CANTO V. 1. WHEN amatory poets sing their loves And pair their rhymes as Venus yokes her doves, II. I therefore do denounce all amorous writing, Form'd rather for instructing than delighting," III. The European with the Asian shore Sprinkled with palaces; the ocean stream1 Here and there studded with a seventy-four; Sophia's cupola with golden gleam; The cypress groves; Olympus high and hoar; The twelve isles, and the more than I could dream, Far less describe, present the very view Which charm'd the charming Mary Montagu. IV. I have a passion for the name of "Mary," All feelings changed, but this was last to vary, V. The wind swept down the Euxine, and the wave VI. 'T was a raw day of Autumn's bleak beginning, When nights are equal, but not so the days; The Parcæ then cut short the further spinning Of seamen's fates, and the loud tempests raise The waters, and repentance for past sinning In all who o'er the great deep take their ways: They vow to amend their lives, and yet they don't; Because if drown'd, they can't-if spared, they won't. VII. A crowd of shivering slaves of every nation, And age, and sex, were in the market ranged; Each bevy with the merchant in his station : Poor creatures! their good looks were sadly changed. All save the blacks seem'd jaded with vexation, From friends, and home, and freedom far estranged; The negroes more philosophy display'd,— VIII. Juan was juvenile, and thus was full, As most at his age are, of hope and health; Yet, I must own, he look'd a little dull, And now and then a tear stole down by stealth: His spirits down; and then the loss of wealth, IX. Were things to shake a stoic; ne'ertheless, X. Like a backgammon-board the place was dotted Some bought the jet, while others chose the pale. XI. He had an English look; that is, was square In make, of a complexion white and ruddy, Good teeth, with curling rather dark brown hair, And, it might be from thought, or toil, or study, An open brow a little mark'd with care : One arm had on a bandage rather bloody; And there he stood with such sang-froid, that greater XII. But seeing at his elbow a mere lad, Of a high spirit evidently, though At present weigh'd down by a doom which had Lot of so young a partner in the woe, Which for himself he seem'd to deem no worse 66 XIII. My boy!" said he, "amidst this motley crew All ragamuffins differing but in hue, With whom it is our luck to cast our lot,. The only gentlemen seem I and you; So let us be acquainted, as we ought: If I could yield you any consolation, 'T would give me pleasure :-Pray, what is your nation ?" XIV. When Juan answer'd "Spanish!" he replied, "I thought, in fact, you could not be a Greek; XV. Pray, sir," said Juan, "if I may presume, What brought you here?"-" Oh! nothing very rareSix Tartars and a drag-chain- "-" To this doom But what conducted, if the question 's fair, Is that which I would learn."-"I served for some A town, was ta'en myself instead of Widin." XVI. "Have you no friends?"- -“I had—but, by God's blessing,` Have not been troubled with them lately. Now I have answer'd all your questions without pressing, XVII. "But droop not: Fortune at your time of life, As if the corn-sheaf should oppose the sickle XVIII. ""T is not," said Juan, "for my present doom A moment, and then dropp'd; "but to resume, XIX. "On the rough deep. But this last blow-" and here "Ay," quoth his friend, "I thought it would appear And these are things which ask a tender tear, I cried upon my first wife's dying day, XX. three?" My third"-"Your third!" quoth Juan, turning round; "You scarcely can be thirty, have you "No-only two at present above ground: Surely 't is nothing wonderful to see One person thrice in holy wedlock bound! "Well, then, your third," said Juan; "what did she? She did not run away, too, did she, sir?" "No, faith."- "What then?"—"I ran away from her." XXI. Why," "You take things coolly, sir," said Juan. 66 XXII. “'T is true, it gets another bright and fresh, Or fresher, brighter, but, the year gone through, Or sometimes only wear a week or two. XXIII. "All this is very fine, and may be true," "No!" quoth the other; "yet you will allow XXIV. "Would we were masters now, if but to try Their present lessons on our pagan friends here,” Said Juan-swallowing a heart-burning sigh: "Heav'n help the scholar whom his fortune sends here! "Perhaps we shall be one day, by and by," Rejoin'd the other, "when our bad luck mends here; |