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SAY WHICH WERE BEST.
Steeped in some soft delicious sin,
Whose charmèd languors wrap thee in,
Soul! take thy golden ease and play
All the orient summer day;
No storms thy joyous calm shall break,
From thy bliss thou shalt not wake.
Some will tell thee there is gall
Within the purple cup—that all
Its honied sweetness will o'erflow
And leave but poisoned dregs below.
The fools! they lie—securely drink;
More deeply as thy lip shall sink,
More luscious, rich, and strong the wine—
Half delirious, half divine!
Whose charmèd languors wrap thee in,
Soul! take thy golden ease and play
All the orient summer day;
No storms thy joyous calm shall break,
From thy bliss thou shalt not wake.
Some will tell thee there is gall
Within the purple cup—that all
Its honied sweetness will o'erflow
And leave but poisoned dregs below.
The fools! they lie—securely drink;
More deeply as thy lip shall sink,
More luscious, rich, and strong the wine—
Half delirious, half divine!
Loud the mighty sorceress laughed
As her slaves her goblet quaffed:
As her slaves her goblet quaffed:
