| |
| WHOSO walks in solitude | |
| And inhabiteth the wood, | |
| Choosing light, wave, rock and bird | |
| Before the money-loving herd, | |
| Into that forester shall pass, | 5 |
| From these companions, power and grace. | |
| Clean shall he be, without, within, | |
| From the old adhering sin; | |
| All ill dissolving in the light | |
| Of his triumphant piercing sight: | 10 |
| Not vain, sour, nor frivolous; | |
| Nor mad, athirst, nor garrulous; | |
| Grave chaste, contented tho’ retired, | |
| And of all other men desired, | |
| On him the light of star and moon | 15 |
| Shall fall with pure radiance down; | |
| All constellations of the sky | |
| Shall shed their virtue thro’ his eye. | |
| Him Nature giveth for defence | |
| His formidable innocence; | 20 |
| The mountain sap, the shells, the sea, | |
| All spheres, all stones, his helpers be; | |
| He shall meet the speeding year | |
| Without wailing, without fear; | |
| He shall be happy in his love, | 25 |
| Like to like shall joyful prove; | |
| He shall be happy while he woos, | |
| Muse-born, a daughter of the Muse. | |
| But if with gold she bind her hair, | |
| And deck her breast with diamond, | 30 |
| Take off thine eyes, thy heart forbear, | |
| Tho’ thou lie alone on the ground! | |
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