From Milton: And did those feet by William Blake
And did those feet in ancient time Walk upon England’s mountains green? And was the holy Lamb of God On England’s pleasant pastures seen? And did the Countenance Divine Shine forth upon our clouded hills? And was Jerusalem builded here, Among these dark Satanic Mills? Bring me my Bow of burning gold: Bring me my […]
Blind Man’s Buff by William Blake
When silver snow decks Susan’s clothes, And jewel hangs at th’ shepherd’s nose, The blushing bank is all my care, With hearth so red, and walls so fair; `Heap the sea-coal, come, heap it higher, The oaken log lay on the fire.’ The well-wash’d stools, a circling row, With lad and lass, how fair the […]
XVI: Some Verses: Of Conquerouris by William Alexander
Thay quho to conqueir all the erth presume, A littill airth schall thame at last consume. Of Kingis Mo Kingis in chalmeris fall by flatterreris charmis, Than in the feild by the aduersareis armis. A Comparisone betuix heich and law Estaitis. The bramble growis althocht it be obscure, Quhillis michty cederis feilis the busteous windis; […]
XV: Some Verses: Ciprian’s Smyling by William Alexander
The Ciprian’s smyling, led our prince to Spayne, Her husband’s lightning welcomes him againe; Love was but hoped for in a forrayne pairt, He finds it burning heere in every heart. As revells strange would waste the world away, We burned the night, and heaven drown’d the day. Juno and Venus onely frowne a space, […]
XIV: Some Verses: To Mr. Edward Allane by William Alexander
To his deservedlie honored frend, Mr. Edward Allane, the first founder and Master of the Colleige of Gods Gift. Some greate by birth or chance, whom fortune blindes, Where (if it were) trew vertue wold burst forth, They, sense not haveing, can afford no worth, And by their meanes doe but condemne their myndes. To […]
XIII: Some Verses: On A Report On The Death Of The Author by William Alexander
If that were true, which whispered is by Fame, That Damons light no more on Earth doth burne, His patron Phœbus physicke would disclame, And cloath’d in clowds as earst for Phæton mourne. Yea, Fame by this had got so deepe a Wound, That scarce Shee could haue power to tell his Death, Her Wings […]
A Slumber did my Spirit Seal by William Wordsworth
A slumber did my spirit seal; I had no human fears: She seemed a thing that could not feel The touch of earthly years. No motion has she now, no force; She neither hears nor sees; Rolled round in earth’s diurnal course, With rocks, and stones, and trees. ————— The End And that’s the End […]
A Sketch by William Wordsworth
The little hedgerow birds, That peck along the road, regard him not. He travels on, and in his face, his step, His gait, is one expression; every limb, His look and bending figure, all bespeak A man who does not move with pain, but moves With thought. -He is insensibly subdued To settled quiet: he […]
A Poet’s Epitaph by William Wordsworth
Art thou a Statist in the van Of public conflicts trained and bred? -First learn to love one living man; ‘Then’ may’st thou think upon the dead. A Lawyer art thou?-draw not nigh! Go, carry to some fitter place The keenness of that practised eye, The hardness of that sallow face. Art thou a Man […]
A Poet! He Hath Put His Heart To School by William Wordsworth
A poet!-He hath put his heart to school, Nor dares to move unpropped upon the staff Which art hath lodged within his hand-must laugh By precept only, and shed tears by rule. Thy Art be Nature; the live current quaff, And let the groveller sip his stagnant pool, In fear that else, when Critics grave […]
A Parsonage In Oxfordshire by William Wordsworth
Where holy ground begins, unhallowed ends, Is marked by no distinguishable line; The turf unites, the pathways intertwine; And, wheresoe’er the stealing footstep tends, Garden, and that domain where kindred, friends, And neighbours rest together, here confound Their several features, mingled like the sound Of many waters, or as evening blends With shady night. Soft […]
A Morning Exercise by William Wordsworth
FANCY, who leads the pastimes of the glad, Full oft is pleased a wayward dart to throw; Sending sad shadows after things not sad, Peopling the harmless fields with signs of woe: Beneath her sway, a simple forest cry Becomes an echo of man’s misery. Blithe ravens croak of death; and when the owl Tries […]
A Jewish Family In A Small Valley Opposite St. Goar, Upon The Rhine by William Wordsworth
GENIUS of Raphael! if thy wings Might bear thee to this glen, With faithful memory left of things To pencil dear and pen, Thou would’st forego the neighbouring Rhine, And all his majesty– A studious forehead to incline O’er this poor family. The Mother–her thou must have seen, In spirit, ere she came To dwell […]
A Gravestone Upon The Floor In The Cloisters Of Worcester Cathedral by William Wordsworth
