Note 1. This poem of Breton’s was first printed in England’s Helicon, 1600. The original is with the Cosens MS., which varies slightly in the spelling and contains one additional closing stanza, “which certainly rounds the poem well.” (Grosart.) It reads:
Make him live that dying long
Never durst for comfort seek;
Thou shalt hear so sweet a song
Never shepherd sang the like.
“A stronger and finer piece of work than any known to be his,” is Mr. Palgrave’s opinion of this poem, and Prof. Schelling’s statement that “the charming particularity of these two stanzas (first and second) as to trifles might teach the lesser pre-Raphaelites somewhat,” is an interesting comment. [back]
