Of that great lord, which therein wont to dwell, Whose want too well now feels my friendless case ; But ah ! here fits not well 141 Old woes, but joys, to tell Against the bridal day, which is not long : Sweet Thames ! run softly, till I end my song. Yet therein now doth lodge a noble peer, 145 Great England's glory and the world's wide wonder, Whose dreadful name late through all Spain did thunder, Did make to quake and fear : 150 That promiseth the same ; That gh thy prowess and victorious arms 155 Thy country may be freed from foreign harms, Ănd great Eliza's glorious name may ring, Through all the world, fill'd with thy wide alarms Which some brave Muse may sing 160 Like radiant Hesper, when his golden hair In th' ocean billows he hath bathéd fair, 165 Descended to the river's open viewing With a great train ensuing. Above the rest were goodly to be seen Two gentle knights of lovely face and feature, Beseeming well the bower of any queen, 170 With gifts of wit and ornaments of nature, Fit for so goodly stature, That like the twins of Jove they seem'd in sight Which deck the baldric of the Heavens bright ; They two, forth pacing to the river's side, 175 Received those two fair brides, their love's delight ; Which, at th' appointed tide, Each one did make his bride Against their bridal day, which is not long : 179 Sweet Thames ! run softly, till I end my song. E. SPENSER. 54 THE HAPPY HEART Art thou poor, yet hast thou golden slumbers ? O sweet content ! O punishment ! Work apace, apace, apace, apace ; Honest labour bears a lovely face ; Then hey nonny nonny, hey nonny nonny! 10 Canst drink the waters of the crispéd spring ? O sweet content ! Swimm'st thou in wealth, yet sink'st in thine own tears ? O punishment ! Work apace, apace, apace, apace ; 20 T. DEKKER. 55 This Life, which seems so fair, By sporting children's breath, 4 And strive who can most motion it bequeath. And though it sometime seem of its own might, 9 Like to an eye of gold, to be fix'd there, And firm to hover in that empty height, That only is because it is so light. -But in that pomp it doth not long appear ; For, when 'tis most admired, in a thought, Because it erst was nought, it turns to nought. W. DRUMMOND. 56 SOUL AND BODY Poor Soul, the centre of my sinful earth, [Fool'd by] those rebel powers that thee array, Why dost thou pine within, and suffer dearth, Painting thy outward walls so costly gay ? Why so large cost, having so short a lease, 5 Dost thou upon thy fading mansion spend ? Shall worms, inheritors of this excess, Eat up thy charge ? is this thy body's end ? Then, Soul, live thou upon thy servant's loss, And let that pine to aggravate thy store ; 10 Buy terms divine in selling hours of dross ; Within be fed, without be rich no more : So shalt thou feed on death, that feeds on men, And death once dead, there's no more dying then. W. SHAKESPEARE. 57 LIFE Less than a span : So to the tomb ; With cares and fears. 10 Courts are but only superficial schools To dandle fools : Of savage men : 15 But may be term'd the worst of all the three ? Domestic cares afflict the husband's bed, Or pains his head : 20 Some would have children : those that have them moan Or wish them gone : Is a disease : Perils and toil : 30 What then remains, but that we still should cry Not to be born, or, being born, to die? LORD BACON. 58 THE LESSONS OF NATURE If we the sheets and leaves could turn with care, Of Him who it corrects, and did it frame, We clear might read the art and wisdom rare Find out His power which wildest powers dath tame, 5 His providence extending everywhere, His justice which proud rebels doth not spare, In every page, no period of the same. But silly we, like foolish children, rest Well pleased with colour'd vellum, leaves of gold, Fair dangling ribbands, leaving what is best, 11 On the great Writer's sense ne'er taking hold ; Or if by chance we stay our minds on aught, It is some picture on the margin wrought. W. DRUMMOND. 59 Doth then the world go thus, doth all thus move ? Is this the justice which on Earth we find ? Is this that firm decree which all both bind ? Are these your influences, Powers above ? 4 Those souls which vice's moody mists most blind, Blinu Fortune, blindly, most their friend doth prove; And they who thee, poor idol, Virtue ! love, Ply like a feather toss'd by storm and wind. Ah ! if a Providence doth sway this all, Why should best minds groan under most distress ? 10 Or why should pride humility make thrall, And injuries the innocent oppress ? Heavens ! hinder, stop this fate ; or grant a time When good may have, as well as bad, their prime. W. DRUMMOND. |