THE HUNTER'S EVEN-SONG
THE plain with still and wand’ring feet, And gun full-charged, I tread, And hov’ring see thine image sweet, Thine image dear, o’er head. In gentle silence thou dost fare Through field and valley dear;
APPARENT DEATH
WEEP, maiden, weep here o’er the tomb of Love; He died of nothing by mere chance was slain. But is he really dead? oh, that I cannot prove: A nothing, a mere chance, oft
THE GODLIKE
NOBLE be man, Helpful and good! For that alone Distinguisheth him From all the beings Unto us known. Hail to the beings, Unknown and glorious, Whom we forebode! From his example Learn we to
MISCHIEVOUS JOY
AS a butterfly renew’d, When in life I breath’d my last, To the spots my flight I wing, Scenes of heav’nly rapture past, Over meadows, to the spring, Round the hill, and through the
Trilogy of Passion: I. TO WERTHER
[This poem, written at the age of seventy-five, was appended to An edition of ‘Werther,’ published at that time.] ONCE more, then, much-wept shadow, thou dost dare Boldly to face the day’s clear light,
POETRY
GOD to his untaught children sent Law, order, knowledge, art, from high, And ev’ry heav’nly favour lent, The world’s hard lot to qualify. They knew not how they should behave, For all from Heav’n
PROVERBS
‘TIS easier far a wreath to bind, Than a good owner fort to find. I KILL’D a thousand flies overnight, Yet was waken’d by one, as soon as twas light. To the mother I
THE DOUBTERS AND THE LOVERS
THE DOUBTERS. YE love, and sonnets write! Fate’s strange behest! The heart, its hidden meaning to declare, Must seek for rhymes, uniting pair with pair: Learn, children, that the will is weak, at best.
FIRST LOSS
AH! who’ll e’er those days restore, Those bright days of early love Who’ll one hour again concede, Of that time so fondly cherish’d! Silently my wounds I feed, And with wailing evermore Sorrow o’er
TO A GOLDEN HEART THAT HE WORE ROUND HIS NECK
[Addressed, during the Swiss tour already mentioned, To a present Lily had given him, during the time of their happy Connection, which was then about to be terminated for ever.] OH thou token loved
COURAGE
CARELESSLY over the plain away, Where by the boldest man no path Cut before thee thou canst discern, Make for thyself a path! Silence, loved one, my heart! Cracking, let it not break! Breaking,
THE RULE OF LIFE
IF thou wouldst live unruffled by care, Let not the past torment thee e’er; As little as possible be thou annoy’d, And let the present be ever enjoy’d; Ne’er let thy breast with hate
THE WAY TO BEHAVE
THOUGH tempers are bad and peevish folks swear, Remember to ruffle thy brows, friend, ne’er; And let not the fancies of women so fair E’er serve thy pleasure in life to impair. 1815.*
THE EAGLE AND DOVE
IN search of prey once raised his pinions An eaglet; A huntsman’s arrow came, and reft His right wing of all motive power. Headlong he fell into a myrtle grove, For three long days
LOVE'S DISTRESSES
WHO will hear me? Whom shall I lament to? Who would pity me that heard my sorrows? Ah, the lip that erst so many raptures Used to taste, and used to give responsive, Now