Page:The princess; a medley (IA princessmedley00tennrich).pdf/87

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A MEDLEY.
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Half-naked as if caught at once from bed,And tumbled on the purple footcloth, layThe lily-shining child; and on the left,Bow'd on her palms and folded up from wrong, Her round white shoulder shaken with her sobs, Melissa knelt; but Lady Blanche erectStood up and spake, an affluent orator.
 'It was not thus, O Princess, in the old days: You prized my counsel, lived upon my lips: I led you then to all the Castalies; I fed you with the milk of every Muse; I loved you like this kneeler, and you me Your second mother: those were gracious times. Then came your new friend: you began to change—I saw it and grieved—to slacken and to cool; Till taken with her seeming openness You turn'd your warmer currents all to her, You froze to me: this was my meed for all.Yet I bore up in part from ancient love,
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