Transcribed from the 1885 Kegan Paul, Trench & Co. edition by David Price, email ccx074@pglaf.org [Picture: Book cover] _A BALLADE OF XXXII BALLADES_. _Friend_, _when you bear a care-dulled eye_, _And brow perplexed with things of weight_, _And fain would bid some charm untie_ _The bonds that hold you all too strait_, _Behold a solace to your fate_, _Wrapped in this cover’s china blue_; _These ballades fresh and delicate_, _This dainty troop of Thirty-two_! _The mind_, _unwearied_, _longs to fly_ _And commune with the wise and great_; _But that same ether_, _rare and high_, _Which glorifies its worthy mate_, _To breath forspent is disparate_: _Laughing and light and airy-new_ _These come to tickle the dull pate_, _This dainty troop of Thirty-two_. _Most welcome then_, _when you and I_, _Forestalling days for mirth too late_, _To quips and cranks and fantasy_ _Some choice half-hour dedicate_, _They weave their dance with measured rate_ _Of rhymes enlinked in order due_, _Till frowns relax and cares abate_, _This dainty troop of Thirty-two_. ENVOY. _Princes_, _of toys that please your state_ _Quainter are surely none to view_ _Than these which pass with tripping gait_, _This dainty troop of Thirty-two_. F. P. XXXII BALLADES IN BLUE CHINA A. LANG XXXII Ballades in Blue China _Tout_ [Picture: Decorative graphic] _Soullas_ _par_ * * * * * LONDON _KEGAN PAUL_, _TRENCH & CO_ MDCCCLXXXV * * * * * “_Rondeaux_, BALLADES, _Chansons dizains_, _propos menus_, _Compte moy qu’ilz sont devenuz_: _Se faict il plus rien de nouveau_?” CLEMENT MAROT, _Dialogue de deux Amoureux_. “I love a ballad but even too well; if it be doleful matter, merrily set down, or a very pleasant thing indeed, and sung lamentably.” _A Winter’s Tale_, Act iv. sc. 3. * * * * * TO AUSTIN DOBSON. * * * * * CONTENTS.