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<div style="background:#fff;border:#bbb dashed 1px;padding:5px"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=457122" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none"><div style="margin:10px 0"><strong>Colin's Mistakes. Written In Imitation Of Spenser's Style</strong></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=457122" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">Fast by the banks of Cam was Colin bred,<br>(Ye Nymphs, for every guard that sacred stream)<br>To Wimple's woody shade his way he sped,<br>(Flourish those woods, the Muses' endless theme.)<br>As whilom Colin ancient books had read,<br>Lays Greek and Roman would he oft rehearse,<br>And much he loved, and much by heart he said,<br>What Father Spenser sung in British verse.<br>Who reads that bard desire like him to write,<br>Still fearful of success, still tempted by delight.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=457122" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">Soon as Aurora had unbarr'd the morn,<br>And light discover'd Nature's cheerful face,<br>The sounding clarion and the sprightly horn<br>Call'd the blithe huntsman to the distance chase.<br>Eftsoons they issue forth, a goodly band;<br>The deep mouth'd bounds with thunder rend the air,<br>The fiery coursers strike the rising sand,<br>Far through the thicket flies the frighted deer;<br>Harley the honour of the day supports,<br>His presence glads the woods, his orders guide the sports.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=457122" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">On a fair palfrey, well equipp'd, did sit<br>An Amazonian dame; a scarlet vest,<br>For active horsemanship adaptly fit,<br>Enclosed her dainty limbs; a plumed crest<br>Waved o'er her head; obedient by her side<br>Her friends and servants rode; with artful hand<br>Full well knew she the steed to turn and guide:<br>The willing steed received her soft command.<br>Courage and sweetness on her face was seated:<br>On her all eyes were bent, and all good wishes waited.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=457122" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">This seeing, Colin thus his Muse bespake,<br>For alltydes was the Muse to Colin nigh,<br>Ah me, too nigh! or, Clio, I mistake,<br>Or that bright form that pleaseth so mine eye,<br>Is Jove's fair daughter Pallas, gracious queen<br>Of liberal arts; with wonder and delight<br>In Homer's verse we read her; well I ween<br>That emulous of his Grecian master's flight,<br>Dan Spenser makes the favourite goddess known,<br>When in her graceful look fair Britomart is shown.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=457122" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">At noon as Colin to the castle came,<br>Oped were the gates, and right prepared the feast;<br>Appears at table richly clad a dame,<br>The lord's delight, the wonder of the guest;<br>With pearl and jewels was she sumptuous deck'd,<br>As well became her dignity and place,<br>But the beholders mought her gems neglect,<br>To fix their eyes on her more lovely face,<br>Serene with glory, and with softness bright:<br>O beauty sent from heaven to cheer the mortal sight!</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=457122" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">Liberal Munificence behind her stood,<br>And decent State obey'd her high command,<br>And Charity, diffuse of native good,<br>At once portrays her mind and guides her hand.<br>As to each guest some fruits she deign'd to lift,<br>And silence with obliging parley broke,<br>How gracious seem'd to each th' imparted gift!<br>But how more gracious what the giver spoke!<br>Such ease, such freedom, did her deed attend,<br>That every guest rejoiced exalted to a friend.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=457122" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">Quoth Colin, Clio, if my feeble sense<br>Can well distinguish yon illustrious dame,<br>Who nobly doth such gentle gifts dispense<br>In Latian numbers, Juno is her name;<br>Great goddess who, with peace and plenty crown'd,<br>To all that under sky breathe vital air,<br>Diffuseth bliss, and through the world around<br>Pours wealthy ease, and scatters joyous cheer;<br>Certes of her in semblant guise I read,<br>Where Spenser decks his lays with Gloriana's deed.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=457122" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">As Colin mused at evening near the wood,<br>A nymph undress'd, beseemeth, by him pass'd,<br>Down to her feet her silken garment flow'd,<br>A riband bound and shaped her slender waist;<br>A veil dependent from her comely head,<br>And beauteous plenty of Ambrosial hair,<br>O'er her fair breast and lovely shoulders spread,<br>Behind fell loose, and wanton'd with the air:<br>The smiling Zephyrs call'd their amorous brothers,<br>They kiss'd the waving lawn, and wafted it to others.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=457122" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">Daisies and violets rose where'er she trod,<br>As Flora, kind, her roots and buds had sorted<br>And, led by Hymen, wedlock's mystic god,<br>Ten thousand Loves around the nymph disported.<br>Quoth Colin, Now I ken the goddess bright<br>Whom poets sing: all human hearts enthrall'd<br>Obey her power; her kindness the delight<br>Of gods and men; great Venus is she call'd,<br>When Mantuan Virgil doth her charms rehearse;<br>Belphebe is her name in gentle Edmund's verse.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=457122" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">Heard this the Muse, and with a smile replied,<br>Which show'd soft anger mix'd with friendly love;<br>Twin sisters still were Ignorance and Pride:<br>Can we know right till error we remove?<br>But Colin, well I wist will never learn;<br>Who slights his guide shall deviate from his way:<br>Me to have ask'd what thou couldst not discern<br>To thee pertain'd; to me the thing to say.<br>What heavenly will from human eye conceals,<br>How can the bard aread unless the Muse reveals?</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><a href="http://www.citatepedia.com/comments.php?id=457122" style="color:#000;text-decoration:none">Nor Pallas thou nor Britomart hast seen,<br>When soon at morn the flying deer was chased;<br>Nor Jove's great wife, nor Spenser's fairy Queen,<br>At noontide dealt the honours of the feast:<br>Nor Venus nor Belphebe didst thou spy,<br>The evening's glory and the groves delight;<br>Henceforth, if ask'd, instructed right, reply,<br>That all the day to knowing mortals' sight<br>Bright Ca'ndish-Holles Harley stood confess'd,<br>As various hour advised in various habit dress'd.</a></div><div style="margin:10px 0"><br /></a><a href="http://poems.citatepedia.com/">poem</a> by <strong><a rel="author" href="http://authors.citatepedia.com/by.php?a=Matthew+Prior">Matthew Prior</a></strong></div>