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She obeys with speedy will

Her grave parents' wise commands; And so innocent, that ill

She nor acts, nor understands.
Women's feet run still astray
If to ill they know the way.

She sails by that rock, the court,
Where oft virtue splits her mast;
And retiredness thinks the port,

Where her fame may anchor cast.
Virtue safely cannot sit
Where vice is enthroned for wit.

She holds that day's pleasure best
Where sin waits not on delight;
Without mask, or ball, or feast,

Sweetly spends a winter's night. O'er that darkness whence is thrust Prayer and sleep, oft governs lust. She her throne makes reason climb, While wild passions captive lie; And each article of time,

Her pure thoughts to heaven fly; All her vows religious be,

And she vows her love to me.

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Guard well thy soul, beloved;

Truth, dwelling there,
Shall shadow forth, beloved,
Her image rare.

Then shall I deem, beloved,
That thou art she;

And there'll be naught, beloved,
Fairer than thee.

ANONYMOUS.

HER LIKENESS.

A GIRL, who has so many wilful ways

She would have caused Job's patience to for. sake him ;

Yet is so rich in all that's girlhood's praise,
Did Job himself upon her goodness gaze,

A little better she would surely make him.

Yet is this girl I sing in naught uncommon,
And very far from angel yet, I trow.
Her faults, her sweetnesses, are purely human;
Yet she's more lovable as simple woman
Than any one diviner that I know.
Therefore I wish that she may safely keep

This womanhede, and change not, only grow; From maid to matron, youth to age, may creep, And in perennial blessedness, still reap

On every hand of that which she doth sow.

DINAH MARIA MULOCK.

BLACK AND BLUE EYES.

THE brilliant black eye

May in triumph let fly

All its darts without caring who feels 'em ; But the soft eye of blue,

Though it scatter wounds too,

Is much better pleased when it heals 'em! Dear Fanny!

The black eye may say,

"Come and worship my ray;

By adoring, perhaps you may move me !" But the blue eye, half hid,

Says, from under its lid,

"I love, and am yours, if you love me!" Dear Fanny!

Then tell me, O why,

In that lovely blue eye,

Not a charm of its tint I discover;

Or why should you wear

The only blue pair

That ever said "No" to a lover?

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The birds that wanton in the air
Know no such liberty.

When flowing cups run swiftly round
With no allaying Thames,

Our careless heads with roses crowned, Our hearts with loyal flames; When thirsty grief in wine we steep,

When healths and draughts go free, Fishes that tipple in the deep Know no such liberty.

When, linnet-like confinéd, I
With shriller throat shall sing
The sweetness, mercy, majesty
And glories of my King;
When I shall voice aloud how good
He is, how great should be,
Enlarged winds, that curl the flood,
Know no such liberty.

Stone walls do not a prison make,
Nor iron bars a cage;
Minds innocent and quiet take
That for an hermitage :
If I have freedom in my love,
And in my soul am free,
Angels alone, that soar above,
Enjoy such liberty.

COLONEL RICHARD LOVELACE.

MY LITTLE SAINT.

I CARE not, though it be

By the preciser sort thought popery; We poets can a license show

For everything we do.

Hear, then, my little saint! I'll pray to thee.

If now thy happy mind,

Amidst its various joys, can leisure find To attend to anything so low

As what I say or do,

Regard, and be what thou wast ever, — kind.

Let not the blest above

Engross thee quite, but sometimes hither rove: Fain would I thy sweet image see,

And sit and talk with thee;

Nor is it curiosity, but love.

Ah! what delight 't would be,

Wouldst thou sometimes by stealth converse with

me!

How should I thy sweet commune prize,
And other joys despise !

Come, then! I ne'er was yet denied by thee.

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