Charles Lamb (1775-1834). III. In the Album of Edith S--. Hunt and Lee, comps. 1867. The Book of the Sonnet

Hunt and Lee, comps. The Book of the Sonnet. 1867.

III. In the Album of Edith S——.

By Charles Lamb (1775–1834)


IN Christian world MARY the garland wears!
REBECCA sweetens on a Hebrew’s ear;
Quakers for pure PRISCILLA are more clear;
And the light Gaul by amorous NINON swears;
Among the lesser lights how LUCY shines!	5
What air of fragrance ROSAMOND throws round!
How like a hymn doth sweet CECILIA sound!
Of MARTHAS and of ABIGAILS few lines
Have bragged in verse. Of coarsest household stuff
Should homely JOAN be fashioned. But can	10
You BARBARA resist, or MARIAN?
And is not CLARE for love excuse enough?
Yet, by my faith in numbers, I profess,
These all than Saxon EDITH please me less.