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THE FEAST OF VIOLETS.
107
Beauteous it was, to see each how he led
His charge by the hand, with the flame on his head,
She walking, he gliding. It gave her such grace,
As made the crowd happy to look in her face
(For never did crowd gather yet at a door so);
The plain became handsome, the handsomest more so,
If plain any face can be call'd that has eyes
Such as almost all brain with its deep look supplies:
The music ceas'd playing, as each was presented;
And Silence, with sighs, 'twas so ultra-contented,
Felt tears in the eyes of its rapture, to see
How they kiss'd the god's hand, and their eyelids kiss'd he;
And then, on each entrance, there pour'd forth again
Some characteristic and exquisite strain,
And thus came each charmer of verse, or of story,
In a sort of sweet tempest of pleasure and glory.
His charge by the hand, with the flame on his head,
She walking, he gliding. It gave her such grace,
As made the crowd happy to look in her face
(For never did crowd gather yet at a door so);
The plain became handsome, the handsomest more so,
If plain any face can be call'd that has eyes
Such as almost all brain with its deep look supplies:
The music ceas'd playing, as each was presented;
And Silence, with sighs, 'twas so ultra-contented,
Felt tears in the eyes of its rapture, to see
How they kiss'd the god's hand, and their eyelids kiss'd he;
And then, on each entrance, there pour'd forth again
Some characteristic and exquisite strain,
And thus came each charmer of verse, or of story,
In a sort of sweet tempest of pleasure and glory.
I tell not the dresses. Suffice it that Titian
Had own'd himself conquer'd at this exhibition;
So rich were the colours! such autumn! such May!
For spirits and years made them more or less gay;
And the elder in orange and russet came, queenly;
The younger in lily and rose, sprinkled greenly:
The buxom, uniting both tastes, fill'd the doors
With their shoulders and frills, à la Louis Quatorze;
Or with robes à l'antique, and with crowns from their graperies:
Blest were the eyes that beheld their broad draperies!
Had own'd himself conquer'd at this exhibition;
So rich were the colours! such autumn! such May!
For spirits and years made them more or less gay;
And the elder in orange and russet came, queenly;
The younger in lily and rose, sprinkled greenly:
The buxom, uniting both tastes, fill'd the doors
With their shoulders and frills, à la Louis Quatorze;
Or with robes à l'antique, and with crowns from their graperies:
Blest were the eyes that beheld their broad draperies!
which follow relate to the individuals themselves only, and insinuate no comparison with others, whether of preference or the reverse.
I take this opportunity of adding, that for obvious reasons no mention is made of anonymous writers
