XLVII VIRTUE

Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright --

The bridal of the earth and sky;

The dew shall weep thy fall to-night;

For thou must die.

Sweet rose, whose hue angry and brave [57]

Bids the rash gazer wipe his eye,

Thy root is ever in its grave,

And thou must die.

Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses,

A box where sweets compacted lie,

My music shows ye have your closes,

And all must die.

Only a sweet and virtuous soul,

Like season'd timber, never gives [58] ;

But though the whole world turn to coal,

Then chiefly lives.