L\'ALLEGRO
HENCE, loathed Melancholy, ............Of Cerberus and blackest
Midnight born In Stygian cave forlorn ............\'Mongst horrid shapes, and
shrieks, and sights unholy! Find out some uncouth cell, ............Where
brooding Darkness spreads his jealous wings, And the night-raven
sings; ............There, under ebon shades and low-browed rocks, As ragged
as thy locks, ............In dark Cimmerian desert ever dwell. But come, thou
Goddess fair and free, In heaven yclept Euphrosyne, And by men hearteasing
Mirth; Whom lovely Venus, at a birth, With two sister Graces more,
To ivy-crowned Bacchus bore: Or whether (as some sager sing) The frolic
wind that breathes the spring, Zephyr, with Aurora pIaying, As he met her
once a-Maying, There, on beds of violets blue, And fresh-blown roses
washed in dew, Filled her with thee,. a daughter fair, So buxom, blithe,
and debonair. Haste thee, Nymph, and bring with thee Jest, and youthful
Jollity, Quips and cranks and wanton wiles, Nods and becks and wreathed
smiles Such as hang on Hebe\'s cheek, And love to live in dimple sleek;
Sport that wrinkled Care derides, And Laughter holding both his sides.
Come, and trip it, as you go, On the light fantastic toe; And in thy right
hand lead with thee The mountain-nymph, sweet Liberty; And, if I give
thee honour due, Mirth, admit me of thy crew, To live with her, and live
with thee, In unreproved pleasures free: To hear the lark begin his flight,
And, singing, startle the dull night, From his watch-tower in the skies, Till
the dappled dawn doth rise; Then to come, in spite of sorrow, And at my
window bid good-morrow, Through the sweet-briar or the vine, Or the
twisted eglantine; While the cock, with lively din, Scatters the rear of
darkness thin, And