ENVY

ENVYENVY

ENVYENVY

ENVY

XXXI

Thisrose-tree is not made to bearThe violet blue, nor lily fair,Nor the sweet mignonette;And if this tree were discontentOr wish’d to change its natural bent,It all in vain would fret.And should it fret, you would supposeIt ne’er had seen its own red rose,Nor after gentle showerHad ever smell’d its rose’s scent,Or it could ne’er be discontentWith its own pretty flower.Like such a blind and senseless treeAs I’ve imagined this to be,All envious persons are:With care and culture all may findSome pretty flower in their own mind,Some talent that is rare.

Thisrose-tree is not made to bearThe violet blue, nor lily fair,Nor the sweet mignonette;And if this tree were discontentOr wish’d to change its natural bent,It all in vain would fret.And should it fret, you would supposeIt ne’er had seen its own red rose,Nor after gentle showerHad ever smell’d its rose’s scent,Or it could ne’er be discontentWith its own pretty flower.Like such a blind and senseless treeAs I’ve imagined this to be,All envious persons are:With care and culture all may findSome pretty flower in their own mind,Some talent that is rare.

Thisrose-tree is not made to bearThe violet blue, nor lily fair,Nor the sweet mignonette;And if this tree were discontentOr wish’d to change its natural bent,It all in vain would fret.

Thisrose-tree is not made to bear

The violet blue, nor lily fair,

Nor the sweet mignonette;

And if this tree were discontent

Or wish’d to change its natural bent,

It all in vain would fret.

And should it fret, you would supposeIt ne’er had seen its own red rose,Nor after gentle showerHad ever smell’d its rose’s scent,Or it could ne’er be discontentWith its own pretty flower.

And should it fret, you would suppose

It ne’er had seen its own red rose,

Nor after gentle shower

Had ever smell’d its rose’s scent,

Or it could ne’er be discontent

With its own pretty flower.

Like such a blind and senseless treeAs I’ve imagined this to be,All envious persons are:With care and culture all may findSome pretty flower in their own mind,Some talent that is rare.

Like such a blind and senseless tree

As I’ve imagined this to be,

All envious persons are:

With care and culture all may find

Some pretty flower in their own mind,

Some talent that is rare.

(Illustration)

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