Page:Readings in European History Vol 1.djvu/474

 438 Readings in European History Translation When from the sod the flow 'rets spring, of these and An( j sm j le to meet the sun's bright ray, the following . . 7I Unes When birds their sweetest carols sing In all the morning pride of May, What lovelier than the prospect there? Can earth boast anything more fair? To me it seems an almost heaven, So beauteous to my eyes that vision bright is given. But when a lady, chaste and fair, Noble and clad in rich?ttire, Walks through the throng with gracious air, As sun that bids the stars retire, Then, where are all thy boastings, May? What hast thou beautiful and gay Compared with that supreme delight? We leave thy loveliest flowers, and watch that lady bright Wouldst thou believe me, come and place Before thee all this pride of May; Then look but on my lady's face, And, which is best and brightest? say : For me, how soon (if choice were mine) This would I take, and that resign! And say, " Though sweet thy beauties, May, I'd rather forfeit all than lose my lady gay." II. MEDIAEVAL NATURAL SCIENCE Mediaeval books on science differ greatly, as might be expected, from the scientific manuals of our own age. In the first place, they are usually devoted to things in general and are called On the Nature of Things, On the Properties of Things, Things that can be Known, Mirror of the World, etc. A writer did not hesitate to huddle together into a short treatise matters which we should regard as properly belonging to a dozen distinct sciences,