CANZONE.

RIDONSI donne e giovani amorosi
M' accostandosi attorno, e perche scrivi,
Perche tu scrivi in lingua ignota e strana
Verseggiando d' amor, e come t'osi?
Dinne, se la tua speme sia mai vana,
E de' pensieri lo miglior t'arrivi;
Cosi mi van burlando, altri rivi
Altri lidi t'aspettan, ed altre onde
Nelle cui verdi sponde

Spuntati ad hor, ad hor a la tua chioma
L'immortal guiderdon d' eterne frondi
Perche alle spalle tue soverchia soma?

Canzon dirotti, e tu per me rispondi

Dice mia Donna, e'l suo dir, e il mio cuore
Questa é lingua di cui si vanta Amore.

IV.

DIODATI, e te'l dirò con maraviglia,

Quel ritroso io ch'amor spreggiar soléa
E de suoi lacci spesso mi ridéa

Gia caddi, ov'huom dabben talhor s'impiglia.
Ne treccie d'oro, ne guancia vermiglia

M'abbaglian sì, ma sotto nova idea

Pellegrina bellezza che'l cuor bea,

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15

5 vermiglia] Tasso Aminta, act i. sc. 2, 'A le guancie vermiglie, come rosa;' and Comus, 752, 'vermeil-tinctured lip.' Warton.

Portamenti alti honesti, e nelle ciglia Quel sereno fulgor d'amabil nero,

Parole adorne di lingua piu d'una, E'l cantar che di mezzo l'hemispero Traviar ben può la faticosa Luna,

gran

fuoco

E degli occhi suoi auventa si
Che l'incerar gli orecchi mi fia poco.

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V.

PER certo i bei vostr' occhi, Donna mia,
Esser non può che non sian lo mio sole
Si mi percuoton forte, come ei suole
Per l'arene di Libia chi s'invia,
Mentre un caldo vapor (ne sentì pria)

Da quel lato si spinge ove mi duole,
Che forse amanti nelle lor parole
Chiaman sospir; io non so che si sia :
Parte rinchiusa, e turbida si cela

Scosso mi il petto, e poi n'uscendo poco
Quivi d' attorno o s'agghiaccia, o s'ingiela ;
Ma quanto a gli occhi giunge a trovar loco
Tutte le notti a me suol far piovose
Finche mia Alba rivien colma di rose.

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VI.

GIOVANE piano, e simplicetto amante

Poi che fuggir me stesso in dubbio sono,

8 Portamenti] Petrarch. Son. 229.

'Ohime, il portamento leggiadro altiero.' Warton. 3 percuoton] See Warton's note, and Par. Lost, iv. 244.

Madonna a voi del mio cuor l'humil dono Farò divoto; io certo a prove tante L'hebbi fedele, intrepido, costante,

De' pensieri leggiadro, accorto, e buono; Quando rugge il gran mondo, e scocca il tuono, S'arma di se, e d' intero diamante, Tanto del forse, e d' invidia sicuro,

Di timori, e speranze al popol use Quanto d'ingegno, e d'alto valor vago, E di cetra sonora, e delle muse:

Sol troverete in tal parte men duro Ove Amor mise l'insanabil ago.

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VII. ON HIS BEING ARRIVED TO THE AGE OF TWENTY-THREE.

How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth,
Stol'n on his wing my three and twentieth year!
My hasting days fly on with full career,
But my late spring no bud or blossom show'th.
Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth, 5
That I to manhood am arriv'd so near,

And inward ripeness doth much less appear,
That some more timely-happy spirits indu'th.
Yet be it less or more, or soon or slow,

10

It shall be still in strictest measure even To that same lot, however mean or high, Toward which Time leads me, and the will of HeaAll is, if I have grace to use it so,

As ever in my great task-master's eye.

[ven;

VIII. WHEN THE ASSAULT WAS INTENDED TO THE CITY.

CAPTAIN or Colonel, or Knight in arms,

Whose chance on these defenceless doors may seize,

If deed of honour did thee ever please,

Guard them, and him within protect from harms. He can requite thee, for he knows the charms

That call fame on such gentle acts as these,

5

And he can spread thy name o'er lands and seas, Whatever clime the sun's bright circle warms. Lift not thy spear against the Muses' bow'r :

The great Emathian conqueror bid spare

The house of Pindarus, when temple and tow'r Went to the ground: and the repeated air

Of sad Electra's poet had the pow'r

To save the Athenian walls from ruin bare.

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IX. TO A VIRTUOUS YOUNG LADY.

LADY, that in the prime of earliest youth
Wisely hast shun'd the broad way and the green,

1 Knight] K. Richard II. act i. sc. 3, Ask yonder knight in arms.' Warton.

5 requite] Beaumont's Psyche, xvii. 108, 'Who will requite thy lays.' Dante Il Inferno, c. xxxi. ver. 127, Ancor ti può nel mondo render fama,'

11 temple] P. Reg. iii. 268.

'Forest, and field, and flood, temples, and towers. Warton.

And with those few art eminently seen, That labour up the hill of heavenly truth, The better part with Mary and with Ruth

Chosen thou hast; and they that overween, And at thy growing virtues fret their spleen, No anger find in thee, but pity and ruth. Thy care is fix'd, and zealously attends

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To fill thy odorous lamp with deeds of light, And hope that reaps not shame. Therefore be sure Thou, when the bridegroom with his feastful friends Passes to bliss at the mid hour of night, Hast gain'd thy entrance, Virgin wise and pure.

X. TO THE LADY MARGARET LEY.

DAUGHTER to that good Earl, once President
Of England's Council, and her Treasury,
Who liv'd in both, unstain'd with gold or fee,
And left them both, more in himself content,
Till sad the breaking of that Parliament

Broke him, as that dishonest victory
At Chæronea, fatal to liberty,

5 with] In ed. 1645, and the Ruth.'

Todd.

5

8 pity] Spenser's F. Q. i. vi. 12, And won with pity, and unwonted ruth.' Todd. Marlowe and Nash's Dido, p. 40, ed. 1825, 'ruth and compassion;' and G. Peele's Works, by Dyce, vol. i. p. 112, 178, ed. 1829.

11 hope] 'Elais du xatαιozóvɛi. Rom. v. 5. Hurd.

1 Earl] Earl of Marlborough, Lord High Treasurer, and Lord President of the Council to King James I. Parliament was dissolved the 10th of March, 1628-29; he died on the 14th. Newton.