WHY

BEAUTY'S EPITOME.

HY should this a desert be? For it is unpeopled? No; Tongues I'll hang on every tree,

That shall civil sayings show. Some, how brief the life of man Runs his erring pilgrimage, That the stretching of a span Buckles in his sum of age; Some, of violated vows

'Twixt the souls of friend and friend :

But

upon the fairest boughs,

Or at every sentence' end,

Will I Rosalinda write,

Teaching all that read to know

The quintessence of every sprite

Heaven would in little show. Therefore heaven nature charged That one body should be filled With all graces wide-enlarged: Nature presently distilled Helen's cheek, but not her heart, Cleopatra's majesty,

Atalanta's better part,

Sad Lucretia's modesty.

Thus Rosalind of many parts

By heavenly synod was devised;

Of many faces, eyes, and hearts,

To have the touches dearest prized.

Heaven would that she these gifts should have, And I to live and die her slave.

E

A

THE LOVE-LETTER.

RT thou god to shepherd turned,

That a maiden's heart hath burned? Why, thy godhead laid apart, Warr'st thou with a woman's heart? Whiles the eye of man did woo me, That could do no vengeance to me. If the scorn of your bright eyne Have power to raise such love in mine, Alack, in me what strange effect Would they work in mild aspect?

Whiles

you

How then might your prayers move?

He that brings this love to thee
Little knows this love in me :
And by him seal up thy mind;
Whether that thy youth and kind
Will the faithful offer take
Of me, and all that I can make ;
Or else by him my love deny,
And then I'll study how to die.

IT WAS A LOVER AND HIS LASS.

T was a lover and his lass,

IT

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,

That o'er the green corn-field did pass

In the spring time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing, hey ding a ding, ding: Sweet lovers love the spring.

Between the acres of the rye,

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,
These pretty country folks would lie,
In spring time, &c.

This carol they began that hour,

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino, How that a life was but a flower

In spring time, &c.

And therefore take the present time,

With a hey, and a ho, and a hey nonino,

For love is crowned with the prime

In spring time, &c.

TO LOVE AND WED FOR LOVE IS PERFECT BLISS.

HEN is there mirth in heaven,

THE

When earthly things made even
Atone together.

Good duke, receive thy daughter :
Hymen from heaven brought her,
Yea, brought her hither,

That thou might'st join her hand with his
Whose heart within his bosom is.

A WEDLOCK-HYMN.

EDDING is great Juno's crown ;

WEL

O blessed bond of board and bed!
'Tis Hymen peoples every town;
High wedlock then be honoured :
Honour, high honour and renown,
To Hymen, god of every town!

From Measure for Measure.

TAKE, O, TAKE THOSE LIPS AWAY.

`AKE, O, take those lips away,

TA

That so sweetly were forsworn ;
And those eyes, the break of day,
Lights that do mislead the morn :
But my kisses bring again,

Bring again;

Seals of love, but sealed in vain,

Sealed in vain.

From Hamlet.

HOW SHOULD I YOUR TRUE LOVE KNOW?

How should I your true love know

From another one?

By his cockle hat and staff,

And his sandal shoon.

He is dead and gone, lady,

He is dead and gone;

At his head a grass-green turf,

At his heels a stone.

White his shroud as the mountain snow,

Larded all with sweet flowers,

Which bewept to the grave

did go

With true-love showers.

AND WILL HE NOT COME AGAIN?

A

ND will he not come again?

And will he not come again?
No, no, he is dead :

Go to thy death-bed :

He never will come again.

His beard was as white as snow,

All flaxen was his poll:

He is gone, he is gone,

And we cast away moan;

God ha' mercy on his soul !