ON THE DEATH OF RICHARD DOYLE.

A light of blameless laughter, fancy-bred,

Soft-souled and glad and kind as love or sleep,

Fades, and sweet mirth's own eyes are fain to weep

Because her blithe and gentlest bird is dead.

Weep, elves and fairies all, that never shed

Tear yet for mortal mourning: you that keep

The doors of dreams whence nought of ill may creep,

Mourn once for one whose lips your honey fed.

Let waters of the Golden River steep

The rose-roots whence his grave blooms rosy-red

And murmuring of Hyblæan hives be deep

About the summer silence of its bed,

And nought less gracious than a violet peep

Between the grass grown greener round his head.