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ON

UNA AND THE LION.

(Spenser)

NE day, nigh weary of the irksome way,
From her unhasty beast she did alight;
And on the grass her dainty limbs did lay
In secret shadow, from all men's sight;
From her fair head her fillet she undight,
And laid her stole aside her angel's face,
As the great eye of Heaven, shinèd bright,
And made a sunshine in a shady place;

Did ever mortal eye behold such heavenly grace?

It fortunèd, out of the thickest wood

A ramping lion rushèd suddenly, Hunting full greedy after salvage blood: Soon as the royal virgin he did spy,

With gaping mouth at her ran greedily,

To have at once devour'd the tender corpse :
But to the prey, when as he drew more nigh,
His bloody rage assuagèd with remorse,
And, with the sight amazed, forgot his furious
force.

Instead thereof he kiss'd her weary feet,

And lick'd her lily hands with fawning tongue, As he her wrongèd innocence did weet.

O how can beauty master the most strong,
And simple truth subdue avenging wrong!

Whose yielded pride and proud submission,
Still dreading death, when she had markèd long,
Her heart 'gan melt in great compassion,
And drizzling tears did shed for pure affection.

"The lion, lord of every beast in field,"

Quoth she, "his princely puissance doth abate,
And mighty Proud to humble Weak doth yield,
Forgetful of the hungry rage, which late
Him prick'd, in pity of my sad estate :-
But he, my lion, and my noble lord,
How does he find in cruel heart to hate

Her, that him loved, and ever most adored

As the god of my life? why hath he me abhorr'd?"

Redounding tears did choke th' end of her plaint,
Which softly echo'd from the neighbour wood;

And, sad to see her sorrowful constraint,

The kingly beast upon her gazing stood; With pity calm'd, down fell his angry mood.

At last, in close heart shutting up her pain, Arose the virgin born of heavenly brood,

And to her snowy palfry got again,

To seek her strayèd champion if she might attain.

The lion would not leave her desolate,

But with her went along as a strong guard

Of her chaste person, and a faithful mate

Of her sad troubles and misfortunes hard: Still, when she slept, he kept both watch and ward; And when she waked, he waited diligent,

With humble service to her will prepared :

From her fair eyes he took commandément,
And ever by her looks conceived her intent.

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THE END OF KNOWLEDGE.

(Bacon.)

HE mistaking or misplacing of the last or farthest end of knowledge, is the greatest error of all the rest. For, men have entered into a desire of learning and knowledge, sometimes upon a natural curiosity and inquisitive appetite; sometimes to entertain their minds with variety and delight; sometimes for ornament and reputation; and sometimes to enable them to victory of wit and contradiction; and most times for lucre and profession;-but seldom sincerely to give a true account of their gift of reason, to the benefit and use of men: as if there were sought in knowledge a couch whereupon to rest a searching and restless spirit; or a terrace for a wandering and variable mind to walk up and down with a fair prospect; or a tower of state for a proud mind to raise itself upon; or a fort or commanding ground for strife and contention; or a shop for profit or sale;-and not a rich store-house for the glory of the Creator and the relief of man's estate.

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ET

Is of all these the gentlier-mightiest. When thy gold breath is misting in the West, She unobservéd steals unto her throne, And there she sits most meek and most alone;

As if she had not pomp subservient ;

As if thine eye, high Poet! was not bent
Towards her with the Muses in thine heart;
As if the ministering stars kept not apart,
Waiting for silver-footed messages.

O Moon! the oldest shades 'mong oldest trees

Feel palpitations when thou lookest in:

O Moon! old boughs lisp forth a holier din
The while they feel thine airy fellowship.
Thou dost bless everywhere, with silver lip
Kissing dead things to life. The sleeping kine,
Couch'd in thy brightness, dream of fields divine :

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