“Labour in vain,”—pouring water into a sieve, is shown by Perriere in his 77th Emblem,— [Illustration: _Perriere, 1539._] where however it is a blind Cupid that holds the sieve, and lovers’ gifts are the waters with which the attempt is made to fill the vessel. LXXVII. Qvi plus mettra dans le crible d’amours, Plus y perdra, car choſe n’y profitte: Le temps ſi pert, biens, bagues & atours, Sa douleur eſt en tout amer confitte. Folle ieuneſſ[e/] & franc vouloir incite A tel deſduict deſpendre groſſe ſomme: Sur ce pẽser doibuent biẽ ieunes hõmes, Que de ce fait meilleurs n’ẽ peuuẽt eſtre: Et quãd naurõt le vaillãt de deux põmes, Ne ſera temps leur erreur recognoiſtre. We have endeavoured to interpret the old French stanza into English rhyme,— “Who in love’s tempting sieve shall place his store, Since nothing profits there, will lose the more; Lost are his time, goods, rings and rich array, Till grief in bitterness complete his day. Folly of youth and free desire incite Great sums to lavish on each brief delight. Surely young men on this ought well to ponder, That better cannot be, if thus they wander; And when remains two apples’ worth alone, ’Twill not the time be their mistake to own.” Shakespeare presents the very same thought and almost the identical expressions. To the Countess of Rousillon, Bertram’s mother, Helena confesses love for her son, _All’s Well that Ends Well_ (act i. sc. 3, l. 182, vol. iii. p. 127),— “Then, I confess, Here on my knee, before high heaven and you, That before you, and next unto high heaven, I love your son. My friends were poor, but honest; so’s my love: Be not offended; for it hurts not him That he is loved of me: I follow him not By any token of presumptuous suit; Nor would I have him till I do deserve him; Yet never know how that desert should be. I know I love in vain, strive against hope; Yet, in this captious and intenible sieve, I still pour in the waters of my love, And lack not to lose still: thus, Indian-like, Religious in my error, I adore The sun, that looks upon his worshipper, But knows of him no more.”