What poets say about love
Part 5
Alas! the love of women! it is known
To be a lovely and a fearful thing.
Byron—Don Juan. Canto II. St. 199. 51
In her first passion woman loves her lover;
In all the others, all she loves is love.
Byron—Don Juan. Canto III. St. 3. La Rochefoucauld. Maxims. No. 497. 52
And to his eye
There was but one beloved face on earth,
And that was shining on him.
Byron—The Dream. St. 2. 53
She knew she was by him beloved,—she knew
For quickly comes such knowledge, that his heart
Was darken’d with her shadow.
Byron—The Dream. St. 3. 54
The cold in clime are cold in blood,
Their love can scarce deserve the name.
Byron—The Giaour. L. 1,099. 55
Yes, Love indeed is light from heaven;
A spark of that immortal fire
With angels shared, by Allah given
To lift from earth our low desire.
Byron—The Giaour. L. 1,131. 56
Why did she love him? Curious fool!—be still—
Is human love the growth of human will?
Byron—Lara. Canto II. St. 22. 57
I’ll bid the hyacinth to blow,
I’ll teach my grotto green to be;
And sing my true love, all below
The holly bower and myrtle tree.
Campbell—Caroline. Pt. I. 58
My love lies bleeding.
Campbell—O’Connor’s Child. St. 5. 59
He that loves a rosy cheek,
Or a coral lip admires,
Or from star-like eyes doth seek
Fuel to maintain his fires,
As Old Time makes these decay,
So his flames must waste away.
Thos. Carew—Disdain Returned. 60
Then fly betimes, for only they
Conquer love, that run away.
Thos. Carew—Song. Conquest by Flight. 61
Of all the girls that are so smart
There’s none like pretty Sally;
She is the darling of my heart,
And lives in our alley.
Henry Carey—Sally in our Alley. 62
Let Time and Chance combine, combine!
Let Time and Chance combine!
The fairest love from heaven above,
That love of yours was mine,
My Dear!
That love of yours was mine.
Carlyle—Adieu. 63
Vivamus, mea Lesbia atque amemus.
My Lesbia, let us live and love.
Catullus—Carmina. V. 1. 64
Mulier cupido quod dicit amanti,
In vento et rapida scribere oportet aqua.
What woman says to fond lover should be written on air or the swift water.
Catullus—Carmina. LXX. 3. 65
Difficile est longum subito deponere amorem.
It is difficult at once to relinquish a long-cherished love.
Catullus—Carmina. LXXVI. 13. 66
Odi et amo. Quare id faciam, fortasse requiris.
Nescio: sed fieri sentio, et excrucior.
I hate and I love. Why do I do so you perhaps ask.
I cannot say; but I feel it to be so, and I am tormented accordingly.
Catullus—Carmina. LXXXV. 67
There’s no love lost between us.
Cervantes—Don Quixote. Bk. IV. Ch. 13. Fielding—Grub Street. Act I. Sc. 4. Garrick—Correspondence. (1759). Goldsmith—She Stoops to Conquer. Act IV. Ben Jonson—Every Man Out of His Humour. Act II. Sc. 1. Le Sage—Gil Blas. Bk. IX. Ch. VII. As trans. by Smollett. 68
It’s love, it’s love that makes the world go round.
Popular French song in Chansons Nationales et Populaires de France. Vol. II. P. 180. (About 1821). 69
I tell thee Love is Nature’s second sun,
Causing a spring of virtues where he shines.
George Chapman—All Fools. Act I. Sc. 1. L. 98. 70
None ever loved, but at first sight they loved.
George Chapman—The Blind Beggar of Alexandria. 71
Banish that fear; my flame can never waste,
For love sincere refines upon the taste.
Colley Cibber—The Double Gallant. Act V. Sc. 1. 72
So mourn’d the dame of Ephesus her love.
Colley Cibber—Richard III. Act II. Altered from Shakespeare. 73
What have I done? What horrid crime committed?
To me the worst of crimes—outliv’d my liking.
Colley Cibber—Richard III. Act III. Sc. 2. Altered from Shakespeare. 74
Vivunt in venerem frondes omnisque vicissim
Felix arbor amat; mutant ad mutua palm?
Fœdera.
The leaves live but to love, and in all the lofty grove the happy trees love each his neighbor.
Claudianus—De Nuptiis Honorii et Mari?. LXV. 75
Other Links:
What poets say about love: Part 2
What poets say about love: part 3
Sweeney among the Nightingales
