed by Master F. ]., in

A

Hundreth

Sundrie Flowres, 1573. 189. trentals: sets of thirty masses for the repose of souls of the dead. 190. Latine Songs and Poems, 1685. 194.

A un

374 *>

version of the Provencal alba (twelfth- thirteenth century) 'En vergier sotz folha d'albespi'.

NOTES AND REFERENCES

197- Tobias

Hume, The

198. Becket,

Act

2,

200. Fronleichnam: 202.

First Part

Scene

of Ayres, 1605. Doughtie, p. 199.

1.

Corpus

Christi.

John Attey, The First Booke of Ayres, 1622. Based on a French song shortened and improved by the translator (Doughtie, p. 415).

2X1. Authorized Version

of the Bible, 161 1.

212. Sonnets pour Helene, 2 e Livre.

214. Ibid.

221.

John Dowland, The with

p. 75,

slight

First Book of Songs or Ayres, 1597 (Doughtie, changes from England's Helicon, 1600).

Act

222.

Troilus and Cressida,

223.

Romeo and Juliet, Act

224. Robert Jones,

A

3,

1,

Scene

Scene

1.

2.

Musicall Dreame, 1609. Doughtie, p. 326.

D

Bodley MS. Rawlinson 913, just darkened parchment. Modernized from transcription in R. H. Robbins, Secular Lyrics of the XlVth XVth Centuries, 1952. As remarkable a fragment(?) surely as more famous Westron Wind, No. 270 ii.

227. Fourteenth century.

cipherable

229. Title

on

its

251.

the

and the

from Sappho 40: Now Love that Sweetly

231.

de-

bitter

dissolves the limbs shakes me, unvanquishable creeping thing.

Tragical History of Doctor Faustus.

The

shorter (and earlier) version

from Puttenham's Arte of English

Poesie, 1589.

256. In the

MS.

259.

Ashm. 38 f. 77) said to have been written the night before he died.*

(Bodleian.

by Drayton

John Dowland, The Third and Last Booke of Songs Doughtie,

or Aires, 1603.

p. 178.

266. Poems, 1664.

W. A. Ringler, 1962. But without all the editor's emendations aimed at correcting Sidney's sapphic metre,

267. Poems, ed.

persers: piercers.

who are always repeating in iheir swerved: forsaken, avoided.

rehearsers: those

270.

talk,

Late thirteenth-early fourteenth century. G. L. Brook, The Harley Lyrics, 1948. Written out in the MS. (British Museum,

i.

NOTBS AND REFBRBNCBS

•¥ 375

Harley 2253) as the burden to a dissimilar poem. Either a song fragment or possibly (Dronke, Medieval Latin and the Rise of European Love-Lyric, 1968, i. 125) 'a traditional song, complete in itself.

Chambers and Sidgwick, Early fragment of a night- visit song recovered in modern form from a Dorset singer (59A in James Reeves, The Everlasting Circle, i960). See A. L. Lloyd, Folk Song in England,

ii.

Early

sixteenth

English Lyrics, 1907.

century.

A

1967.

273

.

TotteF s Miscellany, 1557.

276. William Byrd, Psalms, Sonets and Songs of sadnes and pietie, 1588.

From

Ovid's Heroides

i

(Fellowes, p. 48).

287. Choice Drollery, 1656. 289. preve: prove. 290. Roxburghe Ballads, ed. Chappell and

Ebsworth

I,

454, reprinted

with another version in Bishop Percy's Folio Manuscript: Loose and Humorous Songs, ed. F.J. Furnivall, 1868. 294.

The

title is

from Horace, Odes,

4. 1.

Intermissa, Venus, diu

rursus bella moves, parce, precor, precor.

non sum qualis eram bonae sub regno Cinarae. start up the long abandoned wars again. No, no, am not what I was when

Venus, you'd I

I

beg you.

gentle Cinara reigned. 298. For the

title

see Euripides,

Hippolytus 538:

"Epcos TUpccwos

dcvSpcov, 'Love absolute ruler of men'.

299. Modern Love, 307.

319.

XLV.

The Thracian Wonder, 1661 Act 1, Scene 1. The Captain, 1647. Act

3,

song'. 320. wait: wot.

deid: death, sichis: sighs,

wilsome: dreary. 376 *>

NOTES AND REFERENCES

(ascribed to

Scene

Webster and Rowley),

4. Lelia asks for

it

as 'the sad

pierced,

thirlit:

sea: send.

322.

The House of Life,

LIII.

