Page:Modern poets and poetry of Spain.djvu/123

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MELENDEZ VALDES.



JUVENILITIES.[1]

When I was yet a child,
A child Dorila too,
To gather there the flowerets wild,
We roved the forest through.

And gaily garlands then,
With passing skill displayed,
To crown us both, in childish vein,
Her little fingers made.

And thus our joys to share,
In such our thoughts and play,
We pass'd along, a happy pair,
The hours and days away.

But ev'n in sports like these,
Soon age came hurrying by!
And of our innocence the ease
Malicious seem'd to fly.


  1. Works of Melendez, Salvà's Edition, vol. i. p. 39. This piece was also taken for translation from Bouterwek, when first entering on a study of Spanish literature. From Bouterwek it was copied by Sismondi, when borrowing, as he did largely, from that compiler; but Mr. Roscoe has not given a translation of this, as he probably found it difficult to do so satisfactorily. It is in fact almost as difficult to translate Melendez as it is to translate Anacreon, their peculiar simplicity and grace being so nearly allied.