L'Allegro

 HENCE loathèd Melancholy¹

    Of Cerberus and #CCCCFFest Midnight born

    In Stygian cave forlorn

    'Mongst horrid² shapes and shrieks³ and sights unholy！

    Find out some uncouth⁴ cell

    Where brooding Darkness spreads his jealous wings

    And the night-raven sings；

    There under ebon shades and low-brow'd rocks

    As ragged⁶ as thy locks

    In dark Cimmerian desert ever dwell！

    But come thou Goddess fair and free

    In heaven yclept Euphrosyne

    And by men heart-easing Mirth

    Whom lovely Venus at a birth

    With two sister Graces more

    To ivy-crownèd Bacchus bore；

    Or whether （as some sager⁷ sing）

    The frolic wind that breathes the spring

    Zephyr⁸ with Aurora⁹ playing

    As he met her once a-Maying—

    There on beds of violets blue

    And fresh-blown roses wash'd in dew

    Fill'd her with thee a daughter fair

    So buxom¹⁰ blithe¹¹ and debonair¹².

    Haste thee Nymph and bring with thee

    Jest and youthful jollity

    Quips and cranks and wanton wiles¹³

    Nods and becks and wreathèd smiles

    Such as hang on Hebe's cheek

    And love to live in dimple sleek¹⁴；

    Sport that wrinkled Care derides¹⁵

    And Laughter holding both his sides：—

    Come and trip it as you go

    On the light fantastic toe；

    And in thy right hand lead with thee

    The mountain-nymph sweet Liberty；

    And if I give thee honour due

    Mirth admit me of thy crew

    To live with her and live with thee

    In unreprovèd pleasures free；

    To hear the lark¹⁶ begin his flight

    And singing startle the dull night

    From his watch-tower in the skies

    Till the dappled dawn doth rise；

    Then to come in spite of sorrow

    And at my window bid good-morrow

    Through the sweet-brier or the vine

    Or the twisted eglantine：

    While the cock with lively din⁵

    Scatters¹⁷ the rear of darkness thin

    And to the stack or the barn-door

    Stoutly¹⁸ struts¹⁹ his dames²⁰ before：

    Oft listening how the hounds and horn

    Cheerly rouse the slumbering²² morn

    From the side of some hoar hill

    Through the high wood echoing shrill²³：

    Sometime walking not unseen

    By hedgerow elms on hillocks green

    Right against the eastern gate

    Where the great Sun begins his state

    Robed in flames and amber²⁴ light

    The clouds in thousand liveries dight；

    While the ploughman near at hand

    Whistles o'er the furrow'd land

    And the milkmaid singeth blithe

    And the mower²⁵ whets²⁶ his scythe²⁷

    And every shepherd tells his tale

    Under the hawthorn²⁸ in the dale.

    Straight mine eye hath caught new pleasures

    Whilst the landscape round it measures；

    Russet lawns and fallows gray

    Where the nibbling²⁹ flocks do stray；

    Mountains on whose barren breast

    The labouring clouds do often rest；

    Meadows trim with daisies pied

    Shallow brooks³¹ and rivers wide；

    Towers and battlements it sees

    Bosom'd high in tufted trees

    Where perhaps some Beauty lies

    The Cynosure³² of neighbouring eyes.

    Hard by a cottage chimney smokes

    From betwixt two aged³³ oaks

    Where Corydon and Thyrsis met

    Are at their savoury dinner set

    Of herbs and other country messes

    Which the neat-handed Phillis dresses；

    And then in haste her bower³⁴ she leaves

    With Thestylis to bind³⁵ the sheaves；

    Or if the earlier season lead

    To the tann'd haycock in the mead³⁰.

    Sometimes with secure delight

    The upland hamlets will invite

    When the merry bells ring round

    And the jocund³⁶ rebecks sound

    To many a youth and many a maid

    Dancing in the chequer'd shade；

    And young and old come forth³⁷ to play

    On a sunshine holy-day

    Till the livelong daylight fail.

    Then to the spicy³⁸ nut-brown ale

    With stories told of many a feat³⁹

    How Faery Mab the junkets eat：—

    She was pinch'd and pull'd she said；

    And he by Friar's lantern led；

    Tells how the drudging Goblin sweat

    To earn his cream-bowl duly set

    When in one night ere glimpse of morn

    His shadowy flail⁴⁰ hath thresh'd the corn

    That ten day-labourers could not end；

    Then lies him down the lubber fiend

    And stretch'd out all the chimney's length

    Basks⁴¹ at the fire his hairy strength；

    And crop-full out of doors he flings

    Ere the first cock his matin rings.

    Thus done the tales to bed they creep

    By whispering winds soon lull'd asleep.

    Tower'd cities please us then

    And the busy hum of men

    Where throngs⁴² of knights⁴³ and barons⁴⁴ bold

    In weeds of peace high triumphs hold

    With store of ladies whose bright eyes

    Rain influence and judge the prize

    Of wit or arms while both contend

    To win her grace whom all commend.

    There let Hymen oft appear

    In saffron robe with taper⁴⁵ clear

    And pomp and feast and revelry

    With mask and antique pageantry；

    Such sights as youthful poets dream

    On summer eves by haunted stream.

    Then to the well-trod stage anon

    If Jonson's learned sock be on

    Or sweetest Shakespeare Fancy's child

    Warble his native wood-notes wild.

    And ever against eating cares

    Lap me in soft Lydian airs

    Married to immortal⁴⁶ verse

    Such as the meeting soul may pierce

    In notes with many a winding⁴⁷ bout⁴⁸

    Of linkèd sweetness long drawn⁴⁹ out

    With wanton heed⁵⁰ and giddy cunning

    The melting voice through mazes⁵¹ running

    Untwisting all the chains that tie

    The hidden soul of harmony；

    That Orpheus' self may heave his head

    From golden slumber²¹ on a bed

    Of heap'd Elysian flowers and hear

    Such strains as would have won the ear

    Of Pluto⁵² to have quite set free

    His half-regain'd Eurydice.

    These delights if thou canst give

    Mirth with thee I mean to live.