Brave men were living before Agamemnon A good deal like him too, though quite the same none; Fit for my poem (that is, for my new one); 40 The THE SWEETS OF LIFE (CANTO I, cxxii-cxxvii) 'TIS sweet to hear At midnight on the blue and moonlit deep song and oar of Adria's gondolier, By distance mellow'd, o'er the waters sweep; "Tis sweet to see the evening star appear; 'Tis sweet to listen as the night-winds creep From leaf to leaf; 'tis sweet to view on high The rainbow, based on ocean, span the sky. 'Tis sweet to hear the watch-dog's honest bark Bay deep-mouth'd welcome as we draw near home; 'Tis sweet to know there is an eye will mark Our coming, and look brighter when we come ; "Tis sweet to be awaken'd by the lark, Or lull'd by falling waters; sweet the hum Sweet is the vintage, when the showering grapes Sweet is revenge-especially to women, II 1 20 Sweet is a legacy, and passing sweet The unexpected death of some old lady Or gentleman of seventy years complete, Who've made us youth' wait too-too long already For an estate, or cash, or country seat, Still breaking, but with stamina so steady 'Tis sweet to win, no matter how, one's laurels, By blood or ink; 'tis sweet to put an end To strife; 'tis sometimes sweet to have our quarrels, Sweet is old wine in bottles, ale in barrels ; But sweeter still than this, than these, than all, Like Adam's recollection of his fall; 30 40 The tree of knowledge has been pluck'd-all's knownAnd life yields nothing further to recall Worthy of this ambrosial sin, so shown, No doubt in fable, as the unforgiven Fire which Prometheus filch'd for us from heaven. 66 JULIA'S LETTER (CANTO I. cxcii—cxcviii). THEY tell me 'tis decided you depart: I used ;-I write in haste, and if a stain "I loved, I love you, for this love have lost State, station, heaven, mankind's, my own esteem, And yet cannot regret what it hath cost, So dear is still the memory of that dream; 66 Man's love is of man's life a thing apart, 'Tis woman's whole existence; man may range And few there are whom these cannot estrange; "You will proceed in pleasure, and in pride, 66 -No, 'My breast has been all weakness, is so yet; To all, except one image, madly blind; "I have no more to say, but linger still, My misery can scarce be more complete : II 20 30 40 I had not lived till now, could sorrow kill; Death shuns the wretch who fain the blow would meet, And I must even survive this last adieu, And bear with life to love and pray for you! This note was written upon gilt-edged paper Her small white hand could hardly reach the taper, And yet she did not let one tear escape her; The seal a sun-flower; "Elle vous suit partout," POETICAL COMMANDMENTS (CANTO I. cc-cevi) My poem 's epic, and is meant to be Divided in twelve books; each book containing, With love, and war, a heavy gale at sea, A list of ships, and captains, and kings reigning, A panoramic view of hell 's in training, Which makes so many poets, and some fools: There's only one slight difference between 50 ΙΟ 20 But this will more peculiarly be seen); If any person doubt it, I appeal To history, tradition, and to facts, To newspapers, whose truth all know and feel, But that which more completely faith exacts If ever I should condescend to prose, I'll write poetical commandments, which That went before; in these I shall enrich Thou shalt believe in Milton, Dryden, Pope; 30 40 Thou shalt not set up Wordsworth, Coleridge, Southey; Because the first is crazed beyond all hope, The second drunk, the third so quaint and mouthy: With Crabbe it may be difficult to cope, And Campbell's Hippocrene is somewhat drouthy: Thou shalt not steal from Samuel Rogers, nor Commit-flirtation with the muse of Moore. Thou shalt not covet Mr. Sotheby's Muse, Thou shalt not bear falso witness like "the Blues "- 50 |