Than ever Triton blew from wreathed horn!

While on mine ear it rings

Through the deep caves of thought. I hear a voice that sings

Build thee more stately mansions, O my soul,
As the swift seasons roll!

Leave thy low-vaulted past!

Let each new temple, nobler than the last,
Shut.thee from heaven with a dome more vast,
Till thou at length art free,

Leaving thine out-grown shell by life's unresting sea!
Oliver W. Holmes.

*172*

A MADRIGAL.

Crabbed age and youth
Cannot live together:
Youth is full of pleasance,
Age is full of care;

Youth like summer morn,
Age like winter weather,
Youth like summer brave,

Age like winter bare :
Youth is full of sport,

Age's breath is short,

Youth is nimble, Age is lame:

Youth is hot and bold,

Age is weak and cold,

Youth is wild, and Age is tame :

Age, I do abhor thee,

Youth, I do adore thee;

O! my Love, my Love is young!

Age, Í do defy thee

O sweet shepherd, hie thee,

For methinks thou stay'st too long.

William Shakespeare.

.173"

Under the greenwood tree
Who loves to lie with me,
And tune his merry note
Unto the sweet bird's throat-
Come hither, come hither, come hither!
Here shall he see

Who doth ambition shun
And loves to live i' the sun,
Seeking the food he eats

And pleased with what he gets-
Come hither, come hither, come hither!
Here shall he see

No enemy

But winter and rough weather.

William Shakespeare.

* 174 *

KING JOHN AND THE ABBOT OF CANTERBURY.

An ancient story I'll tell you anon

Of a notable prince, that was called King John;
And he ruled England with main and with might,
For he did great wrong and maintained little right.

And I'll tell you a story, a story so merry,
Concerning the Abbot of Canterbury;
How for his housekeeping and high renown,
They rode post for him to fair London town.

An hundred men, the King did hear say,
The Abbot kept in his house every day;
And fifty gold chains, without any doubt,
In velvet coats, waited the Abbot about.

"How now, father Abbot, I hear it of thee,
Thou keepest a far better house than me;
And for thy housekeeping and high renown,
I fear thou work'st treason against my crown."

"My liege," quoth the Abbot, "I would it were known,
I ever spend nothing but what is my own;
And I trust your grace will do me no deere,
For spending of my own true gotten geere.'

"Yes, yes, father Abbot, thy fault it is high,
And now for the same thou needest must die;
For except thou canst answer me questions three,
Thy head shall be smitten from thy bodie.

"And first," quoth the King, "when I'm in this stead, With my crown of gold so fair on my head,

Among all my liege-men so noble of birth,

Thou must tell me to one penny what I am worth.

"Secondly tell me without any doubt,

How soon I may ride the whole world about;
And at the third question thou must not shrink,
But tell me here truly what I do think."

"O, these are hard questions for my shallow wit,
Nor I cannot answer your grace as yet;
But if you will give me but three weeks space,
I'll do my endeavor to answer your grace.'

"Now three weeks space to thee will I give
And that is the longest time thou hast to live;
For if thou dost not answer my questions three,
Thy lands and thy livings are forfeit to me."