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You common people of the skies,
What are you, when the Moon shall rise?
You curious chanters of the wood

That warble forth dame Nature's lays,
Thinking your passions understood

By your weak accents; what's your praise When Philomel her voice doth raise?

You violets that first appear,

By your pure purple mantles known Like the proud virgins of the year,

As if the spring were all your own,-
What are you, when the Rose is blown?

So when my Mistress shall be seen
In form and beauty of her mind,
By virtue first, then choice, a Queen,
Tell me, if she were not design'd
Th' eclipse and glory of her kind?

Sir H. Wotton

CXI

TO THE LADY MARGARET LEY

Daughter to that good Earl, once President
Of England's Council and her Treasury,
Who lived in both, unstain'd with gold or fee,
And left them both, more in himself content,

Till the sad breaking of that Parliament
Broke him, as that dishonest victory
At Chaeroneia, fatal to liberty,

Kill'd with report that old man eloquent ;

Though later born than to have known the days
Wherein your father flourish'd, yet by you,
Madam, methinks I see him living yet;

So well your words his noble virtues praise,
That all both judge you to relate them true,
And to possess them, honour'd Margaret.
J. Milton

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He that loves a rosy cheek

Or a coral ip admires,
Or fem star-2ke eves doth seek
Fuck to maintain is fires:
As cid Tune inakes these decay,
So is dames nust waste away.

Buc a smooth and steadfast mind,
Gende Choughts, and calm desires,
Hearts with aquai love combined,
Kindle never-iving tires —
Where these are not, I despise
Lovely cheeks or lips or eyes.

T. Carew

CXIII

TO DIANEME

Sweet, be not proud of those two eyes
Which starlike sparkle in their skies;
Nor be you proud, that you can see
All hearts your captives; yours yet free:
Be you not proud of that rich hair
Which wantons with the lovesick air;
Whenas that ruby which you wear,
Sunk from the tip of your soft ear,
Will last to be a precious stone
When all your world of beauty's gone.
R. Herrick

CXIV

Love in thy youth, fair Maid, be wise;
Old Time will make thee colder,

And though each morning new arise
Yet we each day grow older.

2

Thou as Heaven art fair and young,
Thine eyes like twin stars shining;
But ere another day be sprung

All these will be declining.

Then winter comes with all his fears,
And all thy sweets shall borrow;

Too late then wilt thou shower thy tears,-
And I too late shall sorrow!

Anon.

CXV

Go, lovely Rose !

Tell her, that wastes her me and me,
That now she knows,

When I resemble her to thee,

How sweet and fair she seems to be.

Tell her that's young

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

Small is the worth

Of beauty from 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 fate of all things rare

May read in thee:

How small a part of time they share
That are so wondrous sweet and fair!

E. Waller

CXVI

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.
The thirst that from the soul doth rise
Doth ask a drink divine;

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

I sent thee late a rosy wreath,
Not so much honouring thee
As giving it a hope that there
It could not wither'd be ;

But thou thereon didst only breathe
And sent'st it back to me;

Since when it grows, and smells, I swear,
Not of itself but thee !

B. Jonson

CXVII

CHERRY-RIPE

There is a garden in her face

Where roses and white lilies blow; A heavenly paradise is that place,

Wherein all pleasant fruits do grow ; There cherries grow that none may buy, Till Cherry-Ripe themselves do cry.

Those cherries fairly do enclose

Of orient pearl, a double row,

Which when her lovely laughter shows,

They look like rose-buds fill'd with snow : Yet them no peer nor prince may buy, Till Cherry-Ripe themselves do cry.

Her eyes like angels watch them still;
Her brows like bended bows do stand,
Threat'ning with piercing frowns to kill
All that approach with eye or hand
These sacred cherries to come nigh,
Till Cherry-Ripe themselves do cry!

CXVIII

Anon.

CORINNA'S MAYING

Get up, get up for shame! The blooming morn
Upon her wings presents the god unshorn.
See how Aurora throws her fair
Fresh-quilted colours through the air :
Get up, sweet Slug-a-bed, and see
The dew bespangling herb and tree.
Each flower has wept, and bow'd toward the east,
Above an hour since; yet you not drest,

Nay! not so much as out of bed?
When all the birds have matins said,
And sung their thankful hymns: 'tis sin,
Nay, profanation, to keep in,-

Whenas a thousand virgins on this day,
Spring, sooner than the lark, to fetch-in May.

Rise; and put on your foliage, and be seen
To come forth, like the Spring-time, fresh and green
And sweet as Flora. Take no care

For jewels for your gown, or hair :
Fear not; the leaves will strew
Gems in abundance upon you:

Besides, the childhood of the day has kept,
Against you come, some orient pearls unwept :
Come, and receive them while the light

Hangs on the dew-locks of the night :
And Titan on the eastern hill

Retires himself, or else stands still

Till you come forth. Wash, dress, be brief in

praying:

Few beads are best, when once we go a Maying.

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