Introduction xxi 



*' Why should I live, but who doth know 

 The way to him, or where to go ? 

 Death's ignorant, the dead they have 

 No sense of grief when in the grave. 



" Forgetful and unthankful Death, 

 Hast thou no love, when stops the breath, 

 No gratitude, but there dost lie 

 In dark oblivion for to die? 



*' No sense of love, or honour, there ? 

 Then Death, I prithee me forbear. 

 Thousands of years in sorrow I 

 Would live in grief and never die." 



More frequently he uses the lyric and amorist mode 

 of that time, as in the song in his comedy, The Variety : 



" Thine eyes to me like suns appear." 



Three fourths of the Duchess's poetry we could spare 

 without hurt to her fame, and indeed with some gain 

 to her journey into time. But even in her most tedious 

 perfunctory exercises, there are often surprising gleams, 

 while at times she achieves a piece of tapestry in verse 

 which is rare and fine. Such is her spring cartoon in her 

 Song of the Four Seasons: 



" Although I am not rich in wit. 

 Nor know what tales your humours fit: 

 Yet in my young and budding muse 

 Will draw the seasons of the year, 

 Like prentice painters which do use 

 The same, to make their skill appear. 

 But Nature is the hand to guide 

 The pencil of the mind, and place 

 The shadows so that they may hide 

 All the defects or givt a grace. 

 The Spring is dress'd in buds and blossoms sweet, 

 And grass- green socks she draws upon her feet; 

 Of freshest air a garment she cuts out, 

 With painted tulips fringed round about, 

 And lines it all within with violets blue 

 And yellow primrose of the palest hue. 

 Then wears an apron made of lilies white. 

 And laced about it is with rays of hght." 



Her Fairy poems are of their kind — a kind that makes 

 the fairies into delicious UUiputian things — to be named 

 with Herrick's and Shakespeare's; and her Queen Mab 

 is exquisite: 



