'Gifts!' cried the friend. He took; and holding it High toward the heavens, as though to meet his star, Exclaim'd, ‘This, too, I owe to thee, Jaffar.' Leigh Hunt LIV COLIN AND LUCY Three times, all in the dead of night, Too well the love-lorn maiden knew 'I hear a voice you cannot hear, By a false heart and broken vows, Was I to blame, because his bride 'Ah, Colin, give not her thy vows, Nor thou, fond maid, receive his kiss, Impatient, both prepare! But know, fond maid, and know, false man, 'Then bear my corse, my comrades, bear, This bridegroom blithe to meet, He in his wedding trim so gay, I, in my winding-sheet.' She spoke, she died, her corse was borne The bridegroom blithe to meet, He in his wedding trim so gay, She in her winding-sheet. Then what were perjur'd Colin's thoughts? At once his bosom swell: The damps of death bedew'd his brow, T. Tickell LV THE REDBREAST CHASING THE BUTTERFLY Art thou the bird whom man loves best, The bird that comes about our doors And Russia far inland? The bird, that by some name or other H 2 130809B Could father Adam open his eyes, -If the butterfly knew but his friend, Under the branches of the tree : Can this be the bird to man so good, That after their bewildering, Cover'd with leaves the little children, So painfully in the wood? What ail'd thee, robin, that thou could'st pursue A beautiful creature, That is gentle by nature? Beneath the summer sky, From flower to flower let him fly; 'Tis all that he wishes to do. The cheerer, thou, of our in-door sadness, LVI W. Wordsworth THE CHILDREN IN THE WOOD Now ponder well, you parents dear, These words which I shall write; A doleful story you shall hear, In Norfolk dwelt of late, Who did in honour far surmount Sore sick he was, and like to die, In love they lived, in love they died, The one, a fine and pretty boy, As plainly doth appear, When he to perfect age should come, And to his little daughter Jane, Their uncle should possess their wealth ; 'Now, brother,' said the dying man, Be good unto my boy and girl, My children dear this day; 'You must be father and mother both, God knows what will become of them, With that bespake their mother dear, 'And if you keep them carefully, They kiss'd their children small: 'God bless you both, my children dear;' With that their tears did fall. These speeches then their brother spake |