64
Book
And looking back, at that short space
Could see a glimpse of his bright face;
When on some gilded cloud or flower
My gazing soul would dwell an hour,
And in those weaker glories spy
Some shadows of eternity;
Before I taught my tongue to wound
My conscience with a sinful sound,
Or had the black art to dispense
A several sin to every sense,
But felt through all this fleshly dress
Bright shoots of everlastingness.
Could see a glimpse of his bright face;
When on some gilded cloud or flower
My gazing soul would dwell an hour,
And in those weaker glories spy
Some shadows of eternity;
Before I taught my tongue to wound
My conscience with a sinful sound,
Or had the black art to dispense
A several sin to every sense,
But felt through all this fleshly dress
Bright shoots of everlastingness.
O how I long to travel back.
And tread again that ancient track!
That I might once more reach that plain,
Where first I left my glorious train;
From whence th’ enlighten’d spirit sees
That shady City of Palm trees!
But ah! my soul with too much stay
Is drunk, and staggers in the way: —
Some men a forward motion love.
But I by backward steps would move;
And when this dust falls to the urn,
In that state I came, return.
H. Vaughan
And tread again that ancient track!
That I might once more reach that plain,
Where first I left my glorious train;
From whence th’ enlighten’d spirit sees
That shady City of Palm trees!
But ah! my soul with too much stay
Is drunk, and staggers in the way: —
Some men a forward motion love.
But I by backward steps would move;
And when this dust falls to the urn,
In that state I came, return.
H. Vaughan
lxxvi
TO MR. LAWRENCE
Lawrence, of virtuous father virtuous son,
Now that the fields are dank and ways are mire,
Where shall we sometimes meet, and by the fire
Help waste a sullen day, what may be won
Now that the fields are dank and ways are mire,
Where shall we sometimes meet, and by the fire
Help waste a sullen day, what may be won
From the hard season gaining? Time will run
On smoother, till Favonius re-inspire
The frozen earth, and clothe in fresh attire
The lily and rose, that neither sow’d nor spun.
On smoother, till Favonius re-inspire
The frozen earth, and clothe in fresh attire
The lily and rose, that neither sow’d nor spun.
