Page:The Yellow Book - 01.djvu/267

Rh The eyes that yielded tears continually Have now with Lethe's drops my fire besprent. And more behold, Illusion's glamour spent, Than fabled Argus with his century. The tyrant of my spirit, left forlorn As vassal thoughts forsake him, doth remove, And back unto her throne is Reason borne, And I my metamorphosis approve, And, old strains tuning to new keys, of Scorn Will sing as anciently I sang of Love.

Several solutions of this situation are conceivable. Tansillo's is that which was perhaps that most likely in the case of an emotional nature, where the feelings are more powerful than the will. He simply surrenders at discretion, retracts everything disparaging that he has said of the lady (taking care, however, not to burn the peccant verses, which are much too good to be lightly parted with), and professes himself her humble slave upon her own terms:— All bitter words I spoke of you while yet My heart was sore, and every virgin scroll Blackened with ire, now past from my control, These would I now recall; for 'tis most fit My style should change, now Reason doth reknit, Ties Passion sundered, and again make whole; Be then Oblivion's prey whate er my soul Hath wrongly of thce thought, spoke, sung, or writ. Not, Lady, that impeachment of thy fame With tongue or pen I ever did design; Rh