But let the Kentish lad,[1] that lately taught His oaten reed the trumpet's silver sound, Young Thyrsilis; and for his music brought The willing spheres from heaven, to lead around The dancing nymphs and swains, that sung, and crowned Eclecta's Hymen with ten thousand flowers Of choicest praise; and hung her heavenly bowers With saffron garlands, dressed for nuptial paramours. XXI. Let his shrill trumpet, with her silver blast, Of fair Eclecta, and her spousal bed, Be the sweet pipe, and smooth encomiast: But my green muse, hiding her younger head, Under old Camus' flaggy banks, that spread Their willow locks abroad, and all the day With their own watery shadows wanton play; Dares not those high amours, and love-sick songs assay. XXII. Impotent words, weak lines, that strive in vain; In vain, alas, to tell so heavenly sight! So heavenly sight, as none can greater feign, Feign what he can, that seems of greatest might: Could any yet compare with Infinite? Infinite sure those joys; my words but light; Light is the palace where she dwells; oh, then, how bright! [1] The author of 'The Purple Island.' JOHN DONNE. John Donne was born in London, in the year 1573. He sprung from a Catholic family, and his mother was related to Sir Thomas More and to Heywood the epigrammatist. He was very early distinguished as a prodigy of boyish acquirement, and was entered, when only eleven, of Harthall, now Hertford College. He was designed for the law, but relinquished the study when he reached nineteen. About the same time, having studied the controversies between the Papists and Protestants, he deliberately went over to the latter. He next accompanied the Earl of Essex to Cadiz, and looked wistfully over the gulf dividing him from Jerusalem, with all its holy memories, to which his heart had been translated from very boyhood. He even meditated a journey to the Holy Land, but was discouraged by reports as to the dangers of the way. On his return he was received by the Lord Chancellor Ellesmere into his own house as his secretary. Here he fell in love with Miss More, the daughter of Sir George More, Lord- Lieutenant of the Tower, and the niece of the Chancellor. His passion was returned, and the pair were imprudent enough to marry privately. When the matter became known, the father-in-law became infuriated. He prevailed on Lord Ellesmere to drive Donne out of his service, and had him even for a short time imprisoned. Even when released he continued in a pitiable plight, and but for the kindness of Sir Francis Wooley, a son of Lady Ellesmere by a former marriage, who received the young couple into his family and entertained them for years, they would have perished.