ed
y^e 15th day October, 1674."

ALFRED W. POLLARD

NOTE TO SECOND EDITION.

In this edition some trifling errors, which had crept into the text and
the numeration of the poems, have been corrected, and many fresh
illustrations of Herrick's reading added in the notes, which have
elsewhere been slightly compressed to make room for them. Almost all of
the new notes have been supplied from the manuscript collections of a
veteran student of Herrick who placed himself in correspondence with me
after the publication of my first edition. To my great regret I am not
allowed to make my acknowledgments to him by name.

A. W. P.

HESPERIDES:
OR,
THE WORKS
BOTH
HUMANE & DIVINE
OF
ROBERT HERRICK _Esq._

OVID.

_Effugient avidos Carmina nostra Rogos._

_LONDON._

Printed for _John Williams_, and _Francis Eglesfield_,
and are to be sold by _Tho: Hunt_, Book-seller
in _Exon._ 1648.

TO THE
MOST ILLUSTRIOUS AND MOST HOPEFUL
PRINCE.
CHARLES,
PRINCE OF WALES.

Well may my book come forth like public day
When such a light as you are leads the way,
Who are my work's creator, and alone
The flame of it, and the expansion.
And look how all those heavenly lamps acquire
Light from the sun, that inexhausted fire,
So all my morn and evening stars from you
Have their existence, and their influence too.
Full is my book of glories; but all these
By you become immortal substances.

HESPERIDES.

1. THE ARGUMENT OF HIS BOOK.

I sing of brooks, of blossoms, birds and bowers,
Of April, May, of June and July-flowers;
I sing of May-poles, hock-carts, wassails, wakes,
Of bridegrooms, brides and of their bridal cakes;
I write of youth, of love, and have access
By these to sing of cleanly wantonness;
I sing of dews, of rains, and piece by piece
Of balm, of oil, of spice and ambergris;
I sing of times trans-shifting, and I write
How roses first came red and lilies white;
I write of groves,