Thy wrongs, my soul! with patience bear,
    While life shall warm this clay;
    And soothing sounds to Laura’s ear
    My numbers shall convey;
    Numbers with forceful magic charm
    All nature o’er the frost-bound earth,
    Wake summer’s fragrant buds to birth,
    And the fierce serpent of its rage disarm.

    The blossom’d shrubs in smiles are drest,
    Now laughs his purple plain;
    And shall the nymph a foe profest
    To tenderness remain? 
    But oh! what solace shall I find,
    If fortune dooms me yet to bear
    The frowns of my relentless Fair,
    Save with soft moan to vex the pitying wind? 
    In baffling nets the light-wing’d gale
    I’d fetter as it blows,
    The vernal rose that scents the vale
    I’d cull on wintery snows;
    Still I’d ne’er hope that mind to move
    Which dares defy the wiles of verse, and Love.

    ANON. 1777.

SONNET CCI.

Real natura, angelico intelletto.

ON THE KISS OF HONOUR GIVEN BY CHARLES OF LUXEMBURG TO LAURA AT A BANQUET.

      A kingly nature, an angelic mind,
    A spotless soul, prompt aspect and keen eye,
    Quick penetration, contemplation high
    And truly worthy of the breast which shrined: 
    In bright assembly lovely ladies join’d
    To grace that festival with gratulant joy,
    Amid so many and fair faces nigh
    Soon his good judgment did the fairest find. 
    Of riper age and higher rank the rest
    Gently he beckon’d with his hand aside,
    And lovingly drew near the perfect ONE: 
    So courteously her eyes and brow he press’d,
    All at his choice in fond approval vied—­
    Envy through my sole veins at that sweet freedom run.

    MACGREGOR.

      A sovereign nature,—­an exalted mind,—­
    A soul proud—­sleepless—­with a lynx’s eye,—­
    An instant foresight,—­thought as towering high,
    E’en as the heart in which they are enshrined: 
    A bright assembly on that day combined
    Each other in his honour to outvie,
    When ’mid the fair his judgment did descry
    That sweet perfection all to her resign’d. 
    Unmindful of her rival sisterhood,
    He motion’d silently his preference,
    And fondly welcomed her, that humblest one: 
    So pure a kiss he gave, that all who stood,
    Though fair, rejoiced in beauty’s recompense: 
    By that strange act nay heart was quite undone!

    WOLLASTON.

SONNET CCII.

I’ ho pregato Amor, e nel riprego.

HE PLEADS THE EXCESS OF HIS PASSION IN PALLIATION OF HIS FAULT.