“MISERRIMUS,” and neither name nor date, Prayer, text, or symbol, graven upon the stone; Nought but that word assigned to the unknown, That solitary word–to separate From all, and cast a cloud around the fate Of him who lies beneath. Most wretched one, ‘Who’ chose his epitaph?–Himself alone Could thus have dared the grave to […]
A Fact, And An Imagination, Or, Canute And Alfred, On The Seashore by William Wordsworth
THE Danish Conqueror, on his royal chair, Mustering a face of haughty sovereignty, To aid a covert purpose, cried–“O ye Approaching Waters of the deep, that share With this green isle my fortunes, come not where Your Master’s throne is set.”–Deaf was the Sea; Her waves rolled on, respecting his decree Less than they heed […]
A Complaint by William Wordsworth
There is a change-and I am poor; Your love hath been, nor long ago, A fountain at my fond heart’s door, Whose only business was to flow; And flow it did; not taking heed Of its own bounty, or my need. What happy moments did I count! Blest was I then all bliss above! Now, […]
XII: Some Verses: Sonnet, To The Authour by William Alexander
Of knowne effects, grounds too precisely sought, Young Naturalists oft Atheists old doe proue. And some who naught, saue who first moues, can moue, Scorne mediate meanes, as wonders still were wrought: But tempring both, thou dost this difference euen, Diuine Physician, physicall Diuine; Who soules and bodies help’st, dost heere designe From earth by […]
XI: Some Verses: To His Worthy Friend Master Walter Quin by William Alexander
I must commend the clearenesse of thy mind, Which (stil ingenuous) bent true worth to raise, Though in the graue an obiect fit will find, Not flattring liuing Men with question’d praise. Braue Bernards valour noble Naples sounds: Which scarce his Country venters to proclaime, But sith his sword preuail’d in forraine bounds, Their pennes […]
X: Some Verses: To His Most Affectionate Friend Mr. Lithgow by William Alexander
No Arabs, Turkes, Moores, Sarazens, nor strangers, Woods, Wildernesse, and darke, vmbragous Caues, No Serpents, Beasts, nor cruel fatall dangers, Nor sad regrates of ghostly groning graues, Could thee affright, disswade, disturbe, annoy, To venture life, to winne a world of ioy: This Worke, which pompe-expecting eyes may feed, To Vs, and Thee, shall perfect […]
VII: Some Verses: On The Death of John Murray by William Alexander
Mourne Muses, mourne, your greatest gallant dyes, Who free in state did court your sacred traine, Your Minion Murray, Albiones sweetest swaine, Who soar’d so high, now sore neglected lyes. If of true worth the world had right esteemd His loftie thoughts what bounds could haue confind? But Fortune feard to match with such a […]
V: Some Verses: To The Author Parthenius by William Alexander
While thou dost praise the Roses, Lillies, Gold, Which in a dangling Tresse and Face appeare, Still stands the Sunne in Skies thy Songs to heare, A Silence sweet each Whispering Wind doth hold, Sleepe in Pasitheas Lap his Eyes doth fold, The Sword falls from the God of the fift Spheare, The Heards to […]
To Prince Charles by William Alexander
That which I first for Henries life did sound, Shall spite of death, which did high hopes betray, A speaking pledge, a living token stay, Which with his name shall make my love renown’d; His successor, thou may’st make use of this, Which freely showes what Princes doe deserve; It both him dead, and thee […]
To his Majestie by William Alexander
The worlds affection now this tragick tryall proues, Heauen heape mishaps vpon his head, whom it not highly moues. But though the weight be great, which makes each hart to bow, That men when mad, rage not so much as reason doth allow: And that [thryse Royall Syre] since that it first was knowne, All […]
The Sonnet, The Lady, And The Prince by William Alexander
A Vignette and Moral A royal barge once brush’d the meadows Nigh tall trees by yon river’s tide. Bathed in its leafy lights and shadows Head-down a linnet dropp’d quick-eyed In leaves, gold-dipp’d on his green side. The linnet heard a lady’s foot Who met a princely lover there. On the deck standing flush’d and […]
The Roses And The Mothers Cannot Choose by William Alexander
The roses and the mothers cannot choose But give forth what of beautiful they have, But give forth what fair love and sunshine gave In tender sympathy, or delicate hues, Soft scents eternal, love’s undying dews. And He who bore the man’s heart from earth’s wave To Heaven’s calm shore that He might sweetly save, […]
Sonet 58 by William Alexander
Feare not, my Faire, that euer any chaunce So shake the resolutions of my mind, That like Demophon changing with the wind, I thy fames rent not labor to enhaunce: The ring which thou in signe of fauour gaue, Shall from fine gold transforme it selfe in glasse: The Diamond which then so solid was, […]
