THRENOS.

Beauty, truth, and rarity, Grace in all simplicity. Here inclos'd in cinders lie.

Death is now the phenix' nest;
And the turtle's loyal breast
To eternity doth rest,

Leaving no posterity :-
'Twas not their infirmity,
It was married chastity.

Truth may seem, but cannot be;
Beauty brag, but 'tis not she;
Truth and beauty buried be.

To this urn let those repair
That are either true or fair ;
For these dead birds sigh a prayer.

WM. SHAKESPEARE.

268

SONGS FROM THE PLAYS OF

SHAKESPEARE.

FROM THE TEMPEST,

Come unto these yellow sands,

And then take hands :
Court’sied when you have, and kiss'd,

(The wild waves whist)
Foot it featly here and there;
And, sweet sprites, the burden bear.

Hark, hark! Burden. Bowgh, wowgh. [dispersedly.

The watch-dogs bark :
Bur. Bowgh, wowgh. [dispersedly.

Hark, hark! I hear
The strain of strutting chanticlere
Cry, cock-a-doodle-doo.

Full fathom five thy father lies ;

Of his bones are coral made; Those are pearls, that were his eyes :

Nothing of him that doth fade, But doth suffer a sea-change

Into something rich and strange.
Sea-nymphs hourly ring his knell :
Hark! now I hear them-ding-dong, bell.

{Burden, Ding-dong.

Where the bee sucks, there suck I;
In a cowslip's bell I lie:
There I couch, when owls do cry.
On the bat’s back I do Ay,
After summer, merrily :
Merrily, merrily, shall I live now
Under the blossom, that hangs on the bough.

FROM TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.

Who is Silvia ? what is she,

That all our swains commend her ? Holy, fair, and wise is she :

The heavens such grace did lend her, That she might admired be.

Is she kind, as she is fair?

For beauty lives with kindness : Love doth to her eyes repair,

To help him of his blindness ; And, being help'd, inhabits there.

Then to Silvia let us sing,

That Silvia is excelling; She excels each mortal thing,

Upon the dull earth dwelling: To her let us garlands bring.

FROM MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM.

FIRST FAIRY.

You spotted snakes, with double tongue,

Thorny hedge-hogs, be not seen; Newts, and blind-worms, do no wrong;

Come not near our fairy queen:

CHORUS.
Philomel, with melody,

Sing in our sweet lullaby;
Lulla, lulla, lullaby; lulla, lulla, lullaby;

Never harm, nor spell nor charm,
Come our lovely lady nigh ;
So, good night, with lullaby.

SECOND FAIRY. Weaving spiders, come not here;

Hence, you long-legg'd spinners, hence; Beetles black, approach not near ;

Worm, nor snail, do no offence.

CHORUS.
Philomel with melody, &c.

FIRST FAIRY.

Hence, away; now all is well :
One, aloof, stand centinel.

PUCK.
Now the hungry lion roars,

And the wolf behowls the moon;
Whilst the heavy ploughman snores,

All with weary task fordone. Now the wasted brands do glow,

Whilst the scritch-owl, scritching loud, Puts the wretch, that lies in woe,

In remembrance of a shroud. Now it is the time of night,

That the graves, all gaping wide, Every one lets forth his sprite,

In the church-way paths to glide: And we fairies that do run

By the triple Hecat's team,
From the presence of the sun,

Following darkness like a dream,
Now are frolick; not a mouse
Shall disturb this hallow'd house:
I am sent, with broom, before,
To sweep the dust behind the door.