HE Editor of the following Volume has, in compliance with the wishes of the Publishers, endeavoured to present her readers with "Gems" selected from all our chief National Poets. In doing this, she has tried to avoid as much as possible, without serious loss, the most hackneyed passages of our elder bards; and has asked and obtained permission from our living poets to add to her "Gems from the Past" "Gems from the Present." Of course there is a difference of value between these jewels of thought. The Koh-i-noor has few, if any, equals; but, though differing in value, the diamond, ruby, emerald, sapphire, topaz, or opal are all gems, and are all precious; and we thankfully accept them as they are presented to us.
To the Poets and Publishers who have given her permission to choose from their "jewels," the Editor now offers her sincere thanks; and her apologies, if by any possible chance a poem has been taken without permission, or a poet omitted from want of his address.
DESCRIPTIVE AND NARRATIVE POETRY.
A PICTURE OF A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN.
From "The Knight's Tale."
THE knights had been long in captivity, when they saw from their tower a beautiful woman doing observance to May Day.
THUS passeth yere by yere, and day by day,
Till it fel ones in a morwe* of May
That Emelie, that fairer was to sene
Than is the lilie on hire stalke grene,
And fresher than the May with flowres
For with the rose's colour stroft hire hewe:+
I n'ot which was the fyner of hem two-
Er it was day, as she was wont to do,
She was arisen, and al redy digh ; §
For May wole have no sloggardie¶ a night.
The sesoun priketh every gentil herte,
And maketh him out of his sleep to sterte,
And seith, "Arys, and do thin** obser-
vance."
This maked Emelie han++ remembrance
To don honour to May, and for to ryse.
Y-clothed was she fresh for to devyse.
Hire yelwe here‡‡ was broided in a tresse
Byhynde hire bak, a yerde long, I gesse.
And in the gardyn at the sonne upriste||||
She walketh up and doun wher as hire
[rede,
She gathereth flowres, partye whyte and To make a sotel§§ gerland for hire hede: And as an aungel hevenlich¶¶ she song.
AND as I sat, the birdis herk'ning thus,
Methought that I heard voicis sodainely,
The most swetist and most delicious
That evir any wight, I trowe trewly,
Heardin in ther life, for the armony
And swete accord was in so gode musike,
That the voicis to angels most were like.
At the last, out of a grove evin by,
That was right godely and pleasaunt to
sight,
I se where there came, singing lustily,
A world of ladies; but, to telle aright
Their beauty grete, it lieth not in my might,
Ne ther array; nevirthelesse I shall
Tell you a part, tho' I speke not of all.
The surcotes white, of velvet wele sittinge,
They werin cladde, and the semis ech one,
As it werin a mannir garnishinge,
Was set with emeraudis, one and one,
By and by; but many a richè stone
Was set on the purfilis, out of doute,
Of colours, sleves, and trainis round
aboute.
As of grete perlis rounde and orient,
And diamondis fine, and rubys redde,
And many
othir stone, of which I went
The namis now; and everich on her hede
A rich fret of gold, which, withoutin dread,
Was ful of statèly riche stonys set;
And every lady had a chapelet
On ther hedis of branches freshe and grene
So wele wrought and so marvelously,
That it was a right noble sight to sene;
Some of laurir, and some ful pleasantly
Had chapelets of wodebind, and sadly
Some of agnus castus werin also,
Chaplets freshe; but there were many
To win him worship, and her grace to have, Which of all earthly things he most did
And ever as he rode his heart did yearn
To prove his puissance in battle brave
Upon his foe, and his new force to learn;
Upon his foe, a dragon horrible and stern.
A lovely lady rode him fair beside,
Upon a lowly ass more white than snow;
Yet she much whiter; but the same did
hide
Under a veil, that wimpled was full low;
And over all a black stole she did throw,
As one that inly mourned; so was she sad,
And heavy sate upon her palfrey slow;
Seemed in heart some hidden care she had;
And by her in a line a milk-white lamb she
lad.
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