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Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, ed. Poems of Places: An Anthology in 31 Volumes.
England: Vols. I–IV. 1876–79.

Hampton

Hampton

By William Shakespeare (1564–1616)


THUS with imagined wing our swift scene flies,

In motion of no less celerity

Than that of thought. Suppose that you have seen

The well-appointed King at Hampton pier

Embark his royalty; and his brave fleet

With silken streamers the young Phœbus fanning.

Play with your fancies; and in them behold,

Upon the hempen tackle, ship-boys climbing,

Hear the shrill whistle, which doth order give

To sounds confused; behold the threaden sails,

Borne with the invisible and creeping wind,

Draw the huge bottoms through the furrowed sea,

Breasting the lofty surge. O, do but think,

You stand upon the rivage, and behold

A city on the inconstant billows dancing!

For so appears this fleet majestical

Holding due course to Harfleur.