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From “The Faërie Queene,” Book II. Canto XII.
THERE the most daintie paradise on ground | |
| Itselfe doth offer to his sober eye, | |
| In which all pleasures plenteously abownd, | |
| And none does others happinesse envye; | |
| The painted flowres; the trees upshooting hye; | 5 |
| The dales for shade; the hilles for breathing space; | |
| The trembling groves; the christall running by; | |
| And, that which all faire workes doth most aggrace, | |
| The art, which all that wrought, appearèd in no place. | |
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| One would have thought (so cunningly the rude | 10 |
| And scornèd partes were mingled with the fine) | |
| That Nature had for wantonesse ensude 1 | |
| Art, and that Art at Nature did repine; | |
| So striving each th’ other to undermine, | |
| Each did the others worke more beautify; | 15 |
| So diff’ring both in willes agreed in fine: | |
| So all agreed, through sweete diversity, | |
| This gardin to adorne with all variety. | |
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| And in the midst of all a fountaine stood, | |
| Of richest substance that on earth might bee, | 20 |
| So pure and shiny that the silver flood | |
| Through every channell running one might see; | |
| Most goodly it with curious ymageree | |
| Was over wrought, and shapes of naked boyes, | |
| Of which some seemed with lively iollitee | 25 |
| To fly about, playing their wanton toyes, | |
| Whylest others did themselves embay in liquid ioyes. | |
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| And over all, of purest gold, was spred | |
| A trayle of yvie in his native hew; | |
| For the rich metall was so colourèd, | 30 |
| That wight, who did not well avised 2 it vew, | |
| Would surely deeme it to bee yvie trew: | |
| Low his lascivious armes adown did creepe, | |
| That, themselves dipping in the silver dew, | |
| Their fleecy flowres they fearefully did steepe, | 35 |
| Which drops of christall seemed for wantones to weep. | |
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| Infinit streames continually did well | |
| Out of this fountaine, sweet and faire to see, | |
| The which into an ample laver fell, | |
| And shortly grew to so great quantitie, | 40 |
| That like a little lake it seemed to bee; | |
| Whose depth exceeded not three cubits hight, | |
| That through the waves one might the bottom see, | |
| All paved beneath with iaspar shining bright, | |
| That seemd the fountaine in that sea did sayle upright. * * * * * | 45 |
| Eftsoons they heard a most melodious sound, | |
| Of all that mote delight a daintie eare, | |
| Such as attonce might not on living ground, | |
| Save in this paradise, be heard elsewhere. | |
| Right hard it was for wight which did it heare, | 50 |
| To read what manner musicke that mote bee; | |
| For all that pleasing is to living eare | |
| Was there consorted in one harmonee; | |
| Birdes, voices, instruments, windes, waters, all agree: | |
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| The ioyous birdes, shrouded in cheerfull shade, | 55 |
| Their notes unto the voice attempred sweet; | |
| Th’ angelicall soft trembling voyces made | |
| To th’ instruments divine respondence meet; | |
| The silver-sounding instruments did meet | |
| With the base murmure of the waters fall; | 60 |
| The waters fall, with difference discreet, | |
| Now soft, now loud, unto the wind did call; | |
| The gentle warbling wind low answerèd to all. | |
