There was nought mortal in her stately tread
But grace angelic, and her speech awoke
Than human voices a far loftier sound,
A spirit of heaven,—a living sun she broke
Upon my sight;—what if these charms be fled?—
The slackening of the bow heals not the wound.
WROTTESLEY.
SONNET LXX.
La bella donna che cotanto amavi.
TO HIS BROTHER GERARDO, ON THE DEATH OF A LADY TO WHOM HE WAS ATTACHED.
The beauteous
lady thou didst love so well
Too soon hath from our regions
wing’d her flight,
To find, I ween, a home ’mid
realms of light;
So much in virtue did she
here excel
Thy heart’s twin key
of joy and woe can dwell
No more with her—then
re-assume thy might,
Pursue her by the path most
swift and right,
Nor let aught earthly stay
thee by its spell.
Thus from thy heaviest burthen
being freed,
Each other thou canst easier
dispel,
And an unfreighted pilgrim
seek thy sky;
Too well, thou seest, how
much the soul hath need,
(Ere yet it tempt the shadowy
vale) to quell
Each earthly hope, since all
that lives must die.
WOLLASTON.
The lovely lady
who was long so dear
To thee, now suddenly is from
us gone,
And, for this hope is sure,
to heaven is flown,
So mild and angel-like her
life was here!
Now from her thraldom since
thy heart is clear,
Whose either key she, living,
held alone,
Follow where she the safe
short way has shown,
Nor let aught earthly longer
interfere.
Thus disencumber’d from
the heavier weight,
The lesser may aside be easier
laid,
And the freed pilgrim win
the crystal gate;
So teaching us, since all
things that are made
Hasten to death, how light
must be his soul
Who treads the perilous pass,
unscathed and whole!
MACGREGOR.
SONNET LXXI.
Piangete, donne, e con voi pianga Amore.
ON THE DEATH OF CINO DA PISTOIA.
Weep, beauteous
damsels, and let Cupid weep,
Of every region weep, ye lover
train;
He, who so skilfully attuned
his strain
To your fond cause, is sunk
in death’s cold sleep!
Such limits let not my affliction
keep,
As may the solace of soft
tears restrain;
And, to relieve my bosom of
its pain,
Be all my sighs tumultuous,
utter’d deep!
Let song itself, and votaries
of verse,
Breathe mournful accents o’er
our Cino’s bier,
Who late is gone to number
with the blest!
Oh! weep, Pistoia, weep your
sons perverse;
Its choicest habitant has
fled our sphere,
And heaven may glory in its
welcome guest!