Andrew Marvell

An Epitaph

ENOUGH; and leave the rest to Fame! ‘Tis to commend her, but to name. Courtship which, living, she declined, When dead, to offer were unkind: Nor can the truest wit, or friend, Without detracting,

A Garden, Written after the Civil Wars

SEE how the flowers, as at parade, Under their colours stand display’d: Each regiment in order grows, That of the tulip, pink, and rose. But when the vigilant patrol Of stars walks round about

Last Instructions to a Painter

After two sittings, now our Lady State To end her picture does the third time wait. But ere thou fall’st to work, first, Painter, see If’t ben’t too slight grown or too hard for

The Garden

How vainly men themselves amaze To win the Palm, the Oke, or Bayes; And their uncessant Labours see Crown’d from some single Herb or Tree, Whose short and narrow verged Shade Does prudently their

On Mr. Milton's Paradise Lost

When I beheld the Poet blind, yet bold, In slender Book his vast Design unfold, Messiah Crown’d, Gods Reconcil’d Decree, Rebelling Angels, the Forbidden Tree, Heav’n, Hell, Earth, Chaos, All; the Argument Held me

The Coronet

When for the Thorns with which I long, too long, With many a piercing wound, My Saviours head have crown’d, I seek with Garlands to redress that Wrong: Through every Garden, every Mead, I

The Mower To The Glo-Worms

Ye living Lamps, by whose dear light The Nightingale does sit so late, And studying all the Summer-night, Her matchless Songs does meditate; Ye Country Comets, that portend No War, nor Princes funeral, Shining

The Picture Of Little T. C. In A Prospect Of Flowers

See with what simplicity This Nimph begins her golden daies! In the green Grass she loves to lie, And there with her fair Aspect tames The Wilder flow’rs, and gives them names: But only

Damon The Mower

Heark how the Mower Damon Sung, With love of Juliana stung! While ev’ry thing did seem to paint The Scene more fit for his complaint. Like her fair Eyes the day was fair; But

Mourning

You, that decipher out the Fate Of humane Off-springs from the Skies, What mean these Infants which of late Spring from the Starrs of Chlora’s Eyes? Her Eyes confus’d, and doubled ore, With Tears

To His Noble Friend, Mr. Richard Lovelace, Upon His Poems

Sir, Our times are much degenerate from those Which your sweet muse with your fair fortune chose, And as complexions alter with the climes, Our wits have drawn the infection of our times. That

The Mower Against Gardens

Luxurious Man, to bring his Vice in use, Did after him the World seduce: And from the Fields the Flow’rs and Plants allure, Where Nature was most plain and pure. He first enclos’d within

Cromwell's Return

An Horatian Ode upon Cromwell’s Return From Ireland The forward youth that would appear Must now forsake his muses dear, Nor in the shadows sing, His numbers languishing. ‘Tis time to leave the books

First Anniversary

Like the vain curlings of the watery maze, Which in smooth streams a sinking weight does raise, So Man, declining always, disappears In the weak circles of increasing years; And his short tumults of

To Christina, Queen of Sweden

Verses to accompany a portrait of Cromwell Bright Martial Maid, Queen of the frozen zone, The northern pole supports thy shining throne. Behold what furrows age and steel can plough; The helmet’s weight oppressed

A Letter To Doctor Ingelo, then With My Lord Whitlock, Amba

Quid facis Arctoi charissime transfuga coeli, Ingele, proh sero cognite, rapte cito? Num satis Hybernum defendis pellibus Astrum, Qui modo tam mollis nec bene firmus eras? Quae Gentes Hominum, quae sit Natura Locorum, Sint

In Effigiem Oliveri Cromwell

Haec est quae toties Inimicos Umbra fugavit, At sub qua Cives Otia lenta terunt. In eandem Reginae Sueciae transmissam Bellipotens Virgo, septem Regina Trionum. Christina, Arctoi lucida stella Poli; Cernis quas merui dura sub

Eyes And Tears

How wisely Nature did decree, With the same Eyes to weep and see! That, having view’d the object vain, They might be ready to complain. And since the Self-deluding Sight, In a false Angle

Blake's Victory

On the Victory Obtained by Blake over the Spaniards in the Bay of Santa Cruz, in the Island of Tenerife, 1657 Now does Spain’s fleet her spacious wings unfold, Leaves the New World and

A Dialogue Between Thyrsis And Dorinda

Dorinda When Death, shall snatch us from these Kids, And shut up our divided Lids, Tell me Thyrsis, prethee do, Whither thou and I must go. Thyrsis To the Elizium: (Dorinda) oh where i’st?

