Xxxv

Who art thou, fair one, who usurp’st the place Of Blanche, the lady of the matchless grace? Come, fair and pretty, tell to me Who, in thy life-time, thou might’st be. Thou pretty art and fair, But with the lady Blanche thou never must compare. No need for Blanche her history to tell; Whoever saw her face, they there did read it well. But when I look on thee, I only know There lived a pretty maid some hundred years ago.

ON THE CELEBRATED PICTURE BY LEONARDO DA VINCI, CALLED THE VIRGIN OF THE ROCKS]