Britannia, when thy hearth’s a-cold, When o’er thy grave has grown the moss, Still _Rule Australia_ shall be trolled In Islands of the Southern Cross! BALLADE OF AUCASSIN Where smooth the southern waters run By rustling leagues of poplars grey, Beneath a veiled soft southern sun, We wandered out of yesterday, Went maying through that ancient May Whose fallen flowers are fragrant yet, And loitered by the fountain spray With Aucassin and Nicolette. The grass-grown paths are trod of none Where through the woods they went astray. The spider’s traceries are spun Across the darkling forest way. There come no knights that ride to slay, No pilgrims through the grasses wet, No shepherd lads that sang their say With Aucassin and Nicolette! ’Twas here by Nicolette begun Her bower of boughs and grasses gay; ’Scaped from the cell of marble dun ’Twas here the lover found the fay, Ah, lovers fond! ah, foolish play! How hard we find it to forget Who fain would dwell with them as they, With Aucassin and Nicolette. ENVOY. Prince, ’tis a melancholy lay! For youth, for love we both regret. How fair they seem, how far away, With Aucassin and Nicolette! BALLADE AMOUREUSE. AFTER FROISSART. Not Jason nor Medea wise, I crave to see, nor win much lore, Nor list to Orpheus’ minstrelsies; Nor Her’cles would I see, that o’er The wide world roamed from shore to shore; Nor, by St. James, Penelope,— Nor pure Lucrece, such wrong that bore: To see my Love suffices me! Virgil and Cato, no man vies With them in wealth of clerkly store; I would not see them with mine eyes; Nor him that sailed, _sans_ sail nor oar, Across the barren sea and hoar, And all for love of his ladye; Nor pearl nor sapphire takes me more: To see my Love suffices me! I heed not Pegasus, that flies As swift as shafts the bowmen pour; Nor famed Pygmalion’s artifice, Whereof the like was ne’er before; Nor Oléus, that drank of yore The salt wave of the whole great sea: Why? dost thou ask? ’Tis as I swore— To see my Love suffices me! BALLADE OF QUEEN ANNE. The modish Airs, The Tansey Brew, The _Swains_ and _Fairs_ In curtained Pew; Nymphs KNELLER drew, Books BENTLEY read,— Who knows them, who? QUEEN ANNE is dead! We buy her Chairs, Her China blue, Her red-brick Squares We build anew; But ah! we rue, When all is said, The tale o’er-true, QUEEN ANNE is dead! Now _Bulls_ and _Bears_, A ruffling Crew, With Stocks and Shares, With Turk and Jew, Go bubbling through The Town ill-bred: The World’s askew, QUEEN ANNE is dead! ENVOY. Friend, praise the new; The old is fled: _Vivat_ FROU-FROU! QUEEN ANNE is dead! BALLADE OF BLIND LOVE.