 | The poetical works of Charles Lamb |  |
174
IN THE ALBUM OF LUCY BARTON.
Little Book, surnamed of white,
Clean as yet, and fair to sight,
Keep thy attribution right.
Clean as yet, and fair to sight,
Keep thy attribution right.
Never disproportion'd scrawl;
Ugly blot, that's worse than all;
On thy maiden clearness fall!
Ugly blot, that's worse than all;
On thy maiden clearness fall!
In each letter, here design'd,
Let the reader emblem'd find
Neatness of the owner's mind.
Let the reader emblem'd find
Neatness of the owner's mind.
Gilded margins count a sin,
Let thy leaves attraction win
By the golden rules within;
Let thy leaves attraction win
By the golden rules within;
Sayings fetch'd from sages old;
Laws which Holy Writ unfold,
Worthy to be graved in gold:
Laws which Holy Writ unfold,
Worthy to be graved in gold:
175
Lighter fancies not excluding;
Blameless wit, with nothing rude in,
Sometimes mildly interluding
Blameless wit, with nothing rude in,
Sometimes mildly interluding
Amid strains of graver measure:
Virtue's self hath oft her pleasure
In sweet Muses' groves of leisure.
Virtue's self hath oft her pleasure
In sweet Muses' groves of leisure.
Riddles dark, perplexing sense;
Darker meanings of offence;
What but shades—be banished hence.
Darker meanings of offence;
What but shades—be banished hence.
Whitest thoughts in whitest dress,
Candid meanings, best express
Mind of quiet Quakeress.
Candid meanings, best express
Mind of quiet Quakeress.
| The poetical works of Charles Lamb | |