RICHARD CRASHAW. Whoe'er she be, WISHES. That not impossible she, That shall command my heart and me; I wish her beauty, That owes not all its duty To gaudy tire, or glistering shoe-tie, A face, that's best By its own beauty drest . . . A cheek, where grows More than a morning rose. Eyes, that displaces The neighbour diamond; and out-faces That sunshine by their own sweet graces. A well-tamed heart, For whose more noble smart Love may be long choosing a dart. [Who now reads Cowley? if he pleases yet, But still I love the language of his heart. Pope. Imitations of Horace.] From ODE ON WIT. Tell me, O tell, what kind of thing is Wit, A thousand different shapes it bears, 'Tis not a tale, 'tis not a jest, 'Tis not to adorn and gild each part; 'Tis not when two like words make up one noise, Jests for Dutch men, and English boys; What is it, then, which, like the Power divine, We only can by negatives define? . . . THE CHANGE. Love in her sunny eyes does basking play; Love walks the pleasant mazes of her hair; Love does on both her lips for ever stray, And sows and reaps a thousand kisses there! In all her outward parts Love's always seen ; But oh! he never went within. To-morrow I will live, the fool does say ;- From THE BAGFORD BALLADS. Surely now I'm out of danger! For all the graces of their faces, To a dainty new tune which if you can't hit, There's another tune which doth as well fit. SCRAPS FROM THE ROXBURGH BALLADS. [Printed between 1560 and 1700.] From THE MAID'S ANSWER. Falling out of faithful friends The silver moon shall shine by day, From COME, BUY THIS NEW BALLAD. It is an old saying That few words are best, And he that says little Shall live most at rest; And I by experience do find it right so ; Therefore I'll spare speech : But I know what I know. LOVE'S SOLACE. The damask rose, nor lily fair, THE LOVER'S DELIGHT. Come, Love, let's walk into the Spring, O YES, O YES. If any man or woman And their reward shall be The prayers of poor folks every day 1608-1674] JOHN MILTON. [An inward prompting now grew daily upon me, that by labour and intent study, (which I take to be my portion in this life,) joined with the strong propensity of nature, I might perhaps leave something so written to after-times, as they should not willingly let it die... -MILTON Against Prelaty, B. II., Introduction.] From PARADISE LOST. The Opening, Book I., line 1. Of man's first disobedience, and the fruit That shepherd, who first taught the chosen seed, Delight thee more, and Siloa's brook that flowed And chiefly thou, O Spirit, that dost prefer |