and the third, by Mrs. Lowell, I quote for its sincerity of tone, its womanly insight, and polished rhythmical

ease.

"These rugged wintry days I scarce could bear, a
Did I not know that in the early spring,

a

When wild March winds upon their errands sing,
Thou wouldst return, bursting on this still air,
Like those same winds, when, startled from their lair,
They hunt up violets, and free swift brooks
From icy caves, even as thy sweet looks

Bid my heart bloom, and sing, and break all care :
When drops with welcome rain the April day,
My flowers shall find their April in thine eyes,
Save there the rain in dreamy clouds doth stay,
As loath to fall out of those happy skies;
Yet sure, my love, thou art most like to May,
That comes with steady sun when April dies!"

d

..

d

a

I must here bring this essay to a close. It is necessarily imperfect. The difficulty of obtaining material, and the still greater difficulty of properly digesting and arranging it, have caused me much care and trouble. Then, the general character of the sonnets themselves, so few of which possess the vigor and originality which offer salient points for criticism, has embarrassed me through

out.

I trust, therefore, that my readers will make the due allowances. Had I exercised a severe critical judgment, the American portion of the volume would have been greatly reduced; but in that case, many hundred lines of really respectable verse would have been excluded, leaving hardly a sufficient number of sonnets to justify their publication in connection with a work like that by Mr. Hunt.

S. A. L.

ENGLISH SONNETS.

BRUNET AND PHYLLIS.

F waker care, if sudden pale color,

If many sighs with little speech to plain, —
Now joy, now woe, if they my cheer distain, —

For hope of small, if much to fear therefore, -
To haste or slack my pace to less or more, -
Be sign of love, then do I love again.

If thou ask whom, sure, since I did refrain
Brunet, that set my wealth in such a roar,
The unfeigned cheer of Phyllis hath the place
That Brunet had ;- she hath, and ever shall.
She from myself now hath me in her grace;
She hath in hand my wit, my will, and all.

My heart alone well worthy she doth stay,
Without whose help scant do I live a day.

See Essay, p. 67. The first part of this sonnet is supposed to have been suggested to Wyatt by the sonnet of Petrarca beginning, "S' una fede amorosa, un cor non finto,".