326. Becket, Prologue. 328.

Monna

Innominata, the Lady Unnamed. The quotations above from Dante, Purgatorio VIII, 1 ('It was the hour

the sonnets are

of those

that reverses the desire

XX

heart'); Petrarch, Sonnet

('I

who go

to sea

come back

and melts the

to the time

when

saw you first'); Dante, Paradiso III, 85 ('In his will is our peace'), and Petrarch, Sonetti e Canzoni XXX ('Alone with these thoughts,

I

with leafage changed'). 333. Title:

O

'The

who weeps.' memorem virgo:

girl

Virgil, Aeneid 1. 327. *0 what you, lady' (Aeneas encounters, but does not recogize, his mother Venus).

quam

te

shall I call

334. trad the trace: trod the path,

337. Mid-fifteenth century. R.

and XVth Centuries, No. undo: undone, y-do: done,

moo: more.

H. Robbins,

Secular Lyrics of the

XlVth

23.

saws: promises. 340. pretence: intention. laid his faith to

borrow: pledged or pawned

his

word.

342. This and the following three poems are printed in dated sequence in Christina Rossetti's Collected Poems, edited by her brother, William Michael Rossetti, who must have known all the circumstances in which they were written. I have left the first of the poems without its title 'Lady Montrevor'. This seems to have been only a device by which Christina Rossetti separated the poem from herself. 349. Francis Pilkington, p. 636;

Doughtie,

351. lever: liefer,

more

The

First

Booke of Songs, 1605. Fcllowes,

p. 228.

acceptable.

353.

Modern Love XI and XII.

355.

Based on Ronsard's famous poem, No. 36,

p. 54.

358. Modern Love XLIII. 361.

Modern Love

XXIX

and

XXX. NOTES AND RBFBRBNCBS

ȴ 377

368. Belie 1544, dizaine

CCCLXXVIII."

custodes curtains, heur: happiness, freedom. 370. Delie 1544, dizaine (j') ars:

(I)

LCCCXLVII.

burn.

380. Seventeenth century. T. J. Jones Penillion Telyn. The penill a traditional four-line song which was sung to the harp.

382.

The Maides Tragedy, 1619. Act

384.

Walter Porter, Madrigales and Ayres, 1632. Fellowes,

392.

The

378 •¥

Victories

of Love,

Book

NOTES AND REFERENCES

II,

2,

V.

Scene

1.

p. 647.

is

INDEX OF POETS AND POEMS page

AIKEN,

CONRAD

(b.

1889)

309. Annihilation

278

ANONYMOUS 227. All night

224.

And

is it

135. April 149.

As

is

by

in

fair as

A

my

155.

i

207 mistress' face

ma Blonde

Well-wishing to

57. Blest, blest

270.

209

morn

281. Aupres de 290.

the rose

night

253

a Place

of Pleasure

and happy be

is

243

my love

148

276. Constant Penelope sends to thee

would

I

82. Fair Phyllis

I

change that note saw sitting all alone 159. He that hath no mistress 337. I loved a child of this countrie 42. Invocation que les filles pourront faire 154. Lady Greensleeves 4. Le Canard blanc 307. Love is a law, a discord of such force 52. Love Pursued 8. Love will Find out the Way 202. On a time the amorous Silvy 197. Fain

27.

Open

the door!

Who's

there within?

25. Pervigilium Veneris

153. Shall

I

122. Sur les

abide

.

43.

The Lady Prayeth The maiden came

184

96 150

302 58

145

20 278

70 24 188

47 144 122

palais

28. Sweet, Sweet, Sweet, let

273

249

41

this jesting

Marches du

262 75

Blow, northern wynd

Brown

134 142

me go

the Return of her Lover

48

246 y;

INDBX OF POETS AND POEMS

*> 379

page i8o.

380.

380. 14.

118.

384.

The Queen of Paphos, ii. The Rock i. The Yew Tree There

is

a lady sweet

Ericine

and kind

Thus saith my Chloris bright Thus sung Orpheus to his strings

84. Thyrsis

To

and Milla

his

ARNOLD, MATTHEW 23. A Dream AYTON,

SIR

ROBERT

302. Inconstancy

30.

391. 67.

344 32 120

347 203

344 317 4i

134 233

243 118 133

99

(l822-88)

39 (157O-1638)

Reproved

BARNES, WILLIAM (l80I-86) 215. Heedless o' my Love 7.

344-

97

Love 380. Two Welsh Penillion 344. Underneath a cypress shade the Queen of love 25. Vigil of Venus 137. Wand'ring in this place as in a wilderness 259. Weep you no more, sad fountains 270. ii. Westron wynd 115. Wherefore peep'st thou, envious day 134. Whither shall I go 88. Within a greenwood sweet

221.

168

198

22

In the Spring

My Love's Guardian Angel The Wind at the Door White an Blue

BARNFIELD, RICHARD (1574-1627) 143. As it fell upon a day

BAUDELAIRE, CHARLES

274

49

354 86

138

(182I-67)

233. Les Bijoux

213

235.

LeParfum

215

363.

Le

359.

