The Poetical Works of Edmund Spenser, Volume 3

Front Cover
Little, Brown,, 1855 - 406 pages

From inside the book

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Popular passages

Page 197 - As if some blame of evill she did feare, That in her cheekes made roses oft appeare : And her against sweet Cherefulnesse was placed, Whose eyes, like twinkling stars in evening cleare, Were deckt with smyles that all sad humors chaced, And darted forth delights the which her goodly graced.
Page 13 - And all within, the riven walls were hung With ragged monuments of times forepast, All which the sad effects of discord sung...
Page 210 - Then was there heard a most celestiall sound Of dainty musicke, which did next ensew Before the spouse : that was Arion crownd ; Who, playing on his harpe, unto him drew The eares and hearts of all that goodly crew, That even yet the Dolphin, which him bore Through the Agsan seas from Pirates vew, Stood still by him astonisht at his lore, And all the raging seas for joy forgot to rore.
Page 399 - Clarkes doe doubt in their devicefull art Whether this heavenly thing whereof I treat, To weeten Mercie, be of Justice part, Or drawne forth from her by divine extreate : This well I wote, that sure she is as great, And meriteth to have as high a place, Sith in th...
Page 86 - For either doth on other much relie : For he me seemes most fit the faire to serve, That can her best defend from yillenie ; And she most fit his service doth deserve, That fairest is, and from her faith will never swerve.
Page 163 - When all three kinds of love together meet And doe dispart the hart with powre extreme, Whether shall weigh the balance downe...
Page 222 - And also those which wonne in th' azure sky ! For much more eath to tell the starres on hy, Albe they endlesse seeme in estimation, Then to recount the seas posterity: So fertile be the flouds in generation, So huge their numbers, and so numberlesse their nation. Therefore the antique wisards well invented That Venus of the fomy sea was bred ; For that the seas by her are most augmented. Witnesse th' exceeding fry which there are fed, And wondrous sholes which may of none be red.
Page 235 - So oft as I with state of present time The image of the antique world compare, When as mans age was in his freshest prime, And the first blossome of faire vertue bare; Such oddes I finde twixt those, and these which are, As that, through long continuance of his course, Me seemes the world is runne quite out of square From the first point of his appointed sourse; And being once amisse growes daily wourse and wourse: II.
Page 440 - Nor lawes of men, that common- weales containe, Nor bands of nature, that wilde beastes restraine, Can keepe from outrage and from doing wrong, Where they may hope a kingdome to obtaine : No faith so firme, no trust can be so strong, No love so lasting then, that may enduren long.
Page 268 - And weigh the wind that under heaven doth blow ; Or weigh the light that in the east doth rise ; Or weigh the thought that from man's mind doth flow : But, if the weight of these thou canst not show, Weigh but one word which from thy lips doth fall : For how canst thou those greater secrets know, That dost not know the least thing of them all ? Ill can he rule the great that cannot reach the small.

Bibliographic information