11.Give yourself no unnecessary pain Give yourself no unnecessary pain, My dear Lord Cardinal. Here, mother, tie My girdle for me, and bind up this hair In any simple knot. Ay, that does well; And yours, I see, is coming down. How often Ha…
Brand quotes Ben Jonson. And on sweet St. Agnes' night, Pleas'd yon with the promis'd sight, Some of husbands, some of lovers, Which an empty dream discovers. 02.LONELY SOUNDS. Undescribed sounds, That come a-swooning over hollow grounds, …
I must have wanton poets, pleasant wits, Musicians, that with touching of a string May draw the pliant king which way I please: Music and poetry is his delight; Therefore I'll have Italian masks by night, Sweet speeches, comedies, and plea…
The Rime of the Ancient Mariner (text of 1834) BY SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE Argument How a Ship having passed the Line was driven by storms to the cold Country towards the South Pole; and how from thence she made her course to the tropical L…
*01.* The plant and flower of light, *02.* Sir Eger said, "If it be so, Then wot I well I must forego Love-liking, and manhood, all clean?" The water rush'd out of his een ! *03.* Gray-Steel Into his death thus thraws (throes ?) He waiters…
UNLOVELINESS OF FROWNING. Cupid sets a crown Upon those lovely tresses; O spoil not with a frown What he so sweetly dresses ! Id.
BEAUTEOUS MORAL EXAMPLE. Her I hold My honourable pattern; one whose mind Appears more like a ceremonious chapel. Full of sweet music, than a thronging presence. Id.
DISSIMULATION. Be not cunning ; For those whose faces do belie their hearts Are witches ere they arrive at twenty years, And give the devil suck. Webster.
FUNERAL DIRGE. (Sung by a Mother over her Son.) Call for the robin redbreast and the wren, Since o'er shady groves they hover, And with leaves of flowers do cover The friendless bodies of unburied men. Call unto his funeral dole The ant, t…
NATURAL DEATH. O thou soft natural death, that art joint twin To sweetest slumber ! no rough-bearded comet Stares on thy mild departure; the dull owl Beats not against thy casement; the hoarse wolf Scents not thy carrion : pity winds thy c…
A WICKED DREAM. Vittoria Corombona. To pass away the time I'll tell your grace A dream I had last night. Brachiano. Most wishedly. Vittoria Corombona. A foolish idle dream. Methought I walk'd, about the mid of night, Into a churchyard, whe…
PATIENCE. Duke. What comfort do you find in being so calm ? Candido. That which green wounds receive from sovereign balm. Patience, my lord! why, 'tis the soul of peace ; Of all the virtues 'tis nearest kin to heaven; It makes men look lik…
DEATH. There's a lean fellow beats all conquerors. Id.
APRIL AND WOMEN'S TEARS. Trust not a woman when she cries, For she'll pump water from her eyes With a wet finger, and in faster showers Than April when he rains down flowers. Decker.
LADIES DANCING. A fine sweet earthquake, gently moved By the soft wind of whispering silks. Id.
THE CHRISTIAN LADY AND THE ANGEL. An Angel, in the guise of a Page, attends on Dorothea. Dor. My book and taper. Ang. Here, most holy mistress. Dor. Thy voice sends forth such music, that I never Was ravish'd with a more celestial sound. W…
FLIGHT OF WITCHES. Scene, a Field. Enter Hecate, Stadlin, Hoppo, and other Witches Firestone in the background. Hec. The moon's a gallant; see how brisk she rides! Stad. Here's a rich evening, Hecate. Hec. Ay, is it not, wenches, To take a…
Hialas. To this union The good of both the Church and Commonwealth Invite you. Durham. To this unity, a mystery Of Providence points out a greater blessing For both these nations, than our human wisdom Can search into. King Henry hath a da…
Donusa. What magic hath transformed me from myself? Where is my virgin pride ? how have I lost My boasted freedom! what new fire burns up My scorch'd entrails!! what unknown desires Invade, and take possession of my soul? Massinger's Reneg…
There are of mad men, as there are of tame, All humour'd not alike. "We have here some So apish and fantastic, will play with a feather; And though 't would grieve a soul to see God's image So blemish'd and defaced, yet do they act Such an…
The best of men That e'er wore earth about him was a sufferer; A soft, meek, patient, humble, tranquil spirit; The first true gentleman that ever breath'd.
Oh, man! thou image of thy Maker's good, What canst thou fear, when breath'd into thy blood His Spirit is that built thee ? What dull sense Makes thee suspect, in need, that Providence Who made the morning, and who placed the light Guide t…
INVOCATION TO SLEEP. Sung to Music; the Empekob, Valentinian sitting by, sick, in a chair. Care-charming Sleep, thou easer of all woes, Brother to Death, sweetly thyself dispose On this afflicted prince ; fall like a cloud In gentle shower…
THE POWER OF LOVE. Hear, ye ladies that despise What the mighty Love has done; Fear examples and be wise : Fair Calisto was a nun; Leda, sailing on the stream To deceive the hopes of man, Love accounting but a dream, Doted on a silver swan…
Is not yon gleam the shuddering morn, that flakes With silver tincture the east verge of heaven?
MORNING. See, the day begins to break, And the light shoots like a streak Of subtle fire. The wind blows cold While the morning doth unfold.
A SPOT FOR LOVE-TALES. Here be all new delights, cool streams and wells; Arbours o'ergrown with woodbines ; caves and dells. Choose where thou wait, whilst I sit by and sing, Or gather rushes, to make many a ring For thy long fingers; tell…
No, shepherd, no ; we must not pipe at noon : We must fear Pan, who sleeps after the chase, Ready to start in snappish bitterness With quivering nostril.
In which were oakes great, straight as a line, Under the which the grass, so fresh of hue, Was newly sprung, and an eight foot of nine Ev-e-ry tree well from his fellow grew, With branches broad, laden with leaves new, That sprangen out ag…
A SATYR. PRESENTS A BASKET OF FRUIT TO THE FAITHFUL SHEPHERDESS. BY FLETCHER. Here be grapes whose lusty blood Is the learned poet's good; Sweeter yet did never crown The head of Bacchus; nuts more brown Than the squirrel's teeth that crac…