Fuor di fua natià alma primavera, Cofi amor meco infu la lingua fnella Canzone. R Idonfi donne e giovani amorosi M'accoftandofi attorno, e perche fcrivi, Altri lidi t'aspettan, & altre onde Nelle cui verdi fponde Spuntati ad hor, ad hor a la tua chioma X Perche Perche alle spalle tue foverchia foma? Canzon dirotti, e tu per me rispondi Dice mia Donna, e'l fuo dir, e il mio cuore Quefta e lingua di cui fi vanta Amore. Diodati, e te'l diro con maraviglia, Gia eaddi, ov'huom dabben talhor s'impiglia. Ne treccie d'ore, ne guancia vermiglia M'abbaglian fi, ma fotto nova idea Pellegrina bellezza che'l cuor bea, E degli occhi fuoi auventa fi gran fuoco V. Per certo i bei voftr'occhi, Donna mia Si mi percuoton forte, come ei fuole Scoffo mi il petto, e poi n'ufcendo poco Giovane piano, e semplicetto amante Faro divoto; io certo a prove tante L'hebbi fedele, intrepido, coftante, De penfieri leggiadro, accorto, e buono; Quando rugge il gran mondo, e fcocca il tuono, S'arma di fe, d'intero diamante, Tanto del forfe, e d'invidia ficuro, Di timori, e speranze al popol use Quanto d'ingegno, e d'alto valor vago, E di cetra fonora, e delle mufe: Sol troverete in tal parte men duro Ove amor mife l'infanabil ago. VII. How foon hath Time, the futtle thief of youth, Stoln on his wing my three and twentieth year! My hasting days flie on with full career, But my late spring no bud or bloffom fhew'th. Perhaps my femblance might deceive the truth, That I to manhood am arriv'd fo near, And inward ripeness doth much less appear, That fome more timely-happy fpirits indu'th. Yet be it lefs or more, or foon or flow, It fhall be ftill in ftrictest measure ev❜n, To that fame lot, however mean or high, Toward which Time leads me,and the will of Heav'n; All is, if I have grace to use it fo, As ever in my great task-Mafter's eye. VIII. Captain or Colonel, or Knight in Arms, Whose chance on thefe defenceless doors may sease, If deed of honour did thee ever please, Guard them, and him within protect from harms, He can requite thee, for he knows the charms That call Fame on fuch gentle acts as thefe, And he can spread thy name o'er Lands and Seas, What ever clime the Sun's bright circle warms. Lift not thy fpear against the Mufes Bowre, The great Emathian Conqueror bid fpare The house of Pindarus, when Temple and Towre Went to the ground: And the repeated air Of fad Electra's Poet had the power To fave th' Athenian Walls from ruin bare. IX. Lady that in the prime of carliest youth, green, That labour up the Hill of Heav'nly Truth, To fill thy odorous Lamp with deeds of light, |