Un Voyage

380 ȴ

Portrait

329 a Cythere

INDBX OF POBTS AND POEMS

324

d

page

BEDDOES, THOMAS LOVELL (1803-49) 210. Bridal Song 206. Under the Lime Tree BLAKE, WILLIAM 209. Abstinence I

laid

192

(1757-1827)

sows sand

me down upon

all

over

194

bank 179. My Silks and Fine Array 142. The Garden of Love 208. The Question Answer' 141.

194

a

137 167 137

194

BOLD, HENRY (1627-83) 266. Song: Chloris, forbear a while 190.

Song:

266

Fire, Fire

177

BOYD, MARK ALEXANDER (1563-1601) 139. Sonet

135

BRETON, NICHOLAS 9.

A Report

Song

(1545 ?-l626?) in a

Dream

27

BROWNE OF TAVISTOCK, WILLIAM (1592-1643) 11. Song: Choose now among this fairest number 10.

The

Song

Syrens'

BROWNING, ELIZABETH BARRETT 285. 51.

(l8o6-6l)

A Denial I

thought

28

28

257

how

once Theocritus had sung

70

BROWNING, ROBERT (1812-89) 218. From In a Gondola

200

217. Meeting at

200

Night

BURNS, ROBERT (1759-96) 90. 92.

O my Luve's like a red, red rose O were my Love yon lilac fair

CALLANAN, JEREMIAH JOSEPH 123. The Outlaw of Loch Lene

CAMERON, NORMAN

100 102

(1795-1829)

124

(1905-53)

204. Shepherdess

189

INDBX OP POETS AND POEMS

*%>

38I

1

page

CAMPION, THOMAS 107.

My sweetest Lesbis

138. Shall

boy,

Silly

59.

What

'tis full

pomp

fair

177.

When

178.

Where

are

all

moon

have

thou must

CAREW, THOMAS

A

112

come, sweet Love, to thee

I

19.

246.

(1567-1620)

I

home

135

yet

36

spied to shades

thy beauties

of underground

now

222

Ask me no more Song: Mediocrity in Love Rejected

228. Song: 186.

167

(l595?-l64o)

Pastoral Dialogue

300. Song:

79 167

To my

Inconstant Mistress

209 173

273

CARTWRIGHT, WILLIAM (16H-43) 216.

No

Platonic

Love

CHAUCER, GEOFFREY

199

(l340?-I40o)

105. Balade

CLARE, 6.

A

11

JOHN

(1793-1864)

Spring Morning

22

Love Hid my Love

92

76. First 17. I

151. Song: 77.

The

I

Would

34 not Feign a Single Sigh

Secret

To Mary: To Mary:

93

Thee It is the Evening Hour 325. 258. Winter Winds Cold and Blea 205. With Garments Flowing 324.

I

Sleep with

DANIEL, SAMUEL (1562-1619) 150. If this be love, to draw a weary breath

DARLEY, GEORGE (1795-1846) 16. The Mermaiden's Vesper-hymn

DAVENANT, 78.

382

»%»

143

SIR

JOHN (1606-68) now leaves his

Song: The lark

wat'ry nest

INDEX OF POETS AND POEMS

290 291

232 190

142

33

94

page H. (187I-I940)

DAVIES, W. 220.

The

220

Visitor

DE LA MARE, WALTER (1873-IO56) 398. The Revenant

364

DESBORDES-VALMORE, MARCELINE 341. 96.

([786-1859)

La Promenade d'automne

307

Le Soir

105

226. Les Roses de Saadi 339.

Qu'en avez-vous

208

fait?

305

DESNOS, ROBERT (19OO-45) 203.

Chant du

189

ciel

DESPORTES, PHILIPPE (1546-I606) 181. Like to a Hermit Poor

169

DICKINSON, EMILY (183O-86) 323.

My life

closed twice before

DONNE, JOHN 48.

A

on

Going

to

219.

172. Love's

close

290

(1573-1631)

Nocturnal upon

278. Elegy

its

St.

Lucy's

Day

67

his Mistress

249

Bed

201

Deity

161

265.

Take heed of loving me

236

314.

The Apparition The Primrose The Relic The Sun Rising The Triple Fool

284

47.

385.

243. 148.

66 347 220 141

d'orleans, CHARLES (l394?-I465) 81.

My ghostly father me confess I

DOWSON, ERNEST (1867-I900) 294. Non sum qualis eram DRAYTON, MICHAEL 295.

An

282.

As Love and

evil spirit,

96

266

(1563-1631)

your beauty

I,

late

harbour'd in one inn

INDEX OF POETS AND POEMS

254 •¥ 383

page 369.

How many

paltry, foolish, painted things

338

Nothing but no and I 316. Since there's no help 256. So well I love thee 161.

DRUMMOND

OF

151

285

230

HAWTHORNDEN, WILLIAM

(1585-1649)

94. Madrigal

103

DUNBAR, WILLIAM 145. To a Lady ELIOT, 333.

