nconscious yet, but growing as they grew,
A wondrous incarnation, hour by hour,
Till with their towering masts they stood complete,
Embodied thoughts, in God's own dockyards built,
For Drake ere long to lead against the world.

There, as to round the tale with ringing gold,
Across the waters from the full-plumed _Swan_
The music of a _Mermaid_ roundelay--
_Our Lady of the Sea_, a Dorian theme
Tuned to the soul of England--charmed the moon.

SONG

I

Queen Venus wandered away with a cry,--
_N'oserez vous, mon bel ami?_--
For the purple wound in Adon's thigh;
_Je vous en prie_, pity me;
With a bitter farewell from sky to sky,
And a moan, a moan, from sea to sea;
_N'oserez vous, mon bel, mon bel,
N'oserez vous, mon bel ami?_

II

The soft Aegean heard her sigh,--
_N'oserez vous, mon bel ami?_--
Heard the Spartan hills reply,
_Je vous en prie_, pity me;
Spain was aware of her drawing nigh
Foot-gilt from the blossoms of Italy;
_N'oserez vous, mon bel, mon bel,
N'oserez vous, mon bel ami?_

III

In France they heard her voice go by,--
_N'oserez vous, mon bel ami?_
--And on the May-wind droop and die,
_Je vous en prie_, pity me;
Your maidens choose their loves, but I--
White as I came from the foam-white sea,
_N'oserez vous, mon bel, mon bel,
N'oserez vous, mon bel ami?_--

IV

The warm red-meal-winged butterfly,--
_N'oserez vous, mon bel ami?_--
Beat on her breast in the golden rye,--
_Je vous en prie_, pity me,--
Stained her breast with a dusty dye
Red as the print of a kiss might be!
_N'oserez vous, mon bel, mon bel,
N'oserez vous, mon bel ami?_

V

Is there no land, afar or nigh--
_N'oserez vous, mon bel ami?_--
But dreads the kiss o' the sea? Ah, why--
_Je vous en prie_, pity me!--
Why will ye cling to the loves that die?
Is earth all Adon to my plea?
_N'oserez vous, mon bel, mon bel,
N'oserez vous, mon bel ami?_

VI

Under the warm blue summer sky,--
_N'oserez vous, mon bel ami?_
With outstretched arms and a low long sigh,--
_Je vous en prie_, pity me;--
Over th