Their tender I often felt holy, their bitter I sometimes

called sweet ; And whenever their heart has refused me, I fell down straight at their feet.

I have loved,” she said,

“ Man is weak, God is dread, Yet the weak man dies with his spirit at ease, Having poured such an unguent of love but once on the

Saviour's feet,

As I lavished for these."

“Go,” I cried, “ thou hast chosen the Human, and left

the Divine ! Then, at least, have the Human shared with thee their

wild berry-wine? Have they loved back thy love, and when strangers

approached thee with blame, Have they covered thy fault with their kisses, and loved thee the same ?”

But she shrunk and said,

“ God, over my head, Must sweep in the wrath of His judgment-seas, If He shall deal with me sinning, but only indeed the

same

And no gentler than these."

A MANS REQUIREMENTS.

Love me, Sweet, with all thou art,

Feeling, thinking, seeing ;
Love me in the lightest part,

Love me in full being.

Love me with thine open youth

In its frank surrender ;
With the vowing of thy mouth,

With its silence tender.

Love me with thine azure eyes,

Made for earnest granting ; Taking colour from the skies,

Can Heaven's truth be wanting ? Love me with their lids, that fall

Snow-like at first meeting ; Love me with thine heart, that all

Neighbours then see beating.

Love me with thine hand stretched out

Freely-open-minded :
Love me with thy loitering foot,-

Hearing one behind it.

Love me with thy voice, that turns

Sudden faint above me ;
Love me with thy blush that burns

When I murmur, Love me !

Love me with thy thinking soul,

Break it to love-sighing ;
Love me with thy thoughts that roll

On through living-dying.
Love me in thy gorgeous airs,

When the world has crowned thee Love me, kneeling at thy prayers,

With the angels round thee. Love me pure, as musers do,

Up the woodlands shady ; Love me gaily, fast and true,

As a winsome lady.

Through all hopes that keep us brave,

Further off or nigher,
Love me for the house and grave,

And for something higher.
Thus, if thou wilt prove me, Dear,

Woman's love no fable,
I will love thee-half a year-

As a man is able.

THE LADY'S YES.

“YES," I answered you last night ;

“ No," this morning, sir, I say: Colours seen by candle-light

Will not look the same by day.

When the viols played their best,

Lamps above and laughs below,
Love me sounded like a jest,

Fit for yes or fit for no.
Call me false or call me free,

Vow, whatever light may shine,-
No man on your face shall see

Any grief for change on mine. Yet the sin is on us both;

Time to dance is not to woo ; Wooing light makes fickle troth,

Scorn of me recoils on you.

Learn to win a lady's faith

Nobly as the thing is high, Bravely, as for life and death,

With a loyal gravity.

Lead her from the festive boards,

Point her to the starry skies ;
Guard her by your truthful words,

Pure from courtship's flatteries.
By your truth she shall be true,

Ever true, as wives of yore ;
And her yes, once said to you,

SHALL be Yes for evermore.

MAY'S LOVE.

You love all, you say,

Round, beneath, above me:
Find me then some way

Better than to love me,
Me, too, dearest May !
O world-kissing eyes

Which the blue heavens melt to!
I, sad, overwise,

Loathe the sweet looks dealt to
All things—men and flies.
You love all, you say:

Therefore, Dear, abate me
Just your love, I pray!

Shut your eyes and hate me-
Only me--fair May !

AMY'S CRUELTY.

FAIR Amy of the terraced house,

Assist me to discover Why you who would not hurt a mouse

Can torture so your lover.

You give your coffee to the cat,

You stroke the dog for coming, And all your face grows kinder at

The little brown bee's humming. But when he haunts your door .. the town

Marks coming and marks going . . You seem to have stitched your eyelids down

To that long piece of sewing! You never give a look, not you,

Nor drop him a 'Good-morning,' To keep his long day warm and blue,

So fretted by your scorning.

She shook her head—“The mouse and bee

For crumb or flower will linger : The dog is happy at my knee,

The cat purrs at my finger.

“ But he . . to him, the least thing given

Means great things at a distance ;
He wants my world, my sun, my heaven,

Soul, body, whole existence.
“ They say love gives as well as takes;

But I 'm a simple maiden,-
My mother's first smile when she wakes

I still have smiled and prayed in. “I only know my mother's love

Which gives all and asks nothing, And this new loving sets the groove

Too much the way of loathing.

“ Unless he gives me all in change,

I forfeit all things by him : The risk is terrible and strange

I tremble, doubt, . . deny him.