Sonet 57 by William Alexander
Whil’st th’Apenin seems cloth’d with snows to vaunt, As if that their pure white all hues did staine, I match them with thy matchlesse faire againe, Whose lillies haue a luster, that they want: But when some die, train’d with a pleasant show, In their plaine-seeming depths, as many do, Then I remember how Aurora […]
Sonet 56 by William Alexander
Lo, now reuiuing my disast’rous stile, I prosecute the tenor of my fate, And follow forth at dangers highest rate, In forraine Realmes my fortune for a while: I might haue learn’d this by my last exile, That change of countries cannot change my state: Where euer that my bodie seeke a seate, I leaue […]
Sonet 55 by William Alexander
I enuie Neptune oft, not that his hands Did build that loftie Ilions stately towers, Nor that he Emperour of the liquid pow’rs, Doth brooke a place amongst the immortall bands, But that embracing her whom I loue best, As Achilous with Alcides once, Still wrestling with the riuall earth he grones, For earnestnes t’ouerflow […]
Sonet 54 by William Alexander
Great God that guides the Dolphin through the deepe, Looke now as thou didst then with smiling grace, When seeking once her beauties to embrace, Thou forc’d the faire Amimone to weepe: The liquid monarchie thou canst not keepe, If thus the blustring God vsurp thy place; Rise and against his blasts erect thy face; […]
Sonet 53 by William Alexander
If now cleare Po, that pittie be not spent, Which for to quench his flames did once thee moue, Whom the great thunderer thundred from aboue, And to thy siluer bosome burning sent, To pitie his coequall be content; That in effect doth the like fortune proue, Throwne headlong from the highest heau’ns of loue; […]
Sonet 52 by William Alexander
Some men delight huge buildings to behold, Some theaters, mountaines, floods, and famous springs; Some monuments of Monarkes, and such things As in the bookes of fame haue bene inrol’d: Those stately townes that to the starres were rais’d, Some would their ruines see (their beautie’s gone) Of which the worlds three parts, each bosts […]
Sonet 51 by William Alexander
I dream’d, the Nymph that ore my fancie raignes, Came to a part whereas I paus’d alone; Then said, what needs you in such sort to mone? Haue I not power to recompence your paines? Lo I coniure you by that loyall loue, Which you professe, to cast those griefes apart, It’s long deare loue […]
Sonet 50 by William Alexander
Once Cupid had compassion of my state, And wounded with a wonderfull remorce, Vow’d that he would my cruell faire enforce, To melt the rigor of her cold conceit: But when he came his purpose to fulfill, And shot at her a volly from the skies, She did receiue the darts within her eyes; Then […]
Sonet 5 by William Alexander
No wonder though that this my blisse dismaies, Whil’st rendred vp to neuer-pleas’d desires, I burne, and yet must couer cursed fires, Whose flame it selfe against my will bewrayes. Some times my faire to launce my wound assayes, And with th’occasion as it seemes conspires, And indirectly oft my state inquires, Which I would […]
Sonet 49 by William Alexander
I thinke that Cipris in a high disdaine, Barr’d by the barb’rous Turkes that conquer’d seate, To re-erect the ruins of her state, Comes ore their bounds t’establish beauties raigne; And whil’st her greatnesse doth begin to rise, As sdaining temples built of baser frame, She in those rosie snowes t’enstall her name, Reares stately […]
Sonet 48 by William Alexander
When as I come to thy respected sight, Thy lookes are all so chast, thy words so graue, That my affections do the foile receaue, And like to darknes yeeld vnto the light; Still vertue holds the ballance of thy wit, In which great reason ponders euery thought, And thou deare Ladie neuer staind in […]
Sonet 47 by William Alexander
When whiles I heare some gallants to giue forth, That those whom they adore are onely faire, With whom they thinke none other can compare; The beautie of beautie, and the height of worth, Then Iealousie doth all my ioyes controule, For ô I thinke, who can accomplish’d be, (There is no Sunne but one) […]
Sonet 44 by William Alexander
O now I thinke, and do not thinke amisse, That th’old Philosophers were all but fooles, Who vs’d such curious questions in their schooles, Yet could not apprehend the highest Blisse. Lo, I haue learn’d in th’ Academe of Loue, A Maxime which they neuer vnderstood: To loue and be belou’d, this is the good, […]
Sonet 43 by William Alexander
Now when the Syren sings, as one dismaid, I straight with waxe begin to stop mine eares; And when the Crocadile doth shed foorth teares, I flie away, for feare to be betraid. I know when as thou seem’st to waile my state, Thy face is no true table of thy mind: And thou wouldst […]