The　earth　its　dower　of　river；　wood；　and　vale；
  The　meadows　runnels；　runnels　pebble…stones；
  The　seed　its　harvest；　or　the　lute　its　tones；
  Tones　ravishment；　or　ravishment　its　sweet；
  If　human　souls　did　never　kiss　and　greet？
  〃Now；　if　this　earthly　love　has　power　to　make
  Men's　being　mortal；　immortal；　to　shake
  Ambition　from　their　memories；　and　brim
  Their　measure　of　content：　what　merest　whim；
  Seems　all　this　poor　endeavour　after　fame；
  To　one；　who　keeps　within　his　stedfast　aim
  A　love　immortal；　an　immortal　too。
  Look　not　so　wilder'd；　for　these　things　are　true；
  And　never　can　be　born　of　atomies
  That　buzz　about　our　slumbers；　like　brain…flies；
  Leaving　us　fancy…sick。　No；　no；　I'm　sure；
  My　restless　spirit　never　could　endure
  To　brood　so　long　upon　one　luxury；
  Unless　it　did；　though　fearfully；　espy
  A　hope　beyond　the　shadow　of　a　dream。
  My　sayings　will　the　less　obscured　seem；
  When　I　have　told　thee　how　my　waking　sight
  Has　made　me　scruple　whether　that　same　night
  Was　pass'd　in　dreaming。　Hearken；　sweet　Peona！
  Beyond　the　matron…temple　of　Latona；
  Which　we　should　see　but　for　these　darkening　boughs；
  Lies　a　deep　hollow；　from　whose　ragged　brows
  Bushes　and　trees　do　lean　all　round　athwart
  And　meet　so　nearly；　that　with　wings　outraught；
  And　spreaded　tail；　a　vulture　could　not　glide
  Past　them；　but　he　must　brush　on　every　side。
  Some　moulder'd　steps　lead　into　this　cool　cell；
  Far　as　the　slabbed　margin　of　a　well；
  Whose　patient　level　peeps　its　crystal　eye
  Right　upward；　through　the　bushes；　to　the　sky。
  Oft　have　I　brought　thee　flowers；　on　their　stalks　set
  Like　vestal　primroses；　but　dark　velvet
  Edges　them　round；　and　they　have　golden　pits：
  'Twas　there　I　got　them；　from　the　gaps　and　slits
  In　a　mossy　stone；　that　sometimes　was　my　seat；
  When　all　above　was　faint　with　mid…day　heat。
  And　there　in　strife　no　burning　thoughts　to　heed；
  I'd　bubble　up　the　water　through　a　reed；
  So　reaching　back　to　boy…hood：　make　me　ships
  Of　moulted　feathers；　touchwood；　alder　chips；
  With　leaves　stuck　in　them；　and　the　Neptune　be
  Of　their　petty　ocean。　Oftener；　heavily；
  When　love…lorn　hours　had　left　me　less　a　child；
  I　sat　contemplating　the　figures　wild
  Of　o'er…head　clouds　melting　the　mirror　through。
  Upon　a　day；　while　thus　I　watch'd；　by　flew
  A　cloudy　Cupid；　with　his　bow　and　quiver；
  So　plainly　character'd；　no　breeze　would　shiver
  The　happy　chance：　so　happy；　I　was　fain
  To　follow　it　upon　the　open　plain；
  And；　therefore；　was　just　going；　when；　behold！
  A　wonder；　fair　as　any　I　have　told…
  The　same　bright　face　I　tasted　in　my　sleep；
  Smiling　in　the　clear　well。　My　heart　did　leap
  Through　the　cool　depth。…　It　moved　as　if　to　flee…
  I　started　up；　when　lo！　refreshfully
  There　came　upon　my　face　in　plenteous　showers
  Dew…drops；　and　dewy　buds；　and　leaves；　and　flowers；
  Wrapping　all　objects　from　my　smothered　sight；
  Bathing　my　spirit　in　a　new　delight。
  Aye；　such　a　breathless　honey…feel　of　bliss
  Alone　preserved　me　from　the　drear　abyss
  Of　death；　for　the　fair　form　had　gone　again。
  Pleasure　is　oft　a　visitant；　but　pain
  Clings　cruelly　to　us；　like　the　gnawing　sloth
  On　the　deer's　tender　haunches：　late；　and　loth；
  'Tis　scar'd　away　by　slow　returning　pleasure。
  How　sickening；　how　dark　the　dreadful　leisure
  Of　weary　days；　made　deeper　exquisite；
  By　a　fore…knowledge　of　unslumbrous　night！
  Like　sorrow　came　upon　me；　heavier　still；
  Than　when　I　wander'd　from　the　poppy　hill：
  And　a　whole　age　of　lingering　moments　crept
  Sluggishly　by；　ere　more　contentment　swept
  Away　at　once　the　deadly　yellow　spleen。
  Yes；　thrice　have　I　this　fair　enchantment　seen；
  Once　more　been　tortured　with　renewed　life。
  When　last　the　wintry　gusts　gave　over　strife
  With　the　conquering　sun　of　spring；　and　left　the　skies
  Warm　and　serene；　but　yet　with　moistened　eyes
  In　pity　of　the　shatter'd　infant　buds；…
  That　time　thou　didst　adorn；　with　amber　studs；
  My　hunting　cap；　because　I　laugh'd　and　smil'd；
