Must in 1 his harvest or lose all again. 146 Now must he pluck the rose lest other

hands, Or tempests, blemish what so fairly stands : And therefore, as they had before decreed, Our shepherd gets a boat, and with all speed, In night, that doth on lovers' actions smile, Arrived safe on Mona's fruitful isle.2

152 Between two rocks (immortal, without

mother) That stand as if out-facing one another, There ran a creek up, intricate and blind, 155 As if the waters hid them from the wind; Which never wash'd but at a higher tide The frizzled coats which do the mountains

hide; Where never gale was longer known to stay 159 Than from the smooth wave it had swept

away The new divorced leaves, that from each

side Left the thick boughs to dance out with the

tide. At further end the creek a stately wood Gave a kind shadow to the brackish flood Made up of trees, not less kenn’d by each

skiff Than that sky-scaling Peak of Teneriffe, 166 Upon whose tops the hernshaw 3 bred her

young, And hoary moss upon their branches hung; Whose rugged rinds sufficient were to show, Without their height, what time they 'gan to

grow; And if dry eld by wrinkled skin appears, 171 None could allot them less than Nestor's

years. As under their command the thronged creek Ran lessen'd up. Here did the shepherd seek Where he his little boat might safely hide, 175 Till it was fraught with what the world beside Could not outvalue; nor give equal weight Though in the time when Greece was at her

height.

EPITAPH

FROM BOOK II, SONG V

Now was the Lord and Lady of the May Meeting the May-pole at the break of day, And Cælia, as the fairest on the green, Not without some maids' envy chosen queen. Now was the time com'n, when our gentle

swain

May, be thou never graced with birds that

sing,

Nor Flora's pride!
In thee all flowers and roses spring,

Mine only died.

1 bring in 2 the isle of Anglesey 3 heron

Underneath this sable herse
Lies the subject of all verse :
Sidney's sister, Pembroke's mother:
Death, ere thou hast slain another
Fair and learn'd and good as she,
Time shall throw a dart at thee.

ROBERT HERRICK (1591-1674)

CHERRY-RIPE

Come, my Corinna, come; and, coming, mark

29 How each field turns a street, each street a

park Made green and trimm'd with trees; see

how Devotion gives each house a bough Or branch : each porch, each door ere this

An ark, a tabernacle is,
Made up of white-thorn, neatly interwove;
As if here were those cooler shades of love.

Can such delights be in the street
And open fields and we not sec't?
Come, we'll abroad; and let's obey

The proclamation made for May: 40 And sin no more, as we have done, by staying; But, my Corinna, come, let's go a-Alaying.

CORINNA'S GOING A-MAYING
Get up, get up for shame, the blooming morn
Upon her wings presents the god unshorn.'

See how Aurora throws her fair
Fresh-quilted colours through the air:
Get up, sweet slug-a-bed, and see

The dew bespangling herb and tree.
Each flower has wept and bow'd toward the

east Above an hour since: yet you not dress’d;

Nay! not so much as out of bed?
When all the birds have matins said
And sung their thankful hymns, 'tis sin,

Nay, profanation, to keep in,
Whereas a thousand virgins on this day
Spring, sooner than the lark, to fetch in May.

There's not a budding boy or girl this day
But is got up, and gone to bring in May.

A deal of youth, ere this, is come
Back, and with white-thorn laden home.
Some have despatched their cakes and

cream Before that we have left ? to dream: And some have wept, and woo'd, and plighted

troth, And chose their priest, ere we can cast off sloth:

50
Many a green-gown has been given;
Many a kiss, both odd and even:
Many a glance too has been sent

From out the eye, love's firmament;
Many a jest told of the keys betraying
This night, and locks pick'd, yet we're not

a-Maying.

IO

Rise and put on your foliage, and be seen
To come forth, like the spring-time, fresh and

green,
And sweet as Flora. Take no care
For jewels for your gown or hair :
Fear not; the leaves will strew

Gems in abundance upon you:
Besides, the childhood of the day has kept,
Against you come, some orient pearls unwept;

Come and receive them while the light
Hangs on the dew-locks of the night:
1 golden-haired Apollo, i.e. the sun.

Come, let us go while we are in our prime;
And take the harmless folly of the time.

We shall grow old apace, and die
Before we know our liberty.

60 Our life is short, and our days run

As fast away as does the sun;
And, as a vapour or a drop of rain,
Once lost, can ne'er be found again,

So when or you or I are made
A fable, song, or fleeting shade,

20

Fair Daffodils, we weep to see

You haste away so soon;
As yet the early rising sun
Has not attain'd his noon.

Stay, stay,
Until the hasting day

Has run

But to the even-song; And, having prayed together, we

Will go with you along.

IO

LOVE

Love bade me welcome; yet my soul drew back,

Guilty of dust and sin. But quick-eyed Love, observing me grow slack

From my first entrance in, Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning, If I lacked anything.

6 “A guest," I answered, “worthy to be here:”

Love said, “ You shall be he."
"I, the unkind, ungrateful? Ah, my dear,

I cannot look on Thee !"
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,

Who made the eyes but I ? "

16

12

“Truth, Lord; but I have marred them : let my

shame

Go where it doth deserve.” “And know you not,” says Love," who bore the

blame?!

My dear, then I will serve.” 1 “You must sit down,” says Love, “and taste

my meat."
So I did sit and eat.

18

IO

IZAAK WALTON (1593-1683)

THE COMPLETE ANGLER

FROM THE FIRST DAY

THE COLLAR
I struck the board, and cried, “No more;

I will abroad!
What! shall I ever sigh and pine?
My lines and life are free; free as the road,
Loose as the wind, as large as store.

