And steel was measured by the ell, And knights a cap and feather. Then single folks might live at ease, Edward Fitzgerald. CCCLXXXVIII. THE ROMANCE OF THE SWAN'S NEST. LITTLE Ellie sits alone By a stream-side on the grass, She has thrown her bonnet by, Little Ellie sits alone, And the smile she softly uses Fills the silence like a speech, While she thinks what shall be done, And the sweetest pleasure chooses Little Ellie in her smile The swan's nest among the reeds. "And the steed shall be red-roan, And the lover shall be noble, With an eye that takes the breath: As his sword strikes men to death. "And the steed it shall be shod All in silver, housed in azure, And the mane shall swim the wind; "But my lover will not prize All the glory that he rides in, "Then, ay, then he shall kneel low, "Then he will arise so pale, "Then he'll ride among the hills "Three times shall a young foot-page Swim the stream and climb the mountain, And kneel down beside my feet- "He will kiss me on the mouth Then, and lead me as a lover Through the crowds that praise his deeds: Unto him I will discover That swan's nest among the reeds." Little Ellie, with her smile Not yet ended, rose up gaily, Tied the bonnet, donn'd the shoe, And went homeward round a mile, Just to see, as she did daily, What more eggs were with the two. Pushing thro' the elm-tree copse, Ellie went home sad and slow. With his red-roan steed of steeds, Sooth I know not; but I know She could never show him—never, That swan's nest among the reeds. Elizabeth B. Browning. CCCLXXXIX. THAT out of sight is out of mind They were my friends,—'twas sad to part; But yet as things run on they find, For men that will not idlers be, Must lend their hearts to things they see; I blame it not; I think that when Kind hearts will yet as erst be kind, That friends, however friends they were, But Love, the poets say, is blind ; Arthur H. Clough. AYTON, Sir Robert (1570-1638) Woman's inconstancy-XI I do confess thou'rt smooth and fair-XVI. AYTOUN, William E. (1813-1865) The lay of the Levite-CCCI.XXX. BAILLIE, Joanna (1762—1851) To a kitten-CCCXXXII. BARBAULD, Anna Letitia (1743-1825) Life! I know not what thou art-CCLXXXIII. BARHAM, Richard H. (1780-1845) Lines left at Theodore Hook's House--CCCXXIII BARNARD, Dr., Bishop of Limerick (1727-1806) BAYLY, Thomas Haynes (1797-1839) I'd be a butterfly-CCCLXV BEAZLEY, Samuel (1786-1851) When I'm dead, on my tomb-stone I hope they will BEDINGFIELD, William BEHN, Aphra ( The lover's choice-cxxxII -1689) The alternative-LXVI. BISHOP, Rev. Samuel (1731-1795) To his wife, with a knife-CXV1 Y |