They, sweet turtles, folded lie
In the last knot that Love could tie.
And though they lie as they were dead,
Their pillow stone, their sheets of lead;
(Pillow hard, and sheets not warm)
Love made the bed; they'll take no harm;
Let them sleep: let them sleep on,
Till this stormy night be gone,
And the eternal morrow dawn;
Then the curtains will be drawn

And they wake into a light,
Whose Day shall never sleep in Night.

Lady Mary.

SEE'ST thou that Mary there? O teach her mother
To show her to herself in such another.
Fellow this wonder too; nor let her shine
Alone; light such another star, and twine
Their rosy beams, that so the Morn for one
Venus, may have a constellation.

Lady Elizabeth.

These words scarce waken'd Heaven, when-lo!-our
Sat crown'd upon the noble infant's brows.
Th' art pair'd, sweet princess: in this well-writ book
Read o'er thy self; peruse each line, each look.

10

15

X.

THE PRINCESSES MARY AND ELIZABETH, CHILDREN OF KING CHARLES I.

("TO THE QUEEN UPON HER NUMEROUS PROGENY," 1. 57-75.)

20

And when th' hast summ'd up all those blooming blisses,
Close up the book, and clasp it with thy kisses.

So have I seen (to dress their mistress May)
Two silken sister-flowers consult, and lay
Their bashful cheeks together: newly they
Peep'd from their buds, show'd like the garden's eyes
Scarce waked: like was the crimson of their joys;
Like were the tears they wept, so like, that one
Seem'd but the other's kind reflection.

XI.

EPIGRAM:

UPON FORD'S Two TRAGEDIES, "Love's SACRIFICE " AND "THE BROKEN HEART.”

THOU cheat'st us, Ford; mak'st one seem two by art:
What is Love's Sacrifice but The Broken Heart?

15

NOTES.

K

NOTES.

RESPECTING the life of Crashaw little is known. The first attempted "life" was written by the Rev. R. A. Willmott, in his Lives of the Sacred Poets, originally issued in 1834. In 1872-3 came Dr Grosart's Essay on the life and poems, and Memorial-Introduction to his laboriously edited and first complete edition of the works of our Poet. The main known facts of his life, briefly stated, are that he was born in London, 1612-13; at the age of eighteen he was admitted into the University of Cambridge, matriculated pensioner of Pembroke College in 1632, elected Fellow in 1637, and M.A. in 1638. In 1644 he, along with others, was ejected from the University, for refusing to subscribe to the Covenant. Soon after this he ceased to be a Protestant, and went over to Roman Catholicism, it being, as Dr Grosart says, "the 'ideal' of his reading, and the 'home' of the sainted ones whose words were as manna to his spirit." After his acceptance of the Romish faith he retired to France, where Cowley met him in Paris in 1646, and introduced him to the Queen of Charles the First, through whose recommendation he became secretary at Rome to Cardinal Palotta. Here he lived until 1649 or 1650, when he was made Canon of Loretto, where he died of fever shortly after his appointment.

Pp. 3-10. The poem (Sospetto d'Herode) from which the first four selections are made, is a translation of the first book of the Italian Poet Marino's Strage degli Innocenti; and yet Crashaw's version bears all the marks of original inspiration. While adhering closely to his original, he has added creative and imaginative touches of his own, which shew that his genius was even superior to Marino's. As one example out of many wherein our Poet has transcended his original, the following may be given. When the fury Alecto arises,

"The fields' fair eyes saw her, and saw no more,
But shut their flowery lids for ever.

""

In Marino (literally translated) it is—

"The flowers all round and the verdure appeared

To feel the strength of the plague." (Trans. by Grosart.)

P. 3, 11. 2, 3. Cf. Shelley (Witch of Atlas, St. ix.)—

"Where the quick heart of the great world doth pant."

P. 4, 11. 34-36. With these lines compare those of Milton on the countenance of Satan (Par. Lost, Book i.):–