Page:The Romance of Nature; or, The Flower-Seasons Illustrated.djvu/278

176 Now, to the Ladye Edith oft

Sir Rupert had told o'er

The emblem of each glowing bud

In this quaint graceful lore:—

But Edith (as dames mostly do),

Liked Learning less than Love;

The owl of Pallas she would shun

To seek Cytherea's dove.

And so it chanced that she forgot

Full many a fancy sweet,

And sometimes gave, in careless mood,

Flowers for the time unmeet.

The eve I tell of 'gan to close,

Fast fell the soft twilight;

And the young moon amid the leaves

Peeped forth, all chaste and bright.

So very innocent she looked,

As if she ne'er had seen

Lovers before, and, curious, strove

To hide behind a screen

Of leaves,—which Zephyr waved

That she might peer between.

And o'er the shut and sleepy flowers

'Gan weep the Summer-dew;