SELECTIONS IN ENGLISH POETRY
As two close Hebrews in that land inspired,
Paled in and vineyarded from beggar-spies;
The hawks of ship-mast forests—the untired
And panniered mules for ducats and old lies—
Quick cat's paws on the generous stray-away,— 135
Great wits in Spanish, Tuscan, and Malay.
XVIII
How was it these same ledger-men could spy
Fair Isabella in her downy nest?
How could they find out in Lorenzo's eye
A straying from his toil? Hot Egypt's pest 140
Into their vision covetous and sly!
,. How could these money-bags see east and west ?
Yet so they did—and every dealer fair
Must see behind, as doth the hunted hare.
XIX
O eloquent and famed Boccaccio! 145
Of thee we now should ask forgiving boon,
And of thy spicy myrtles as they blow,
And of thy roses amorous of the moon,
And of thy lilies, that do paler grow
Now they can no more hear thy ghittern's tune, 150
For venturing syllables that ill beseem
The quiet glooms of such a piteous theme.
XX
Grant thou a pardon here, and then the tale-
Shall move on soberly, as it is meet;
There is no other crime, no mad assail 155
To make old prose in modern rhyme more sweet:
But it is done—succeed the verse or fail—
186