| Hunt and Lee, comps. The Book of the Sonnet. 1867. | | | | I. Ad Poetas | | By Hugh Peters (1807–1831) |
| | | | Quod si me lyricis vatibus inseres, |
| Sublimi feriam sidera vertice. |
YE 1 are a wise and goodly company; | |
| A very worthy noble brotherhood; | |
| Nectar your drink, ambrosia your food; | |
| Ye cannot fail of immortality! | |
| When ye would sleep, sweet will your slumbering be; | 5 |
| For Musa ’neath you spreads a couch of down, | |
| Or airy gossamer with rose-leaves strewn, | |
| Fit hovering place for dreams of phantasy; | |
| And when ye wake, if ye would music have, | |
| For you Apollo wakes his echoing strings; | 10 |
| Or would ye ride, Pegasus spreads his wings, | |
| And off ye fly through air, o’er earth and wave! | |
| O happy band! I ’ll “give you honor due,” | |
| If ye will deign admit me of your crew! | |
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