Page:The Romance of Nature; or, The Flower-Seasons Illustrated.djvu/118

60 See how Aurora throws her faire

Fresh-quilted colours through the aire;

Get up, sweet slug-a-bed, and see

The dew bespangling herbe and tree;

Each flower has wept, and bow'd towards the east

Above an hour since, yet you are not drest:

Nay! not so much as out of bed,

When all the birds have mattens seyd,

And sung their thankful hymnes; 'tis sin,

Nay, profanation, to keep in,

When as a thousand virgins on this day

Spring sooner than the lark to fetch in May.

Rise, and put on your foliage; and be seene

To come forth, like the spring-time, fresh and greene,

And sweet as Flora. Take no care

For jewels for your gowne or haire;

Feare not, the leaves will strew

Gemmes in abundance upon you;

Besides, the childhood of the day hath kept

Against you come, some orient pearls unwept.

Come, and receive them, while the light

Hangs on the dew-locks of the night;

And Titan on the eastern hill

Retires himself, or else stands still,

Till you come forth. Wash, dresse, be brief in praying;

Few beads are best, when once we goe a Maying.

Come, my Corinna, come; and comming, mark

How eche field turns a street, eche street a parke,

Made greene, and trimmed with trees; see how

Devotion gives each house a bough,

Or branch; each porch, each doore, ere this

An arke, a tabernacle is,

Maide up of whitethorn neatly interwove,

As if here were those cooler shades of love.

Can such delights be in the street

And open fields; and we not see't?