But when thy
mistress
(?
Robert Herrick
the wafter of all souls to bliss or bane!
Who calls the ferryman of Hell?
Come near and say who lives in bliss and who in pain.
Those that die well eternal bliss shall follow.
Those that die ill their own black deeds shall swallow.
Shall thy black barge those guilty spirits row
That kill themselves for love? Oh, no! oh, no!
My cordage cracks when such foul sins draw near,
No wind blows fair, nor I my boat can steer.
What spirits pass and in Elysium reign?
Those harmless souls that love and are beloved again.
That soul that lives in love and fain would die to win,
Shall he go free? Oh, no! it is too foul a sin.
He must not come aboard, I dare not row,
Storms of despair my boat will overblow.
But when thy mistress (? ) shall close up thine eyes then come aboard,
Then come aboard and pass; till then be wise and sing. "
"Then come aboard" from the penultimate line and "and sing" from the
last should clearly be struck out.
739. _O Jupiter_, etc. Eubulus in Athenaeus, xiii. 559: ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ?
Who calls the ferryman of Hell?
Come near and say who lives in bliss and who in pain.
Those that die well eternal bliss shall follow.
Those that die ill their own black deeds shall swallow.
Shall thy black barge those guilty spirits row
That kill themselves for love? Oh, no! oh, no!
My cordage cracks when such foul sins draw near,
No wind blows fair, nor I my boat can steer.
What spirits pass and in Elysium reign?
Those harmless souls that love and are beloved again.
That soul that lives in love and fain would die to win,
Shall he go free? Oh, no! it is too foul a sin.
He must not come aboard, I dare not row,
Storms of despair my boat will overblow.
But when thy mistress (? ) shall close up thine eyes then come aboard,
Then come aboard and pass; till then be wise and sing. "
"Then come aboard" from the penultimate line and "and sing" from the
last should clearly be struck out.
739. _O Jupiter_, etc. Eubulus in Athenaeus, xiii. 559: ? ? ? ?
? ? ? ? ? ?
