"Oft have I heard both youths and virgins say Birds choose their mates, and couple too this day; But by their flight I never can divine When I shall couple with my valentine."

"Here a little child I stand Heaving up my either hand. Cold as paddocks though they be, Here I lift them up to Thee, For a benison to fall On our meat, and on us all. Amen."

"Learn this of me, where'er thy lot doth fall, Short lot or not, to be content with all."

"I do love I know not what, Sometimes this and sometimes that."

"Whenas in silks my Julia goes, Then, then, methinks, how sweetly flows The liquefaction of her clothes.Next, when I cast mine eyes and see That brave vibration each way free; O how that glittering taketh me!"

"Bid me despair, and I'll despair, Under that cypress-tree; Or bid me die, and I will dare E'en death, to die for thee. Thou art my life, my love, my heart, The very eyes of me: And hast command of every part To live and die for thee."

"Then come on, come on and yield A savour like unto a blessed field When the bedabbled morn Washes the golden ears of corn."

"Bid me to live, and I will live Thy Protestant to be, Or bid me love, and I will give A loving heart to thee. A heart as soft, a heart as kind, A heart as sound and free As in the whole world thou canst find, That heart I'll give to thee."

"Each must in virtue strive for to excel; That man lives twice that lives the first life well."

"Before man's fall the rose was born, St. Ambrose says, without the thorn; But for man's fault then was the thorn Without the fragrant rose-bud born; But ne'er the rose without the thorn."

"God doth not promise here to man that He Will free him quickly from his misery; But in His own time, and when He thinks fit, Then He will give a happy end to it."

"Of all our parts, the eyes express The sweetest kind of bashfulness."

"Roses at first were white, Till they could not agree, Whether my Sappho's breast Or they more white should be.But, being vanquish'd quite, A blush their cheeks bespread; Since which, believe the rest, The roses first came red."

"Fall on me like a silent dew, Or like those maiden showers Which, by the peep of day, do strew A baptism o’er the flowers."

"Art quickens nature; care will make a face; Neglected beauty perisheth apace."

"What though the sea be calm? Trust to the shore, Ships have been drown'd where late they danc'd before."

"Go, happy rose, and interwove With other flowers, bind my love. Tell her, too, she must not be Longer flowing, longer free, That so oft has fetter'd me."

"Only a little more I have to write, Then I'll give o'er, And bid the world good-night."

"Thou art a plant sprung up to wither never, But like a laurel to grow green for ever."

"Dead falls the cause if once the hand be mute; But let that speak, the client gets the suit."

"O time that cut'st down all And scarce leav'st here Memorial Of any men that were."

"Soul of my life and fame! Eternal lamp of love! whose radiant flame Out-glares the heaven's Osiris, and thy gleams Out-shine the splendour of his mid-day beams."

"Welcome, maids-of-honour! You do bring In the spring, And wait upon her. ... Yet, though thus respected, By-and-by Ye do lie, Poor girls, neglected."

"Then while time serves, and we are but decaying, Come, my Corinna, come, let's go a-Maying."

"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may, Old Time is still a-flying: And this same flower that smiles to-day To-morrow will be dying."

"Rise and put on your foliage, and be seen To come forth, like the spring-time, fresh and green."

"Many a green-gown has been given; Many a kiss, both odd and even: Many a glance too has been sent From out the eye, love's firmament."

"The glorious lamp of heaven, the sun, The higher he's a-getting, The sooner will his race be run, And nearer he's to setting."

"So when or you or I are made A fable, song, or fleeting shade, All love, all liking, all delight Lies drowned with us in endless night."

"Get up, get up for shame, the blooming morn Upon her wings presents the god unshorn."

"See how Aurora throws her fair Fresh-quilted colours through the air."

"Sweet, be not proud of those two eyes Which, starlike, sparkle in their skies; Nor be you proud that you can see All hearts your captives, yours yet free."

"Get up, sweet slug-a-bed, and see The dew bespangling herb and tree."

"'Tis sin, Nay, profanation to keep in."

"Then be not coy, but use your time, And while ye may go marry: For having lost but once your prime You may for ever tarry."

"You say to me-wards your affection's strong; Pray love me little, so you love me long."

"If well thou hast begun, go on fore-right; It is the end that crowns us, not the fight."

"'Tis thou alone who, with thy mystic fan, Work'st more than wisdom, art, or nature can To rouse the sacred madness and awake The frost-bound blood and spirits, and to make Them frantic with thy raptures flashing through The soul like lightning, and as active too."

"'Tis not Apollo can, or those thrice three Castalian sisters, sing, if wanting thee. Horace, Anacreon, both had lost their fame, Had'st thou not fill'd them with thy fire and flame."

"O thou, the drink of gods and angels! wine."

"Let others drink thee freely, and desire Thee and their lips espous'd, while I admire And love thee, but not taste thee. Let my muse Fail of thy former helps, and only use Her inadult'rate strength: what's done by me Hereafter shall smell of the lamp, not thee."

"When a daffodil I see, Hanging down his head towards me, Guess I may what I must be: First, I shall decline my head; Secondly, I shall be dead; Lastly, safely buried."

"The warm soft side Of the resigning, yet resisting bride."

"A virgin's face she had; her dress Was like a sprightly Spartaness."

"The kiss of virgins, first fruits of the bed, Soft speech, smooth touch, the lips, the maidenhead: These and a thousand sweets could never be So near or dear as thou wast once to me."

"A sweet disorder in the dress Kindles in clothes a wantonness: A lawn about the shoulders thrown Into a fine distraction: An erring lace which here and there Enthralls the crimson stomacher: A cuff neglectful, and thereby Ribbons to flow confusedly: A winning wave, deserving note, In the tempestuous petticoat: A careless shoe-string, in whose tie I see a wild civility: Do more bewitch me than when art Is too precise in every part."

"But thou liv'st fearless; and thy face ne'er shows Fortune when she comes or goes."

"Some ask'd how pearls did grow, and where; Then spoke I to my girl, To part her lips, and show'd them there The quarrelets of Pearl."

"Hunger makes coarse meats delicates."

"Give me a kiss, and to that kiss a score; Then to that twenty add a hundred more: A thousand to that hundred: so kiss on, To make that thousand up a million. Treble that million, and when that is done Let's kiss afresh, as when we first begun."