FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58  
59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   >>   >|  
to the glorious, flowery wilderness of the 'Arcadia.' Sidney was granduncle to Dorothy. AT PENSHURST. Had Dorothea lived when mortals made Choice of their deities, this sacred shade Had held an altar to her power, that gave The peace and glory which these alleys have; Embroider'd so with flowers where she stood, That it became a garden of a wood. Her presence has such more than human grace, That it can civilise the rudest place; And beauty too, and order, can impart, Where nature ne'er intended it, nor art. 10 The plants acknowledge this, and her admire, No less than those of old did Orpheus' lyre; If she sit down, with tops all tow'rds her bow'd, They round about her into arbours crowd; Or if she walk, in even ranks they stand, Like some well-marshall'd and obsequious band. Amphion so made stones and timber leap Into fair figures from a confused heap; And in the symmetry of her parts is found A power like that of harmony in sound. 20 Ye lofty beeches, tell this matchless dame, That if together ye fed all one flame, It could not equalise the hundredth part Of what her eyes have kindled in my heart! Go, boy, and carve this passion on the bark Of yonder tree, which stands the sacred mark Of noble Sidney's birth; when such benign, Such more than mortal-making stars did shine, That there they cannot but for ever prove The monument and pledge of humble love; 30 His humble love whose hope shall ne'er rise higher, Than for a pardon that he dares admire. OF THE LADY WHO CAN SLEEP WHEN SHE PLEASES.[1] No wonder sleep from careful lovers flies, To bathe himself in Saccharissa's eyes. As fair Astraae once from earth to heaven, By strife and loud impiety was driven; So with our plaints offended, and our tears, Wise Somnus to that paradise repairs; Waits on her will, and wretches does forsake, To court the nymph for whom those wretches wake. More proud than Phoebus of his throne of gold 9 Is the soft god those softer limbs to hold; Nor would exchange with Jove, to hide the skies In dark'ning clouds, the power to close her eyes; Eyes which so far all other lights control, They warm our mortal parts, but these our soul! Let her free spirit, whose unconquer'd breast Holds such deep quiet and untroubled rest, Know that though Venus and her son should spare Her rebel heart, and
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   34   35   36   37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58  
59   60   61   62   63   64   65   66   67   68   69   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

humble

 

admire

 

Sidney

 

wretches

 

sacred

 

mortal

 

careful

 

lovers

 

heaven

 
strife

Saccharissa
 
Astraae
 

making

 
higher
 

monument

 
pardon
 
pledge
 

PLEASES

 

Somnus

 

untroubled


exchange

 

clouds

 
unconquer
 
control
 

spirit

 

breast

 

lights

 

softer

 

repairs

 

forsake


paradise

 

driven

 

plaints

 

offended

 

throne

 

Phoebus

 

benign

 
impiety
 

impart

 

nature


intended

 

civilise

 
rudest
 

beauty

 

plants

 

acknowledge

 
Orpheus
 
presence
 

Dorothea

 
mortals