The Hesperides & Noble Numbers Part 61

702. MEAN THINGS OVERCOME MIGHTY.

By the weak'st means things mighty are o'erthrown.

_He's lord of thy life who contemns his own_.

705. THE BRACELET OF PEARL: TO SILVIA.

I brake thy bracelet 'gainst my will, And, wretched, I did see Thee discomposed then, and still Art discontent with me.

One gem was lost, and I will get A richer pearl for thee, Than ever, dearest Silvia, yet Was drunk to Antony.

Or, for revenge, I'll tell thee what Thou for the breach shall do; First crack the strings, and after that Cleave thou my heart in two.

706. HOW ROSES CAME RED.

'Tis said, as Cupid danc'd among The G.o.ds he down the nectar flung, Which on the white rose being shed Made it for ever after red.

707. KINGS.

Men are not born kings, but are men renown'd; Chose first, confirm'd next, and at last are crown'd.

708. FIRST WORK, AND THEN WAGES.

Preposterous is that order, when we run To ask our wages ere our work be done.

_Preposterous_, lit. hind part before.

709. TEARS AND LAUGHTER.

Knew'st thou one month would take thy life away, Thou'dst weep; but laugh, should it not last a day.

710. GLORY.

Glory no other thing is, Tully says, Than a man's frequent fame spoke out with praise.

711. POSSESSIONS.

Those possessions short-liv'd are, Into the which we come by war.

713. HIS RETURN TO LONDON.

From the dull confines of the drooping West To see the day spring from the pregnant East, Ravish'd in spirit I come, nay, more, I fly To thee, bless'd place of my nativity!

Thus, thus with hallowed foot I touch the ground, With thousand blessings by thy fortune crown'd.

O fruitful Genius! that bestowest here An everlasting plenty, year by year.

O place! O people! Manners! fram'd to please All nations, customs, kindreds, languages!

I am a free-born Roman; suffer, then, That I amongst you live a citizen.

London my home is: though by hard fate sent Into a long and irksome banishment; Yet since call'd back; henceforward let me be, O native country, repossess'd by thee!

For, rather than I'll to the West return, I'll beg of thee first here to have mine urn.

Weak I am grown, and must in short time fall; Give thou my sacred relics burial.

714. NOT EVERY DAY FIT FOR VERSE.

'Tis not ev'ry day that I Fitted am to prophesy; No; but when the spirit fills The fantastic pannicles Full of fire, then I write As the G.o.dhead doth indite.

Thus enrag'd, my lines are hurled, Like the Sybil's, through the world.

Look how next the holy fire Either slakes, or doth retire; So the fancy cools, till when That brave spirit comes again.

_Fantastic pannicles_, brain cells of the imagination.

_Sybil's_, the oracles of the c.u.maean Sybil were written on leaves, which the wind blew about her cave.--Virg. aen. iv.

715. POVERTY THE GREATEST PACK.

To mortal men great loads allotted be, _But of all packs, no pack like poverty_.

716. A BUCOLIC, OR DISCOURSE OF NEATHERDS.

1. Come, blitheful neatherds, let us lay A wager who the best shall play, Of thee or I, the roundelay That fits the business of the day.

_Chor._ And Lalage the judge shall be, To give the prize to thee, or me.

2. Content, begin, and I will bet A heifer smooth, and black as jet, In every part alike complete, And wanton as a kid as yet.

_Chor._ And Lalage, with cow-like eyes, Shall be disposeress of the prize.

1. Against thy heifer, I will here Lay to thy stake a l.u.s.ty steer With gilded horns, and burnish'd clear.

_Chor._ Why, then, begin, and let us hear The soft, the sweet, the mellow note That gently purls from either's oat.

2. The stakes are laid: let's now apply Each one to make his melody.

_Lal._ The equal umpire shall be I, Who'll hear, and so judge righteously.

_Chor._ Much time is spent in prate; begin, And sooner play, the sooner win.

[_1 Neatherd plays_

2. That's sweetly touch'd, I must confess, Thou art a man of worthiness; But hark how I can now express My love unto my neatherdess. [_He sings_

_Chor._ A sugar'd note! and sound as sweet As kine when they at milking meet.