And one by one has torn off quite Form the soul had ever dressed, Thy softest pleadings seem too bold, Thy praying lute will seem to scold; Though thou kept the straightest road, Yet thou errest far and broad. But thou shalt do as do the gods In their cloudless periods; Though thou forget, the gods, secure, Forget never their command, But make the statute of this land. As they lead, so follow all, Ever have done, ever shall. Warning to the blind and deaf, 'Tis written on the iron leaf, Who drinks of Cupid's nectar cup Therefore, who loves, of gods or men, Shall not by the same be loved again; Falls, in turn, a new degree. By beauty of a mortal child, And by her radiant youth delighted, He is not fooled, but warily knoweth And thus the wise Immortal doeth. 'Tis his study and delight To bless that creature day and night; In her lap to pour all splendor; To ransack earth for riches rare, And fetch her stars to deck her hair: And saddens her with heavenly doubts: Saying, 'Hearken! Earth, Sea, Air! Build I to the All-Good, All-Fair. Not for a private good, But I, from my beatitude, Albeit scorned as none was scorned, Adorn her as was none adorned. I make this maiden an ensample To Nature, through her kingdoms ample, THE VISIT. ASKEST,How long thou shalt stay,' Devastator of the day? Know, each substance, and relation, Thorough nature's operation, Hath its unit, bound, and metre; And every new compound Is some product and repeater, The encounter of the wise, Say, what other metre is it Than the meeting of the eyes? Nature poureth into nature Through the channels of that feature. Riding on the ray of sight, More fleet than waves or whirlwinds go, Or for service, or delight, Hearts to hearts their meaning show, Sum their long experience, And import intelligence. Single look has drained the breast; Single moment years confessed. The duration of a glance Is the term of convenance, And, though thy rede be church or state, Frugal multiples of that. Speeding Saturn cannot halt; Linger, thou shalt rue the fault; If Love his moment overstay, Hatred's swift repulsions play. |