Of a Garden

The garden, which1 some Paradise do call,
Is placed just under2 th’equinoctial.
Echoes there are most artificial made,
And cooling grottoes, from the heat to shade.
The azure sky is always bright and clear;                                5
No gross thick vapors in the clouds appear.
There many stars do comfort the sad night;
The fixed do twinkl’and3 with the rest give light.
No noise is heard, but what the ear delights;
No fruits are there, but what the taste invites.                      10
Up through the nose bruised flowers fume4 the brain,
As honeydew in balmy showers5 rain.
Various colors, by Nature intermixed,
Divert the eyes so, as none can be fixed.6
Here atoms small on sunbeams dance all day,                      15
While Zephyrus sweet doth on the air7 play,
Which music from Apollo bears the praise,
And Orpheus at its8 sound his harp down lays.
Apollo yields, and not contends with spite,
Presenting Zephyrus with twelve hours9 light.                     20
The10 night, though sad, in quiet pleasure takes,
With silence listens11 when he music makes,
And when the day doth come, she’s grievèd so,12
That she cannot hear Zeph’rus longer13 blow,
And with her mantle black herself enshrouds,                     25
Which is embroidered all of stars in clouds.
Here are intermixing walks14 of pleasure,
Of grass, and sand, broad, short, and of all15 measure,
Some shaded for a16 lover’s musing thought,
When his mind is with love’s idea17 fraught.                         30
The walks all18 firm and hard as marble are,
Yet soft as down by grass that groweth there,
Where daisies grow as mushrooms in a night,
Mixed yellow, white, and19 green to please the sight.
At dawning day, the dew all overspreads20                            35
In little drops upon those daisies’ heads;21
As thick as stars are set in heaven high,22
So daisies on the earth as close do lie.
Here emerald banks are,23 whence fine flowers spring,
Whose scents and colors various pleasures24 bring:            40
Primroses, cowslips, violets, daffodillies,25
Roses, honeysuckles,26 and white lillies,
Wall-flowers, pinks, and marigolds besides,27
Grow on the banks28 enriched with Nature’s pride.
On other banks grow simples, which are good                      45
For med’cines,29 well applied and understood.
There trees do grow, that30 proper are, and tall,
Whose bark is31 smooth, and bodies sound withal,
Whose spreading tops are full, and ever green,
As Nazarites’ heads, where razors have32 not been,             50
And curlèd leaves, which bowing branches bear,
By warmth are fed, for winter ne’er comes there.
There fruits so pleasing33 to the taste do grow
That34 with delight the sense they35 overflow,
And archèd arbors, where sweet birds do sing,                     55
Whose hollow rooves do make each echo ring.
Prospects, which trees and clouds by mixing show,36
Joined by the eye, one perfect piece do grow.37
Here fountains are, where trilling38 drops down run,
Which twinkle as the stars, or as the39 sun,                            60
And through each several spout such noise it makes,40
As bird in spring when he his pleasure takes:41
Some chirping sparrow, and the singing lark,
Or quavering nightingale in evening dark,
The42 whistling blackbird, with the pleasant thrush,           65
Linnet, bullfinch, which sing in every bush.
No weeds are here, nor withered leaves, and dry,
But ever green and pleasant to the eye;
No frost to nip the tender buds in birth,43
Nor winter snow to fall on this sweet earth.                          70
The beauty of the spring here ne’er doth waste,44
Because ’tis just under th’equator placed.45
The day and night by turns keep equal46 watch,
That thievish time should nothing from them catch.
And every Muse a several walk enjoys,                                   75
The sad delights in47 shades; the light employs48
Her time in sports; satyrs49 in corners lurk,
And as their gard’ners with great pains50 do work:
They cut, graft, set, and sow, all with much skill,51
And gather fruits and flow’rs when th’Muses will,52           80
And nymphs, as handmaids, their attendance give,
For which, by fame the Muses make them53 live.

