Golden though he be,
Golden Tagus murmurs; though

Were his way by thee,

Content and quiet he would go ;
So much more rich would he esteem

Thy silver, than his golden stream.tear

Well does the May that lies
Smiling in thy cheeks, confess

The April in thine eyes;

Mutual sweetness they express. tears.

No April e'er lent kinder showers,
Nor May return'd more faithful flowers.

cheeks = lovers bcheeks! Beds of chaste loves,

д

By your own showers seasonably dash'd.

Eyes = nests Eyes! nests of milky doves,

Eyes

wells

In your own wells decently wash'd.
O wit of love! that thus could place
Fountain and garden in one face.

O sweet contest; of woes

レ

siwer

=rain

=

flowe AREIN, ME

With loves, of tears with smiles disporting!

O fair and friendly foes,

Each other kissing and comforting!

While rain and sunshine, cheeks and eyes,

Close in kind contrarieties.

tears floods But can these fair floods be

Friends with the bosom fires that fill ye!

Can so great flames agree

Eternal tears should thus distil thee! Q floods, O fires, O suns, O showers!

Mix'd and made friends by love's sweet pow'rs.

'Twas his well-pointed dart

That digg'd these wells, and dress'd this vine;
And taught that wounded heart

The way into these weeping eyne.

Vain loves avaunt! bold hands forbear!
The lamb hath dipped his white foot here.

And now where'er he strays
Among the Galilean mountains,
Or more unwelcome ways,

He's follow'd by two faithful fountains ;

Two walking baths, two weeping motions, eyes caus

Portable and compendious oceans.

O thou, thy Lord's fair store,
In thy so rich and large expenses,
Even when he show'd most poor,

He might provoke the wealth of princes.
What prince's wanton'st pride e'er could
Wash with silver, wipe with gold?

Who is that King, but he

Who call'st his crown to be call'd thine,

That thus can boast to be

Waited on by a wand'ring mine,

A voluntary mint, that strews

Warm silver show'rs where'er he goes?

O precious prodigal !

Fair spendthrift of thyself! thy measure,
Merciless love! is all

Even to the last pearl in thy treasure.
All places, times, and objects be
Thy tear's sweet opportunity.

tears stars

Does the day-star rise?
Still thy stars do fall, and fall;
Does day close his eyes?
Still the fountain weeps for all.
Let night or day do what they will,
Thou hast thy task, thou weepest still.

Does thy song lull the air?
Thy falling tears keep faithful time.
Does thy sweet-breath'd pray'r
Up in clouds of incense climb?
Still at each sigh, that is, each stop,

tears=

anhourglass

A bead, that is, a tear, does drop. Car - load

At these thy weeping gates, leges = gatts

Watching their wat❜ry motion,

Each winged moment waits,

Takes his tear, and gets him gone.

By thine eye's tinct ennobled thus,

Time lays him up: he's precious.

Thus must we date thy memory. Others by moments, months, and years,

Measure their ages; thou, by tears.

So do perfumes expire;

teas measure time

So sigh tormented sweets, oppress'd

With proud unpitying fires;

Such tears the suff'ring rose that's vex'd

With ungentle flames does shed,

Sweating in a too warm bed.

Say, ye bright brothers,

tears=

eyes'

Sons

The fugitive sons of those fair eyes

Your fruitful mothers,

What make you here? what hopes can 'tice

You to be born? what cause can borrow

You from those nests of noble sorrow? Eyes

Whither away so fast?

For sure the sordid earth

Your sweetness cannot taste,

Nor does the dust deserve their birth.

Sweet, whither haste you then? O, say

Why you trip so fast away?

The darlings of Aurora's bed,

The rose's modest cheek,

Nor the violet's humble head.

Though the field's eyes, too, weepers be,

Because they want such tears as we.

= nests

agam

Much less mean we to trace

The fortune of inferior gems,

Preferr❜d to some proud face,
Or perch'd upon fear'd diadems.
Crowned heads are toys. We go to meet
A worthy object, our Lord's feet.

THE WEEPER.

[In the edition of 1670, the volume by Mr. Phillips in 1785, in Chalmers' collection, and others; the previous Poem is printed with numerous alterations and omissions, in manner following.]

H

AIL sister springs,

Parents of silver-forded rills!

Ever bubbling things!

Thawing crystal! Snowy hills! Still spending, never spent; I mean Thy fair eyes, sweet Magdalene.

Heavens of ever-falling stars;

'Tis seed-time still with thee,

And stars thou sow'st, whose harvest dares

Promise the earth to countershine

Whatever makes Heaven's forehead fine.