that men will not
Give thee the laurel crown for lot;
Be yet assur'd, thou shall have one
Not subject to corruption.

1124. ON HIMSELF.

I'll write no more of love; but now repent
Of all those times that I in it have spent.
I'll write no more of life; but wish 'twas ended,
And that my dust was to the earth commended.

1125. TO HIS BOOK.

Go thou forth, my book, though late:
Yet be timely fortunate.
It may chance good luck may send
Thee a kinsman, or a friend,
That may harbour thee, when I
With my fates neglected lie.
If thou know'st not where to dwell,
See, the fire's by: farewell.

1126. THE END OF HIS WORK.

Part of the work remains; one part is past:
And here my ship rides, having anchor cast.

1127. TO CROWN IT.

My wearied bark, O let it now be crown'd!
The haven reach'd to which I first was bound.

1128. ON HIMSELF.

The work is done: young men and maidens, set
Upon my curls the myrtle coronet
Washed with sweet ointments: thus at last I come
To suffer in the Muses' martyrdom;
But with this comfort, if my blood be shed,
The Muses will wear blacks when I am dead.

_Blacks_, mourning garments.

1129. THE PILLAR OF FAME.

Fame's pillar here, at last, we set,
Outduring marble, brass, or jet.
Charm'd and enchanted so
As to withstand the blow
Of o v e r t h r o w;
Nor shall the seas,
Or o u t r a g e s
Of storms o'erbear
What we uprear.
Tho' kingdoms fall,
This pillar never shall
Decline or waste at all;
But stand for ever by his own
Firm and well-fix'd foundation.

To his book's end this last line he'd have placed:
_Jocund his muse was, but his life was chaste_.

HIS

NOBLE NUMBERS:

_OR_,

HIS PIOUS PIECES,

Wherein (amongst other things)

he sings the Birth of his CHRIST;
and sighes for his _Saviours_ suffering
on the _Crosse_.

HESIOD.

{Idmen pseudea polla legein etymoisin homoia.
Idmen d', eut' ethelomen, alethea mythesasthai.}

[Illustration]

LONDON
Pri