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A SUMMER DAY.

I saw the Daphene closed under rinde,
Greene laurer, and the holesome pine,

The mirre also that weepeth ever of kinde,
The cedres hie, upright as a line,

The filbert eke, that lowe doth encline

Her bowes grene to the earth adoun,

Unto her knight called Demophoun.

There sawe I eke the fresh hauthorne,
In white motley, that so swete doth smell,
Ashe, firre, and oke, with many a young acorn,
And many a tree mo than I can tell,
And me beforne I saw a little well,
That had his course, as I gan beholde,
Under an hill, with quicke stremes colde.

The gravel gold, the water pure as glasse,
The bankes round the well environyng,
And soft as velvet the yonge grasse
That thereupon lustely came springyng,
The sute of trees about compassyng,
Hir shadow cast, closing the well round,
And all the herbes growing on the ground.

CHAUCER.

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888

LESSONS OF SPRING.

SPRING.

WHAN that Phebus his chair of gold so hie
Had whirled up the sterry sky aloft,

And in the Boole was entered certainly,

When shoures sweet of raine descended soft,
Causing the ground fele times and oft,

Up for to give many an wholsome aire,
And every plaine was clothed faire

With new greene, and maketh small floures

To springen here and there in field and in mede,

So very good and wholsome be the shoures,
That it renueth that was old and dede,
In winter time; and out of every sede

Springeth the hearbe, so that every wight
Of this season wexeth glad and light.

CHAUCER.

LESSONS OF SPRING.

"They shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the watercourses."

LESSONS Sweet of spring returning,

Welcome to the thoughtful heart!

ISAIAH 44: 4.

LESSONS OF SPRING.

May I call ye sense or learning,

Instinct pure, or heaven-taught art? Be your title what it may,

Sweet the lengthening April day,

While with you the soul is free,

Ranging wild o'er hill and lea.

Soft as Memnon's harp at morning,
To the inward ear devout,

Touched by light, with heavenly warning

Your transporting chords ring out.

Every leaf in every nook,

Every wave in every brook,

Chanting with a solemn voice,

Minds us of our better choice.

Needs no show of mountain hoary,
Winding shore or deepening glen,
Where the landscape in its glory

Teaches truth to wandering men:
Give true hearts but earth and sky,
And some flowers to bloom and die,—
Homely scenes and simple views
Lowly thoughts may best infuse.

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90

LESSONS OF SPRING.

See the soft green willow springing
Where the waters gently pass,
Every way her free arms flinging
O'er the moist and reedy grass.
Long ere winter blasts are fled,
See her tipped with vernal red,
And her kindly flower displayed
Ere her leaf can cast a shade.

Though the rudest hand assail her,
Patiently she droops awhile,

But when showers and breezes hail her,
Wears again her willing smile.
Thus I learn Contentment's power

From the slighted willow bower,
Ready to give thanks and live
On the least that Heaven may give.

If, the quiet brooklet leaving,
Up the stony vale I wind,

Haply half in fancy grieving

For the shades I leave behind,

By the dusty wayside drear,
Nightingales with joyous cheer

FLOW GENTLY, SWEET AFTON.

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Sing, my sadness to reprove,

Gladlier than in cultured grove.

Where the thickest boughs are twining

Of the greenest, darkest tree,

There they plunge, the light declining-
All may hear, but none may see.
Fearless of the passing hoof,

Hardly will they fleet aloof;

So they live in modest ways,

Trust entire, and ceaseless praise.

KEBLE.

FLOW GENTLY, SWEET AFTON.

FLOW gently, sweet Afton, among thy green braes,
Flow gently, I'll sing thee a song in thy praise;
My Mary's asleep by thy murmuring stream,
Flow gently, sweet Afton, disturb not her dream.

Thou stock-dove, whose echo resounds thro' the glen,
Ye wild whistling blackbirds, in yon thorny den,
Thou green-crested lapwing, thy screaming forbear,
I charge you disturb not my slumbering fair.

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