The Poetical Works of Thomas Hood (Volume 1); With Some Account of the Author (Paperback)

Book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1871. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... And spies blurr'd images obscurely drawn, Uncertain shadows in a haze of doubt; But her true grief grows shapely by degrees, A perish'd creature lying on her knees. Lxxx. And now she knows how that old Murther preys, Whose quarry on her lap lies newly slain: How he roams all abroad and grimly slays, Like a lean tiger in Love's own domain; Parting fond mates, --and oft urflowery lawns Bereaves mild mothers of their milky fawns. LXXXI. 0 too dear knowledge O pernicious earning Foul curse engraven upon beauty's page Ev'n now the sorrow of that deadly learning Ploughs up her brow, like an untimely age, And on her cheek stamps verdict of death's truth By canker blights upon the bud of youth 1 Lxxxii. For as unwholesome winds decay the leaf, So her cheeks' rose is perish'd by her sighs, And withers in the sickly breath of grief; "Whilst unacquainted rheum bedims her eyes, Tears, virgin tears, the first that ever leapt From those young lids, now plentifully wept. LXXXIII. Whence being shed, the liquid crystalline Drops straightway down, refusing to partake In gross admixture with the baser brine, But shinks and hardens into pearls opaque, Hereafter to be worn on arms and ears; So one maid's trophy is another's tears Lxxxiv. "O foul Arch-Shadow, thou old cloud of Night, (Thus in her frenzy she began to wail, ) Thou blank oblivion--blotter out of light, Life's ruthless murderer, and dear love's bale Why hast thou left thy havoc incomplete, Leaving me here, and slaying the more sweet? LXXXV. "Lo what a lovely ruin thou hast made Alas alas thou hast no eyes to see, And blindly slew'st him in misguided shade. Would I had lent my doting sense to thee But now I turn to thee, a willing mark, Thine arrows miss me in the aimless dark Lxxxvi. "O doubly cruel --twice misdoing...