All in a robe of darkest grain, Flowing with majestic train, And sable stole of cyprus lawn, Over thy decent shoulders drawn. Come but keep thy wonted state, With even step and musing gait, And looks commercing with the skies, Thy wrapt soul sitting in thine eyes; There, held in holy passion still, Forget thyself to marble, till With a sad leaden downward cast, Thou fix them on the earth as fast: And join with thee calm Peace, and Quiet, Spare Fast, that oft with Gods doth diet And hear the Muses in a ring Aye round about Jove's altar sing; And add to these retired Leisure, That in trim gardens takes his pleasure; But first and chiefest, with thee bring Him that yon soars on golden wing, Guiding the fiery wheeled throne, The cherub Contemplation; And the mute Silence hist along, 'Less Philomel will deign a song, In her sweetest, saddest plight, Smoothing the rugged brow of night, While Cynthia checks her draggon yoke, Gently o'er the accustom'd oak; Sweet bird, that shund'st the noise of folly, Most musical, most melancholy! Thee, chauntress, oft the woods among, I woo to hear thy evening song: And missing thee, I walk unseen On the dry smooth-shaven green, To behold the wand'ring moon, Riding near her highest noon, Like one that had been led astray Through the heavn's wide pathless way;
And oft as if her head she bow'd Stooping through a fleecy cloud.
Oft on a plat of rising ground, I hear the far off Curfew sound, Over some wide-water'd shore, Swinging slow with sullen roar.
Or if the air will not permit, Some still removed place will fit, Where glowing embers through the room, Teach light to counterfeit a gloom, Far from all resort of mirth, Save the cricket on the hearth, Or the bellman's drowsy charm, To bless the doors from nightly harm. Or let my lamp at midnight hour, Be seen in some high lonely tow'r, Where I may oft out watch the Bear, With thrice great Hermes, or unsphere The spirit of Plato, to unfold What worlds, or what vast regions hold The immortal mind that hath forsook Her mansion in this fleshy nook : And of those dæmons that are found In fire, air, flood, or under ground, Whose power hath a true consent With planet, or with element.
Sometimes let gorgeous Tragedy In scepter'd pall come sweeping by, Presenting Thebes, or Pelops' line, Or the tale of Troy divine, Or what (though rare) of later age, Ennobled hath the buskin'd stage.
But, O sad virgin, that thy power Might raise Museus from his bower, Or bid the soul of Orpheus sing Such notes as warbled to the string, Drew iron tears down Pluto's cheek And made hell grant what love did seek;
Or call up him that left half-told The story of Cambuscan bold, Of Camball, and of Algarsife, And who had Canace to wife, That own'd the virtuous ring and glass, And of the wond'rous horse of brass, On which the Tartar king did ride; And if aught else great bards beside In sage and solemn tunes have sung, Of tourneys and of trophies hung, Of forests, and enchantments drear, Where more is meant than meets the ear. Thus night oft see me in thy pale career, Till civil suited morn appear, Not trick'd and frounc'd as she was wont With the Attic boy to hunt, But kerchief'd in a comely cloud, While rocking winds are piping loud, Or usher'd with a shower still, When the gust hath blown his fill, Ending on the rustling leaves, With minute drops from off the eaves.
And when the sun begins to fling His flaring beams, me, Goddess, bring To arched walks of twilight groves, And shadows brown that Sylvan loves Of pine or monumental oak,.. Where the rude ax with heaved stroke, Was never heard the Nymphs to daunt, Or fright them from their hallow'd haunt. There in close covert by some brook, Where no profaner eye may look, Hide me from day's gairish eye, While the bee with honeyed thigh, That at her flow'ry work doth sing,, And the waters murmuring,
With such concert as they keep, Entice the dewy-feather'd sleep : And let some strange mysterious dream, Wave at his wings in airy stream
Of lively portraiture display'd, Softly on my eye-lids laid;
And as I wake sweet music breathe Above, about, or underneath, Sent by some spirit to mortals good, Or th' unseen Genius of the wood.
But let my due feet never fail To walk the studious cloyster's pale, And love the high embowed roof, With antique pillars massy proof, And storied windows richly dight, Casting a dim religious light. There let the pealing organ blow, To the full voiced quire below, In service high, and anthems clear, As may with sweetness, through mine ear Dissolve me into extasies,
And bring all heav'n before mine eyes.
And may at last my weary age, Find out the peaceful hermitage, The hairy gown and mossy cell, Where I may sit and rightly spell Of ev'ry star that Heav'n doth shew, And ev'ry herb that sips the dew; 'Till old experience do attain To something like prophetic strain. These pleasures, Melancholy, give, And I with thee will choose to live.
And all the men and women merely players ; They have their exits and their entrances, And one man in his time plays many parts : His acts being seven Ages. At first the infant, Mewling and puking in the nurse's arms. And then the whining school-boy, with his satchel, And shining morning face, creeping like snail Unwillingly to school. And then the lover, Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad Made to his mistress' eye-brow. Then a soldier, Full of strange oaths, and bearded like the pard, Jealous in honour, sudden and quick in quarrel; Seeking the bubble reputation
Even in the cannon's mouth. And then the justice, In fair round belly, with good capon lin'd, With eyes severe, and beard of formal cut, Full of wise laws and modern instances, And so he plays his part. The sixth age shifts Into the lean and slipper'd pantaloon, With spectacles on nose, and pouch on side; His youthful hose well sav'd, a world too wide For his shrunk shank; and his big manly voice, Turning again toward childish treble, pipes And whistles in his sound. Last scene of all, That ends this strange eventful history, Is second childishness, and mere oblivion,
Sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans every thing.
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