11. "Thus were a match made, sure and fast, 'Mid the blue weed-flowers round the mound Where, issuing, we shall stand and stay For one more look at Baths and bay, Sands, sea-gulls, and the old church last 12. "A match 'twixt me, bent, wigged, and lamed, When gout and glory seat me there, 13. "And this young beauty, round and sound As a mountain-apple, youth and truth With loves and doves, at all events With money in the Three per Cents; Whose choice of me would seem profound : 14. "She might take me as I take her. Perfect the hour would pass, alas! Climb high, love high, what matter? Still, An hour's perfection can't recur. 15. Then follows Paris and full time For both to reason: Thus with us!' She'll sigh, Thus girls give body and soul At first word, think they gain the goal, When 'tis the starting-place they climb! 66 16. My friend makes verse and gets renown; He knows the world, firm, quiet, and gay; 66 6 17. For boys say, Love me or I die! He did not say, The truth is, youth I want, who am old and know too much; I'd catch youth: lend me sight and touch! Drop heart's blood where life's wheels grate dry! 18. "While I should make rejoinder "—(then For a yawning-fit o'er books and men. 19. "What? All I am, was, and might be, All, books taught, art brought, life's whole strife, Painful results since precious, just Were fitly exchanged in wise disgust 20. "All for a nosegay!-what came first; And find a nosegay: drop it, then, 21. That ended me. You judged the porch Find out the place for air and view; 22. Descended, soon regained the Baths, And then, good bye! Years ten since then : 23. Now I may speak: you fool, for all Your lore! WHо made things plain in vain? What was the sea for? What, the grey Sad church, that solitary day, Crosses and graves and swallows' call? 24. Was there nought better than to enjoy? No feat which, done, would make time break, And let us pent-up creatures through Into eternity, our due? No forcing earth teach Heaven's employ? 25. No wise beginning, here and now, What cannot grow complete (earth's feat) 26. No grasping at love, gaining a share O' the sole spark from God's life at strife With death, so, sure of range above The limits here? For us and love, Failure; but, when God fails, despair. 54 DÎS ALITER VISUM; OR, LE BYRON DE NOS JOURS. 27. This you call wisdom? Thus you add You loved, with body worn and weak; Were both loves worthless since ill-clad ? 28. Let the mere star-fish in his vault Crawl in a wash of weed, indeed, He, whole in body and soul, outstrips 29. But what's whole, can increase no more, The devil laughed at you in his sleeve! You knew not? That, I well believe; Or you had saved two souls: nay, four. 30. For Stephanie sprained last night her wrist, Vilely: her vogue has had its day. |