Then I'll your altars strew
With roses sweet and new;
And ever live a true
Acknowledger of you.
With roses sweet and new;
And ever live a true
Acknowledger of you.
Robert Herrick
LONG-LOOKED-FOR COMES AT LAST.
Though long it be, years may repay the debt;
_None loseth that which he in time may get_.
655. TO YOUTH.
Drink wine, and live here blitheful, while ye may:
_The morrow's life too late is; live to-day_.
656. NEVER TOO LATE TO DIE.
No man comes late unto that place from whence
Never man yet had a regredience.
_Regredience_, return.
657. A HYMN TO THE MUSES.
O you the virgins nine!
That do our souls incline
To noble discipline!
Nod to this vow of mine.
Come, then, and now inspire
My viol and my lyre
With your eternal fire,
And make me one entire
Composer in your choir.
Then I'll your altars strew
With roses sweet and new;
And ever live a true
Acknowledger of you.
658. ON HIMSELF.
I'll sing no more, nor will I longer write
Of that sweet lady, or that gallant knight.
I'll sing no more of frosts, snows, dews and showers;
No more of groves, meads, springs and wreaths of flowers.
I'll write no more, nor will I tell or sing
Of Cupid and his witty cozening:
I'll sing no more of death, or shall the grave
No more my dirges and my trentalls have.
_Trentalls_, service for the dead.
660. TO MOMUS.
Who read'st this book that I have writ,
And can'st not mend but carp at it;
By all the Muses! thou shalt be
Anathema to it and me.
661. AMBITION.
In ways to greatness, think on this,
_That slippery all ambition is_.
662. THE COUNTRY LIFE, TO THE HONOURED M.
Though long it be, years may repay the debt;
_None loseth that which he in time may get_.
655. TO YOUTH.
Drink wine, and live here blitheful, while ye may:
_The morrow's life too late is; live to-day_.
656. NEVER TOO LATE TO DIE.
No man comes late unto that place from whence
Never man yet had a regredience.
_Regredience_, return.
657. A HYMN TO THE MUSES.
O you the virgins nine!
That do our souls incline
To noble discipline!
Nod to this vow of mine.
Come, then, and now inspire
My viol and my lyre
With your eternal fire,
And make me one entire
Composer in your choir.
Then I'll your altars strew
With roses sweet and new;
And ever live a true
Acknowledger of you.
658. ON HIMSELF.
I'll sing no more, nor will I longer write
Of that sweet lady, or that gallant knight.
I'll sing no more of frosts, snows, dews and showers;
No more of groves, meads, springs and wreaths of flowers.
I'll write no more, nor will I tell or sing
Of Cupid and his witty cozening:
I'll sing no more of death, or shall the grave
No more my dirges and my trentalls have.
_Trentalls_, service for the dead.
660. TO MOMUS.
Who read'st this book that I have writ,
And can'st not mend but carp at it;
By all the Muses! thou shalt be
Anathema to it and me.
661. AMBITION.
In ways to greatness, think on this,
_That slippery all ambition is_.
662. THE COUNTRY LIFE, TO THE HONOURED M.
