with her milking-cans,
Too fast the moments speeded,
For while they chat on this and that
My _first_ may low unheeded.
And was she call'd a forward jade,
And was he graceless reckon'd,
Because he stopt the dairy-maid,
Enchanted by my _second_?

Though stars in thousands stud the pole,
The fields own stars as yellow,
And when I gave that last my _whole_,
She thank'd a happy fellow.
But she was call'd a forward jade,
And I was graceless reckon'd;--
I only kiss'd that dairy-maid,
Enraptur'd by my _second_.

ENIGMA

Toll, toll the bell, its iron tongue
Is weighty as my _second_,
Dig, dig the grave, to life he clung,
But now his days are reckon'd.

Old man, who'll ring a knell for thee,
Or dress thy couch of clay?
Why didst not thou thy death foresee,
And dig it for to-day?

King Death his journeyman demands,
On all he works his worst:
His dart he's flung at old and young,--
Death heedeth not my _first_.

Old man, thou'st dug some scores of graves,
Who'll turn the mould for thine?
And when this spade thy bed hath made,
Who'll lift a spade at mine?

TO THE PRINTER'S DEVIL

Small imp of blackness, off at once,
Expend thy mirth as likes thee best:
Thy toil is over for the nonce;
Yes, "opus operatum est."
When dreary authors vex thee sore,
Thy Mentor's old, and would remind thee
That if thy griefs are all before,
Thy pleasures are not all behind thee.

* * * * *

THE END

NOTES

The Castle in the Air. Last published in 1872.

The Cradle. Last published in 1878.

O Tempora Mutantur. Written in 1856: last published in 1893: omitted
from the 1881 edition. In 1893 the last stanza is different: I have
quoted from it in the Introduction.

Piccadilly. Last published in 1893. After the words "If 'yes,'
Piccadilly," the 1893 version is as follows:--

"From Primrose balcony, long ages ago
'Old Q' sat at gaze,--who now passes below?
A frolicsome statesman, the Man of the Day,"
etc.

The Old Clerk. Written in 1856: last published in 1893: omitted in 1881.
The final version (title, "The Old Government Clerk") is a good deal
elaborated, and a stanza added.

The Garter. Last published in 1878. In the 1862 and sub