"Oh, these be Fancy's revelers by night! Stealthy companions of the downy moth-- Diana's motes, that flit in her pale light, Shunners of sunbeams in diurnal sloth;-- These be the feasters on night's silver cloth;-- The gnat with shrilly trump is their convener, Forth from their flowery chambers, nothing loth, With lulling tunes to charm the air serener, Or dance upon the grass to make it greener." C. "These be the pretty genii of the flow'rs, Daintily fed with honey and pure dew-- Midsummer's phantoms in her dreaming hours, King Oberon, and all his merry crew, The darling puppets of romance's view; Fairies, and sprites, and goblin elves we call them, Famous for patronage of lovers true;-- No harm they act, neither shall harm befall them, So do not thus with crabbed frowns appal them." CI. O what a cry was Saturn's then!--it made The fairies quake. "What care I for their pranks, However they may lovers choose to aid, Or dance their roundelays on flow'ry banks?-- Long must they dance before they earn my thanks,-- So step aside, to some far safer spot, Whilst with my hungry scythe I mow their ranks, And leave them in the sun, like weeds, to rot, And with the next day's sun to be forgot." CII. Anon, he raised afresh his weapon keen; But still the gracious Shade disarm'd his aim, Stepping with brave alacrity between, And made his sore arm powerless and tame. His be perpetual glory, for the shame Of hoary Saturn in that grand defeat!-- But I must tell how here Titania, came With all her kneeling lieges, to entreat His kindly succor, in sad tones, but sweet. CIII. Saying, "Thou seest a wretched queen before thee, The fading power of a failing land, Who for a kingdom kneeleth to implore thee, Now menaced by this tyrant's spoiling hand; No one but thee can hopefully withstand That crooked blade, he longeth so to lift. I pray thee blind him with his own vile sand, Which only times all ruins by its drift, Or prune his eagle wings that are so swift." CIV. "Or take him by that sole and grizzled tuft, That hangs upon his bald and barren crown; And we will sing to see him so rebuff'd, And lend our little mights to pull him down, And make brave sport of his malicious frown, For all his boastful mockery o'er men. For thou wast born, I know, for this renown, By my most magical and inward ken, That readeth ev'n at Fate's forestalling pen." CV. "Nay, by the golden lustre of thine eye, And by thy brow's most fair and ample span, Thought's glorious palace, framed for fancies high, And by thy cheek thus passionately wan, I know the signs of an immortal man,-- Nature's chief darling, and illustrious mate, Destined to foil old Death's oblivious plan, And shine untarnish'd by the fogs of Fate, Time's famous rival till the final date!" CVI.