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The Poetical Works of (Richard Monckton Milnes) Lord Houghton

Collected ed.
Houghton, Richard Monckton Milnes (1809-1885)

collapse sectionI. 
VOLUME I
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MEMORIALS OF TRAVELS IN GREECE
  
THE ELD.
  
CORFU.
  
A DREAM OF SAPPHO.
  
THE RETURN OF ULYSSES.
  
TEMPE.
  
OLYMPUS.
  
A VISION OF THE ARGONAUTS.
  
THE SPARTANS AT THERMOPYLÆ.
  
GREEK RELIGION
  
MARATHON.
  
THE CONCENTRATION OF ATHENS.
  
PELASGIAN AND CYCLOPEAN WALLS.
  
WRITTEN AT MYCENÆ.
  
GRECIAN SUNSET.
  
A GRECIAN THUNDER-STORM.
  
CORINTH,
  
MODERN GREECE.
  
ON RETURNING TO GREECE IN 1842.
  
DELPHI.
  
THE TOMB OF LAIUS.
  
THE FLOWERS OF HELICON.
  
MODERN ATHENS.
  
DELOS.
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MEMORIALS OF TRAVELS IN ITALY.
  
AN ITALIAN TO ITALY.
  
WRITTEN IN PETRARCH'S HOUSE AT ARQUA,
  
FEELINGS EXCITED BY SOME MILITARY MANŒUVRES AT VERONA.
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MEDITATIVE FRAGMENTS, ON VENICE.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
  
THE VENETIAN SERENADE.
  
FROM GÖTHE.
  
A DREAM IN A GONDOLA.
  
ON THE MAD-HOUSE AT VENICE.
  
TO ---
  
TO THE MOON OF THE SOUTH.
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PICTURES IN VERSE.
 I. 
I. PICTURE BY GIOV. BELLINI, IN THE CHURCH OF THE REDENTORE AT VENICE.
 II. 
II. THE MARTYRDOM OF ST. CHRISTINA,
 III. 
III. JESUS AND JOHN CONTENDING FOR THE CROSS.
 IV. 
IV. CHRIST'S DESCENT INTO PURGATORY.
  
SIR WALTER SCOTT AT THE TOMB OF THE STUARTS IN ST. PETER'S.
  
THE ILLUMINATIONS OF ST. PETER'S.
  
THE FIREWORKS.
  
ON THE MARRIAGE OF THE LADY GWENDOLIN TALBOT WITH THE ELDEST SON OF THE PRINCE BORGHESE.
  
ON THE DEATH OF THE PRINCESS BORGHESE,
  
ROMAN RUINS.
  
ON A SCENE IN TUSCANY.
  
AN INCIDENT AT PISA.
  
NAPLES AND VENICE.
  
CANNÆ.
  
ON LEAVING ITALY,
  
SWITZERLAND AND ITALY.
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PALM LEAVES.
  
THE GREEK AT CONSTANTINOPLE.
  
THE TURK AT CONSTANTINOPLE TO THE FRANK.
  
THE HAREEM.
  
THE MOSQUE.
  
MOHAMMEDANISM.
  
THE SONG OF THE WAHABEES.
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ARABIAN LEGENDS.
 I. 
I. THE PRIDE OF NIMROD.
 II. 
II. ABRAHAM AND HIS GODS.
 III. 
III. MOSES ON MOUNT SINAI.
 IV. 
IV. SOLOMON AND THE ANTS.
 V. 
V. FALLING STARS.
 VI. 
VI. THE INFANCY OF MOHAMMED.
 VII. 
VII. MOHAMMED AND THE MISER.
 VIII. 
VIII. MOHAMMED AND THE BLIND ABDALLAH.
 IX. 
IX. MOHAMMED AND THE ASSASSIN.
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EASTERN THOUGHTS
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[subsection]
 I. 
I. THE THINKER AND THE POET.
 II. 
II. THE EASTERN EPICUREAN.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV. PHYSICAL AND MORAL BLINDNESS.
 V. 
V. DISCORDANT ELEMENTS.
 VI. 
VI. THE TWO THEOLOGIES.
 VII. 
VII. LOSS AND GAIN.
 VIII. 
VIII. THE MOTH.
 IX. 
IX. THE SAYINGS OF RABIA.
 X. 
X. PLEASURE AND PAIN.
 XI. 
XI. THE PEACE OF GOD.
 XII. 
XII. CHRISTIAN ENDURANCE.
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THE KIOSK.
  
