15 But in that little is both rich and wise,]

For wisdom is most riches ; | fools therefore

They are, who fortune do by vows devize, | 18 Sith each unto himself his life may fortunize. I

VIRTUE.

1 [Sweet day! so cool, so calm, so bright,

The bridal of the earth and sky ;] The dews shall weep thy fall to-night; 4

For thou must die. |
5 [Sweet rose !] whose hue, angry and brave,

Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye ; |
Thy root is ever in its grave ; |
8

And thou must die.

9 [Sweet spring ! full of sweet days and roses ;

A box] where sweets compacted lie ; | Thy music shows | ye have your closes ; | 12

And all must die.

13 Only a sweet and virtuous soul,

Like season'd timber, never gives ; | But, though the whole world turn to coal, ! 16

Then chiefly lives.]

GREATNESS.

1 Look next on greatness ; | say,] where greatness lies, 1

“Where,] but among the heroes and the wise ?”]
Heroes are much the same,) the point's agreed, ]

From Macedonia's madman to the Swede ;)
5 The whole strange purpose of their lives to find

Or make an enemy of all mankind !]
No one looks backward, | onward still he goes,
Yet ne'er looks forward further than his nose.

No less alike the politic and wise]
10 All sly slow things with circumspective eyes ;]

Men in their loose unguarded hours they take,
Not that themselves are wise, | but others weak.]
But grant] that those can conquer, | these can cheat, ]

'Tis phrase absurd to call a villain great :| 15 Who wickedly is wise, or madly brave,

Is but the more a fool, the more a knave ;]
Who noble ends by noble means obtains,
Or failing, smiles in exile or in chains,]

Like good Aurelius, let him reign, | or bleed 20 Like Socrates ;]—that man is great indeed.]

BEREFT FRIENDSHIP.

1 I envy not in any moods

The captive void of noble rage,

The linnet born within the cage || 4 That never knew the summer woods./ I envy not the beasts that takes

His license in the field of Time,

Unfettered by the sense of crime, 8 To whom a conscience never wakes.

Nor,) what may count itself as blest, |

The heart] that never plighted troth,

But stagnates in the weeds of sloth, | 12 Nor any want-begotten rest.] I hold it true, whate’er befall ; 1

I feel it, when I sorrow most ; |

'Tis better to have loved and lost | 16 Than never to have loved at all.]

SLEEP.

I.

1 Of all the thoughts of God) that are

Borne inward unto souls afar,

What would we give to our beloved ? |
The hero's heart, to be unmoved ;]
The poet's star-tuned harp, to sweep ;]
The patriot's voice, to teach and rouse ;]

The monarch's crown, to light the brows ?] – 12 He giveth his beloved sleep.

What do we give to our beloved ? |
A little faith all undisproved,]
A little dust to overweep,]
And bitter memories to make

The whole earth blasted for our sake :]18 He giveth his beloved sleep.

Sleep soft, beloved !] we sometimes say, |
But have no tune to charm away
Sad dreams] that through the eyelids creep ; |
But never doleful dream again,

Shall break the happy slumber when 24 He giveth his beloved sleep. |

V.

TO earth, so full of dreary noises ;
O men, with wailing in your voices;
O delved gold, the wailer's heap ;
O strife, O curse,] that o'er it fall,

God strikes a silence through you all. | 30 And giveth his beloved sleep.]

VI.

His dews drop mutely on the hill, |
His cloud above it saileth still,|
Though on its slope men sow and reap, I
More softly) than the dew is shed,

Or cloud is floated overhead,] 36 He giveth his beloved sleep.)

VII.

Ay, men may wonder | while they scan,
A living, thinking, feeling man,
Confirmed in such a rest to keep ; |
But angels say,) and through the word

[I think) their happy smile is heard, 42 He giveth his beloved sleep. |

VIII.

For me, my heart) that erst did go
Most like a tired child at a show,