ROBERT HERRICK. (1591-1674.) Practically all of Herrick's poetry appeared first in Hesperides, 1648, and was probably written 1620-1648. There are numerous modern editions of Herrick, who, like Campion and so many others of the early lyrists, has only come into favour during the present century. The best are Dr. Grosart's (3 vols., London, 1877), Mr. A. W. Pollard's (2 vols. 1891, in the Muses' Library), and Mr. Saintsbury's (2 vols. 1893, in the Aldine Poets). Selections nearly complete have been edited by Prof. E. E. Hale, junr. (Athenæum Press Series, Boston, 1895), by Prof. Palgrave (Golden Treasury Series, 1877), by Prof. Henry Morley (the Universal Library, 1883), and by Mr. H. P. Horne (Canterbury Poets, 1887). I THE ARGUMENT OF THE HESPERIDES. SING of brooks, of blossoms, birds, and bowers, Of April, May, of June, and July flowers; I sing of maypoles, hock-carts, wassails, wakes, I sing of dews, of rains, and, piece by piece, UPON THE LOSS OF HIS MISTRESSES. I HAVE lost, and lately, these Many dainty mistresses: Stately Julia, prime of all; Sappho next, a principal; Smooth Anthea, for a skin Only Herrick's left alone, For to number sorrow by Their departures hence, and die. TO LIVE MERRILY, AND TO TRUST TO GOOD VERSES. NOW is the time for mirth Nor cheek or tongue be dumb; For the flowery earth, The golden pomp is come. The golden pomp is come; For now each tree does wear, Made of her pap and gum, Now reigns the Rose, and now My uncontrolled brow, And my retorted1 hairs. Homer, this health to thee, In sack of such a kind, Next, Virgil I'll call forth, To pledge this second health An Indian commonwealth. 1 thrown back. A goblet next I'll drink To Ovid; and suppose Made he the pledge, he'd think The world had all one nose. Then this immensive cup Of aromatic wine, Catullus, I quaff up To that terse muse of thine. Wild I am now with heat, O Bacchus! cool thy rays; Or frantic I shall eat Thy thyrse, and bite the bays. Round, round, the roof does run; And being ravished thus, Come, I will drink a tun To my Propertius. Now, to Tibullus next, This flood I drink to thee; But stay, I see a text, That this presents to me. Behold! Tibullus lies Here burnt, whose small return Of ashes scarce suffice To fill a little urn. Trust to good verses then: And when all bodies meet In Lethe to be drowned; Then only numbers sweet, With endless life are crowned. AN ODE FOR BEN JONSON. H Ben! AH Say how or when Shall we, thy guests, The Dog, the Triple Tun; As made us nobly wild, not mad? Out-did the meat, out-did the frolic wine. My Ben! Or come again, Or send to us Wisely to husband it, Lest we that talent spend; And having once brought to an end That precious stock,-the store Of such a wit the world should have no more. HIS PRAYER TO BEN JONSON. WHEN I a verse shall make, WHEN Know I have prayed thee, For old religion's sake, Saint Ben, to aid me. Make the way smooth for me, Honouring thee, on my knee A heart as soft, a heart as kind, As in the whole world thou canst find Bid that heart stay, and it will stay To honour thy decree Or bid it languish quite away, Bid me to weep, and I will weep, Bid me despair, and I'll despair, Thou art my life, my love, my heart, The very eyes of me; And hast command of every part, To live and die for thee. |