JANUARY.

Then came old January, wrapped wellIn many weeds to keep the cold away;Yet did he quake and quiver like to quell,And blow his nayles to warm them if he may;For they were numb'd with holding all the dayAn hatchet keene, with which he felled wood,And from the trees did lop the needlesse spray;Upon a huge great earth-pot steane he stood,From whose wide mouth there flowed forth the Romane flood.—Spenser.

Then came old January, wrapped wellIn many weeds to keep the cold away;Yet did he quake and quiver like to quell,And blow his nayles to warm them if he may;For they were numb'd with holding all the dayAn hatchet keene, with which he felled wood,And from the trees did lop the needlesse spray;Upon a huge great earth-pot steane he stood,From whose wide mouth there flowed forth the Romane flood.—Spenser.

Then came old January, wrapped well

In many weeds to keep the cold away;

Yet did he quake and quiver like to quell,

And blow his nayles to warm them if he may;

For they were numb'd with holding all the day

An hatchet keene, with which he felled wood,

And from the trees did lop the needlesse spray;

Upon a huge great earth-pot steane he stood,

From whose wide mouth there flowed forth the Romane flood.

—Spenser.

Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,Arrives the snow; and, driving o'er the fields,Seems nowhere to alight; the whited airHides hills and woods, the river, and the heaven,And veils the farm-house at the garden's end.The sled and traveler stopp'd, the courier's feetDelay'd, all friends shut out, the house-mates sitAround the radiant fire-place, inclosedIn a tumultuous privacy of storm.—Emerson.

Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,Arrives the snow; and, driving o'er the fields,Seems nowhere to alight; the whited airHides hills and woods, the river, and the heaven,And veils the farm-house at the garden's end.The sled and traveler stopp'd, the courier's feetDelay'd, all friends shut out, the house-mates sitAround the radiant fire-place, inclosedIn a tumultuous privacy of storm.—Emerson.

Announced by all the trumpets of the sky,

Arrives the snow; and, driving o'er the fields,

Seems nowhere to alight; the whited air

Hides hills and woods, the river, and the heaven,

And veils the farm-house at the garden's end.

The sled and traveler stopp'd, the courier's feet

Delay'd, all friends shut out, the house-mates sit

Around the radiant fire-place, inclosed

In a tumultuous privacy of storm.

—Emerson.


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