Of　love；　that　fairest　joys　give　most　unrest；
  That　things　of　delicate　and　tenderest　worth
  Are　swallow'd　all；　and　made　a　seared　dearth；
  By　one　consuming　flame：　it　doth　immerse
  And　suffocate　true　blessings　in　a　curse。
  Half…happy；　by　comparison　of　bliss；
  Is　miserable。　'Twas　even　so　with　this
  Dew…dropping　melody；　in　the　Carian's　ear；
  First　heaven；　then　hell；　and　then　forgotten　clear；
  Vanish'd　in　elemental　passion。
  And　down　some　swart　abysm　he　had　gone；
  Had　not　a　heavenly　guide　benignant　led
  To　where　thick　myrtle　branches；　'gainst　his　head
  Brushing；　awakened：　then　the　sounds　again
  Went　noiseless　as　a　passing　noontide　rain
  Over　a　bower；　where　little　space　he　stood；
  For　as　the　sunset　peeps　into　a　wood
  So　saw　he　panting　light；　and　towards　it　went
  Through　winding　alleys；　and　lo；　wonderment！
  Upon　soft　verdure　saw；　one　here；　one　there；
  Cupids　a　slumbering　on　their　pinions　fair。
  After　a　thousand　mazes　overgone；
  At　last；　with　sudden　step；　he　came　upon
  A　chamber；　myrtle　wall'd；　embowered　high；
  Full　of　light；　incense；　tender　minstrelsy；
  And　more　of　beautiful　and　strange　beside：
  For　on　a　silken　couch　of　rosy　pride；
  In　midst　of　all；　there　lay　a　sleeping　youth
  Of　fondest　beauty；　fonder；　in　fair　sooth；
  Than　sighs　could　fathom；　or　contentment　reach：
  And　coverlids　gold…tinted　like　the　peach；
  Or　ripe　October's　faded　marigolds；
  Fell　sleek　about　him　in　a　thousand　folds…
  Not　hiding　up　an　Apollonian　curve
  Of　neck　and　shoulder；　nor　the　tenting　swerve
  Of　knee　from　knee；　nor　ankles　pointing　light；
  But　rather；　giving　them　to　the　filled　sight
  Officiously。　Sideway　his　face　repos'd
  On　one　white　arm；　and　tenderly　unclos'd；
  By　tenderest　pressure；　a　faint　damask　mouth
  To　slumbery　pout；　just　as　the　morning　south
  Disparts　a　dew…lipp'd　rose。　Above　his　head；
  Four　lilly　stalks　did　their　white　honours　wed
  To　make　a　coronal；　and　round　him　grew
  All　tendrils　green；　of　every　bloom　and　hue；
  Together　intertwin'd　and　trammel'd　fresh：
  The　vine　of　glossy　sprout；　the　ivy　mesh；
  Shading　its　Ethiop　berries；　and　woodbine；
  Of　velvet　leaves　and　bugle…blooms　divine；
  Convolvulus　in　streaked　vases　flush；
  The　creeper；　mellowing　for　an　autumn　blush；
  And　virgin's　bower；　trailing　airily；
  With　others　of　the　sisterhood。　Hard　by；
  Stood　serene　Cupids　watching　silently。
  One；　kneeling　to　a　lyre；　touch'd　the　strings；
  Muffling　to　death　the　pathos　with　his　wings；
  And；　ever　and　anon；　uprose　to　look
  At　the　youth's　slumber；　while　another　took
  A　willow…bough；　distilling　odorous　dew；
  And　shook　it　on　his　hair；　another　flew
  In　through　the　woven　roof；　and　fluttering…wise
  Rain'd　violets　upon　his　sleeping　eyes。
  At　these　enchantments；　and　yet　many　more；
  The　breathless　Latmian　wonder'd　o'er　and　o'er；
  Until；　impatient　in　embarrassment；
  He　forthright　pass'd；　and　lightly　treading　went
  To　that　same　feather'd　lyrist；　who　straightway；
  Smiling；　thus　whisper'd：　〃Though　from　upper　day
  Thou　art　a　wanderer；　and　thy　presence　here
  Might　seem　unholy；　be　of　happy　cheer！
  For　'tis　the　nicest　touch　of　human　honour；
  When　some　ethereal　and　high…favouring　donor
  Presents　immortal　bowers　to　mortal　sense；
  As　now　'tis　done　to　thee；　Endymion。　Hence
  Was　I　in　no　wise　startled。　So　recline
  Upon　these　living　flowers。　Here　is　wine；
  Alive　with　sparkles…　never；　I　aver；
  Since　Ariadne　was　a　vintager；
  So　cool　a　purple：　taste　these　juicy　pears；
  Sent　me　by　sad　Vertumnus；　when　his　fears
  Were　high　about　Pomona：　here　is　cream；
  Deepening　to　richness　from　a　snowy　gleam；
  Sweeter　than　that　nurse　Amalthea　skimm'd
  For　the　boy　Jupiter：　and　here；　undimm'd
  By　any　touch；　a　bunch　of　blooming　plums
  Ready　to　melt　between　an　infant's　gums：
  And　here　is　manna　pick'd　from　Syrian　trees；
  In　starlight；　by　the　three　Hesperides。
  Feast　on；　and　meanwhile　I　will　let　thee　know
  Of　all　these　things　around　us。〃　He　did　so；
  Still　brooding　o'er　the　cadence　of　his　lyre；
