FRANCISCO DE VELASCO.

THE WORLD AND ITS FLOWERS.

"Del mundo y sus flores."

TRUST not, man! earth's flowers-but keep Busy watch-they fade, they bow

Watch, I say, for thou mayst weep

O'er the things thou smil'st on now.

Man! thou art a foolish child,
Playing with a flying ball—
Trifling sports, and fancies wild,

But the earth-worm swallows all.
Wherefore in a senseless sleep,

Careless dreaming-thoughtless vow-
Waste existence?-Thou wilt weep
O'er the days thou smil'st on now.

Earth-that passes like a shade,

Vain as lightest shade can be; Soon in dust and darkness laid, Crumbles in obscurity.

Insects of destruction creep

O'er its fairest, greenest bough:
Watch, I say, or thou shalt weep
O'er the flowers thou smil'st on now.

Watch, I say; the dying worm
That lifts up its voice to thee-
Dreads the over-threatening storm-
Fain in shelter'd port would be.
Laugh not-scorn not-tempt not-keep
Smiling folly from thy brow,

Lest in misery thou shouldst weep

O'er the thoughts thou smil'st on now.

Burgos, 1604, Böhl, 388.

I TOLD THEE SO!

"Bien te dije yo alma."

I TOLD thee, soul, that joy and woe
Were but a gust, a passing dew,-
I told thee so,-I told thee so,-

And O, my soul! the tale was true.

This mortal life,—a fleeting thing,-
When most we love it swiftest flies:
It passes like a shade and dies;
And while it flaps its busy wing,
It scatters every mist that lies
Round human hopes:-all air and dew,—
I told thee so,-I told thee so,—
And O, my soul! the tale was true.

Like the dry leaf that autumn's breath
Sweeps from the tree,—the mourning tree:
So swiftly and so certainly

Our days are blown about by death;
For life is built on vanity;
Renewing days but death renew,—
I told thee so,-I told thee so,-
And O, my soul! the tale was true.

O let us seize on what is stable,
And not on what is shifting: all
Rushes down life's vast waterfall,
On to that sea interminable,

Which has no shore. Earth's pleasures pall;
But Heaven is safe and sacred too:
I told thee so,-I told thee so,-

And O, my soul! the tale was true.

Cancionero, Burgos, 1604.

GIL VICENTE.

HOW FAIR THE MAIDEN !

"Mui graciosa es la doncella."

How fair the maiden! what can be
So fair, so beautiful, as she?

Ask the mariner who sails

Over the joyous sea,

If wave, or star, or friendly gales,

Are half so fair as she?

Ask the knight on his prancing steed
Returning from victory,

If weapon, or war, or arrow's speed,

Is half so fair as she?

Ask the shepherd who leads his flocks

Along the flowery lea,

If the valley's lap, or the sun-crown'd rocks,

Are half so fair as she?

Compilação de todas as Obras, Lisboa, 1562.