T.

La

S.

(l456?-I5I3

139

(1888-I965)

Figlia

Che Piange

298

ELUARD, PAUL (1895-1952) 60. Les Gertrude Hoffmann

FANSHAWE, 37.

?)

SIR

RICHARD

80

Girls

(1608-66)

Beauty

FERGUSON,

55

SAMUEL

SIR

(l8l0-86)

260. Cashel of Munster 103.

FLATMAN, THOMAS 313.

233

no

Cean Dubh Deelish

An

(1637-88)

Appeal to Cats

in the Business

of Love

FLETCHER, JOHN (1579-1625) 382. Lay a garland on my hearse 147. Merciless Love, 40.

126.

346

whom nature hath

Now having leisure, and a O Divine Star of Heaven

283

denied

happy wind

140 57 125

133.

Orpheus

am

133

319.

The Sad Song

286

I

FORD, JOHN (1586-164O?) 308. Oh no more, no more, too

GASCOIGNE, GEORGE 188.

And

if

I

late

279

(1542-77)

did what then

174

GORGES, SIR ARTHUR (1577-1625) 97.

384

•%»

Henceforth

I

will not set

my

love

INDEX OF POETS AND POEMS

106

page 95. 157. 21.

Her

Her tongue

face

She that holds

Would

I

me

Her wit

104

under the laws oflove

were chang'd into

that golden

GRAHAM, JAMES, MARQUIS OF MONTROSE 163. I'll never love thee More GRAVES, ROBERT 255. 144. 116.

268. 305.

234.

149

shower

37

(1612-56) 152

1895)

(fc>.

Counting the Beats Love without Hope She Tells her Love while Half Asleep Song: How can I care

229

The Foreboding With a Gift of Rings

277

139 119

242 215

GREENE, ROBERT (l558?~92) 68.

Hexametra Alexis

65.

Samela

in

Laudem Rosamundi

87 65

GREGORY, AUGUSTA (1852-I932) 338.

Donal Oge

302

GREVILLE, FULKE, LORD 354. Farewell, sweet

BROOKE

(1554-1628)

boy

321

158.

I,

with whose colours Myra dress'd her head

149

104.

Love, the delight of all well-thinking minds

no

GRIFFIN, T

46. Fair

BARTHOLOMEW (d. 1602) is my love that feeds among

GRIGSON, GEOFFREY

(b.

the

lilies

I9O5)

201. Bibliotheca Bodleiana 315.

End of the

140

187

285

Affair

109.

May

Trees in a Storm

114

253.

Two

are

Together

22S

GUARINI, GIOVAN BATTISTA (1538-T612) 37.

118.

Beauty

Thus

saith

55

my

Chloris bright

120

HARDY, THOMAS (184O-I928) 164.

A

Broken Appointment

1

INDEX OF POITS AND POEMS

s

*>

J

ifj

page 83.

A

Thunderstorm

97

Journey

396. After a 357.

Town

in

358

Love you had Known The Comet at Yell' ham The Voice I

Said to

323

395. If

358

362.

329

393.

356

HERRICK, ROBERT (159I-1674) 100.

A

192.

Love what

53.

Conjuration, to Electra

Lovers

108 181

it is

how

they

come and

part

71

213.

No

102.

To Daisies, not to shut so soon To the Virgins, to make much of Time Upon Julia's Clothes

38.

99.

Loathsomeness in Love

HEYWOOD, THOMAS 80. Pack, clouds,

HOUSMAN, 321.

The

I

liked

you

mill-stream,

95

better

now

that noises cease

244

(1802-85)

91.

A

18.

Adolescence

89.

Or, nous cueillions ensemble

Femme

une

342 289

(l5I7?~47)

Complaint of the Absence of her Lover

HUGO, VICTOR

55 108

165O?)

(d.

away

HOWARD, HENRY, EARL OF SURREY 272.

109

(185O-I936)

A. E.

377. Because

197

244. Puisque j'ai mis

101 35

ma

levre a ta

la

pervenche

coupe

99 221

JACOB, VIOLET (1863-I946) 69.

Tarn

i'

the Kirk

87

JONSON, BEN (1572-I637) 79.

Song.

To

Celia

98. Still to be neat 1 01.

386

»%»

Thou more

than most sweet glove

INDEX OF POETS AND POEMS

94 107 109

page

JOYCE, JAMES (1882-I941) 261. O sweetheart, hear you 257. Sleep now, O sleep now KEATS,

JOHN

397.

231

(1795-1821)

24. Bright Star!

KING,

234

HENRY

would

were

I

steadfast as

thou

art

40

(1592-1669)

The Exequy

360

KYNASTON, SIR FRANCIS (1587-1642) 247. To Cynthia on her Embraces

223

LAFORGUE, JULES (1860-87) 282

311. Esthctique

LANDOR, WALTER SAVAGE (1775-1864) 373.

