CIV

THE GREAT ADVENTURER

Over the mountains

And over the waves,

Under the fountains

And under the graves;

Under floods that are deepest,

Which Neptune obey;

Over rocks that are steepest

Love will find out the way.

Where there is no place

For the glow-worm to lie;
Where there is no space

For receipt of a fly;

Where the midge dares not venture
Lest herself fast she lay ;

If love come, he will enter
And soon find out his way.

You may esteem him
A child for his might;
Or you may deem him

A coward from his flight;

But if she whom love doth honour

Be conceal'd from the day,

Set a thousand guards upon her,

Love will find out the way.

Some think to lose him
By having him confined;
And some do suppose him,
Poor thing, to be blind;

But if ne'er so close ye wall him,
Do the best that you may,
Blind love, if so ye call him,
Will find out his way.

You may train the eagle
To stoop to your fist;
Or you may inveigle
The phoenix of the east ;
The lioness, ye may move her
To give o'er her prey;

But you'll ne'er stop a lover:

He will find out his way.

Anon.

CV

THE PICTURE OF LITTLE T.C. IN A PROSPECT OF FLOWERS

See with what simplicity

This nymph begins her golden days!

In the green grass she loves to lie,
And there with her fair aspect tames

The wilder flowers, and gives them names;
But only with the roses plays,

And them does tell

What colours best become them, and what smell

Who can foretell for what high cause
This darling of the Gods was born?
Yet this is she whose chaster laws
The wanton Love shall one day fear,
And, under her command severe,
See his bow broke, and ensigns torn.
Happy who can
Appease this virtuous enemy of man!

O then let me in time compound
And parley with those conquering eyes,
Ere they have tried their force to wound;
Ere with their glancing wheels they drive
In triumph over hearts that strive,
And them that yield but more despise :
Let me be laid,

Where I may see the glories from some shade.

Mean time, whilst every verdant thing
Itself does at thy beauty charm,
Reform the errors of the Spring;
Make that the tulips may have share
Of sweetness, seeing they are fair,
And roses of their thorns disarm,
But most procure

That violets may a longer age endure.

But O young beauty of the woods,

Whom Nature courts with fruits and flowers
Gather the flowers, but spare the buds;
Lest FLORA, angry at thy crime

To kill her infants in their prime,

Should quickly make th' example yours ;

And ere we see-

Nip in the blossom-all our hopes and thee.

A. Marvel

CVI

CHILD AND MAIDEN

Ah, Chloris! could I now but sit
As unconcern'd as when
Your infant beauty could beget
No happiness or pain!

When I the dawn used to admire,

And praised the coming day,

I little thought the rising fire
Would take my rest away.

Your charms in harmless childhood lay
Like metals in a mine;

Age from no face takes more away
Than youth conceal'd in thine.
But as your charms insensibly
To their perfection prest,
So love as unperceived did fly,
And center'd in my breast.

My passion with your beauty grew,
While Cupid at my heart,
Still as his mother favour'd you,
Threw a new flaming dart :
Each gloried in their wanton part;
To make a lover, he

Employ'd the utmost of his art—
To make a beauty, she.

Sir C. Sedley

CVII

CONSTANCY

I cannot change, as others do,
Though you unjustly scorn,

Since that poor swain that sighs for you,
For you alone was born;

No, Phyllis, no, your heart to move

A surer way I'll try,

And to revenge my slighted love,

Will still love on, and die.

When, kill'd with grief, Amintas lies,
And you to mind shall call

The sighs that now unpitied rise,

The tears that vainly fall,

That welcome hour that ends his smart

Will then begin your pain,

For such a faithful tender heart

Can never break in vain.

J. Wilmot, Earl of Rochester

CVIII

COUNSEL TO GIRLS

Gather ye rose-buds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:

And this same flower that smiles to-day,
To morrow will be dying.

The glorious Lamp of Heaven, the Sun,
The higher he's a-getting
The sooner will his race be run,
And nearer he's to setting.

That age is best which is the first,
When youth and blood are warmer;
But being spent, the worse, and worst
Times, still succeed the former.

Then be not coy, but use your time;
And while ye may, go marry :
For having lost but once your prime,
You may for ever tarry.

R. Herrick

CIX

TO LUCASTA, ON GOING TO THE WARS

Tell me not, Sweet, I am unkind

That from the nunnery

Of thy chaste breast and quiet mind,
To war and arms I fly.

True, a new mistress now I chase,
The first foe in the field;

And with a stronger faith embrace
A sword, a horse, a shield.

Yet this inconstancy is such
As you too shall adore ;

I could not love thee, Dear, so much,
Loved I not Honour more.

Colonel Lovelace

CX

ELIZABETH OF BOHEMIA

You meaner beauties of the night,
That poorly satisfy our eyes

More by your number than your light,