While twilight's curtain gathering far,
Is pinned with a single diamond star.

While twilight's curtain gathering far,
Is pinned with a single diamond star.

The sad and solemn night
Hath yet her multitude of cheerful fires;
The glorious host of light
read more

The sad and solemn night
Hath yet her multitude of cheerful fires;
The glorious host of light
Walk the dark hemisphere till she retires;
All through her silent watches, gliding slow,
Her constellations come, and climb the heavens, and go.

Cry out upon the stars for doing
Ill offices, to cross their wooing.

Cry out upon the stars for doing
Ill offices, to cross their wooing.

The number is certainly the cause. The apparent disorder
augments the grandeur, for the appearance of care is highly read more

The number is certainly the cause. The apparent disorder
augments the grandeur, for the appearance of care is highly
contrary to our ideas of magnificence. Besides, the stars lie in
such apparent confusion, as makes it impossible on ordinary
occasion to reckon them. This gives them the advantage of a sort
of infinity.

Or soar aloft to be the spangled skies
And gaze upon her with a thousand eyes.

Or soar aloft to be the spangled skies
And gaze upon her with a thousand eyes.

No one sees what is before his feet: we all gaze at the stars.
[Lat., Quod est ante pedes read more

No one sees what is before his feet: we all gaze at the stars.
[Lat., Quod est ante pedes nemo spectat: coeli scrutantur
plagas.]

Canst thou bind, the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the
bands of Orion?

Canst thou bind, the sweet influences of Pleiades, or loose the
bands of Orion?

Hast thou a charm to stay the morning-star
In his steep course?

Hast thou a charm to stay the morning-star
In his steep course?

In yonder pensile orb, and every sphere
That gems the starry girdle of the year.

In yonder pensile orb, and every sphere
That gems the starry girdle of the year.