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OXFORD NIGHTS, by             Poem Explanation     Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: About the august and ancient square






About the august and ancient Square,
About the august and ancient Square,
Cries the wild wind; and through the air,
Cries the wild wind; and through the air,
The blue night air, blows keen and chill:
The blue night air, blows keen and chill:
Else, all the night sleeps, all is still.
Else, all the night sleeps, all is still.
Now, the lone Square is blind with gloom:
Now, the lone Square is blind with gloom:
Now, on that clustering chestnut bloom,
Now, on that clustering chestnut bloom,
A cloudy moonlight plays, and falls
A cloudy moonlight plays, and falls
In glory upon Bodley's walls:
In glory upon Bodley's walls:
Now, wildlier yet, while moonlight pales,
Now, wildlier yet, while moonlight pales,
Storm the tumultuary gales.
Storm the tumultuary gales.
O rare divinity of Night!
O rare divinity of Night!
Season of undisturbed delight:
Season of undisturbed delight:
Glad interspace of day and day!
Glad interspace of day and day!
Without, an world of winds at play:
Without, an world of winds at play:
Within, I hear what dead friends say.
Within, I hear what dead friends say.
Blow, winds! and round that perfect Dome,
Blow, winds! and round that perfect Dome,
Wail as you will, and sweep, and roam:
Wail as you will, and sweep, and roam:
Above Saint Mary's carven home,
Above Saint Mary's carven home,
Struggle, and smite to your desire
Struggle, and smite to your desire
The sainted watchers on her spire:
The sainted watchers on her spire:
Or in the distance vex your power
Or in the distance vex your power
Upon mine own New College tower:
Upon mine own New College tower:
You hurt not these! On me and mine,
You hurt not these! On me and mine,
Clear candlelights in quiet shine:
Clear candlelights in quiet shine:
My fire lives yet! nor have I done
My fire lives yet! nor have I done
With Smollett, nor with Richardson:
With Smollett, nor with Richardson:
With, gentlest of the martyrs! Lamb,
With, gentlest of the martyrs! Lamb,
Whose lover I, long lover, am:
Whose lover I, long lover, am:
With Gray, whose gracious spirit knew
With Gray, whose gracious spirit knew
The sorrows of art's lonely few:
The sorrows of art's lonely few:
With Fielding, great, and strong, and tall;
With Fielding, great, and strong, and tall;
Sterne, exquisite, equivocal;
Sterne, exquisite, equivocal;
Goldsmith, the dearest of them all:
Goldsmith, the dearest of them all:
While Addison's demure delights
While Addison's demure delights
Turn Oxford, into Attic, nights .
Turn Oxford, into Attic, nights.
Still Trim and Parson Adams keep
Still Trim and Parson Adams keep
Me better company, than sleep:
Me better company, than sleep:
Dark sleep, who loves not me; nor I
Dark sleep, who loves not me; nor I
Love well her nightly death to die,
Love well her nightly death to die,
And in her haunted chapels lie.
And in her haunted chapels lie.
Sleep wins me not: but from his shelf
Sleep wins me not: but from his shelf
Brings me each wit his very self:
Brings me each wit his very self:
Beside my chair the great ghosts throng,
Beside my chair the great ghosts throng,
Each tells his story, sings his song:
Each tells his story, sings his song:
And in the ruddy fire I trace
And in the ruddy fire I trace
The curves of each Augustan face.
The curves of each Augustan face.
I sit at Doctor Primrose' board:
I sit at Doctor Primrose' board:
I hear Beau Tibbs discuss a lord.
I hear Beau Tibbs discuss a lord.
Mine, Matthew Bramble's pleasant wrath;
Mine, Matthew Bramble's pleasant wrath;
Mine, all the humours of the Bath.
Mine, all the humours of the Bath.
Sir Roger and the Man in Black
Sir Roger and the Man in Black
Bring me the Golden Ages back.
Bring me the Golden Ages back.
Now white Clarissa meets her fate,
Now white Clarissa meets her fate,
With virgin will inviolate:
With virgin will inviolate:
Now Lovelace wins me with a smile,
Now Lovelace wins me with a smile,
Lovelace, adorable and vile.
Lovelace, adorable and vile.
I taste, in slow alternate way,
I taste, in slow alternate way,
Letters of Lamb, letters of Gray:
Letters of Lamb, letters of Gray:
Nor lives there, beneath Oxford towers,
Nor lives there, beneath Oxford towers,
More joy, than in my silent hours.
More joy, than in my silent hours.
Dream, who love dreams! forget all grief:
Dream, who love dreams! forget all grief:
Find, in sleep's nothingness, relief:
Find, in sleep's nothingness, relief:
Better my dreams! Dear, human books,
Better my dreams! Dear, human books,
With kindly voices, winning looks!
With kindly voices, winning looks!
Enchaunt me with your spells of art,
Enchaunt me with your spells of art,
And draw me homeward to your heart:
And draw me homeward to your heart:
Till weariness and things unkind
Till weariness and things unkind
Seem but a vain and passing wind:
Seem but a vain and passing wind:
Till the gray morning slowly creep
Till the gray morning slowly creep
Upward, and rouse the birds from sleep:
Upward, and rouse the birds from sleep:
Till Oxford bells the silence break,
Till Oxford bells the silence break,
And find me happier, for your sake.
And find me happier, for your sake.
Then, with the dawn of common day,
Then, with the dawn of common day,
Rest you! But I, upon my way,
Rest you! But I, upon my way,
What the fates bring, will cheerlier do,
What the fates bring, will cheerlier do,
In days not yours, through thoughts of you.
In days not yours, through thoughts of you!








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