THE LADY'S YES. 199 TO LUCASTA. Tell me not, sweet, I am unkind, Of thy chaste breast and quiet mind, True, a new mistress now I chase, And with a stronger faith embrace Yet this inconstancy is such I could not love thee, dear, so much, RICHARD LOVELACE. THE LADY'S YES. "Yes!" I answered you last night: "No!" this morning, sir, I say. Colors seen by candle-light, Will not look the same by day. When the tabors played their best, Lamps above, and laughs below, Love me sounded like a jest, Fit for Yes, or fit for No! Call me false; or call me free; Yet the sin is on us both; Time to dance is not to woo; Wooer light makes fickle troth, Scorn of me recoils on you. Learn to win a lady's faith Nobly as the thing is high, Bravely as for life and death, Lead her from the festive boards; By your truth she shall be true, ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING. THE TRIBUTE. No splendor 'neath the sky's proud dome But serves for her familiar wear; THE BRIDE. The far-fetch'd diamond finds its home The worm its golden woof presents; Which suit her better than themselves; Her beauty's clear prerogative To profit so by Eden's blame. 201 COVENTRY PATMORE. THE BRIDE. Her finger was so small the ring Would not stay on which they did bring,- And, to say truth,-for out it must,- Her feet beneath her petticoat, As if they feared the light; But O, she dances such a way! Her cheeks so rare a white was on, Who sees them is undone; For streaks of red were mingled there, The side that's next the sun. Her lips were red; and one was thin, But, Dick, her eyes so guard her face, Than on the sun in July. Her mouth so small, when she does speak Thou'dst swear her teeth her words did break, That they might passage get; But she so handles still the matter, They came as good as ours, or better, And are not spent a whit. SIR JOHN SUCKLING. MAUD. LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. Sitting in my window, 203 Pointing my thoughts in lawn, I saw a god, (I thought, but it was you,) enter our gates; My blood flew out and back again, as fast As I had pressed it forth, and sucked it in, Like breath; then when I was called away in haste To entertain you. Never was a man Heaved from a sheepcot to a scepter, raised MAUD. A voice by the cedar-tree, In the meadow under the Hall! She is singing an air that is known to me, |