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Poems

By William Bell Scott. Ballads, Studies from Nature, Sonnets, etc. Illustrated by Seventeen Etchings by the Author and L. Alma Tadema
Scott, William Bell (1811-1890)

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LADY JANET, MAY JEAN.
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KRIEMHILD'S TRYSTE.
 I. 
I
 II. 
II
 III. 
III
  
WOODSTOCK MAZE.
  
THE WITCH'S BALLAD.
  
SAINT MARGARET.
  
THE RENDEZVOUS.
  
I GO TO BE CURED AT AVILION.'
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ANTHONY.
 I. 
[I]
 II. 
II
 III. 
III
 IV. 
IV
  
LOVE'S CALENDAR.
  
A BRIDAL RACE.
  
PARTING AND MEETING AGAIN.
  
LOVE.
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OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE.
 I. 
I BIRTH.
 II. 
II DEATH.
 III. 
III LIFE.
 IV. 
IV GAIN AND LOSS.
 V. 
V LOOKING FORWARD.
 VI. 
VI HOPE DEFERRED.
 VII. 
VII FAITH.
 VIII. 
VIII AT PRESENT.
 IX. 
IX SELF-DECEPTION.
 X. 
X CONTENTMENT IN THE DARK.
 XI. 
XI THE UNIVERSE VOID.
 XII. 
XII SPIRITUAL LONGINGS UNANSWERED.
 XIII. 
XIII DEVELOPMENT IN NATURE.
 XIV. 
XIV SCIENCE ABORTIVE.
 XV. 
XV ONENESS OF ALL.
 XVI. 
XVI A SYMBOL.
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PARTED LOVE.
 I. 
THE PAST.
 II. 
THE PRESENT.
 III. 
MORNING.
 IV. 
BY THE SEA-SIDE.
 V. 
EVENING.
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THE OLD SCOTCH HOUSE
 I. 
I.THE BOWER.
 II. 
II.A SPRING MORNING.
 III. 
III.MOTTOES.
 IV. 
IV.BELOW THE OLD HOUSE.
 V. 
V.THE MOON.
 VI. 
VI.THE GARDEN.
 VII. 
VII.IN THE GARDEN.
 VIII. 
VIII.IN THE GARDEN.
 IX. 
IX.AUTUMN SUNSHINE.
 X. 
X.THE ROBIN'S OCTOBER SONG.
 XI. 
XI.WINTER COMING.
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STUDIES FROM NATURE.
  
SUNDAY MORNING ALONE.
  
GREEN CHERRIES.
  
YOUTH AND AGE.
  
AN ARTIST'S BIRTHPLACE.
  
MORNING SLEEP.
  
MONODY.
  
THE DUKE'S FUNERAL.
  
MIDNIGHT.
  
THE SEA-SHORE.
  
REQUIEM.
  
BEDE IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.
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MISCELLANEOUS POEMS.
  
TO THE SPHINX
  
A DEDICATION.
  
A RHYME OF THE SUN-DIAL.
  
IN THE VALLEY.
  
MAY.
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SONNETS ON LITERARY SUBJECTS.
  
ON THE INSCRIPTION, KEATS' TOMBSTONE.
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WORDSWORTH.
 I. 
I
 II. 
II
 III. 
III
  
TO THE ARTISTS CALLED P. R. B.
  
ON CERTAIN CRITICS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE CENTURY.
  
THE EPITAPH OF HUBERT VAN EYCK.
  
FRAGMENT OF A SONNET BY RAPHAEL.
  
THE MUSICIAN.
  
TO MY BROTHER
  
SANDRART'S INSCRIPTION,
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OCCASIONAL SONNETS.
  
PYGMALION.
  
THE SWAN.
  
SPRING LOVE.
  
AN ANNIVERSARY.
  
THE MIDNIGHT CITY.
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KISSES.
 I. 
I
 II. 
II
  
THE TRAVELLER LOST.
  
THE NIGHTINGALE UNHEARD.
  
IN ROME, A.D. 150.
  
COMING AND GOING.
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MY. MOTHER.
  
(ST. LEONARDS, EDINBURGH, 1826.)
  
(PORTOBELLO, NEAR EDINBURGH, 1851.)
  
ASSISTANCE DELAYED.
  
UNWORTHY AMBITION.
  
MUSIC OF THE SPHERES.
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JUVENILE POEMS.
  
TO THE MEMORY OF PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY.
  
TO THE MEMORY OF JOHN KEATS.
  
THE INCANTATION OF HERVOR.
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FOUR ACTS OF SAINT CUTHBERT.
  
FIRST. SAINT CUTHBERT'S TRIAL OF FAITH.
  
SECOND. SAINT CUTHBERT'S PENANCE.
  
THIRD. SAINT CUTHBERT'S HERMITAGE.
  
FOURTH. SAINT CUTHBERT'S DEATH.
  
THE DANCE OF DEATH.
  
A FABLE.
  
DEDICATIO POSTICA.

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173

MAY.

(IN A LONDON LODGING.)

Doubtless now in Wetherel woods
The white lady-garlic spreads,
And young ferns hold their wise conclaves,
All nodding their crozier-heads.
There too the last year's bramble sweeps
The Eden's arrowy swell,
And the cuckoo over the larches dark
You'll hear if you listen well.
May is with us, and I am pent
In the city's huge recess,
But prison-bars nor walls of stone
Can shut out spring's caress.
Over the roofs from the fields far off
Fresh influences hie,
Shading the hair from the cool forehead,
Touching it tenderly.
174

Open the window, let the breeze
About these brown books play,
And, hark! the caged bird opposite
Knows well that it is May.
Sing louder yet! perhaps both thou
And I enjoy it more
Within this populous wilderness
Than roaming wild woods o'er.
Oh, welcome now to come and go,
You early weak-winged bee!
My primrose pots and crocuses
Are splendid, as you see.
I fear your sturdy hopefulness
Already hath gone astray;
Or came you here to teach me sing
A song to suit the day?
Yes, the summer's feast is spread,
Her wine is poured out free;—
Mignon! I could desire no more
If I but shared with thee!
Where art thou now,—in hawthorn lane?
Or housed with some dull guest?
I'll think of thee, and some have said
Our fancied joys are best.
175

But while the mavis sings above,
And the cowslip dots the mead,
If we together heard his song,
Twere a pleasanter May indeed!
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