the Danish blood.
Arden's sweet Ankor, let thy glory be
That fair Idea only lives by thee!"
* * * * *
"Since there's no help, come, let us kiss and part!
Nay, I have done. You get no more of me
And I am glad, yea, glad with all my heart
That thus so cleanly I myself can free.
Shake hands for ever, cancel all our vows,
And when we meet at any time again
Be it not seen in either of our brows
That we one jot of former love retain.
Now at the last gasp of Love's latest breath,
When, his pulse failing, Passion speechless lies;
When Faith is kneeling by his bed of death,
And Innocence is closing up his eyes:
Now, if thou would'st, when all have given him over,
From death to life thou might'st him yet recover!"
1595 chiefly contributed the curious production called _Alcilia_, by J. C.,
who gives the name of sonnets to a series of six-line stanzas, varied
occasionally by other forms, such as that of the following pretty verses.
It may be noted that the citation of proverbs is very characteristic of
_Alcilia_:--
"Love is sorrow mixed with gladness,
Fear with hope, and hope with madness.
Long did I love, but all in vain;
I loving, was not loved again:
For which my heart sustained much woe.
It fits not maids to use men so,
Just deserts are not regarded,
Never love so ill rewarded.
But 'all is lost that is not sought,'
'Oft wit proves best that's dearest bought.'
"Women were made for men's relief;
To comfort, not to cause their grief.
Where most I merit, least I find:
No marvel, since that love is blind.
Had she been kind as she was fair,
My case had been more strange and rare.
But women love not by desert,
Reason in them hath weakest part.
Then henceforth let them love that list,
I will beware of 'had I wist.'"
1596 (putting the _Amoretti_, which is sometimes assigned to this year,
aside) was again fruitful with Griffin's _Fidessa_, Lynch's _Diella_, and
Smith's _Chloris_. _Fidessa_, though distinctly "young," is one of the most
interesting of the clearly imitative class of these sonnets, and contains
some very graceful poetry, especially the following, one of the Sleep
class, which will serve as a good example of the minor sonneteers:--
"Care-charmer Sleep! sweet ease in restless misery!
The captive's liberty
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