| William Stanley Braithwaite, ed. The Book of Restoration Verse. 1910. | | | | To the Nightingale | | By John Milton (1608–1674) |
| | | O NIGHTINGALE, that on yon bloomy Spray | |
| Warbl’st at eeve, when all the Woods are still, | |
| Thou with fresh hope the Lovers heart dost fill, | |
| While the jolly 1 hours lead on proptious May, | |
| Thy liquid notes that close the eye of Day, | 5 |
| First heard before the shallow Cuccoo’s bill | |
| Portend success in love; O if Jove’s will | |
| Have linkt that amorous power to thy soft lay, | |
| Now timely sing, ere the rude Bird of Hate | |
| Foretell my hopeles doom in som Grove ny: | 10 |
| As thou from yeer to yeer hast sung too late | |
| For my relief; yet hadst no reason why, | |
| Whether the Muse, or Love call thee his mate, | |
| Both them I serve, and of their train am I. | |
| | | Note 1. Jolly: used in the sense of, and from, the French joli, meaning gay, blithe, pleasing. [back] | | |
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