The Works of the English Poets: Cowley

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H. Hughs, 1779
 

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Page 241 - WELL then ; I now do plainly see This busy world and I shall ne'er agree. The very honey of all earthly joy Does, of all meats, the soonest cloy ; And they, methinks, deserve my pity Who for it can endure the stings, The crowd, and buzz, and murmurings Of this great hive, the city.
Page 197 - For every tree and every herb around With pearly dew was crown'd, And upon all the quicken'd ground The fruitful seed of Heaven did brooding lie, And nothing but the Muse's fleece was dry.
Page 136 - THE thirsty earth soaks up the rain, And drinks and gapes for drink again; The plants suck in the earth, and are With constant drinking fresh and fair; The sea itself (which one would think Should have but little need of drink) Drinks ten thousand rivers up, So fill'd that they o'erflow the cup.
Page 241 - I descend to the grave May I a small house and large garden have; And a few friends, and many books, both true, Both wise, and both delightful too!
Page 204 - Nature's watchful life and health Her joy, her ornament, and wealth ! Hail to thy husband, Heat, and thee ! Thou the world's beauteous bride, the lusty bridegroom he!
Page 147 - Thy silver hairs yielded me more Than even golden curls before. Had I the power of creation, As I have of generation, Where I the matter...
Page 210 - Must not from others' work a copy take ; No, not from Rubens or Vandyke ; Much less content himself to make it like Th' ideas and the images which lie In his own fancy, or his memory. No, he before his sight must place The natural and living face ; The real object must command Each judgment of his eye, and motion of his hand.
Page 224 - Nothing yet in thee is seen; But when a genial heat warms thee within, A new-born wood of various lines there grows; Here buds an L, and there a B, Here sprouts a V, and there a T, And all the flourishing letters stand in rows.
Page 10 - This has been the case with Shakspeare, Fletcher, Jonson, and many others ; part of whose poems I should take the boldness to prune and lop away, if the care of replanting them in print did belong to me : neither would I make any scruple to cut off from some the unnecessary...
Page 266 - Tis hope is the most hopeless thing of all. Hope, thou bold taster of delight, Who, whilst thou should'st but taste, devour'st it quite!

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