Ah what

avails the sceptred race

340

292. Art thou afraid the adorer's prayer 125. Called

265

Proud

125

389. Dirce

354

329.

From Sappho Have I, this moment,

335.

I

70.

cannot

86. Ianthe's

tell,

not

why

from the beach

346. 185.

My hopes

318.

No, thou

Is it

299

he

244

98

that

retire;

I

am

312

my

wishes as before

hast never griev'd but

I

173

griev'd too

136.

O fond, but fickle and untrue O friends who have accompanied me thus far O Friendship! Friendship! the shell of Aphrodite

124.

On

330. 54.

the

smooth brow and

372. Past ruin'd Ilion 374.

Helen

clustering hair

lives

317.

196.

Proud words you never spoke hour from wondering crowds Silent, you say, I'm grown of late The Loves who many years held all my mind The torch of Love dispels the gloom

INDEX

286 295 71

134 125

339

291. Retired this

347.

294

she

Troubles

no dream Love and Age

271.

I,

88 led thee

Ol

POETS AND POEMS

340 264 286 312 184

**»

387

page 87.

375. 45.

187.

Thou hast not rais'd, Ianthc, such desire Twenty years hence my eyes may grow You see the worst oflove

341

You

174

smiled,

LAWRENCE,

you spoke, and

I

believed

98

64

D. H. (1885-1930)

200. Fronleichnam

186

242. Gloire de Dijon

219

241.

Green

219

240.

On

218

the Balcony

239. River Roses

LECOMTE DE 13.

217

LISLE, C H

ARL LS-M A RI b (1818-94)

Le Manchy

30

LOVELACE, RICHARD (1618-58) 301. The Scrutiny 275. To Althea from Prison 279. To Lucasta, going to the Wars

LYDGATE, JOHN

LYLY,

(c.

JOHN

247 251

I37O-I449/50)

Simple

128. Balade

273

126

(i554?-i6o6)

no. Cupid and

my Campaspe

played

114

MABBE, JAMES (1572-1642?) 160.

Sweet

trees

who

shade

this

mould

DE MACHAUT, GUILLAUME (l300?~77) 85. Rondeau

MACNEICE, LOUIS (1907-63) 238. From 'Trilogy for X' 297. The Old Story

MARLOWE, CHRISTOPHER

231.

388

»*»

98

217 269

(1564-93)

232. Corinnae Concubitus 20.

151

Hero feels the Shaft of Love The Face that Launched a Thousand Ships

INDEX OF POETS AND POEMS

212 36

212

page

MARVELL, ANDREW (162I-78) 184. The Definition of Love

To

35.

his

Coy

172

Mistress

53

MEREDITH, GEORGE (1828-IQO9) Am I failing? For no longer can 361 i.

299.

It is

I

cast

the season of the sweet wild rose

353

Mark where the pressing wind shoots javclin-likc Not solely that the future she destroys Out in the yellow meadows where the bee i.

361

ii.

358.

353

ii.

What

are

we

animals

first? First,

327

272 324 320 319 328

MILTON, JOHN (1608-74) 93.

390.

From

On

'Paradise Lost'

102

Dead Wife

354

his

MITCHELL, ADRIAN 237. Calypso's

Song

(b.

I932)

216

to Ulysses

216

236. Riddle

MONTGOMERIE, ALEXANDER To his Maistres

(l556?-l6lO?) 221

245.

MOORE, THOMAS 119. Thee, Thee,

(1779-1852)

Only Thee

120

DE NERVAL, GERARD (1808-55) 15. Fantaisie

33

JOHN (1747-I833) Amo, Amas

O'KEEFE, 61.

PATMORE, COVENTRY 50.

392.

81

(1823-96)

Across the sky the daylight crept

From 'The

69

Victories of Love'

355

127. Perspective

364. 352. 1.

121. 26. 129.

12/6

The Azalea The Barren Shore The Revelation The Spirit's Epochs 'Twas when the spousal time of May

330

Whirl'd off at

129

319 19

[22

46

last

INDEX

OI-

POETS AND POEMS

*

\9Q

PEELE,

GEORGE

29.

Hot

41.

When

(1556-96)

sun, cool fire

PETRARCH

as the

rye reach to the chin

(1304-74)

170.

The Lover Comparcth

POE,

EDGAR ALLAN (1809-49) A Dream within a Dream To Helen

332. 191.

POUND, EZRA 195.

his State to a

160

Ship

297 181

(1885-I972)

Alba

183

194. Vcrgier

RALEGH, 46.

181. 183.

182

WALTER

SIR

(l552?-l6l8)

As you came from the holy land Like to a Hermit Poor My thoughts are winged with hopes

RANSOM, JOHN CROWE

(t>.

64 169 171

l888)

39.

Blue Girls

56

75.

