Or be my guide, and I shall be

Led by some light that flows from thee.
Thus held or led by thee, I shall
In ways confus'd nor slip or fall.

50

THE HOUR-GLASS

THAT hour-glass which there you see
With water fill'd, sirs, credit me,

The humor was, as I have read,
But lovers' tears incrystaled.
Which, as they drop by drop do pass
From th' upper to the under glass,
Do in a trickling manner tell,
By many a watery syllable,

That lovers' tears in lifetime shed
Do restless run when they are dead.

51

A COUNTRY LIFE: TO HIS BROTHER,
MR. THOMAS HERRICK

THRICE, and above, blest, my soul's half, art thou

In thy both last and better vow:

Couldst leave the city, for exchange, to see The country's sweet simplicity;

And it to know and practise, with intent
To grow the sooner innocent

By studying to know virtue, and to aim
More at her nature than her name.
The last is but the least: the first doth tell
Ways less to live than to live well;
And both are known to thee, who now
canst live

Led by the conscience; to give

Justice to soon-pleased nature, and to show Wisdom and she together go

And keep one center: this with that conspires

To teach man to confine desires

And know that riches have their proper stint

In the contented mind, not mint; And canst instruct that those who have the itch

Of craving more are never rich.

These things thou know'st to th' height, and dost prevent

That plague; because thou art content With that Heaven gave thee with a wary hand,

More blessed in thy brass than land,
To keep cheap nature even and upright;
To cool, not cocker appetite.

Thus thou canst tearcely live to satisfy
The belly chiefly, not the eye;

Keeping the barking stomach wisely quiet,
Less with a neat than needful diet.
But that which most makes sweet thy
country life

Is the fruition of a wife,

Whom, stars consenting with thy fate, thou hast

Got not so beautiful as chaste;

By whose warm side thou dost securely sleep,

While love the sentinel doth keep,

With those deeds done by day, which ne'er affright

Thy silken slumbers in the night.

Nor has the darkness power to usher in Fear to those sheets that know no sin. The damask'd meadows and the pebbly streams

Sweeten and make soft your dreams; The purling springs, groves, birds, and well-weav'd bowers,

With fields enameled with flowers, Present their shapes; while fantasy discloses

Millions of lilies mix'd with roses. Then dream ye hear the lamb by many a bleat

Woo'd to come suck the milky teat; While Faunus in the vision comes to keep From ravening wolves the fleecy sheep;

id such enchanting dreams,

t

eep not so sound as sweet.
e figures so thy rest endear
ise when Chanticleer

st watch; but with the dawn

ut first to sacrifice;

Deace with Heaven, for some

t,

Win oy meal and spurting salt. Which done, thy painful thumb this sentence tells us

Jove for our labor all things sells us. Nor are thy daily and devout affairs Attended with those desperate cares Th' industrious merchant has; who, for to find

Gold, runneth to the Western Inde, And back again, tortured with fears, doth fly,

Untaught to suffer poverty.

But thou at home, blest with securest

ease,

Sitt'st, and believ'st that there be seas And watery dangers; while thy whiter hap But sees these things within thy map. And viewing them with a more safe sur

vey

Mak'st easy fear unto thee say—

66

"A heart thrice wall'd with oak and brass

that man

Had, first durst plow the ocean."

But thou at home, without or tide or gale, Canst in thy map securely sail,

Seeing those painted countries, and so guess By those fine shades their substances; And, from thy compass taking small advice, Buy'st travel at the lowest price.

Nor are thine ears so deaf but thou canst hear,

Far more with wonder than with fear, Fame tell of states, of countries, courts, and kings,

And believe there be such things;

When of these truths thy happier knowledge lies

More in thine ears than in thine eyes. And when thou hear'st by that too true report

Vice rules the most or all at court, Thy pious wishes are, though thou not there,

Virtue had, and mov'd her sphere.

But thou liv'st fearless, and thy face ne'er shows

Fortune when she comes or goes,

But with thy equal thoughts prepared dost stand,

To take her by the either hand;