  And　thus：　〃I　need　not　any　hearing　tire
  By　telling　how　the　sea…born　goddess　pin'd
  For　a　mortal　youth；　and　how　she　strove　to　bind
  Him　all　in　all　unto　her　doting　self。
  Who　would　not　be　so　prison'd？　but；　fond　elf；
  He　was　content　to　let　her　amorous　plea
  Faint　through　his　careless　arms；　content　to　see
  An　unseiz'd　heaven　dying　at　his　feet；
  Content；　O　fool！　to　make　a　cold　retreat；
  When　on　the　pleasant　grass　such　love；　lovelorn；
  Lay　sorrowing；　when　every　tear　was　born
  Of　diverse　passion；　when　her　lips　and　eyes
  Were　clos'd　in　sullen　moisture；　and　quick　sighs
  Came　vex'd　and　pettish　through　her　nostrils　small。
  Hush！　no　exclaim…　yet；　justly　mightst　thou　call
  Curses　upon　his　head。…　I　was　half　glad；
  But　my　poor　mistress　went　distract　and　mad；
  When　the　boar　tusk'd　him：　so　away　she　flew
  To　Jove's　high　throne；　and　by　her　plainings　drew
  Immortal　tear…drops　down　the　thunderer's　beard；
  Whereon；　it　was　decreed　he　should　be　rear'd
  Each　summer　time　to　life。　Lo！　this　is　he；
  That　same　Adonis；　safe　in　the　privacy
  Of　this　still　region　all　his　winter…sleep。
  Aye；　sleep；　for　when　our　love…sick　queen　did　weep
  Over　his　waned　corse；　the　tremulous　shower
  Heal'd　up　the　wound；　and；　with　a　balmy　power；
  Medicined　death　to　a　lengthened　drowsiness：
  The　which　she　fills　with　visions；　and　doth　dress
  In　all　this　quiet　luxury；　and　hath　set
  Us　young　immortals；　without　any　let；
  To　watch　his　slumber　through。　'Tis　well　nigh　pass'd；
  Even　to　a　moment's　filling　up；　and　fast
  She　scuds　with　summer　breezes；　to　pant　through
  The　first　long　kiss；　warm　firstling；　to　renew
  Embower'd　sports　in　Cytherea's　isle。
  Look！　how　those　winged　listeners　all　this　while
  Stand　anxious：　see！　behold！〃…　This　clamant　word
  Broke　through　the　careful　silence；　for　they　heard
  A　rustling　noise　of　leaves；　and　out　there　flutter'd
  Pigeons　and　doves：　Adonis　something　mutter'd
  The　while　one　hand；　that　erst　upon　his　thigh
  Lay　dormant；　mov'd　convuls'd　and　gradually
  Up　to　his　forehead。　Then　there　was　a　hum
  Of　sudden　voices；　echoing；　〃Come！　come！
  Arise！　awake！　Clear　summer　has　forth　walk'd
  Unto　the　clover…sward；　and　she　has　talk'd
  Full　soothingly　to　every　nested　finch：
  Rise；　Cupids！　or　we'll　give　the　blue…bell　pinch
  To　your　dimpled　arms。　Once　more　sweet　life　begin！〃
  At　this；　from　every　side　they　hurried　in；
  Rubbing　their　sleepy　eyes　with　lazy　wrists；
  And　doubling　over　head　their　little　fists
  In　backward　yawns。　But　all　were　soon　alive：
  For　as　delicious　wine　doth；　sparkling；　dive
  In　nectar'd　clouds　and　curls　through　water　fair；
  So　from　the　arbour　roof　down　swell'd　an　air
  Odorous　and　enlivening；　making　all
  To　laugh；　and　play；　and　sing；　and　loudly　call
  For　their　sweet　queen：　when　lo！　the　wreathed　green
  Disparted；　and　far　upward　could　be　seen
  Blue　heaven；　and　a　silver　car；　air…borne；
  Whose　silent　wheels；　fresh　wet　from　clouds　of　morn；
  Spun　off　a　drizzling　dew；…　which　falling　chill
  On　soft　Adonis'　shoulders；　made　him　still
  Nestle　and　turn　uneasily　about。
  Soon　were　the　white　doves　plain；　with　neck　stretch'd　out；
  And　silken　traces　lighten'd　in　descent；
  And　soon；　returning　from　love's　banishment；
  Queen　Venus　leaning　downward　open　arm'd：
  Her　shadow　fell　upon　his　breast；　and　charm'd
  A　tumult　to　his　heart；　and　a　new　life
  Into　his　eyes。　Ah；　miserable　strife；
  But　for　her　comforting！　unhappy　sight；
  But　meeting　her　blue　orbs！　Who；　who　can　write
  Of　these　first　minutes？　The　unchariest　muse
  To　embracements　warm　as　theirs　makes　coy　excuse。
  O　it　has　ruffled　every　spirit　there；
  Saving　Love's　self；　who　stands　superb　to　share
  The　general　gladness：　awfully　he　stands；
  A　sovereign　quell　is　in　his　waving　hands；
  No　sight　can　bear　the　lightning　of　his　bow；
  His　quiver　is　mysterious；　none　can　know
  What　themselves　think　of　it；　from　forth　his　eyes
  There　darts　strange　light　of　varied　hues　and　dyes：
  A　scowl