Spectral Lovers

91

RIMBAUD, ARTHUR

(1854-91)

379. Ophclie 22.

Reve pour

l'hiver

ROBINSON, EDWIN ARLINGTON (1869-I935) Turannos Luke Havergal

298. Eros

270

394.

357

DE RONSARD, PIERRE (1524-85) 32.

A

sa

Maitresse (Mignonnc, allons voir

si

la

214. Ccs longues nuicts d'hyver 156.

Genevres

212. Je ne

74. Je plante 36.

en

Quand vous

230. Stances

390 •*

herissez, et vous,

veux comparer ta

tes

rose)

51

197

houx espineux la Lunc

bcautez a

faveur cest arbre

91

serez bien vieille

(Quand au temple nous

INDEX OF POETS AND POEMS

148

196

serons)

54 210

page

ROSSETTI, CHRISTINA (183O-94)

Death

386. After

400.

349

An End

344. Bitter for

366

Sweet

342.

Echo I do not look

335.

May

331.

Meeting

269.

311

242 for love that

296

and sang alway

She

345. Song:

When I am

336.

328.

sat

dead,

120.

DANTE GABRIEL Autumn Idleness

322.

Without Her

ROSSETTI,

368.

my

310

dearest

The Poor Ghost Twice Two Sonnets from 'Monna Innominata'

SCEVE,

MAURICE t'

311

364 300

294

(1828-82) 121

289 (fl.

I535-64)

La blanche Aurore

370. Si tu

309

299

343. Song:

399.

dream

a

is

enquiers

a peine finyssoit

pourquoy

sur

mon tombeau

337 338

SCOTT, ALEXANDER (l525?-84) 320.

Lament of the Master of Erskine

SCOVELL,

E. J.

112.

A

262.

Alone

(b.

1907)

116

Betrothal

132. In a

23

Wood

131. Love's

287

s

[19

Immaturity

128

SEDLEY, SIR CHARLES (l639?-I70l) 31.

Song: Love

still

has something of the sea

SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM (1564-1616) 350. Blow, blow, thou winter wind 376. Come away, come away, death 66.

Crabbed age and youth cannot live together no more the heat o'the sun

383. Fear

INDEX OF POETS AND POIMS

50

J

[7

U'

u ->

()

V)l

page

From 'Love's Labour's Lost' 223 i. From 'Romeo and Juliet': Gallop apace 223 ii. From 'Romeo and Juliet': Wilt thou be gone in. From 'The Merchant of Venice' 63. From 'The Two Gentlemen of Verona' 56. From 'The Winter's Tale' 222. From 'Troilus and Cressida' 55.

5.

It

was

254. Let 371.

No

O

a lover

me

and

not to the marriage of true minds

longer

mourn

O

dead

286.

When When

52

summer's day

to a

take those lips

367

away

152 313

264.

fair friend,

in disgrace

255

you never can be old

235

with fortune and men's eyes

to the sessions

of sweet

silent

thoughts

SHIPMAN, THOMAS (1632-80) 140. The Resolute Courtier

251.

My true love hath my heart

327.

Oft have

I

mused, but

now

Only joy, now here you

168.

165.

With how

211.

Song of Solomon:

392

»%•

sad steps,

I

at

my O Moon

am

me

155

241 322

144

227 length

I

find

292 82

are

Ring out your bells What have I thus betrayed

189.

259

236

136

SIDNEY, SIR PHILIP (1554-86) 166. Dear, why make you more of a dog than 267. Lady my Treasure 356. Leave me, O Love 152. Loving in truth, and fain in verse

62.

204

342

283. Th' expense of spirit

To me,

84 73

339

That time of year

263.

115

229

mistress

162. Take,

348.

me when I am

for

205

21

his lass

mine 378. Ophelia's Song 401. Shall I compare thee 34.

72

204

175 liberty

the rose of Sharon

INDEX OF POETS AND POEMS

156

154

195

J

page

SPENCER, BERNARD (19OQ-63) 252. Part of Plenty

EDMUND

SPENSER, 44.

From

367.

,

weary chace Like as the Culver on the bared bough One day I wrote her name upon the strand huntsman

SWINBURNE, A. 366. The Leper SYNGE,

J.

199. In

Kerry

On a

71.

Queens

.

59 182

247 337

(1837-I909) 331

186

Birthday

TATE, ALLEN

The

C.

after

M. (187I-I909)

72.

25.

(l55 2 ?-79)

'Epithalamion

193. Like as a

274.

227

90 89

(b.

Vigil of

1899)

Venus

TENNYSON, ALFRED

41

(1809-92)

306.

Ask me no more

388.

Come

198.

Duet

185

182.

Fatima

170

49.

not,

when

278 I

am

dead

Marriage Morning

68

225.

Now

326.

Over! the sweet summer

sleeps the

THOMAS, EDWARD

crimson petal closes

12.

