Of fountains spouted up and showering down There stood a bust of Pallas for a sign, By two sphere lamps blazon'd like Heaven and Earth With constellation and with continent, Above an entry. Riding in, we call'd; A plump-arm'd ostleress and a stable wench In laurel. Her we ask'd of that and this, Lady Blanche,' she said, 'And Lady Psyche.' Which was prettiest, Best natured?' Lady Psyche.' 'Hers are we,' One voice, we cried; and I sat down and wrote In such a hand as when a field of corn Bows all its ears before the roaring East : Three ladies of the Northern empire pray Your Highness would enroll them with your own, As Lady Psyche's pupils.' The seal was Cupid bent above a scroll, And raised the blinding bandage from his eyes. And then to bed, where half in doze I seem'd As thro' the land at eve we went, We fell out, my wife and I, O, we fell out, I know not why, And kiss'd again with tears. That all the more endears, When we fall out with those we love For when we came where lies the child We lost in other years, There above the little grave, O, there above the little grave, We kiss'd again with tears. II At break of day the College Portress came; She brought us academic silks, in hue The lilac, with a silken hood to each, And zoned with gold; and now when these were on, I first, and following thro' the porch that sang And up a flight of stairs into the hall. There at a board by tome and paper sat, With two tame leopards couch'd beside her throne, All beauty compass'd in a female form, The Princess; liker to the inhabitant Of some clear planet close upon the sun, Than our man's earth; such eyes were in her head, 'We give you welcome; not without redound Of use and glory to yourselves ye come, The first-fruits of the stranger; aftertime, And that full voice which circles round the Will rank you nobly, mingled up with me. What are the ladies of your land so tall?' We of the court,' said Cyril. grave, From the court,' She answer'd,' then ye know the Prince?' and he: 'We scarcely thought in our own hall to hear seem As arguing love of knowledge and of power; Ladies, in entering here, to cast and fling The tricks which make us toys of men, Some future time, if so indeed you will, that SO You may with those self-styled our lords ally Your fortunes, justlier balanced, scale with scale.' At those high words, we, conscious of ourselves, Perused the matting; then an officer Rose up, and read the statutes, such as these: Not for three years to correspond with home; Not for three years to cross the liberties; Not for three years to speak with any men; And many more, which hastily subscribed, We enter'd on the boards. And Now,' she cried, 'Ye are green wood, see ye warp not. Look, our hall! Our statues ! not of those that men desire, Nor stunted squaws of West or East; but she Leave us; you may go. She spoke, and bowing waved Dismissal; back again we crost the court To Lady Psyche's. As we enter'd in, There sat along the forms, like morning doves That sun their milky bosoms on the thatch, A patient range of pupils; she herself |