"But, look, the morn in russet mantle clad,
Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastern hill.

and Milton, P. L. 5. 1-2:

"Now morn, her rosy steps in the eastern clime
Advancing, sowed the earth with orient pearl."

(67-68)

"Now when the rosy-fingred morning faire,
Weary of aged Tithones saffron bed,

Had spread her purple robe through deawy aire,
And the high hils Titan discovered, . . ."

"All love, all liking, all delight

Lies drown'd with us in endless night."

Compare the last stanza in Campion's "To Lesbia":

"When timely death my life and fortunes ends
Let not my hearse be vext with mourning friends;
But let all lovers, rich in triumph, come
And with sweet pastimes grace my happy tomb:
And, Lesbia, close up thou my little light,
And crown with love my ever-during night."

(69-70) "Then while time serves, and we are but decaying, Come, my Corinna, come, let's go a-Maying."

On reading this couplet a shiver steals over the optimist, while a laugh twists the mouth of the pessimist; for we are transferred to the Forest of Arden, where Jaques, who has seen the motley fool take a dial from his poke, is hearing the soliloquy:

"It is ten o'clock:

Thus we may see . . . how the world wags:

'Tis but an hour ago since it was nine,

And after one hour more 'twill be eleven:

And so from hour to hour, we ripe and ripe,

And then, from hour to hour, we rot and rot;
And thereby hangs a tale."

TO PRIMROSES FILLED WITH MORNING DEW

5

ΙΟ

Why do ye weep, sweet babes?

Speak grief in you,

Who were but born

Just as the modest morn

Teem'd her refreshing dew?

Can tears

Alas! You have not known that shower

That mars a flower,

Nor felt th' unkind

Breath of a blasting wind,

Nor are ye worn with years,
Or warp'd as we,

Who think it strange to see

Such pretty flowers, like to orphans young,
To speak by tears, before ye have a tongue.

15 Speak, whimp'ring younglings, and make known The reason why

Ye droop and weep;

Is it for want of sleep?

Or childish lullaby?

20 Or that ye have not seen as yet

25

The violet?

Or brought a kiss

From that sweetheart to this?

No, no, this sorrow shown

By your tears shed

Would have this lecture read:

That things of greatest, so of meanest worth,

Conceiv'd with grief are, and with tears brought forth.

Comment on the dainty artificiality of the poem presented by the rime system.

Observe that the tender pathos is presented by the subjective method. The complex system of rime does not spoil spontaneity in the poem.

EDMUND WALLER

1606-1687

Optional Poems

On A Girdle.

The Soul's Dark Cottage—

GO, LOVELY ROSE

Go, lovely Rose,

Tell her that wastes her time and me,

That now she knows,

When I resemble her to thee,

5 How sweet and fair she seems to be.

Tell her that's young,

And shuns to have her graces spied,
That had'st thou sprung

In deserts where no men abide,

10 Thou must have uncommended died.

Small is the worth

Of beauty from the light retired;
Bid her come forth,

Suffer herself to be desired,

15 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

20 That are so wondrous sweet and fair!

In this poem are blended two elements, the trivial and the serious, of the Puritan period. Cf. Herrick's "Go, Happy Rose." The woman honoured by this lyric was Sacharissa, - Lady Dorothy Sidney.