But ah, the sickle !—golden ears are crop'd; Sharp frosty fingers all your flow'rs have top'd, And what scythes spar'd, winds shave off quite. Poor verdant fool, and now green ice!-Thy joys Thou best of men and friends!we will create Our sacred hearths shall burn eternally As vestal flames; the north-wind, he Dropping December shall come weeping in, But when in showers of old Greek we begin, Night, as clear Hesper shall our tapers whip, Thus richer than untempted kings are we, This is a very perfect specimen of our poet's best style, and at the same time abounds with his peculiar defects. It is impossible to deny that it exhibits the genuine poet, but there are passages hardly intelligible. A SONG. The Vintage to the Dungeon. Sing out, pent souls, sing cheerfully! Mirth frees you in captivity : Would you double fetters add, Besides your piníoned arms, you'll find Live then prisoners uncontrol'd! Drink o' th' strong, the rich, the old, And throats are free, Triumph in your bonds and pains, And dance to the music of your chains! We may easily conceive that the above was written during the confinement of the poet in the Gatehouse Prison, and that the generous writer did not confine himself to words only, but that he employed the means in his power to make the heart of the prisoner leap for joy. SONG. To ALTHEA, from Prison. To whisper at the grates: The birds that wanton in the air, When flowing cups run swiftly round Know no such liberty. When, like committed linnets, I With shriller throat shall sing Stone walls do not a prison make, Nor iron bars a cage; That for a hermitage : This song has been much, and very justly admired, and if he had composed nothing more, would have insured to Lovelace a place in the memory of all lovers H of poetry, so long as the language in which it is written exists. The composition is perfect, there is not a defective line nor a faulty word. Two objections however may be made to it. It is of temporary application, and not adapted for "all time." It is complex, refering to three different states of enjoyment, love, drinking, and loyalty. The climax, if we may be allowed to call it so, in the succession of metaphors is well adapted, and the last stanza is altogether admirable. SONG. To General Goring, after the pacification of Berwick, Now the peace is made at the foes rate, Whilst men at arms to kettles their old helms translate And drink in casques of honourable plate; In every hand a cup be found, That from all hearts a health may sound, To Goring! to Goring! see't go round. He whose glories shine so bright and high, That captive they in triumph lead each ear and eye, And from the earth to heaven rebound, Fix'd there eternal as this round, To Goring! to Goring! see him crown'd. To his lovely bride in love with scars, Whose eyes wound deep in peace as doth his sword in wars, They shortly must depose the queen of stars: Her cheeks the morning's blushes give, And the benighted world reprieve; To Lettice! to Lettice! let her live. Give me scorching heat, thy heat dry sun, Yet leave my grateful thirst unquench'd, undone ! In which dissolved stars should shine! To the couple! to the couple! they are divine! AN ELEGY On the death of Mrs. Cassandra Cotton, only sister to Mr. C. Cotton. Hither with hallowed steps as is the ground Where each pale guest stands fix'd, a living tomb; wills. |