Every Girl's Library, Volume 8 of 10: A Collection of Appropriate and Instructive Reading for Girls of All Ages from the Best Authors of All Time
General
Every Girl's Library, Volume 8 of 10: A Collection of Appropriate and Instructive Reading for Girls of All Ages from the Best Authors of All Time
Literature -- Collections
SUCKLING, SIR JOHN. An English poet, born at Whitton, Middlesex, in
1608; died in Paris about 1642.
WHY SO PALE AND WAN?
Why so pale and wan, fond lover?
Prithee, why so pale?
Will, when looking well can't move her,
Looking ill prevail?
Prithee, why so pale?
Why so dull and mute, young sinner?
Prithee, why so mute?
Will, when speaking well can't win her,
Saying nothing do't?
Prithee, why so mute?
Quit, quit, for shame, this will not move,
This cannot take her;
If of herself she will not love,
Nothing can make her.
The devil take her!
I PRITHEE, SEND ME BACK MY HEART
I prithee, send me back my heart,
Since I cannot have thine;
For, if from yours you will not part,
Why, then, shouldst thou have mine?
Yet now I think on't, let it lie,
To find it were in vain;
For thou'st a thief in either eye
Would steal it back again.
Why should two hearts in one breast lie,
And yet not lodge together?
O Love, where is thy sympathy,
If thus our breasts thou sever?
JONATHAN SWIFT
SWIFT, JONATHAN, commonly known as Dean Swift, was born in Dublin,
in November, 1667, and died in October, 1745. He was not proud of
his native land, but emphatically declared that his birth in
Ireland was "a perfect accident," and lost no opportunity of
reviling that country. It is doubtful whether great literary talent
has ever, before or since, been found in company with such a wholly
unpleasant personality as that of Dean Swift. At Dublin University,
where he was educated. Swift distinguished himself by his contempt
for college laws, and neglect of his studies; and wholly by special
grace did he receive his degree. He entered the family of Sir
William Temple in the capacity of secretary; in the same household
"Stella," immortalized in Swift's books, was a waiting-maid. King
William took a fancy to Swift because the latter made him
acquainted with asparagus, and offered him the command of a troop
of horse. The favour was declined. In 1694, Swift was admitted to
Deacon's orders and a few years later went to Ireland as Chaplain
to Lord Berkeley. In 1713 he was made dean of St. Patrick's. He
began his career in literature as a writer of political tracts, and
was secretly employed by the Government to write on its behalf. In
1726 appeared _Gulliver's Travels_, his most famous work, and at
frequent intervals thereafter, his other writings, prose and
poetry. In 1740, he evinced the first symptoms of the madness which
clouded his closing years. The story of his life is a sad one and
goes far to encourage the belief that sometimes, if not always,
retribution comes in this life upon the wrong-doer. Swift's career
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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