Shall I be still in suit ?
Have I no harvest but a thorn

To let me blood, and not restore
What I have lost with cordial fruit?

Sure there was wine Before my sighs did dry it; there was corn

Before my tears did drown it;
Is the year only lost to me?

Have I no bays to crown it,
No flowers, no garlands gay? all blasted,

All wasted?
Not so, my heart; but there is fruit,

And thou hast hands.
Recover all thy sigh-blown age
On double pleasures; leave thy cold dispute
Of what is fit and not; forsake thy cage,

Thy rope of sands
Which petty thoughts have made; and made

to thee
Good cable, to enforce and draw,

And be thy law,
While thou didst wink? and wouldst not see.

Away! take heed;

I will abroad. Call in thy death's-head there, tie up thy fears : He that forbears

30 To suit and serve his need

Deserves his load.”
But as I raved, and grew more fierce and wild

At every word,
Methought I heard one calling, “Child”;

And I replied, "My Lord.”
1 plenty

2 close the eyes

A CONFERENCE BETWIXT AN ANGLER, A FALCONER, AND A HUNTER, EACH COMMEND

ING HIS RECREATION

21

CHAPTER I. PISCATOR, 2 VENITOR, 3 AKCEPS 4

Piscator. You are well overtaken, Gentlemen! A good morning to you both! I have stretched my legs up Tottenham Hill to overtake you, hoping your business may occasion you towards Ware, whither I am going this fine fresh May morning.

Venator. Sir, I, for my part, shall almost answer your hopes; for my purpose is to drink my morning's draught at the Thatched House in Hoddesden; and I think not to rest till I come thither, where I have appointed a friend or two to meet me: but for this gentleman that you see with me, I know not how far he intends his journey; he came so lately into

my company, that I have scarce had time to ask him the question.

A uceps. Sir, I shall by your favour bear you company as far as Theobalds, and there leave you; for then I turn up to a friend's house, who mews' a Hawk for me, which I now long to see.

Piscator. Sir, we are all so happy as to have a fine, fresh, cool morning; and I hope we shall each be the happier in the others' company. And, Gentlemen, that I may not lose yours, I shall either abate or amend my pace to enjoy it, knowing that, as the Italians say, “Good company in a journey makes the way to seem the shorter."

A uceps. It may do, Sir, with the help of a good discourse, which, methinks, we may promise from you, that both look and speak so cheerfully: and for my part, I promise you, as an invitation to it, that I will be as free and open hearted as discretion will allow me to be with strangers.

Venator. And, Sir, I promise the like.

Piscator. I am right glad to hear your answers; and, in confidence? you speak the truth, I shall put on a boldness to ask you, Sir, whether business or pleasure caused you to be so early up, and walk so fast? for this other gentleman hath declared he is going to see a hawk, that a friend mews for him.

Venator. Sir, mine is a mixture of both, a little business and more pleasure; for I intend this day to do all my business, and then bestow another day or two in hunting the Otter, which a friend, that I go to meet, tells me is much pleasanter than any other chase whatsoever : howsoever, I mean to try it; for to-morrow morning we shall meet a pack of Otter-dogs of noble Vir. Sadler's, upon Amwell Hill, who will be there so early, that they intend to prevent the sunrising.

Piscator. Sir, my fortune has answered my desires, and my purpose is to bestow a day or two in helping to destroy some of those villainous vermin: for I hate them perfectly, because they love fish so well, or rather, because they destroy so much; indeed so much, that, in my judgment all men that keep Otterdogs ought to have pensions from the King, to encourage them to destroy the very breed of those base Otters, they do so much mischief.

Venator. But what say you to the Foxes of the Nation? would not you as willingly

have them destroyed ? for doubtless they do as much mischief as Otters do.

Piscator. Oh, Sir, if they do, it is not so much to me and my fraternity, as those base vermin the Otters do.

Auceps. Why, Sir, I pray, of what fraternity are you, that you are so angry with the poor Otters?

Piscator. I am, Sir, a Brother of the Angle, and therefore an enemy to the Otter: for you are to note, that we Anglers all love one another, and therefore do I hate the Otter both for my own, and their sakes who are of my brotherhood.

Venator. And I am a lover of Hounds: I have followed many a pack of dogs many a mile, and heard many merry Huntsmen make sport and scoff at Anglers.

Auceps. And I profess myself a Falconer, and have heard many grave, serious men pity them, it is such a heavy, contemptible, dull recreation.

Piscator. You know, Gentlemen, it is an easy thing to scoff at any art or recreation; a little wit mixed with ill-nature, confidence, and malice will do it; but though they often venture boldly, yet they are often caught, even in their own trap, according to that of Lucian,' the father of the family of Scoffers: Lucian, well skill'd in scoffing, this hath writ, Friend, that's your folly, which you think your

wit: This you vent oft, void both of wit and fear, Meaning another, when yourself you jeer.

If to this you add what Solomon says of Scoffers, that they are an abomination to mankind, let him that thinks fit scoff on, and be a Scoffer still; but I account them enemies to me and all that love Virtue and Angling.

And for you that have heard many grave, serious men pity Anglers; let me tell you, Sir, there be many men that are by others taken to be serious and grave men, whom we contemn and pity. Men that are taken to be grave, because nature hath made them of a sour complexion; money-getting men, men that spend all their time, first in getting, and next, in anxious care to keep it; men that are condemned to be rich, and then always busy or discontented: for these poor rich men, we Anglers pity them perfectly, and stand in no need to borrow their thoughts to

1 keeps in a cage 2 Supply that. 3 anticipate