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University of Virginia Library

Fables in Song

By Robert Lord Lytton

Lytton, Edward Robert Bulwer Lytton (1831-1891)

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I.

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I.

I. THE THISTLE.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

II.

II. POSSESSION.

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III.

III. WHO'S IN THE RIGHT?

I.

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II.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

IV.

IV. PREMATURITY.

V.

V. ANCIENTS AND MODERNS.

VI.

VI. A PROVISION FOR LIFE.

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VII.

VII. THE BLUE MOUNTAINS; OR, THE FAR.

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I.

1.

2.

3.

II.

III.

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IV.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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VIII.

VIII. A WHEAT-STALK; OR, THE NEAR.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

IX.

IX. THE ASS AND THE WAGTAIL.

X.

X. THE MISANTHROPE AND THE BIRD.

XI.

XI. FORTUNE AND HER FOLLOWERS.

XII.

XII. COMPOSURE.

XIII.

XIII. SIC ITUR.

XIV.

XIV. DIOGENES OR ALEXANDER?

XV.

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XVI.

XVI. THE RAINPOOL.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

XVII.

XVII. CONTAGION.

XVIII.

XVIII. AURORA CLAIR.

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XIX.

XIX. LOST TREASURES.

I.

II.

III.

XX.

XX. CHASSÉ-CROISÉ.

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XXI.

XXI. A PHILOSOPHER.

I.

II.

XXII.

XXII. ONLY A SHAVING.

XXIII.

XXIII. THE LAST CRUISE OF THE ARROGANT; OR NO COMPROMISE.

XXIV.

XXIV. KNOWLEDGE AND POWER.

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XXV.

I.

II.

III.

XXVI.

XXVI. DE PROFUNDIS.

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XXVII.

XXVII. “GO ON, I'LL FOLLOW THEE!”

I.

II.

III.

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XXVIII.

XXVIII. THE EAGLE AND HIS COMPANIONS;

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II.

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XXIX.

XXIX. FIAT JUSTITIA.

1.

CANTO THE FIRST.—THEORY.

2.

CANTO THE SECOND.—PRACTICE.

3.

CANTO THE THIRD.—EXPERIENCE.

XXX.

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XXXI.

I.

II.

III.

XXXII.

XXXII. A PROMETHEUS UNBOUND.

XXXIII.

XXXIII. VALOUR.

XXXIV.

XXXV.

XXXV. QUESTIONABLE CONSOLATION.

XXXVI.

XXXVI. FORGIVE AND FORGET.

XXXVII.

XXXVII. THE MOUNTAINS OF TIME.

XXXVIII.

XXXVIII. CONSERVATION OF FORCE.

XXXIX.

XXXIX. HOMERIDES.

XL.

XL. POINTS DE VUE—POINT DE VUE.

XLI.

XLI. PYRRHONISM,

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XLII.

XLII. THE MOUNTAIN AND THE MARSH.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

XLIII.

XLIII. TELEOLOGY.

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XLIV.

XLIV. COGITO ERGO SUM.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

XLV.

XLV. PHILOSOPHY OF THE LITTLE.

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XLVI.

XLVI. MASTER AT HOME.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

XLVII.

XLVII. THE PLANE AND THE PENKNIFE.

XLVIII.

XLVIII. THE DRAG AND THE WHEEL.

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XLIX.

XLIX. A HAUGHTY SPIRIT BEFORE A FALL.

I.

III.

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III.

1.

2.

IV.

L.

L. THE ROSE AND THE BRAMBLE.

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LI.

LI. DUCUNT VOLENTEM FATA: NOLENTEM TRAHUNT.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

LII.

LII. SUUM CUIQUE.

LIII.

LIII. THE TWO TRAVELLERS;

LIV.

LIV. AN ILL-ASSORTED COUPLE.

LV.

LV. BETWEEN HAMMER AND ANVIL.

LVI.

LVI. HOMO HOMINI LUPUS.

LVII.

LVII. THE HORSE AND THE FLY.

LVIII.

LVIII. ET CÆTERA ET CÆTERA.

LIX.

LIX. MONUMENTUM ÆRE PERENNIUS.

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LX.

LX. SANS SOUCI.

I.

II.

III.

IV.

V.

VI.

VII.

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25

II. POSSESSION.

A Poet loved a Star,
And to it whisper'd nightly,
“Being so fair, why art thou, love, so far?
Or why so coldly shine, who shinest so brightly?
O Beauty, woo'd and unpossest,
O might I to this beating breast
But clasp thee once, and then die, blest!”

That Star her Poet's love,
So wildly warm, made human.
And, leaving for his sake her heaven above,
His Star stoop'd earthward, and became a Woman.
“Thou who hast woo'd and hast possest,
My lover, answer, which was best,
The Star's beam, or the Woman's breast?”

“I miss from heaven,” the man replied,
“A light that drew my spirit to it.”
And to the man the woman sigh'd,
“I miss from earth a poet.”