This is, of course, addressed to the spirit of the unknown future wife. It is pretty, though it is only the work of a young student. But some one hundred years before, another student--a very great student, Richard Crashaw,--had a fancy of the same kind, and made verses about it which are famous. You will find parts of his poem about the imaginary wife in the ordinary anthologies, but not all of it, for it is very long. I will quote those verses which seem to me the best. WISHES Whoe'er she be, That not impossible She, That shall command my heart and me; Where'er she lie, Locked up from mortal eye, In shady leaves of Destiny; Till that ripe birth Of studied Fate stand forth, And teach her fair steps to our earth; Till that divine Idea take a shrine Of crystal flesh, through which to shine; Meet you her, my wishes, Bespeak her to my blisses, And be ye called my absent kisses. The poet is supposing that the girl whom he is to marry may not as yet even have been born, for though men in the world of scholarship can marry only late in life, the wife is generally quite young. Marriage is far away in the future for the student, therefore these fancies. What he means to say in short is about like this: "Oh, my wishes, go out of my heart and look for the being whom I am destined to marry--find the soul of her, whether born or yet unborn, and tell that soul of the love that is waiting for it." Then he tries to describe the imagined woman he hopes to find: I wish her beauty That owes not all its duty To gaudy 'tire or glist'ring shoe-tie. Something more than Taffeta or tissue can; Or rampant feather, or rich fan. More than the spoil Of shop or silk worm's toil, Or a bought blush, or a set smile. A face that's best By its own beauty drest And can alone command the rest. A face made up Out of no other shop Than what nature's white hand sets ope. A cheek where grows More than a morning rose Which to no box his being owes. * * * * * Eyes that displace The neighbor diamond and outface That sunshine by their own sweet grace. Tresses that wear Jewels, but to declare How much themselves more precious are. Smiles, that can warm The blood, yet teach a charm That chastity shall take no harm. * * * * * Life, that dares send A challenge to his end, And when it comes, say "Welcome, friend!" There is much more, but the best of the thoughts are here. They are not exactly new thoughts, nor strange thoughts, but they are finely expressed in a strong and simple way. There is another composition on the same subject--the imaginary spouse, the destined one. But this is written by a woman, Christina Rossetti. SOMEWHERE OR OTHER Somewhere or other there must surely be The face not seen, the voice not heard, The heart that not yet--never yet--ah me! Made answer to my word.