Page:Oxford Book of English Verse 1250-1918.djvu/213

 WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 733 Silvia

r HO is Silvia? What is she? That all our swains commend her ? Holy, fair, and wise is she;

The heaven such grace did lend her, That she might admired be.

Is she kind as she is fair?

For beauty lives with kindness: Love doth to her eyes lepair,

To help him of his blindness; And, being help'd, inhabits there.

Then to Silvia let us sing,

That Silvia is excelling; She excels each mortal thing

Upon the dull earth dwelling: To her let us garlands bring.

��134 The Blossom

a day alack the day' Love, whose month is ever May, Spied a blossom passing fair Playing in the wanton air: Through the velvet leaves the wind All unseen 'gan passage find; That the lover, sick to death, Wish'd himself the heaven's breath. Air, quoth he, thy cheeks may blow; Air, would I might triumph so!

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