There ended was his quest, there ceased his care. Down he descended from his snow-soft chair, But all unwares, with his cold-kind em brace, 20 Unhoused thy virgin soul from her fair biding place. IV. Yet art thou not inglorious in thy fate; Alack! that so to change thee Winter had no power! V. Yet can I not persuade me thou art dead, Or that thy beauties lie in wormy bed, 30 Oh no! for something in thy face did shine Above mortality, that showed thou wast divine. VI. Resolve me then, O Soul most surely blest, VII. Wert thou some star, which from the ruined roof Of shaked Olympus by mischance didst fall; Amongst us here below to hide thy nectared head? VIII. 51 Or wert thou that just Maid who once before Or that crowned Matron, sage white-robed Or any other of that heavenly brood Let down in cloudy throne to do the world some good? IX. Or wert thou of the golden-winged host, breed; Thereby to set the hearts of men on fire To scorn the sordid world, and unto Heaven aspire? X. But oh! why didst thou not stay here below To bless us with thy heaven-loved innocence, To slake his wrath whom sin hath made our foe, To turn swift-rushing black perdition hence, Or drive away the slaughtering pestilence, To stand 'twixt us and our deservèd smart? But thou canst best perform that office where thou art. XI. 70 Then thou, the mother of so sweet a child, Anno Etatis XIX. AT A VACATION EXERCISE IN THE COLLEGE: Part Latin, part English: the Latin Speeches ended, the English thus began: HAIL, Native Language, that by sinews weak Didst move my first endeavouring tongue to speak; And mad'st imperfect words with childish trips, Half-unpronounced, slide through my infant lips, Driving dumb Silence from the portal door, Here I salute thee, and thy pardon ask, I know my tongue but little grace can do thee, The daintiest dishes shall be served up last. sure, And from thy wardrobe bring thy chiefest treasure; Not those new-fangled toys, and trimming slight 19 Which takes our late fantastics with delight; 30 Before thou clothe my fancy in fit sound; soar Above the wheeling poles, and at Heaven's door Look in and see each blissful deity How he before the thunderous throne doth lie, Listening to what unshorn Apollo sings To the touch of golden wires, while Hebè brings Immortal nectar to her kingly sire; Then, passing through the spheres of watchful fire, 40 And misty regions of wide air next under, raves, In Heaven's defiance mustering all his waves; 50 Expectance calls thee now another way, Then ENS is represented as father of the Predicaments, his ten sons, whereof the eldest stood for SUBSTANCE with his canons, which ENS, thus speaking, explains : 60 Good luck befriend thee, Son; for at thy birth spy Come tripping to the room where thou didst lie. |