A precious - mouldering pleasure - 'tis -
To meet an Antique Book -
In just the Dress his Century wore -
A privilege - I think -

His venerable Hand to take -
And warming in our own - 
A passage back - or two - to make -
To Times when he - was young -

His quaint opinions - to inspect -
His thought to ascertain
On Themes concern our mutual mind -
The Literature of Man -

What interested Scholars - most 
What Competitions ran - 
When Plato - was a Certainty - 
And Sophocles - a Man - 

When Sappho - was a living Girl -
And Beatrice wore
The Gown that Dante - deified - 
Facts Centuries before

He traverses - familiar -
As One should come to Town -
And tell you all your Dreams - were true -
He lived - where Dreams were born -

His presence is Enchantment -
You beg him not to go -
Old Volumes shake their Vellum Heads
And tantalize - just so -