Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
George Herbert. 15931632281. Virtue
SWEET day, so cool, so calm, so bright! | |
The bridal of the earth and sky— | |
The dew shall weep thy fall to-night; | |
For thou must die. | |
Sweet rose, whose hue angry and brave | 5 |
Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye, | |
Thy root is ever in its grave, | |
And thou must die. | |
Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses, | |
A box where sweets compacted lie, | 10 |
My music shows ye have your closes, | |
And all must die. | |
Only a sweet and virtuous soul, | |
Like season’d timber, never gives; | |
But though the whole world turn to coal, | 15 |
Then chiefly lives. |