Thy weary cheek
that channell’d sorrow shows,
My much loved lord, upon the
one repose;
More careful of thyself against
Love be,
Tyrant who smiles his votaries
wan to see;
And with the other close the
left-hand path
Too easy entrance where his
message hath;
In sun and storm thyself the
same display,
Because time faileth for the
lengthen’d way.
And, with the third, drink
of the precious herb
Which purges every thought
that would disturb,
Sweet in the end though sour
at first in taste:
But me enshrine where your
best joys are placed,
So that I fear not the grim
bark of Styx,
If with such prayer of mine
pride do not mix.
MACGREGOR.
BALLATA IV.
Perche quel che mi trasse ad amar prima.
HE WILL ALWAYS LOVE HER, THOUGH DENIED THE SIGHT OF HER.
Though cruelty
denies my view
Those charms which led me
first to love;
To passion yet will I be true,
Nor shall my will rebellious
prove.
Amid the curls of golden hair
That wave those beauteous
temples round,
Cupid spread craftily the
snare
With which my captive heart
he bound:
And from those eyes he caught
the ray
Which thaw’d the ice
that fenced my breast,
Chasing all other thoughts
away,
With brightness suddenly imprest.
But now that hair of sunny
gleam,
Ah me! is ravish’d from
my sight;
Those beauteous eyes withdraw
their beam,
And change to sadness past
delight.
A glorious death by all is
prized;
Tis death alone shall break
my chain:
Oh! be Love’s timid
wail despised.
Lovers should nobly suffer
pain.
NOTT.
Though barr’d
from all which led me first to love
By coldness or caprice,
Not yet from its firm bent
can passion cease!
The snare was set amid those
threads of gold,
To which Love bound me fast;
And from those bright eyes
melted the long cold
Within my heart that pass’d;
So sweet the spell their sudden
splendour cast,
Its single memory still
Deprives my soul of every
other will.
But now, alas! from me of
that fine hair
Is ravish’d the dear
sight;
The lost light of those twin
stars, chaste as fair,
Saddens me in her flight;
But, since a glorious death
wins honour bright,
By death, and not through
grief,
Love from such chain shall
give at last relief.
MACGREGOR.
SONNET XLVI.
L’ arbor gentil che forte amai molt’ anni.
IMPRECATION AGAINST THE LAUREL.