^/6' /.^9/ to n^wvM %V9V% l^JkJukJLiJLiAAAJLl.. Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2007 with funding from IVIicrosoft Corporation http://www.archive.org/details/bookofepigramsOOIyonrich A BOOK OF EPIGRAMS GATHERED BY Ralph A. Lyon evanston William S. Lord 1902 EPIGRAMS POETRY She comes like the hushed beauty of the night, But sees too deep for laughter ; Her touch is a vibration and a light From worlds before and after. [Charles £. Markham POETRY Poetry? Can I define it , you inquire? Yes ; by your pleasure , Poetry is Thought, in princeliest attire, Treading a measure. [Dufield Osborne 395^943 r\-4 i THE YEAR'S MINSTRELSY Spring, the low prelude of a lordlier song; Summer, a music without hint of death : Autumn , a cadence lingeringly long : Winter, a pause ; — the Minstrel-Year takes breath. [William Watson THE SUN All the World's bravery that delights our eyes, Is but thy several liveries ; Thou the rich dye on them bestows't , Thy nimble Pencil paints this landscape as thou go'st. [Abraham Cowley FAREWELL I strove with none , for none was worth my strife. Nature I loved , and next to nature, art. I warm'd both hands before the fire of life: It sinks ; and I am ready to depart. [Walter Savage Landor LIFE As a shaft that is sped from a bow unseen to an unseen mark. As a bird that gleams in the firelight, and hurries from dark to dark , As the face of the stranger who smiled as we passed in the crowded street, — Our life is a glimmer, a flutter, a memory, fading, yet sweet ! [William Cranston Lawton EPIGRAM ON THE DEATH OF EDWARD FORBES. Nature, a jealous mistress, laid him low. He woo'd and won her; and, by love made bold , She showed him more than mortal man should know, Then slew him lest her secret should be told. [Sydney Dobell ON LONGFELLOW'S DEATH No puissant singer he, whose silence grieves To-day the great West's tender heart and strong ; No singer vast of voice : yet one who leaves His native air the sweeter for his song. [William Watson DANIEL WEBSTER We have no high cathedral for his rest. Dim with proud banners and the dust of years ; All we can give him is New England's breast To lay his head on — and his country's tears. [Thomas William Parsons EUGENE FIELD Fades his calm face beyond our mortal ken, Lost in the light of lovelier realms above ; He left sweet memories in the hearts of men And climbed to God on little children's love. [Frank L. Stanton THE DEBTOR CHRIST ^7iid Mihi Et Tibi What , woman , is my debt to thee , That I should not deny The boon thou dost demand of me ? "I gave thee power to die.'* [Jolin B. Tabb TWO SPIRITS A spirit above and a spirit below , A spirit of joy and a spirit of woe ; The spirit above is the spirit divine , The spirit below is the spirit of wine. [Anonymous ON A SUN-DIAL With warning hand I mark Time's rapid flight From lifers glad morning to its solemn night ; Yet 5 through the dear God's love, I also show There's Light above me by the Shade Ipelow. [John Gfcenleaf Whittier BORROWING Froin the JRrench Sorne of your hurts you have cured , And the sharpest you still have survived , But what torments of grief you endured From evils which never arrived ! [Ralph Waldo Emerson YOUTH The Tear , down Childhood's cheek that flows , Is like the dew-drop on the Rose; When next the Summer breeze comes by, And waves the bush , the Flower is dry. [Sir Walter Scott MY TROUBLES I wrote down my troubles every day ; And after a few short years , When I turned to the heartaches passed away , I read them with smiles , not tears. [John Boyle O'Reilly SENSIBILITY The soul of Music slumbers in the shell , Till waked and kindled by the Master's spell ; And feeling Hearts — touch them but lightly — pour A thousand melodies unheard before ! [Samuel Rogers IS LOVE SO BLIND The records of ancient times declare That hapless Love is blind , Yet many's the virtue, sweet and rare, That only Love can find. [Henry W. Allport SYMPATHY What gem hath dropped and sparkles o'er his chain ? The Tear most sacred, shed for other's pain 5 That starts at once — bright — pure — from Pity's mine , Already polish'd by the Hand Divine. [Lord Byron GRIEF What cannot be preserved when Fortune takes , Patience her injury a mockery makes. The robb'd , that smiles , steals something from the Thief; He robs himself, that spend a bootless Grief. [William Shakespeare OPPORTUNITY It is a hag whom Life denies his kiss As he rides questward in knight-errant wise ; Only when he hath passed her is it his To know too late the Fairy in disguise. [Madison Cawein COMPETITION The race is won ! As victor I am hailed With deafening cheers from eager throats ; and yet Gladder the victory could I forget The strained , white faces of the men who failed. [Julia Shayer II SLANDER Oh ! many a shaft , at random sent , Finds mark the archer little meant ; And many a Word , at random spoken , May soothe or wound a Heart that's broken. [Sir Walter Scott VICE Vice is a monster of so frightful mien , As to be hated