Crabbed Age and Youth Cannot live together: Youth is full of pleasance, Age is full of care; Youth like summer morn, Age like winter weather, Youth like summer brave, Age like winter bare: Youth is full of sport, Age's breath is short, Youth is nimble, Age is lame: Youth is hot and bold, Age is weak and cold, Youth is wild, and Age is tame:-- Age, I do abhor thee, Youth, I do adore thee; O! my Love, my Love is young! Age, I do defy thee-- O sweet shepherd, hie thee, For methinks thou stay'st too long. _W. Shakespeare_ X Under the greenwood tree Who loves to lie with me, And turn his merry note Unto the sweet bird's throat-- Come hither, come hither, come hither! Here shall he see No enemy But winter and rough weather. Who doth ambition shun And loves to live i' the sun, Seeking the food he eats And pleased with what he gets-- Come hither, come hither, come hither! Here shall he see No enemy But winter and rough weather. _W. Shakespeare_ XI It was a lover and his lass With a hey and a ho, and a hey nonino! That o'er the green corn-field did pass In the spring time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing hey ding a ding: Sweet lovers love the Spring. Between the acres of the rye These pretty country folks would lie: This carol they began that hour, How that life was but a flower: And therefore take the present time With a hey and a ho and a hey nonino! For love is crowned with the prime In spring time, the only pretty ring time, When birds do sing hey ding a ding: Sweet lovers love the Spring. _W. Shakespeare_ XII _PRESENT IN ABSENCE_ Absence, hear thou this protestation Against thy strength, Distance, and length; Do what thou canst for alteration: For hearts of truest mettle Absence doth join, and Time doth settle. Who loves a mistress of such quality, His mind hath found Affection's ground Beyond time, place, and mortality. To hearts that cannot vary Absence is present, Time doth tarry. By absence this good means I gain, That I can catch her, Where none can match her, In some close corner of my brain: There I embrace and kiss her; And so I both enjoy and miss her. _J. Donne_ XIII _VIA AMORIS_ High-way, since you my chief Parnassus be, And that my Muse, to some ears not unsweet, Tempers her words to trampling horses' feet More oft than to a chamber-melody,-- Now, blesséd you bear onward blesséd me To her, where I my heart, safe-left, shall meet; My Muse and I must you of duty greet With thanks and wishes, wishing thankfully;