No One

Much The Unknown so

as

TOWNSEND, AURELIAN 73. To the Lady May 287.

207 292

(1887-I917)

167. Like the Touch of Rain

296.

353

155

You

26% ~

l

)

(1583 ?-l643)

90

Youth and Beauty

»59

VERLAINE, PAUL (1844-96) 108. Claire dc lune

I

CC

INDEX OF POETS AND POEMS

I

«*

(93

page 381. Colloque sentimental 130.

345 127

L'Heure du berger

293. Serenade

265

WALLER, EDMUND 33.

(1606-57)

Song: Go, lovely rose

52

WALTHER VON DER VOGELWEIDE 206.

Under

the

(lI70-after 1228)

Lime Tree

192

WARREN, JOHN LEICESTER, LORD DE TABLEY (1835-95) 387. The Churchyard on the Sands WEVER, ROBERT 3.

(fi.

I550)

In a herber green, asleep whereas

WHITMAN, WALT

I

20

lay

(18IQ-92)

As if a Phantom Caress'd Me 249. Sometimes with One I Love 248. When I Heard at the Close of the Day

249 226

277.

WILMOT, JOHN, EARL OF ROCHESTER 280.

288.

A A

Song: Absent from thee,

Song of a Young Lady

I

225

(1647-80)

languish

still

to her Ancient

Lover

303. Against Constancy

360.

312.

Upon

his

Leaving

327 282

his Mistress

156

WORDSWORTH, WILLIAM (177O-1850) 114. Among all lovely things my Love had

been

113. Louisa

WOTTON, 106.

On

SIR

of passion have

HENRY

I

known

193

(1568-1639)

his Mistress, the

Queen of Bohemia

112

(187I-I933)

229. Epos S'CCUTS ...

«%»

117 116

fits

WRATISLAW, THEODORE

394

260 276

ass

WITHER, GEORGE (1588-1667) 169. A Love Sonnet

207. Strange

252 275

Love and Life Song: Love a woman? You're an

304.

349

INDEX OF POETS AND POEMS

210

ptgt

WYATT, 351.

A

SIR

THOMAS

(l503?~42)

Renouncing of Love

171. Behold, love, thy

340. Farewell,

all

my

Is it

334.

Quondam was

175.

250.

310.

I

in

my

lady's grace

174.

Who

so

list

YEATS, W.

B.

(1865-I939)

176. 117.

355.

A Dream

to

58.

I lie

alone .

hunt

226 281

255 162

l

165

119 321

(1885-I972)

Beauty and Love for

164

33

The Folly of being Comforted The Ragged Wood When You are Old

Song

299 160

163

of Death

YOUNG, ANDREW 2.

306 261

The Lover Compareth his State to a Ship The Lover Complaineth the Unkindness of his Love The Lover Showeth how he is Forsaken of Such as he Sometime Enjoyed There was nothing more me pained

173.

365.

161

welfare

What meaneth this? When What should I say

284.

she despiseth

possible

289.

170.

318

power how

19

Autumn

75

INDEX OF POETS AND POEMS

->

101

INDEX OF FIRST LINES page

A

Gyges ring they bear about them still 55. A lover's eyes will gaze an eagle blind 280. Absent from thee I languish still 209. Abstinence sows sand all over 397. Accept thou Shrine of my dead saint 53.

71

72

252 194

360

Across the sky the daylight crept

50.

Ah what

373.

69

avails the sceptred race

340

my love, ye do me wrong my sheep have mingled with yours my past life is mine no more

154. Alas,

204. All 304. All

day

227. All night

361 61. 114.

295. 1.

i.

Am Amo,

by

the rose, rose

amas,

I

love a

188.

224. 238.

I

cast

327 81

lass

Among all lovely things my Love had been An evil spirit, your beauty haunts me still An idle poet, here and there

288. Ancient person, for

And And And

if

did

I

is it

is

whom I

in

what then

hung

my

still

as crystal

52.

391. 149.

277. 30.

143.

282. 46.

306.

396 »>

over the bed

19

134

265

Art thou gone in haste

As cool as the pale wet leaves As day did darken on the dewless grass As fair as morn, as fresh as May As if a phantom caress'd me As in the cool-air' d road I come by As it fell upon a day As Love and I, late harbour'd in one inn As you came from the holy land Ask me no more: the moon may draw the

207 217

mistress' face

INDEX OF FIRST LINES

267

174

292. Art thou afraid the adorer's prayer

195.

117

260

night? Are they thine eyes that shine?

love

135. April

276

209

For no longer can

failing?

I

145

189

70 183

354 142

249 49 138

254 64 sea

278

page 228. 319.

2.

Ask me no more where Jove bestows Away delights, go seek some other dwelling all my dream you better thy power how she despiseth

Beauty and love are

377. Because

I

85.

