36 THE ALBANIAN LOVE LETTER. 



Seeing how far one's stock will reach ; 

 Taking due care one's flowers of speech 

 To guard from blight as well as bathos, 

 And watering, every day, one's pathos. 



A letter comes just gathered, we 



Doat on its tender brilliancy ; 



Inhale its delicate expression 



Of balm and pea ; and- its confession, 



Made with as sweet a maiden blush 



As ever morn bedew'd in bush ; 



And then, when we have kissed its wit, 



And heart, in water putting it, 



To keep its remarks fresh, go round 



Our little eloquent plot of ground ; 



And with delighted hands compose 



Our answer, all of lily and rose, 



Of tuberose and of violet, 



And little darling (mignionette) ; 



And gratitude and polyanthus, 



And flowers that say, <' Felt never man thus !" 



J 



