How sweet I roamed from field to field He showed me lilies for my hair, With sweet May dews my wings were wet, He caught me in his silken net, He loves to sit and hear me sing, Then, laughing, sports and plays with me; And mocks my loss of liberty. WILLIAM BLAKE 172 THE BOOK Of this fair volume which we World do name Find out His power which wildest powers doth tame, His providence extending everywhere, His justice which proud rebels doth not spare, But silly we, like foolish children, rest Well pleased with coloured vellum, leaves of gold, Or, if by chance we stay our minds on aught, WILLIAM DRUMMOND 173 TETHY'S FESTIVAL ARE they shadows that we see? But those pleasures vanish fast, Pleasures are not, if they last; Feed apace then, greedy eyes, Take it sudden, as it flies, Though you take it not to hold. When your eyes have done their part SAMUEL DANIEL 174 A WAR SONG TO ENGLISHMEN PREPARE, prepare the iron helm of War, Bring forth the lots, cast in the spacious orb; The Angel of Fate turns them with mighty hands, Prepare, prepare! Prepare your hearts for Death's cold hand! prepare Prepare your eyes to meet a holy God! Whose fatal scroll is that? Prepare, prepare! Methinks 'tis mine! Why sinks my heart, why faltereth my tongue? The arrows of Almighty God are drawn! Prepare, prepare! Soldiers, prepare! Our cause is Heaven's cause; Prepare, O troops, that are to fa'l to-day! Prepare, prepare! Alfred shall smile, and make his harp rejoice; |