needs but to be seen ; Yet seen too oft , familiar with her face , We first endure, then pity , then embrace. [Alexander Pope 12 TALKING Words learned by rote , a Parrot may rehearse , But talking is not always to converse ; Not more distinct from Harmony divine , The constant creaking of a Country Sign. [William Cowper THINKERS, PAST AND PRESENT God y by the earlier sceptic , was exiled ; The later is more lenient grown and mild: He sanctions God , provided you agree To any other other name for deity. [William Watson THE COOK WELL DONE Why call me a bloodthirsty , gluttonous sinner For pounding my chef when my peace he subverts ? If I can't thrash my cook when he gets a poor dinner , Pray how shall the scamp ever get his desserts ? [Martial "U" AND 'i" The difference between you and me Is this , dear — more's the pity — You're summering in the mountains , I'm simmering in the city ! [Ogden Ward 14 THE FIVE DOUBLE US Winsomeness , wardrobe , words of elo- quence , Wisdom , and wealth , bring men to con- sequence. That's something which a man in vain pursues Who is not blest with these five w's."^ [From the Sanskrit (Tr. by Chas. R. Lanman) WEALTH Can wealth give Happiness ? look round , and see What gay distress ! what splendid misery ! Whatever Fortune lavishly can pour , The mind annihilates , and calls for more. [Edward Young *The Sanskrit word for each of thess five things begins with w. 15 EQUITY—? The meanest man I ever saw Alius kep' inside o' the law ; And ten-times better fellers IVe knowed The blame gran'-jury's sent over the road. [James Whitcomb Riley A WHOLLY UNSCHOLASTIC OPINION Plain hoss-sense in poetry-writin' Would jest knock sentiment a-kitin'! Mostly poets is all star-gazing' And moanin*and groanin'and paraphrasin*! [James Whitcomb Riley i6 GOLDEN ROD It is the twilight of the year And through her wondrous wide abode The autumn goes , all silently , To light her lamps along the road. [Charles Hanson Towne GRACE Thou canst not move thy staff in air , Or dip thy paddle in the lake , But it carves the bow of beauty there , And the ripples in rhyme the oar for- sake. [Ralph Waldo Emerson 17 FROM THE FRENCH Says Marmontel , The secret's mine Of Racine's art-of-verse divine. To do thee justice , Marmontel , Never was secret kept so well. [William Watson TWO POETS A peacock's-tail-like splendour hath this Muse, With eyes that see not throng'd, and gor- geous hues. The swan's white grace that other wears instead , Stately with stem-like throat and flower- like head. [William Watson 18 TOMORROW 'Tis so far fetch'd, this morrow, that I fear 'Twill be both very old and very dear. Tomorrow I will live , the fool doth say , Why e'en to-day's too late, the wise lived yesterday. [Anonymous QUATRAIN Fear not the menace of the By-and-by ; To-day is ours, tomorrow Fate must give; Stretch out your hands and eat, although ye die — Better to die than never once to live. [Richard Hovey iQ ON MODERN STATESMEN Midas, they say, possessed the art of old, Of turning whatso'er he touched to gold. This modern statesmen can reverse with ease; Touch them with gold, they'll turn to what you please. [Anonymous ON FOLLY The world of fools has such a store , That he who would not see an ass Must bide at home and bolt his door , And break his looking-glass. [From the French of La Monnoye ON THE ENBANKMENT The impassive stony Sphinx kissed by the amorous moon ; The little coster-girl , a Covent Garden rose ; Three thousand years apart ! And yet alike for once in this — Tonight, each has a secret she will not disclose. [William Theodore Peters LOVE That happy minglement of Hearts , Where , changed as chemic compounds are, Each with its own Existence parts , To find a new one , happier far ! [Thomas Moore 21 LOVE A mighty Pain to Love it is , And 'tis a Pain that Pain to miss ; But of all Pains , the greatest Pain It is to Love 5 and Love in vain. [Abraham Cowley ON WOMEN AND HYMEN Whether tall men, or short men, are best, Or bold men, or modest and shy men, I can't say , but I this can protest , All the fair are in favour of Hy-men. [Anonymous PETER AND HIS WIFE After such years of dissension and strife, Some wonder that Peter should weep for his wife ; But his tears on her grave are nothing surprising , — He's laying her dust, for fear of its rising. [Thomas Hood WHICH WAY DID HE CO? (An Obituary) His earthly warfare now is o'er And closed his life sublime ; From this cold world he vanished for A brighter , warmer clime. [Frank L. Stanton 23 WAR'S GLORIOUS ART One to destroy is murder by the law, And gibbets keep the lifted hand in awe: To murder thousands takes a spacious name , War's Glorious art , and gives immortal Fame. [Edward Young ETERNITY The One remains , the many change and pass ; Heaven's light forever shines, Earth's shadows fly ; Life , like a dome of many-coloured glass, Stains the white radiance of Eternity. '[Percy Bysshe Shelly 24 395'943 m UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LIBRARY ^j