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As they were not of Nature's family.
Yet must I not give Nature all; thy art,
My gentle Shakespeare, must enjoy a part;
For though the poet's matter nature be,
His art doth give the fashion; and that he
Who casts to write a living line must sweat,
(Such as thine are) and strike the second heat
Upon the Muses' anvil, turn the same
(And himself with it) that he thinks to frame,
Or, for the laurel, he may gain a scorn;

For a good poet's made, as well as born.

And such wert thou; look how the father's face
Lives in his issue, even so the race

Of Shakespeare's mind and manners brightly shines
In his well turnèd and true filèd lines,

In each of which he seems to shake a lance,

As brandished at the eyes of ignorance.

Sweet Swan of Avon! what a sight it were

To see thee in our waters yet appear,

And make those flights upon the banks of Thames,
That so did take Eliza and our James!
But stay, I see thee in the hemisphere

Advanced, and made a constellation there!
Shine forth, thou Star of poets, and with rage
Or influence chide or cheer the drooping stage,

Which, since thy flight from hence, hath mourned like night,
And despairs day, but for thy volume's light.

ROBERT HERRICK

Corinna's Going A-Maying

Get up, get up for shame, the blooming morn
Upon her wings presents the god unshorn.
See how Aurora throws her fair

Fresh-quilted colours through the air:
Get up, sweet slug-a-bed, and see

The dew bespangling herb and tree,

Each flower has wept and bowed toward the east
Above an hour since: yet you not dressed;

Nay! not so much as out of bed?

When all the birds have matins said

And sung their thankful hymns, 'tis sin,
Nay, profanation, to keep in,

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Whenas a thousand virgins on this day

Spring, sooner than the lark, to fetch in May.

Rise and put on your foliage, and be seen

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To come forth, like the spring-time, fresh and green,
And sweet as Flora. Take no care

For jewels for your gown or hair:

Fear not; the leaves will strew

Gems in abundance upon you:

Besides, the childhood of the day has kept,

Against you come, some orient pearls unwept;
Come and receive them while the light

Hangs on the dew-locks of the night :

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And Titan on the eastern hill

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Retires himself, or else stands still

Till you come forth. Wash, dress, be brief in praying;
Few beads are best when once we go a-Maying.

Come, my Corinna, come; and, coming, mark
How each field turns a street, each street a park
Made green and trimmed with trees; see how
Devotion gives each house a bough
Or branch; each porch, each door ere this
An ark, a tabernacle is,

Made up of white-thorn, neatly interwove;
As if here were those cooler shades of love.

Can such delights be in the street
And open fields and we not see't?
Come, we'll abroad; and let's obey

The proclamation made for May:

And sin no more, as we have done, by staying;
But, my Corinna, come, let's go a-Maying.

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There's not a budding boy or girl this day
But is got up, and gone to bring in May.
A deal of youth, ere this, is come

Back, and with white-thorn laden home.
Some have despatched their cakes and cream
Before that we have left to dream:

And some have wept, and wooed, and plighted troth,
And chose their priest, ere we can cast off sloth:
Many a green-gown has been given;

Many a kiss, both odd and even :
Many a glance too has been sent
From out the eye, love's firmament;

Many a jest told of the keys betraying

This night, and locks picked, yet we're not a-Maying.

✓ Come, let us go while we are in our prime;

And take the harmless folly of the time.

We shall grow old арасе, and die

Before we know our liberty.

Our life is short, and our days run
As fast away as does the sun;
And, as a vapour or a drop of rain,
Once lost, can ne'er be found again,
So when or you or I are made
A fable, song, or fleeting shade,
All love, all liking, all delight

Lies drowned with us in endless night.

Then while time serves, and we are but decaying,
Come, my Corinna, come, let's go a-Maying.

How Roses Came Red

Roses at first were white,

Till they could not agree,
Whether my Sapho's breast

Or they more white should be.

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To Phillis

Live, live with me, and thou shalt see
The pleasures I'll prepare for thee:
What sweets the country can afford
Shall bless thy bed, and bless thy board.
The soft sweet moss shall be thy bed,
With crawling woodbine over-spread:
By which the silver-shedding streams
Shall gently melt thee into dreams.
Thy clothing next, shall be a gown
Made of the fleeces' purest down.
The tongues of kids shall be thy meat;
Their milk thy drink; and thou shalt eat
The paste of filberts for thy bread
With cream of cowslips butterèd :
Thy feasting-table shall be hills

With daisies spread, and daffodils ;
Where thou shalt sit, and Red-breast by,
For meat, shall give thee melody.

I'll give thee chains and carcanets
Of primroses and violets.

A bag and bottle thou shalt have,
That richly wrought, and this as brave;
So that as either shall express
The wearer's no mean shepherdess.
At shearing-times, and yearly wakes,
When Themilis his pastime makes,
There thou shalt be; and be the wit,
Nay more, the feast, and grace of it.
On holydays, when virgins meet
To dance the heys with nimble feet,
Thou shalt come forth, and then appear

The Queen of Roses for that year.
And having danced ('bove all the best)
Carry the garland from the rest.

In wicker-baskets maids shall bring

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