Thoughts in a Garden

HOW vainly men themselves amaze To win the palm, the oak, or bays, And their uncessant labours see Crown’d from some single herb or tree, Whose short and narrow-verged shade Does prudently their toils

A Dialogue Between the Resolved Soul, And Created Pleasure

Courage my Soul, now learn to wield The weight of thine immortal Shield. Close on thy Head thy Helmet bright. Ballance thy Sword against the Fight. See where an Army, strong as fair, With

A Dialogue Between The Soul And Body

Soul O Who shall, from this Dungeon, raise A Soul inslav’d so many wayes? With bolts of Bones, that fetter’d stands In Feet ; and manacled in Hands. Here blinded with an Eye ;

On The Victory Obtained By Blake Over the Spaniards, In The Bay Of Scanctacruze, In The Island Of teneriff.1657

Now does Spains Fleet her spatious wings unfold, Leaves the new World and hastens for the old: But though the wind was fair, the slowly swoome Frayted with acted Guilt, and Guilt to come:

The Match

Nature had long a Treasure made Of all her choisest store; Fearing, when She should be decay’d, To beg in vain for more. Her Orientest Colours there, And Essences most pure, With sweetest Perfumes

Bermudas

Where the remote Bermudas ride In th’ Oceans bosome unespy’d, From a small Boat, that row’d along, The listning Winds receiv’d this Song. What should we do but sing his Praise That led us

The Character Of Holland

Holland, that scarce deserves the name of Land, As but th’Off-scouring of the Brittish Sand; And so much Earth as was contributed By English Pilots when they heav’d the Lead; Or what by th’

A Poem Upon The Death Of O. C

That Providence which had so long the care Of Cromwell’s head, and numbred ev’ry hair, Now in its self (the Glass where all appears) Had seen the period of his golden Years: And thenceforth

The Gallery

Clora come view my Soul, and tell Whether I have contriv’d it well. Now all its several lodgings lye Compos’d into one Gallery; And the great Arras-hangings, made Of various Faces, by are laid;

The Definition Of Love

My love is of a birth as rare As ’tis for object strange and high: It was begotten by Despair Upon Impossibility. Magnanimous Despair alone Could show me so divine a thing, Where feeble

The Mower's Song

My Mind was once the true survey Of all these Medows fresh and gay; And in the greenness of the Grass Did see its Hopes as in a Glass; When Juliana came, and she

The First Anniversary Of The Government Under O. C

Like the vain Curlings of the Watry maze, Which in smooth streams a sinking Weight does raise; So Man, declining alwayes, disappears. In the Weak Circles of increasing Years; And his short Tumults of

Ametas And Thestylis Making Hay-Ropes

Ametas Think’st Thou that this Love can stand, Whilst Thou still dost say me nay? Love unpaid does soon disband: Love binds Love as Hay binds Hay. Thestylis Think’st Thou that this Rope would

Young Love

Come little Infant, Love me now, While thine unsuspected years Clear thine aged Fathers brow From cold Jealousie and Fears. Pretty surely ’twere to see By young Love old Time beguil’d: While our Sportings

Senec. Traged. Ex Thyeste Chor.2

Translated. Senec. Traged. ex Thyeste Chor.2. Stet quicunque volet potens Aulae culmine lubrico &c. Climb at Court for me that will Tottering favors Pinacle; All I seek is to lye still. Settled in some

Edmundi Trotii Epitaphium

Charissimo Filio Edmundo Trotio Posuimus Pater & Mater Frustra superstites. Legite Parentes, vanissimus hominum ordo, Figuli Filiorum, Substructores Hominum, Fartores Opum, Longi Speratores, Et nostro, si fas, sapite infortunio. Fruit Edmundus Trottuis. E quatuor

To Songs At the Marriage Of The Lord Fauconberg And The Lady Mary Cromwell

song Fauc1 First. [Chorus. Endymion. Luna.] Chorus. Th’ Astrologers own Eyes are set, And even Wolves the Sheep forget; Only this Shepherd, late and soon, Upon this Hill outwakes the Moon. Heark how he

Dignissimo Suo Amico Doctori Wittie. De Translatione Vulgi

Nempe sic innumero succrescunt agmine libri, Saepia vix toto ut jam natet una mari. Fortius assidui surgunt a vulnere praeli: Quoque magis pressa est, auctior Hydra redit. Heu quibus Anticyris, quibus est sanabilis herbis

