Thus our village life we live, And day by day such joys receive; Till, to change the homely scene, Lest it pall while too serene, To the gay city we remove, Where other things there are to love; And graced by novelty we find The city's concourse to our mind. While our new coming gives a joy, Which ever staying might destroy, We spare all tedious compliment-- Yet courtesy with kind intent, Which savage tongues alone abuse, Will often the same language use. Thus in content we thankful live, And for one ill for which we grieve, How much of good our dear home blesses; Mortals must ever find distresses, But sorrow loses half its weight-- And every moment has its freight Of joy--which our dear friends impart, And with their kindness cheer my heart, While, never weary us to visit, They seek our house when we are in it: If we are out it gives them pain, And on the morrow come again. Noble Dural can cure our sadness, With the infection of his gladness: Augustin too--well read in pages, Productions of the ancient sages, And the romances of our Spain-- Will give us back our smiles again; While he with a noble gravity, Adorned by the gentlest suavity, Recounts us many a tale or fable, Which well to tell he is most able; Serious, mingled with jokes and glee, The which as light and shade agree. And Monleon, our dearest guest, Will raise our mirth by many a jest; For while his laughter rings again, Can we to echo it refrain? And other merriment is ours, To gild with joy the lightsome hours. But all too trivial would it look, Written down gravely in a book: And it is time to say adieu, Though more I have to write to you. Another letter this shall tell, So now, my dearest friend, farewell! Thus lived Boscan, enjoying all that human nature can conceive of happiness. One of his tasks, after the lamented death of Garcilaso, was to collect his poems, and to publish several in a volume with his own. The date of his death is uncertain: it took place, however, before the year 1543; so that he died comparatively young. In person he was handsome; his physiognomy attractive from the mildness and benevolence it expressed; and his manners distinguished by courtly urbanity and elegance.