The darling gaud of all of them-
I wot, so rare and fine a gem
Ne'er glowed on Eastern anadem.

I've cased the rubies of thy smiles,
In rich and triply-plated gold;
But this no other wealth defiles,
Itself, itself can only hold-

The stealthy kiss on Maple-wold.

RICHARD, LORD HOUGHTON.

I.

EEK not the tree of silkiest bark

And balmiest bud,

To carve her name while yet 'tis dark

Upon the wood.

The world is full of noble tasks,

And wreaths hard won:

Each work demands strong hearts, strong hands,

Till day is done.

II.

Sing not that violet-veinèd skin,

That cheek's pale roses,

The lily of that form wherein

Her soul reposes:

Forth to the fight, true man, true knight ;

The clash of arms

Shall more prevail than whispered tale

To win her charms.

SEEK NOT THE TREE OF SILKIEST BARK.

95

The warrior for the True, the Right,

Fight's in Love's name :

The love that lures thee from that fight

Lures thee to shame :

The love which lifts the heart, yet leaves

The spirit free,

That love, or none, is fit for one

Man-shaped, like thee.

AUBREY DE VERE.

N the long enchanted weather,
When lovers came together,

And fields were bright with blossoming,
And hearts were light with song;

When the poet lay for hours,
In a dream among the flowers,
And heard a soft voice murmuring
His love's name all day long;

Or for hours stood beholding
The summer time unfolding

Its casket of rich jewelries,

And boundless wealth outpoured;

Saw the precious-looking roses

Its glowing hand uncloses,

The pearls of dew and emeralds.

Spread over grass and sward;

When he heard besides the singing,

Mysterious voices ringing

With clear unearthly ecstasies

Through earth and sky and air;

Then he wondered for whose pleasure
Some king made all that treasure—
That bauble of the universe,

At whose feet it was laid :

Yea, for what celestial leman,
Bright saint or crownèd demon,
Chimed all the tender harmonies
Of that rich serenade.

But his heart constrained him, sinking

Back to its sweetest thinking,

His lady all to celebrate,

And tell her beauty's worth.

And he sought at length what tender
Love-verses he should send her:

Oh, the love within him overflowed,
And seemed to fill the earth!

So he took, in his emotion,
A murmur from the ocean;
He took a plaintive whispering

Of sadness from the wind;

G