THE BLAMELESS PRINCE
In the Queen's joy, kept silent those who weighed
The Prince's make, and sought to find alloy
In his fine gold; but, when the freshness fled
From these things told, some took new thought and said:
"Look at the Queen: her heart is wholly set
Upon the Prince! what if he warp her mind
To errant policies, and rule us yet
By proxy?" "What and if he prove the kind
Of trifling gallant," others said, "to slight
Our mistress, for each new and base delight?
"Ay, we will watch him, lest he do her wrong!"
And his due station, even from the first,
The peers of haughty rank and lineage long,
Jealous of one whose blossom at a burst
Outflamed their own, begrudged him; till their pique
Grew plain, and sent proud color to his cheek.
So now he fared as some new actor fares,
Who through dark arras gains the open boards,
Facing the lights, and feels a thousand stares
Come full upon him; and the great throng hoards
Its plaudits; and, as he begins his tale,
His rivals wait to mock him if he fail.
But here a brave simplicity of soul
And careless vigilance, by honor bred,
Stayed him, and o'er his actions held control.
A host of generous virtues stood in stead,
To help him on; with patient manliness
He kept his rank, no greater and no less;
His life was as a limpid rivulet;
His thoughts, like golden sands, were through it seen,
Not on himself in poor ambition set,
But on his chosen country and the Queen;
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