English

PART III. — ROME.

Here , melting, mixed with air the ideal forms
That painted still whate'er the goddess sung.
Then I, impatient. — " From extinguish'd Greece.
To what new region stream'd the Human Day?"
She softly sighing, as when Zephyr leaves,
Resign'd to Boreas, the declining year,
Resumed. — " Indignant, these last scenes I fled;
And long ere then, Leucadia's cloudy cliff,
And the Ceraunian hills behind me thrown,
All Latium stood aroused. Ages before —
Great mother of republics — Greece had pour'd,

Thus spoke the Goddess of the fearless eye;
And at her voice, renew'd, the Vision rose:
" First, in the dawn of time, with eastern swains,
In woods, and tents, and cottages, I lived;
While on from plain to plain they led their flocks
In search of clearer spring, and fresher field.
These, as increasing families disclosed
The tender state, I taught an equal sway.
Few were offences, properties, and laws.
Beneath the rural portal, palm-o'erspread,
The father senate met. There Justice dealt,
With reason then and equity the same,

O my lamented Talbot! while with thee
The Muse gay roved the glad Hesperian round,
And drew the inspiring breath of ancient arts,
Ah! little thought she her returning verse
Should sing our darling subject to thy Shade.
And does the mystic veil, from mortal beam,
Involve those eyes where every virtue smiled,
And all thy Father's candid spirit shone?
The light of reason, pure, without a cloud;
Full of the generous heart, the mild regard;
Honour disdaining blemish, cordial faith,
And limpid truth, that looks the very soul.

1

Say , but did you love so long?
In troth, I needs must blame you:
Passion did your judgment wrong,
Or want of reason shame you.

2

Truth, time's fair and witty daughter,
Shortly shall discover,
Y' are a subject fit for laughter,
And more fool than lover.

3

But I grant you merit praise

Out upon it! I have loved
Three whole days together;
And am like to love three more,
If it prove fair weather.

Time shall moult away his wings,
Ere he shall discover
In the whole wide world again
Such a constant lover.

But the spite on 't is, no praise
Is due at all to me;
Love with me had made no stays,
Had it any been but she.

Had it any been but she,
And that very face,
There had been at least ere this
A dozen dozen in her place.

BY CHANG PI LAN (JADE-GREEN ORCHID) FROM HU PEI (NORTH OF THE LAKE)

My Lover is like the tree-peony of Lo Yang.
I, unworthy, like the common willows of Wu Ch'ang.
Both places love the Spring wind.
When shall we hold each other's hands again?

(WRITTEN DURING THE LIANG DYNASTY) ONE OF THE " SONGS OF THE TEN REQUESTS "

1

Come deere, lett's waulke into this spring
Wher wee may heere the sweet birds sing
And lett us leave this darcksum place
Wher Cupid never yett had grace,
For loves bright light
Must us delight
And Cupids fire
Must still respire,
And brightest showe in darckest night.

2

'T'is nott the shades can harbour love;
Hee lives in highest spheares above,
And from his beames gives worlds ther light,
Hee raigning Crownd with sweets delight,
In darknes spite
Hee rules in light,
For Cupids fire

1

Lying upon the beach,
Beelow mee on the sands,
I saw within small reach
A lady ly in bands,
With armes across, and hands
Infolded in thos twines,
Wherby a true love climes
And for loves triumph stands,

2

Alas, cride she, can love
Beequeath mee noe small space
Wher I may live, and love
Butt run in ruins race?
Nor yett to gaine deaths trace,
You locks of his owne haire,
Wittnes I still you beare
In my harts deerest place,

3

Butt O faulse is his hart,

1

Was I to blame to trust
Thy love like teares when t'is most just
To judg of others by our owne? While mine
From heads of love and faith did flow
Yett fruictles ran, could I suspect that thine
When in my hart each teare did write a line
Showld have noe spring butt outward showe?

2

My love O never went
In maske, which made mee confident
That thine had binn love too, and noe disguise,
Nott love put on, butt taken in,
Nor like a scarfe to bee putt off which lies,