Blanche

19

liked

171. Behold, love,

com

lis,

342 161

plus que rose vermeille

and happy he 350. Blow, blow, thou winter wind 270 i. Blow, northern wynd 24. Bright Star would I were steadfast

98

57. Blest, blest

!

155.

245.

380 75.

278. 239. 100.

Brown

is

Busy old

my

75

317 243 as

thou

art

love, but graceful

fool,

209 286

40 148

unruly Sun

220

By a flat rock on the shore of the sea By night they haunted a thicket of April By our first strange and fatal interview By the Isar, in the twilight By those soft tods of wool

344

ii.

mist

91

249

217 108

214. Ces longues nuicts d'hyver

197

266. Chloris, forbear a while

237 28

11.

376.

221.

now among

Choose

Come Come

this fairest

number

away, come away, death

341

away, come, sweet love

203

388.

Come, come, my love Come, love, for now the night and day Come, Madam, come, all rest my powers Come not, when I am dead

269.

Come

293.

Comme

205. 58.

219.

to

me la

190 defy

242

voix d'un mort qui chanterait

265

Crabbed age and youth cannot live together 229. Crimson nor yellow roses no. Cupid and my Campaspe played 66.

Dans

le

353

in the silence of the night

276. Constant Penelope sends to thee, careless Ulysses

281.

75 201

jardin d'

mon

249 s J

114

pere

INDEX OF FIRST LINES V

|97

page

Dans

381.

le

vieux pare

solitaire et glace

why make you more

166. Dear,

345

of a dog than

me

320. Depairt, depairt, depairt

y a un etang Drink to me, only, with thine eyes Derriere nous,

4.

79.

94

Edwardus Comes Clarendoniae

201.

En

96.

187

vain l'aurore

91. Enfant!

197. Fain 146. Fair

would is

my

je donnerais l'empire

change that note

I

love that feeds

82. Fair Phyllis

128. Fairest

105

j'etais roi,

si

saw

I

sitting all

all

the

lilies

alone

my welfare

351. Farewell, Love,

and

354. Farewell sweet boy, 383. Fear no

more

complain not of my truth

the heat o' the sun

223 38.

to

From you, Ianthe, little troubles Full many sing to me and thee

352.

i.

pass

Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds

Gather ye rose-buds while ye

may

60. Gertrude,

394.

35.

Give

me more

Had we Have

159.

He

I,

that

love or

more

disdain

204

173 52

Luke Havergal

but world anough and time

moment, led thee from the beach hath no mistress must not wear a favour

this

191. Helen, thy beauty

398 »>

98

319

36 80

to the western gate,

329.

90

Dorothy, Mary, Claire, Alberta

Go, lovely rose

Go

135

55 148

20. Gentle youth, forbear

33.

321

houx espineux

156. Genevres herissez, et vous,

186.

318

177

wod

wod, I rin Friend of Ronsard, Nashe, and Beaumont

139. Fra banc to banc, fra

86.

96 126

346

190. Fire, fire

72.

140

306

thy laws for ever

all

101

184

among

of stars, that with your persant light

340. Farewell,

155

287 20

is

to

me

INDEX OF FIRST LINES

357 53

294 150 181

page

Henceforth

97.

I

will not set

my

love

106

Her bed is India Her face Her tongue Her wit Here's flowers for you Hereto I come to view a voiceless ghost

222. 95. 56.

396.

105. Hide, Absalon,

Hot

29.

thy

gilte tresses clear

sun, cool fire

109.

211.

I

148.

I

335.

I

64.

I

I

369. 378.

104 73

358

in 48

How can care whether you sigh for me How many paltry, foolish, painted things How should I your true love know How this year of years do best see

268.

204

I

am the rose of Sharon am two fools, I know can not tell, not I, why she cannot tell you how it was wed you without

242 338

342

114

195 141

84

299

herds

233

274

I

do confess thou'rt smooth and fair do not look for love that is a dream dreamed that one had died in a strange place

17.

I

hid

my love when young

141.

I

laid

me down upon

172.

I

long to talk with some old lover's ghost

161

337.

I

loved a child of this countrie

302

169.

I

loved a

77.

I

loved thee, though

113.

I

260. I'd 302.

I

342.

I

365.

lass,

a fair

a

34

bank

137

156

told thee not

132.

I

met Louisa in the shade ne'er was struck before that hour said to Love saw my love, younger than primroses

315.

I

send

my

324.

with thee, and wake with thee

76.

I

357.

I

poisoned candies through the mail

I

sleep

.

I

thought once

336.

I

took

142.

I

went

328.

I

wish

158.

I,

5

1

my to I

how

93 116

92 323

129

285

290

Theocritus had sung

my

could remember that

70 3°°

hand the Garden of Love heart in

331

till I

one I

309

1

first

day

with whose colours Myra dress'd her head

INDEX OF FIRST LINFS

37

293 149 ^>

\