  Chatted　with　thee；　and　many　days　exil'd
  All　torment　from　my　breast；…　'twas　even　then；
  Straying　about；　yet；　coop'd　up　in　the　den
  Of　helpless　discontent；…　hurling　my　lance
  From　place　to　place；　and　following　at　chance；
  At　last；　by　hap；　through　some　young　trees　it　struck；
  And；　plashing　among　bedded　pebbles；　stuck
  In　the　middle　of　a　brook；…　whose　silver　ramble
  Down　twenty　little　falls；　through　reeds　and　bramble；
  Tracing　along；　it　brought　me　to　a　cave；
  Whence　it　ran　brightly　forth；　and　white　did　lave
  The　nether　sides　of　mossy　stones　and　rock；…
  'Mong　which　it　gurgled　blythe　adieus；　to　mock
  Its　own　sweet　grief　at　parting。　Overhead；
  Hung　a　lush　screen　of　drooping　weeds；　and　spread
  Thick；　as　to　curtain　up　some　wood…nymph's　home。
  'Ah！　impious　mortal；　whither　do　I　roam？'
  Said　I；　low　voic'd：　'Ah；　whither！　'Tis　the　grot
  'Of　Proserpine；　when　Hell；　obscure　and　hot；
  'Doth　her　resign；　and　where　her　tender　hands
  'She　dabbles；　on　the　cool　and　sluicy　sands：
  'Or　'tis　the　cell　of　Echo；　where　she　sits；
  'And　babbles　thorough　silence；　till　her　wits
  'Are　gone　in　tender　madness；　and　anon；
  'Faints　into　sleep；　with　many　a　dying　tone
  'Of　sadness。　O　that　she　would　take　my　vows；
  'And　breathe　them　sighingly　among　the　boughs；
  'To　sue　her　gentle　ears　for　whose　fair　head；
  'Daily；　I　pluck　sweet　flowerets　from　their　bed；
  'And　weave　them　dyingly…　send　honey…whispers
  'Round　every　leaf；　that　all　those　gentle　lispers
  'May　sigh　my　love　unto　her　pitying！
  'O　charitable　Echo！　hear；　and　sing
  'This　ditty　to　her！…　tell　her'…　so　I　stay'd
  My　foolish　tongue；　and　listening；　half　afraid；
  Stood　stupefied　with　my　own　empty　folly；
  And　blushing　for　the　freaks　of　melancholy。
  Salt　tears　were　coming；　when　I　heard　my　name
  Most　fondly　lipp'd；　and　then　these　accents　came：
  'Endymion！　the　cave　is　secreter
  'Than　the　Isle　of　Delos。　Echo　hence　shall　stir
  'No　sighs　but　sigh…warm　kisses；　or　light　noise
  'Of　thy　combing　hand；　the　while　it　travelling　cloys
  'And　trembles　through　my　labyrinthine　hair。'
  At　that　oppress'd　I　hurried　in。…　Ah！　where
  Are　those　swift　moments？　Whither　are　they　fled？
  I'll　smile　no　more；　Peona；　nor　will　wed
  Sorrow　the　way　to　death；　but　patiently
  Bear　up　against　it：　so　farewell；　sad　sigh；
  And　come　instead　demurest　meditation；
  To　occupy　me　wholly；　and　to　fashion
  My　pilgrimage　for　the　world's　dusky　brink。
  No　more　will　I　count　over；　link　by　link；
  My　chain　of　grief：　no　longer　strive　to　find
  A　half…forgetfulness　in　mountain　wind
  Blustering　about　my　ears：　aye；　thou　shalt　see；
  Dearest　of　sisters；　what　my　life　shall　be；
  What　a　calm　round　of　hours　shall　make　my　days。
  There　is　a　paly　flame　of　hope　that　plays
  Where'er　I　look：　but　yet；　I'll　say　'tis　naught…
  And　here　I　bid　it　die。　Have　not　I　caught；
  Already；　a　more　healthy　countenance？
  By　this　the　sun　is　setting；　we　may　chance
  Meet　some　of　our　near…dwellers　with　my　car。〃
  This　said；　he　rose；　faint…smiling　like　a　star
  Through　autumn　mists；　and　took　Peona's　hand：
  They　stept　into　the　boat；　and　launch'd　from　land。
  BOOK　II。
  O　sovereign　power　of　love！　O　grief！　O　balm！
  All　records；　saving　thine；　come　cool；　and　calm；
  And　shadowy；　through　the　mist　of　passed　years：
  For　others；　good　or　bad；　hatred　and　tears
  Have　become　indolent；　but　touching　thine；
  One　sigh　doth　echo；　one　poor　sob　doth　pine；
  One　kiss　brings　honey…dew　from　buried　days。
  The　woes　of　Troy；　towers　smothering　o'er　their　blaze；
  Stiff…holden　shields；　far…piercing　spears；　keen　blades；
  Struggling；　and　blood；　and　shrieks…　all　dimly　fades
  Into　some　backward　corner　of　the　brain：
  Yet；　in　our　very　souls；　we　feel　amain
  The　close　of　Troilus　and　Cressid　sweet。
  Hence；　pageant　history！　hence；　gilded　cheat！
  Swart　planet　in　the　universe　of　deeds！
  Wide　sea；　that　one　continuous　murmur　breeds
  Along　the　pebbled　shore　of　memory！
  Many　old　rotten…timber'd　boats　there　be
  Upon　thy　vaporous　bosom；　magnif