[prologue]
  
THE PERSIAN'S STORY.
  
THE SYRIAN'S STORY.
  
[section]
  
THE EGYPTIAN'S STORY
  
[section]
  
THE TENT.
  
THE BURDEN OF EGYPT.
  
A TRAVELLER'S IMPRESSION ON THE NILE.
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OTHER SCENES.
  
THE RIVER TRAUN.
  
TO AN ENGLISH LADY,
  
ON THE CHURCH OF THE MADELEINE AT PARIS.
  
ON REVISITING CAMBRIDGE,
  
THE SAME.
  
ON COWPER'S GARDEN AT OLNEY.
  
ON MILTON'S COTTAGE, AT CHALFONT ST. GILES,
  
ANSWER TO WORDSWORTH'S SONNET AGAINST THE KENDAL AND BOWNESS RAILWAY.
  
TINTERN ABBEY.
  
ON THE GRAVE OF BISHOP KEN,
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OCCASIONAL POEMS.
  
THE FUNERAL OF NAPOLEON.
  
IRELAND, 1847.
  
A MONUMENT FOR SCUTARI,
  
ON THE PEACE
  
CRIMEAN INVALID SOLDIERS REAPING AT ALDERSHOT.
  
COLUMBUS AND THE MAY-FLOWER.
  
CHINA, 1857.
  
AN ENVOY TO AN AMERICAN LADY.
  
ENGLAND AND AMERICA, 1863.
  
ON THE OPENING OF THE FIRST PUBLIC PLEASURE-GROUND AT BIRMINGHAM
  
WORKMAN'S CHORAL SONG.
  
ON THE OPENING OF THE ALBERT HALL
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IN MEMORIAM.
  
LADY CAMPBELL.
  
GEORGE VERNON COLEBROKE.
  
ARTHUR AND HELEN HALLAM.
  
MRS. DENISON.
  
MARY AND AGNES BERRY.
  
DRYDEN AND THACKERAY.
  
THE DEATH OF LIVINGSTONE.
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GHAZELES.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III. WRITTEN AT AMALFI.
 IV. 
IV. TO ------.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI.
 VII. 
VII.
 VIII. 
VIII.
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BALLAD.
  
GOOD NIGHT AND GOOD MORNING.
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VERSICLES.
  
[Amid the factions of the field of life]
  
[I sent my memo'ry out]
  
[The heart that Passion never fired]
  
[Because your nature can extend]
  
(PREFIXED TO PALM LEAVES.)
  
[Through clouds of care mankind must move]
  
[Since in this world's eternal chorus]
  
TO A. H. H.
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VOLUME II
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POEMS OF SENTIMENT AND REFLECTION.
  
MUTABILITY.
  
TO A CHILD WITH BLACK EYES AND GOLDEN HAIR.
  
CARPE DIEM.
  
THE FLIGHT OF YOUTH.
  
ON LEAVING A PLACE WHERE ONE HAD DWELT MANY YEARS.
  
YOUTH'S FAIR RESOLVE.
  
THE LAY OF THE HUMBLE.
  
THE VIOLET-GIRL.
  
ON MY YOUTHFUL LETTERS.
  
FRIENDSHIP AND LOVE.
  
THE FRIENDSHIP-FLOWER.
  
FAIR-WEATHER FRIEND.
  
LONELY MATURITY.
  
PAST FRIENDSHIP.
  
THE MEMORY OF LOVE.
  
LOVE AND NATURE.
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LOVE-THOUGHTS.
 I. 
I.
 II. 
II.
 III. 
III.
 IV. 
IV.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI.
 VII. 
VII.
 VIII. 
VIII. WRITTEN AT THE BATHS OF LUCCA.
  
FAMILIAR LOVE.
  
POETRY AND THE POET.
  
PARTED AND MET.
  
UNSPOKEN DIALOGUE.
  
NEVER RETURN!
  
NOT TO-MORROW!
  
HALF-TRUTH.
  
ONE-SIDED TROTH.
  
STRANGERS YET.
  
A RECOLLECTION.
  
RAPTURE.
  
THE TREASURE-SHIP
  
SHADOWS.
  
ANIMA MUNDI.
  
THE VOICES OF HISTORY.
  
THE BARREN HILL.
  
THE CHRONICLE OF HOPES.
  
THE WORTH OF HOURS.
  
