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Rh

’Fore Heaven, you speak good truth, I cried.

In all the world there’s nought beside

To equal it, so pure, so sweet!

Happy am I a friend to meet

Whose words of wisdom so much aid

And comfort give me; nor afraid

Am I to say that better far

Your redes than those of Reason are.

But ere my shrewd and kindly friend

Had brought his parlance to an end,

Sweet-Speech and Gentle-Thought, who nigh

Had stood the while, all suddenly

Appeared in view from out their nooks,

But with them brought they not Sweet-Looks.

Alas! no man on earth, I wot.

Can give the thing he owneth not.

HEN to my friend I bade adieu.

And with a merry heart withdrew

From thence across the mead, lit up

With daisy bright and buttercup,

And hearkened how the echoes rang,

With joyous notes the small fowl sang;