ON AMBITION. AMBITION with the eagle loves to build, And on the mountains dreads no winter blast, But with self-soothing doth the humour gild, With arguments correcting what is past; Fore-casting kingdoms, dangers unforecast; Leaving this poor word of CONTENT to such, Whose earthly spirits have not this fiery touch. But pleasures never dine but on excess, His appetite maintained by his sight, Strengtheneth Desire, but ever weakeneth Might. ON LIFE. Aн, Life, sweet drop, drown'd in a sea of sours, a Harl. MSS. 6910, f. 127. The growth, decrease, a moment all thou hast; Ah, Life, the maze of countless straying ways, Aloof from Virtue's rough unbeaten straits; MELICERTUS'S MADRIGAL. From "Robert Greene's Arcadia." WHAT are my sheep without their wonted food? My sheep consume and faint for want of blood; No flower that sapless thrives, No turtle without fear, The day without the sun doth lour for woe. a Harl. MSS. 6910, f. 127. Nought more the heart revives, Than to embrace his dear. The stars from earthly humours gain their light, Our humours by their light possess their power, Infudes my pains or joys, by smile or lour: It feeds, it fails, it ends. Kind looks clear to your joy, behold her eyes, In them the heaven of joy and solace lies: Whereto this solace tends! CORIDON'S SONG. From "Dr. Lodge's Euphues' Golden Legacy," A BLITHE and bonny country lass, Heigh ho, bonny lass; Sate sighing on the tender grass, And weeping said: "Will none come woo me?" A smicker boy, a lither swain: Heigh ho, a smicker swain, That in his love was wanton fain, With smiling looks straight come unto her. When as the wanton wench espied, The means to make herself a bride, She simper'd smooth like bonny bell. The swain that saw her squint-eyed kind, His arms about her body twin'd, And said, "Fair lass, how fare ye, well?” The country kit said, "Well forsooth, Heigh ho, well-forsooth; But that I have a longing tooth, A longing tooth that makes me cry:" "Alas!" said he, "what gares thy grief, Heigh ho, what gares thy grief?" "A wound," quoth she, "without relief; I fear a maid that I shall die." "If that be all," the shepherd said, "Heigh ho," the shepherd said: "I'll make thee wive it, gentle maid, And so recure thy malady:" Hereon they kist with many an oath, Heigh ho, many an oath; And 'fore God Pan did plight their troth, And God send every pretty pate, So kind a friend to help at last: Heigh ho, to long again; When they find ease for such a pain. Thus my roundelay is past. MONTANUS'S SONNET IN THE WOODS. From the same. ALAS! how wander I amidst these woods, |