  1. The garden, which] A Garden is, 1653
  2. Is placed just under] The place is alwayes 1653
  3. do twinkl’and] with twinckling, 1653
  4. Up through the nose bruised flowers fume] Bruis’d Flowers through the Nose Fume to 1664; Bruis’d Flowers, through the Nose, fume to 1668
  5. As honeydew in balmy showers] And Honey Dew doth fall like Showr’s of 1664; And Honey-Dew doth fall like Showrs of 1668
  6. Divert the eyes so, as none can be fixed.] Direct the eyes, as no one thing can fix. 1653
  7. While Zephyrus sweet doth on the air] Whilst the sweet Zephyrus on th’ Air doth 1664; Whilst the sweet Zephyrus on th’ Air doth 1668
  8. its] the 1653
  9. hours] houres of 1653
  10. The] And 1653
  11. With silence listens] Listening with Silence 1664; Listning, with silence, 1668
  12. the day doth come, she’s grievèd so,] day comes, with griefe descends down low, 1653
  13. cannot hear Zeph’rus longer] no longer must heare Zephyrus 1653
  14. Here are intermixing walks] Fine intermixing Walks there are 1664; Fine intermixing Walks there are, 1668
  15. Of grass, and sand, broad, short, and of all] Grasse, Sand, short, broad, and all sorts of 1653
  16. for a] fit for 1653
  17. When his mind is with love’s idea] Of Loves Idea, when the mind’s full 1653
  18. all] are 1653
  19. Mixed yellow, white, and] Mix’d white, and yellow, 1653
  20. At dawning day, the dew all overspreads] When it begins to Dawn, those Daisie’s Heads 1664; When it begins to dawn, those Daisie’s Heads, 1668
  21. In little drops upon those daisies’ heads;] The Dew with little Drops all Over-spreads; 1664; The Dew, with little Drops, all over-spreads: 1668
  22. set in heaven high,] placed in the Sky, 1664; placed in the Sky; 1668
  23. are] from 1653
  24. pleasures] pleasure 1653
  25. daffodillies,] Daffadils, 1653
  26. honeysuckles,] and Honey-suckles, 1664; and Honey-suckles, 1668
  27. besides,] beside, 1664, 1668
  28. Grow on the banks] Sit on the bank, 1653
  29. med’cines,] Medicines, 1653
  30. that] which 1664, 1668
  31. Whose bark is] Their bark is 1653; Whose Barks are 1664, 1668
  32. razors have] Rasor hath 1653
  33. so pleasing] delicious 1653
  34. That] Where 1653
  35. they] doth 1653
  36. show,] shewes, 1653
  37. do grow.] it grows. 1653
  38. trilling] Drilling 1664; drilling 1668
  39. twinkle as the stars, or as the] sparkes do twinckle like fixt Stars, or 1653
  40. it makes,] they make, 1664, 1668
  41. bird in spring when he his pleasure takes:] Birds i’th’ Spring, when they their Pleasure take; 1664; Birds i’th’ Spring, when they their pleasure take. 1668
  42. The] And 1653
  43. in birth,] i’th’ Birth, 1664; i’th’ birth; 1668
  44. The beauty of the spring here ne’er doth waste,] For here the Spring is alwayes in her prime, 1653
  45. ’tis just under th’equator placed.] this place is underneath the Line: 1653
  46. by turns keep equal] equall, by turnes keep 1653
  47. delights in] in 1653
  48. employs] with sports imployes.
  49. Her time in sports; satyrs] Censuring Satyrs, they 1653
  50. And as their gard’ners with great pains] Yet, as their Gard’ners, they with Art 1653
  51. They cut, graft, set, and sow, all with much skill,] To cut and prune, to sow, ingraft, and set, 1653
  52. And gather fruits and flow’rs when th’Muses will,] Gather fruits, flowers, what each Muse thinkes fit: 1653
  53. For which, by fame the Muses make them] Which, for reward, their fames by Muses 1653