Specimens with Memoirs of the Less-known British Poets Part 51

Thee, thee I see; thou, thou thus folded art: For deep thy stamp is printed on my heart, And thousand ne'er-felt joys stream in each melting part.'

Thus with glad sorrow did she sweetly 'plain her, Upon his neck a welcome load depending; While he with equal joy did entertain her, Herself, her champions, highly all commending: So all in triumph to his palace went; Whose work in narrow words may not be pent: For boundless thought is less than is that glorious tent.

There sweet delights, which know nor end nor measure; No chance is there, nor eating times succeeding: No wasteful spending can impair their treasure; Pleasure full grown, yet ever freshly breeding: Fulness of sweets excludes not more receiving; The soul still big of joy, yet still conceiving; Beyond slow tongue's report, beyond quick thought's perceiving.

There are they gone; there will they ever bide; Swimming in waves of joys and heavenly loves: He still a bridegroom, she a gladsome bride; Their hearts in love, like spheres still constant moving; No change, no grief, no age can them befall; Their bridal bed is in that heavenly hall, Where all days are but one, and only one is all.

And as in his state they thus in triumph ride, The boys and damsels their just praises chant; The boys the bridegroom sing, the maids the bride, While all the hills glad hymens loudly vaunt: Heaven's winged shoals, greeting this glorious spring, Attune their higher notes, and hymens sing: Each thought to pa.s.s, and each did pa.s.s thought's loftiest wing.

Upon his lightning brow love proudly sitting Flames out in power, s.h.i.+nes out in majesty; There all his lofty spoils and trophies fitting, Displays the marks of highest Deity: There full of strength in lordly arms he stands, And every heart and every soul commands: No heart, no soul, his strength and lordly force withstands.

Upon her forehead thousand cheerful graces, Seated on thrones of spotless ivory; There gentle Love his armed hand unbraces; His bow unbent disclaims all tyranny; There by his play a thousand souls beguiles, Persuading more by simple, modest smiles, Than ever he could force by arms or crafty wiles.

Upon her cheek doth Beauty's self implant The freshest garden of her choicest flowers; On which, if Envy might but glance askant, Her eyes would swell, and burst, and melt in showers: Thrice fairer both than ever fairest eyed; Heaven never such a bridegroom yet descried; Nor ever earth so fair, so undefiled a bride.

Full of his Father s.h.i.+nes his glorious face, As far the sun surpa.s.sing in his light, As doth the sun the earth with flaming blaze: Sweet influence streams from his quickening sight: His beams from nought did all this _All_ display; And when to less than nought they fell away, He soon restored again by his new orient ray.

All heaven s.h.i.+nes forth in her sweet face's frame: Her seeing stars (which we miscall bright eyes) More bright than is the morning's brightest flame, More fruitful than the May-time Geminies: These, back restore the timely summer's fire; Those, springing thoughts in winter hearts inspire, Inspiriting dead souls, and quickening warm desire.

These two fair suns in heavenly spheres are placed, Where in the centre joy triumphing sits: Thus in all high perfections fully graced, Her mid-day bliss no future night admits; But in the mirrors of her Spouse's eyes Her fairest self she dresses; there where lies All sweets, a glorious beauty to emparadise.

His locks like raven's plumes, or s.h.i.+ning jet, Fall down in curls along his ivory neck; Within their circlets hundred graces set, And with love-knots their comely hangings deck: His mighty shoulders, like that giant swain, All heaven and earth, and all in both sustain; Yet knows no weariness, nor feels oppressing pain.

Her amber hair like to the sunny ray, With gold enamels fair the silver white; There heavenly loves their pretty sportings play, Firing their darts in that wide flaming light: Her dainty neck, spread with that silver mould, Where double beauty doth itself unfold, In the own fair silver s.h.i.+nes, and fairer borrow'd gold.

His breast a rock of purest alabaster, Where loves self-sailing, s.h.i.+pwreck'd, often sitteth.

Hers a twin-rock, unknown but to the s.h.i.+pmaster; Which harbours him alone, all other splitteth.

Where better could her love than here have nested, Or he his thoughts than here more sweetly feasted?

Then both their love and thoughts in each are ever rested.

Run now, you shepherd swains; ah! run you thither, Where this fair bridegroom leads the blessed way: And haste, you lovely maids, haste you together With this sweet bride, while yet the suns.h.i.+ne day Guides your blind steps; while yet loud summons call, That every wood and hill resounds withal, Come, Hymen, Hymen, come, dress'd in thy golden pall.

The sounding echo back the music flung, While heavenly spheres unto the voices play'd.

But see! the day is ended with my song, And sporting bathes with that fair ocean maid: Stoop now thy wing, my muse, now stoop thee low: Hence mayst thou freely play, and rest thee now; While here I hang my pipe upon the willow bough.

So up they rose, while all the shepherds' throng With their loud pipes a country triumph blew, And led their Thirsil home with joyful song: Meantime the lovely nymphs, with garlands new His locks in bay and honour'd palm-tree bound, With lilies set, and hyacinths around, And lord of all the year and their May sportings crown'd.

END OF VOL. I.

SPECIMENS WITH MEMOIRS OF THE LESS-KNOWN BRITISH POETS.

With an Introductory Essay,

By

THE REV. GEORGE GILFILLAN.

IN THREE VOLS.

VOL. II.

CONTENTS

SECOND PERIOD--FROM SPENSER TO DRYDEN.

(CONTINUED.)

WILLIAM HABINGTON Epistle addressed to the Honourable W. E.

To his n.o.blest Friend, J. C., Esq.

A Description of Castara

JOSEPH HALL, BISHOP OF NORWICH Satire I.

Satire VII.

RICHARD LOVELACE Song--To Althea, from Prison Song A Loose Saraband

ROBERT HERRICK Song Cherry-Ripe The Kiss: A Dialogue To Daffodils To Primroses To Blossoms Oberon's Palace Oberon's Feast The Mad Maid's Song Corinna's going a-Maying Jephthah's Daughter The Country Life

SIR RICHARD FANSHAWE The Spring, a Sonnet--From the Spanish

ABRAHAM COWLEY The Chronicle, a Ballad The Complaint The Despair Of Wit Of Solitude The Wish Upon the Shortness of Man's Life On the Praise of Poetry The Motto--'Tentanda via est,' &c Davideis-Book II Life The Plagues of Egypt

GEORGE WITHER From 'The Shepherd's Hunting'

The Shepherd's Resolution The Steadfast Shepherd From 'The Shepherd's Hunting'

SIR WILLIAM DAVENANT From 'Gondibert'--Canto II From 'Gondibert'--Canto IV

DR HENRY KING Sic Vita Song Life

JOHN CHALKHILL Arcadia Thealma, a Deserted Shepherdess Priestess of Diana Thealma in Full Dress Dwelling of the Witch Orandra

CATHARINE PHILLIPS The Inquiry A Friend

MARGARET, d.u.c.h.eSS OF NEWCASTLE Melancholy described by Mirth Melancholy describing herself

THOMAS STANLEY Celia Singing Speaking and Kissing La Belle Confidante The Loss Note on Anacreon

ANDREW MARVELL The Emigrants The Nymph complaining of the Death of her Fawn On 'Paradise Lost'