TRUE BEAUTY. SONNET. HOW much more doth beauty wondrous seem By that sweet ornament which truth The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem But for their virtue only is their show, They live unwoo'd and unrespected fade, Die to themselves. Sweet roses do not so: Of their sweet deaths are sweeter odours made; And so of you, beauteous and lovely youth : When that shall fade, my verse distils your truth. SHAKESPEARE 1564-1616. WERE I AS BASE. SONNET. ERE I as base as is the lowly plain, Yet should the thoughts of me, your Ascend to heaven in honour of my love. Were I as high as heaven above the plain, And you, my love, as humble and as low As are the deepest bottoms of the main, Where'er you were, with you my love should go. Were you the earth, dear love, and I the skies, My love should shine on you, like to the sun, And look upon you with ten thousand eyes, Till heaven wax'd blind, and till the world were done. Wheresoe'er I am,-below, or else above you,Wheresoe'er you are, my heart shall truly love you. SYLVESTER. 1565-1618. LORDLY GALLANTS. SONG. ORDLY gallants, tell me this, not, In your greatness what one bliss Have you gain'd that I enjoy not? Bound to none my fortunes be, This or that man's fall I fear not; Him I love that loveth me, For the rest a pin I care not. You are sad when others chafe, And grow merry as they laugh; I that hate it, and am free, Laugh and weep as pleaseth me. GEORGE WITHER. 1588-1667. PACK CLOUDS AWAY. SONG. ACK clouds away, and welcome day, Wings from the wind, to please her mind, Wake from thy nest, robin redbreast; Give my fair love good morrow! VERSES ON LUCY, COUNTESS OF BEDFORD. HIS morning, timely wrapp'd with holy I thought to form unto my zealous What kind of creature I could most desire Nor lend like influence from his lucent seat. Only a learned and a manly soul I purposed her: that should, with even powers, The rock, the spindle, and the shears control Of destiny, and spin her own free hours. Such, when I meant to feign, and wish'd to see, BEN JONSON. 1574-1637. |