Hesperides, or, The works both humane & divine of Robert Herrick, Esq.

About this Item

Title
Hesperides, or, The works both humane & divine of Robert Herrick, Esq.
Author
Herrick, Robert, 1591-1674.
Publication
London :: Printed for John Williams and Francis Eglesfield ...,
1648.
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Link to this Item
http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A43441.0001.001
Cite this Item
"Hesperides, or, The works both humane & divine of Robert Herrick, Esq." In the digital collection Early English Books Online. https://name.umdl.umich.edu/A43441.0001.001. University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed June 15, 2024.

Pages

To live merrily, and to trust to Good Verses.

NOw is the time for mirth, Nor cheek, or tongue be dumbe: For with flowrie earth, The golden pomp is come.

Page 89

The golden Pomp is come; For now each tree do's weare (Made of her Pap and Gum) Rich beads of Amber here.
Now raignes the Rose, and now Th' Arabian Dew besmears My uncontrolled brow, And my retorted haires.
Homer, this Health to thee, In Sack of such a kind, That it wo'd make thee see, Though thou wert ne'r so blind.
Next, Virgil, Ile call forth, To pledge this second Health In Wine, whose each cup's worth An Indian Common-wealth.
A Goblet next Ile drink To Ovid; and suppose, Made he the pledge, he'd think The world had all one Nose.
Then this immensive cup Of Aromatike wine, Catullus, I quaffe up To that Terce Muse of thine.
Wild I am now with heat; O Bacchus! coole thy Raies! Or frantick I shall eate Thy Thyrse, and bite the Bayes.

Page 90

Round, round, the roof do's run; And being ravisht thus, Come, I will drink a Tun To my Propertius.
Now, to Tibullus, next, This flood I drink to thee: But stay; I see a Text, That this presents to me.
Behold, Tibullus lies Here burnt, whose smál return Of ashes, scarce suffice To fill a little Urne.
Trust to good Verses then; They onely will aspire, When Pyramids, as men, Are lost, i'th'funerall fire.
And when all Bodies meet In Lethe to be drown'd; Then onely Numbers sweet, With endless life are crown'd.
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