THE LONG-AGO.
  
SIMPLE SOUNDS.
  
A PRAYER.
  
THE PAST.
  
THE PALSY OF THE HEART.
  
THE WORLD TO THE SOUL.
  
MOMENTS.
  
THE MEN OF OLD.
  
THE COMBAT OF LIFE.
  
RETURNING DREAMS.
  
THE MARVEL OF LIFE.
  
THE EXHAUSTION OF LIFE.
  
THE SOLITUDE OF LIFE.
  
THE WEARY SOUL.
  
THE MARTYRS OF THE MIND.
  
SORROWS.
  
THE CURSE OF LIFE.
  
DOMESTIC FAME.
  
TO A MOURNER.
  
REQUIESCAT IN PACE.
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THE POETRY OF THE PEOPLE.
 I. 
I. LABOUR.
 II. 
II. THE VOICE OF THE PEOPLE.
 III. 
III. THE PATIENCE OF THE POOR.
 IV. 
IV. ALMS-GIVING.
 V. 
V.
 VI. 
VI. RICH AND POOR.
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SONNETS.
  
THE PAINS OF YOUTH.
  
HAPPINESS.
  
THE SAME.
  
THE SPRING AND THE BROOK.
  
GOOD INTENTIONS.
  
GRAVE TEMPERAMENTS.
  
ACTION AND THOUGHT.
  
PRAYER.
  
LESSON TO POETS.
  
INDIRECT BEAUTY.
  
TO CHARLES LAMB.
  
TO A CERTAIN POET.
  
LOVE WITHOUT SYMPATHY.
  
ON ALFRED OF ENGLAND.
  
INSERTED IN M. RIO'S WORK, “LA PETITE CHOUANNERIE.”
  
ON TURNER'S PICTURE
  
TO QUEEN VICTORIA.
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SONGS.
  
A CHILD'S SONG.
  
“THE INFANT'S THREE SABBATHS.”
  
THE OLD MANORIAL HALL.
  
THE BROOK-SIDE.
  
ONCE.
  
SONG OF THOUGHTS.
  
THE OLD MAN'S SONG.
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NARRATIVE POEMS.
  
THE FALL OF ALIPIUS.
  
THE DEPARTURE OF ST. PATRICK FROM SCOTLAND.
  
BERTRAND DU GUESCLIN.
  
BRETON FAITH.
  
THE DEATH OF SARSFIELD.
  
PRINCE EMILIUS OF HESSEN-DARMSTADT.
  
THE TRAGEDY OF THE LAC DE GAUBE IN THE PYRENEES.
  
A SPANISH ANECDOTE.
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LEGENDS.
  
A CHRISTMAS STORY.
  
THE BROWNIE.
  
VENUS AND THE CHRISTIAN KNIGHT.
  
THE NORTHERN KNIGHT IN ITALY.
  
CHARLEMAGNE, AND THE HYMN OF CHRIST.

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237

THE OLD MAN'S SONG.

Age is not a thing to measure
By the course of moon or star;
Time's before us—at our pleasure
We may follow near or far:
Strength and Beauty he has given,
They are his to take away,
But the Heart that well has striven
Is no slave of night or day.
See upon yon mountain-ridges
How the fir-woods, spread between,
Reconcile the snow-clad edges
With the valley's vernal green;
So the lines of grave reflection,
You decipher on my brow,
Keep my age in glad connexion
With the young that flourish now.
Not that now poetic fire
Can along my life-strings run,
As when my Memnonian lyre
Welcomed every rising sun;
238

Though my heart no more rejoices
In the flashes of my brain,
In the freshness of your voices
Let me hear my songs again.
Did I love?—let Nature witness,
Conscious of my tears and truth;
Do I love?—O fatal fitness!
Still requiring youth for youth!
Yet, while thought the bliss remembers,
All delight is not gone by;
Warm your spirits o'er my embers,
Friends! and learn to love as I.
O my children! O my brothers!
If for self I lived too much,
Be my pleasures now for others,
Every passion now be such:
Be the chillness life-destroying,
That could make me slow to feel,
To enjoy with your enjoying,
To be zealous with your zeal.
Grant me not, ye reigning Hours
Virtues that beseem the young,
Vigour for my failing powers,
Music for my faltering tongue:
239

Let me, cheerful thoughts retaining,
Live awhile, nor fear to die,
Ever new affections gaining,
Such as Heaven might well supply.
June, 1843.
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