The morals, something of the frame, the rock, The star, the bird, the fish, the shell, the flower, Electric, chemic laws, and all the rest, And whatsoever can be taught and known; They hunt old trails' said Cyril 'very well; But when did woman ever yet invent ? ' 'Ungracious!' answer'd Florian, 'have you learnt A thousand hearts lie fallow in these halls, And round these halls a thousand baby loves Fly twanging headless arrows at the hearts, No ghostly hauntings like his Highness. I I know the substance when I see it. Well, Shall those three castles patch my tatter'd coat? And two dear things are one of double worth, And much I might have said, but that my zone Unmann'd me: then the Doctors! O to hear E The Doctors! O to watch the thirsty plants Imbibing! once or twice I thought to roar, To break my chain, to shake my mane: but thou, Make liquid treble of that bassoon, my throat; Where they like swallows coming out of time And in we stream'd Among the columns, pacing staid and still Pierced thro' with eyes, but that I kept mine own Intent on her, who rapt in glorious dreams, Sat compass'd with professors: they, the while, A clamour thicken'd, mixt with inmost terms At last a solemn grace Concluded, and we sought the gardens: there One walk'd reciting by herself, and one In this hand held a volume as to read, And smoothed a petted peacock down with that: Some to a low song oar'd a shallop by, Or under arches of the marble bridge Hung, shadow'd from the heat: some hid and sought In the orange thickets: others tost a ball Above the fountain-jets, and back again With laughter: others lay about the lawns, Of the older sort, and murmur'd that their May They wish'd to marry; they could rule a house; Men hated learned women: but we three Sat muffled like the Fates; and often came Melissa hitting all we saw with shafts Of gentle satire, kin to charity, That harm'd not: then day droopt; the chapel bells Before two streams of light from wall to wall, Of solemn psalms, and silver litanies, The work of Ida, to call down from Heaven A blessing on her labours for the world. |