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Vertue, whom we all obtain

Vertue, whom we all obtain
With much labour, but more gain,
For your sake to dy would please,
Toyle and torments were but ease,
You direct men in pursuit
Of immortall sacred fruit,
Richer far then gold refin'd,
Soft as sleep, as parents kinde.
Great Alcides for your sake
Labours vast did undertake.
Leda's valiant twins made known
More your glories then their own;
Ajax and Achilles too
Only dy'd for love of you;
Ah! for you Atarna's pride ;
Hermias untimely dy'd .
But his name we will revive;
That our Muse shal keep alive,

For Her Heart Only

Only, sweet Love, afford me but thy heart,
Then close thine eyes within their ivory covers,
That they to me no beam of light impart,
Although they shine on all thy other lovers.
As for thy lip of ruby, cheek of rose,
Though I have kissed them oft with sweet content,
I am content that sweet content to lose;
If thy sweet Will will bar me, I assent.
Let me not touch thy hand, but through thy glove,
Nor let it be the pledge of kindness more;
Keep all thy beauties to thyself, sweet Love,
I ask not such bold favours as before.

Accompanying a Gift

(A Quilt.)

One whose love will never end,
May this present, from a friend,
Bring to thee refreshing sleep,
While thy spirit angels keep.

Peaceful may thy slumbers be,
From the cares of time set free,
Till the dream of life is past —
Till we meet at home at last.

Love and Poverty

One sat within a hung and lighted room —
A little shape, with face between his wings,
And in the light made of all golden things
He seemed a warm and living rose abloom;
And one without sobbed in the night and gloom,
And all about him was a pilgrim's weed,
His little hands and cold he held for meed
Of his long waiting, sad as by a tomb:
He entered at the door, the other flew
Out at the casement — and with sudden day
The lamps burned faint, and he who came most new
Was fair, and he who went was wan and gray.

Darling, Tell Me Yes

One little minute more, Maud,
— One little whisper more;
I have a word to speak, Maud,
— I never breathed before.
What can it be but love , Maud;
— And do I rightly guess
'Tis pleasant to your ear, Maud?
— O darling! tell me yes!

The burden of my heart, Maud,
— There's little need to tell;
There's little need to say, Maud,
— I've loved you long and well.
There's language in a sigh, Maud,
— One's meaning to express,
And yours — was it for me , Maud?
— O darling! tell me yes!

My eyes have told my love, Maud,

Birds' Lament

Oh, says the linnet, if I sing,
My love forsook me in the spring,
And nevermore will I be seen
Without my satin gown of green.

Oh, says the pretty-feathered jay,
Now my love is fled away
For the memory of my dear
A feather of each sort I'll wear.

Oh, says the sparrow, my love is gone,
She so much that I doted on,
And e'er since for that selfsame thing
I've made a vow I ne'er will sing.

Oh, says the water-wag-my-tail,
I courted a fair one but could not prevail,
I could not with my love prevail,

Open the Door to Me, Oh!

Oh, open the door, some pity to shew,
Oh, open the door to me, oh!
Tho' thou hast been false, I'll ever prove true,
Oh, open the door to me, oh!

Cauld is the blast upon my pale cheek,
But caulder thy love for me, oh!
The frost that freezes the life at my heart,
Is nought to my pains fra thee, oh!

The wan moon is setting behind the white wave,
And time is setting with me, oh!
False friends, false love, farewell! for mair
I'll ne'er trouble them, nor thee, oh!

She has open'd the door, she has open'd it wide;

Oh Lovely Fishermaiden

Du schones Fischermädchen

Oh lovely fishermaiden,
Come, bring your boat to land;
And we will sit together
And whisper, hand in hand.

Oh rest upon my bosom,
And fear no harm from me.
You give your body daily,
Unfearing to the sea. . . .

My heart is like the ocean
With storm and ebb and flow —
And many a pearly treasure
Burns in the depths below.

The Master-Builder

O love builds on the azure sea,
And Love builds on the golden sand;
And Love builds on the rose-winged cloud,
And sometimes Love builds on the land.

O, if Love build on sparkling sea,
And if Love build on golden strand,
And if Love build on rosy cloud,
To Love these are the solid land.

O, Love will build his lily walls,
And Love his pearly roof will rear,
On cloud, or land, or mist, or sea, —
Love's solid land is everywhere!