The Nymph Complaining For The Death Of Her Faun

The wanton Troopers riding by Have shot my Faun and it will dye. Ungentle men! They cannot thrive To kill thee. Thou neer didst alive Them any harm: alas nor cou’d Thy death yet

Ros

Cernis ut Eio descendat Gemmula Roris, Inque Rosas roseo transfluat orta sinu. Sollicita Flores stant ambitione supini, Et certant foliis pellicuisse suis. Illa tamen patriae lustrans fastigia Sphaerae, Negligit hospitii limina picta novi. Inque

The Fair Singer

To make a final conquest of all me, Love did compose so sweet an Enemy, In whom both Beauties to my death agree, Joyning themselves in fatal Harmony; That while she with her Eyes

Daphnis And Chloe

Daphnis must from Chloe part: Now is come the dismal Hour That must all his Hopes devour, All his Labour, all his Art. Nature, her own Sexes foe, Long had taught her to be

Upon Appleton House, to My Lord Fairfax

Within this sober Frame expect Work of no Forrain Architect; That unto Caves the Quarries drew, And Forrests did to Pastures hew; Who of his great Design in pain Did for a Model vault

Music's Empire

First was the world as one great cymbal made, Where jarring winds to infant Nature played. All music was a solitary sound, To hollow rocks and murm’ring fountains bound. Jubal first made the wilder

Fleckno, an English Priest at Rome

Oblig’d by frequent visits of this man, Whom as Priest, Poet, and Musician, I for some branch of Melchizedeck took, (Though he derives himself from my Lord Brooke) I sought his Lodging; which is

To His Worthy Friend Doctor Witty Upon His Translation Of The Popular Errors

Sit further, and make room for thine own fame, Where just desert enrolles thy honour’d Name The good Interpreter. Some in this task Take of the Cypress vail, but leave a mask, Changing the

An Horatian Ode Upon Cromwell's Return from Ireland

The forward youth that would appear Must now forsake his Muses dear, Nor in the shadows sing His numbers languishing. ‘Tis time to leave the books in dust, And oil th’ unused armour’s rust,

Tom May's Death

As one put drunk into the Packet-boat, Tom May was hurry’d hence and did not know’t. But was amaz’d on the Elysian side, And with an Eye uncertain, gazing wide, Could not determine in

Clorinda And Damon

C. Damon come drive thy flocks this way. D. No : ’tis too late they went astray. C. I have a grassy Scutcheon spy’d, Where Flora blazons all her pride. The grass I aim

The Death of Cromwell

A Poem upon the Death of His Late Highness the Lord Protector That Providence which had so long the care Of Cromwell’s head, and numbered every hair, Now in itself (the glass where all

Hortus

Quisnam adeo, mortale genus, praecordia versat: Heu Palmae, Laurique furor, vel simplicis Herbae! Arbor ut indomitos ornet vix una labores; Tempora nec foliis praecingat tota maglignis. Dum simud implexi, tranquillae ad ferta Quiaetis, Omnigeni

On A Drop Of Dew

See how the Orient Dew, Shed from the Bosom of the Morn Into the blowing Roses, Yet careless of its Mansion new; For the clear Region where ’twas born Round in its self incloses:

The Unfortunate Lover

Alas, how pleasant are their dayes With whom the Infant Love yet playes! Sorted by pairs, they still are seen By Fountains cool, and Shadows green. But soon these Flames do lose their light,

Upon The Hill And Grove At Bill-borow

To the Lord Fairfax. See how the arched Earth does here Rise in a perfect Hemisphere! The stiffest Compass could not strike A line more circular and like; Nor softest Pensel draw a Brow.

Upon An Eunuch; A Poet. Fragment

Nec sterilem te crede; Licet, mulieribus exul, Falcem virginiae nequeas immitere messi, Et nostro peccare modo. Tibi Fama perenne Praegnabit; rapiesque novem de monse Sorores; Et pariet modulos Echo repetita Nepotes.

Epigramma in Duos montes Amosclivum Et Bilboreum

Farfacio. Cernis ut ingenti distinguant limite campum Montis Amos clivi Bilboreique juga! Ille stat indomitus turritis undisque saxis: Cingit huic laetum Fraximus alta Caput. Illi petra minax rigidis cervicibus horret: Huic quatiunt viridis lenia

To His Coy Mistress

Had we but World enough, and Time, This coyness Lady were no crime. We would sit down, and think which way To walk, and pass our long Loves Day. Thou by the Indian Ganges