_A few decent, but somewhat pointless,
epigrams
have been added.
Robert Herrick
You may vow I'll not forget, II. 268.
You say I love not 'cause I do not play, I. 16.
You say to me-wards your affection's strong, I. 61.
You say you're sweet; how should we know, I. 139.
You see this gentle stream that glides, II. 54.
Young I was, but now am old, I. 18.
APPENDIX OF EPIGRAMS, etc.
_NOTE. _
_Herrick's coarser epigrams and poems are included in this_ Appendix.
_A few decent, but somewhat pointless, epigrams have been added. _
APPENDIX OF EPIGRAMS.
5. [TO HIS BOOK. ] ANOTHER.
Who with thy leaves shall wipe, at need,
The place where swelling piles do breed;
May every ill that bites or smarts
Perplex him in his hinder parts.
6. TO THE SOUR READER.
If thou dislik'st the piece thou light'st on first,
Think that of all, that I have writ, the worst:
But if thou read'st my book unto the end,
And still do'st this and that verse, reprehend;
O perverse man! if all disgustful be,
The extreme scab take thee, and thine, for me.
41. THE VINE.
I dreamt this mortal part of mine
Was metamorphos'd to a vine;
Which crawling one and every way
Enthrall'd my dainty Lucia.
Methought, her long small legs and thighs
I with my tendrils did surprise;
Her belly, buttocks, and her waist
By my soft nerv'lets were embrac'd;
About her head I writhing hung, }
And with rich clusters, hid among }
The leaves, her temples I behung: }
So that my Lucia seem'd to me
Young Bacchus ravish'd by his tree.
My curls about her neck did crawl,
And arms and hands they did enthrall:
So that she could not freely stir,
All parts there made one prisoner.
But when I crept with leaves to hide
Those parts, which maids keep unespy'd,
Such fleeting pleasures there I took,
That with the fancy I awoke;
And found, ah me!
