University of Virginia Library

Search this document 
The Works of Dante Gabriel Rossetti

Edited with Preface and Notes by William M. Rossetti: Revised and Enlarged Edition
Rossetti, Dante Gabriel (1828-1882)

collapse sectionI. 
PRINCIPAL POEMS
  
THE BLESSED DAMOZEL
  
DANTE AT VERONA
  
THE BRIDE'S PRELUDE
  
JENNY
  
A LAST CONFESSION
  
THE BURDEN OF NINEVEH
  
THE STAFF AND SCRIP
  
SISTER HELEN
  
LOVE'S NOCTURN
collapse section 
THE HOUSE OF LIFE:
  
[A Sonnet is a moment's monument,—]
collapse sectionI. 
Part I.—YOUTH AND CHANGE
 I. 
SONNET I LOVE ENTHRONED
 II. 
SONNET II BRIDAL BIRTH
 III. 
SONNET III LOVE'S TESTAMENT
 IV. 
SONNET IV LOVESIGHT
 V. 
SONNET V HEART'S HOPE
 VI. 
SONNET VI THE KISS
 VIa. 
SONNET VIa NUPTIAL SLEEP
 VII. 
SONNET VII SUPREME SURRENDER
 VIII. 
SONNET VIII LOVE'S LOVERS
 IX. 
SONET IX PASSION AND WORSHIP
 X. 
SONNET X THE PORTRAIT
 XI. 
SONNET XI THE LOVE-LETTER
 XII. 
SONNET XII THE LOVERS' WALK
 XIII. 
SONNET XIII YOUTH'S ANTIPHONY
 XIV. 
SONNET XIV YOUTH'S SPRING-TRIBUTE
 XV. 
SONNET XV THE BIRTH-BOND
 XVI. 
SONNET XVI A DAY OF LOVE
 XVII. 
SONNET XVII BEAUTY'S PAGEANT
 XVIII. 
SONNET XVIII GENIUS IN BEAUTY
 XIX. 
SONNET XIX SILENT NOON
 XX. 
SONNET XX GRACIOUS MOONLIGHT
 XXI. 
SONNET XXI LOVE-SWEETNESS
 XXII. 
SONNET XXII HEART'S HAVEN
 XXIII. 
SONNET XXIII LOVE'S BAUBLES
 XXIV. 
SONNET XXIV PRIDE OF YOUTH
 XXV. 
SONNET XXV WINGED HOURS
 XXVI. 
SONNET XXVI MID-RAPTURE
 XXVII. 
SONNET XXVII HEART'S COMPASS
 XXVIII. 
SONNET XXVIII SOUL-LIGHT
 XXIX. 
SONNET XXIX THE MOONSTAR
 XXX. 
SONNET XXX LAST FIRE
 XXXI. 
SONNET XXXI HER GIFTS
 XXXII. 
SONNET XXXII EQUAL TROTH
 XXXIII. 
SONNET XXXIII VENUS VICTRIX
 XXXIV. 
SONNET XXXIV THE DARK GLASS
 XXXV. 
SONNET XXXV THE LAMP'S SHRINE
 XXXVI. 
SONNET XXXVI LIFE-IN-LOVE
 XXXVII. 
SONNET XXXVII THE LOVE-MOON
 XXXVIII. 
SONNET XXXVIII THE MORROW'S MESSAGE
 XXXIX. 
SONNET XXXIX SLEEPLESS DREAMS
 XL. 
SONNET XL SEVERED SELVES
 XLI. 
SONNET XLI THROUGH DEATH TO LOVE
 XLII. 
SONNET XLII HOPE OVERTAKEN
 XLIII. 
SONNET XLIII LOVE AND HOPE
 XLIV. 
SONNET XLIV CLOUD AND WIND
 XLV. 
SONNET XLV SECRET PARTING
 XLVI. 
SONNET XLVI PARTED LOVE
 XLVII. 
SONNET XLVII BROKEN MUSIC
 XLVIII. 
SONNET XLVIII DEATH-IN-LOVE
expand sectionXLIX, L, LI, LII. 
SONNETS XLIX, L, LI, LII WILLOWWOOD
 LIII. 
SONNET LIII WITHOUT HER
 LIV. 
SONNET LIV LOVE'S FATALITY
 LV. 
SONNET LV STILLBORN LOVE
expand sectionLVI, LVII, LVIII. 
SONNETS LVI, LVII, LVIII TRUE WOMAN
 LIX. 
SONNET LIX LOVE'S LAST GIFT
expand sectionII. 
Part II.—CHANGE AND FATE
  
EDEN BOWER
  
THE STREAM'S SECRET
expand section 
ROSE MARY
  
THE WHITE SHIP
  
THE KING'S TRAGEDY
expand sectionII. 
II.—MISCELLANEOUS POEMS
expand sectionIII. 
VERSICLES AND FRAGMENTS
expand section 
FOREIGN
expand section 
JUVENILIA AND GROTESQUES
expand section 
TRANSLATIONS
expand section 
TRANSLATIONS from the GERMAN, ITALIAN, FRENCH, AND GREEK

collapse section Collapse All | Expand All expand section
previous section The Works of Dante Gabriel Rossetti
next section

SONNET XVIII GENIUS IN BEAUTY

Beauty like hers is genius. Not the call
Of Homer's or of Dante's heart sublime,—
Not Michael's hand furrowing the zones of time,—
Is more with compassed mysteries musical;
Nay, not in Spring's or Summer's sweet footfall
More gathered gifts exuberant Life bequeaths
Than doth this sovereign face, whose love-spell breathes
Even from its shadowed contour on the wall.
As many men are poets in their youth,
But for one sweet-strung soul the wires prolong
Even through all change the indomitable song;
So in like wise the envenomed years, whose tooth
Rends shallower grace with ruin void of ruth,
Upon this beauty's power shall wreak no wrong.
previous section The Works of Dante Gabriel Rossetti
next section