THE KOH-I-NOOR.

‘ Be man's hard virtues highly wrought,

But let my gentle Mistress be,

In every look, word, deed, and thought,

Nothing but sweet and womanly!

Her virtues please my virtuous mood,

But what at all times I admire

Is, not that she is wise or good,

But just the thing which I desire.

With versatility to sing

The theme of love to any strain,

If oft'nest she is anything,

Be it careless, talkative, and vain.

That seems in her supremest grace

Which, virtue or not, apprises me

That my familiar thoughts embrace

Unfathomable mystery.’

I answer'd thus; for she desired

To know what mind I most approved;

Partly to learn what she inquired,

Partly to get the praise she loved.

I praised her, but no praise could fill

The depths of her desire to please,

Though dull to others as a Will

To them that have no legacies.

The more I praised the more she shone,

Her eyes incredulously bright,

And all her happy beauty blown

Beneath the beams of my delight.

Sweet rivalry was thus begot;

By turns, my speech, in passion's style,

With flatteries the truth o'ershot,

And she surpass'd them with her smile.

‘ You have my heart so sweetly seiz'd,

And I confess, nay,‘ tis my pride

That I'm with you so solely pleased,

That, if I'm pleased with aught beside,

As music, or the month of June,

My friend's devotion, or his wit,

A rose, a rainbow, or the moon,

It is that you illustrate it.

All these are parts, you are the whole;

You fit the taste for Paradise,

To which your charms draw up the soul

As turning spirals draw the eyes.

Nature to you was more than kind;

‘ Twas fond perversity to dress

So much simplicity of mind

In such a pomp of loveliness!

But, praising you, the fancy deft

Flies wide, and lets the quarry stray,

And, when all's said, there's something left,

And that's the thing I meant to say.’

‘ Dear Felix!’‘ Sweet, my Love!’ But there

Was Aunt Maude's noisy ring and knock!

‘ Stay, Felix; you have caught my hair.

Stoop! Thank you!’‘ May I have that lock?’

‘ Not now. Good morning, Aunt!’‘ Why, Puss,

You look magnificent to-day.’

‘ Here's Felix, Aunt.’‘ Fox and green goose!

Who handsome gets should handsome pay!

Aunt, you are friends!’‘ Ah, to be sure!

Good morning! Go on flattering, sir;

A woman, like the Koh-i-noor,

Mounts to the price that's put on her.’