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22
ODE To JULIA.
ma voi—
non isdegnate questi—
Picciole offerte si, ma pero tali
Che e con puro affetto il cor le dona
Anco il ciel non le sdegna.
GUARINI.
non isdegnate questi—
Picciole offerte si, ma pero tali
Che e con puro affetto il cor le dona
Anco il ciel non le sdegna.
GUARINI.
If e'er the Muse, whose piercing sight
Man's sccret soul espies,
Unveils his thoughts, and drags to light
His foul deformities;
Man's sccret soul espies,
Unveils his thoughts, and drags to light
His foul deformities;
If e'er the Muse to me unfolds
The mystery of mind:
My searching glance at length beholds
A Maid to good inclin'd.
The mystery of mind:
My searching glance at length beholds
A Maid to good inclin'd.
That eye no roving wish betrays,
Nor darts malignant fire;
That modest smile disdains to raise
The tumults of desire.
Nor darts malignant fire;
That modest smile disdains to raise
The tumults of desire.
23
How well, sweet Maid, thy gentle mien
Bespeaks a mind at rest!
The storms that cloud life's dreary scene
Have spared thy tender breast.
Bespeaks a mind at rest!
The storms that cloud life's dreary scene
Have spared thy tender breast.
No passions dire, by envy fed,
No thoughts that scorn controul,
Deform thy face with guilty red,
Or rend thy yielding soul.
No thoughts that scorn controul,
Deform thy face with guilty red,
Or rend thy yielding soul.
To these fell soes, the powers of truth
Oppose a firm defence,
Bright guardians of thine artless youth,
Thy maiden innocence.
Oppose a firm defence,
Bright guardians of thine artless youth,
Thy maiden innocence.
Thee, Julia, Virtue's pure-eyed train,
Thee, Love himself reveres:
And when to bless the tranquil plain
Thy soothing form appears;
Thee, Love himself reveres:
And when to bless the tranquil plain
Thy soothing form appears;
With soften'd radiance beaming sweet,
The light of beauty breaks;
Nor scorches with meridian heat
The lillies of thy cheeks.
The light of beauty breaks;
Nor scorches with meridian heat
The lillies of thy cheeks.
24
Calm'd at thy sight, more smoothly glide
The troubled streams of woe,
And gloomy terror's frantic tide
Awhile forgets to flow.
The troubled streams of woe,
And gloomy terror's frantic tide
Awhile forgets to flow.
How oft since Laura's bitter scorn
Stole all my joys away,
And gave my heart, by passion torn,
To sierce Despair a prey:
Stole all my joys away,
And gave my heart, by passion torn,
To sierce Despair a prey:
Thy chasten'd look, thy melting eye,
Thy voice that breathes delight,
Have bade grief's frowning spectre fly,
And chear'd the brow of night!
Thy voice that breathes delight,
Have bade grief's frowning spectre fly,
And chear'd the brow of night!
Blest Nymph, for thee the Muse should pour
The slood of verse along,
For thee, on daring pinions soar
Amid the blaze of song.
The slood of verse along,
For thee, on daring pinions soar
Amid the blaze of song.
But Laura from my sleeping lyre
Hath torn the sweetest string,
And hopeless Love's consuming fire
Hath scorch'd the Muse's wing.
Hath torn the sweetest string,
And hopeless Love's consuming fire
Hath scorch'd the Muse's wing.
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