Select Minor Poems of John Milton Author:John Milton Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: L'ALLEGRO. Hence, loathed Melancholy, Of Cerberus and blackest Midnight born In Stygian cave forlo'rri,' 'Mongst horrid shapes and shrieks and sights un... more »holy ! Find out some( uncouth cell, 5 Where brooding Darkness spreads his jealous wings And the night-raven sings; ',", w There under ebon shades and low-brow'd rocks, As ragged as thy locks, In dark Cimmerian desert ever dwell. 10 lint come, thou goddess fair and free, In heaven yclept Euphrosyney And by men heart-easing Mirth, "Whom lovely Venus, at a birth, With two sister Graces more is To ivy-crowned Bacchus bore; Or whether — as some sager sing — The frolic wind that breathes the spring, Zephyr, with Aurora playing, As he met her once a-Maying, 20 There, on beds of violets blue, - And fresh-blown roses wash'd in dew, Fill'd her with thee, a daughter fair, So buxom, blithe, and debonair. Haste thee, nymph, and bring with thee w Jest and youthful Jollity, -' c Quips and cranks and wanton wiles, Nods and becks and wreathed smiles, 1 V / vpl Such jas hang on Hebe's cheek, And Jove to live in dimple sleek; 30 Sport that wrinkled Care derides, And Laughter holding both his sides. Come, and trip it as you go, On the fight fantastic toe j And in thy right hand lead with thee 35 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 unreproved pleasures freeHi - ' 40 To hear the lark 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, 45 And at my window bid good-morrow, Through the sweet-briar or the vine, Or the twisted eglantine : While t...« less