Bird, prune thy wing, nightingale, sing, To give my Love good-morrow Wake from thy nest, Robin-red-breast; Give my fair Love good-morrow! THOMAS HEYWOOD.1 SONG. UNDER the greenwood tree And turn his merry note Unto the sweet bird's throat, Come hither, come hither, come hither: Here shall he see No enemy But winter and rough weather. Who doth ambition shun And loves to live i' the sun, 1 THOMAS HEYWOOD was an actor and a prolific dramatist and prose writer of the Elizabethan school, who flourished in London during the reigns of Elizabeth, James I., and Charles I His fame rests upon his plays, of which he said he had writter wholly or in part no less than two hundred and twenty. Seeking the food he eats And pleased with what he gets, Come hither, come hither, come hither: Here shall he see No enemy But winter and rough weather. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. As You Like It CHARACTER OF A HAPPY LIFE. How happy is he born and taught Whose passions not his masters are, Who envies none that chance doth raise, Who hath his life from rumors freed, Who God doth late and early pray This man is freed from servile bands SIR HENRY WOTTON.1 WINTER. WHEN icicles hang by the wall And Dick the shepherd blows his nail And milk comes frozen home in pail, Tu-who, a merry note, Tu-whit; While greasy Joan doth keel the pot. When all aloud the wind doth blow And coughing drowns the parson's saw 1 SIR HENRY WOTTON was born at Boughton Hall, Kent (England), in 1568. He was educated at Oxford, where he showed a taste for poetry. After graduation he was employed in the diplomatic service and passed nine years on the Continent. On his return he became secretary to the Earl of Essex, and retired to Italy when his patron fell from power and was beheaded. He again returned to England on the accession of James I., who knighted him and employed him on several important foreign missions. He was made Provost of Eton College in 1627, and retained this office until his death, in 1639. He is best known as statesman and diplomatist. His prose writings included political essays and memoirs. His poems were composed solely for his own amusement, but several of them, like that in the text, have great beauty of thought. And birds sit brooding in the snow, Tu-who, a merry note, Tu-whit; While greasy Joan doth keel the pot. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. Love's Labour's Lost. SONG. TELL me where is fancy bred, It is engender'd in the eyes, Let us all ring fancy's knell: FAIRY'S SONG. OVER hill, over dale, Thorough bush, thorough brier, Over park, over pale, Thorough flood, thorough fire, I do wander everywhere, Swifter than the moon's sphere; And I serve the fairy queen, Midsummer Night's Dream. SONG OF THE FAIRIES. You spotted snakes with double tongue, Philomel, with melody Sing in our sweet lullaby : Lulla, lulla, lullaby, lulla, lulla, lullaby : Never harm, Nor spell nor charm, Come our lovely lady nigh; Weaving spiders, come not here; Hence, you long-legg'd spinners, hence! Beetles black, approach not near; Worm nor snail, do no offence. Philomel, with melody, etc. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. Midsummer Night's Dream. |