As old Time makes these decay,
So his flames must waste away.

But a smooth and steadfast mind,
Gentle thoughts, and calm desires,
Hearts with equal love combined,
Kindle never-dying_fires:
Where these are not, I despise
Lovely cheeks or lips or eyes.

T. CAREW.

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88

TO DIANEME

Sweet, be not proud of those two eyes
Which starlike sparkle in their skies;
Nor be you proud, that you can see
All hearts your captives; yours yet free:
Be you not proud of that rich hair
Which wantons with the lovesick air;
Whenas that ruby which you wear,
Sunk from the tip of your soft ear,
Will last to be a precious stone

When all your world of beauty 's gone.

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R. HERRICK.

89

Go, lovely Rose !

Tell her, that wastes her time and me,

That now she knows,

When I resemble her to thee,

How sweet and fair she seems to be.

Tell her that's young

And shuns to have her graces spied,
That hadst thou sprung

In deserts, where no men abide,
Thou must have uncommended died.

Small is the worth

Of beauty from the light retired :
Bid her come forth,

Suffer herself to be desired,

And not blush so to be admired.

Then die! that she

The common fate of all things rare.
May read in thee:

How small a part of time they share
That are so wondrous sweet and fair!

90

TO CELIA

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20

E. WALLER.

Drink to me only with thine eyes,
And I will pledge with mine;

Or leave a kiss but in the cup
And I'll not look for wine.

The thirst that from the soul doth rise

5

Doth ask a drink divine;

But might I of Jove's nectar sup,

I would not change for thine.

I sent thee late a rosy wreath,
Not so much honouring thee
As giving it a hope that there
It could not wither'd be ;

But thou thereon didst only breathe
And sent'st it back to me;

10

Since when it grows, and smells, I swear, 15

Not of itself but thee !

91

CHERRY-RIPE

There is a garden in her face

B. JONSON.

Where roses and white lilies grow ; A heavenly paradise is that place, Wherein all pleasant fruits do flow;

There cherries grow which none may buy,
Till Cherry-Ripe' themselves do cry.

Those cherries fairly do enclose

Of orient pearl a double row,
Which when her lovely laughter shows,
They look like rose-buds fill'd with snow:
Yet them nor peer nor prince can buy,
Till Cherry-Ripe' themselves do cry.

Her eyes like angels watch them still;
Her brows like bended bows do stand,
Threat'ning with piercing frowns to kill
All that attempt with eye or hand
Those sacred cherries to come nigh,
-Till Cherry-Ripe' themselves do

cry

!

T. CAMPION.

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10

15

92

THE POETRY OF DRESS

I

A sweet disorder in the dress
Kindles in clothes a wantonness :→
A lawn about the shoulders thrown
Into a fine distractión,-

An erring lace, which here and there
Enthrals the crimson stomacher:
A cuff neglectful, and thereby
Ribbands to flow confusedly,
A winning wave, deserving note,
In the tempestuous petticoat,-
A careless shoe-string, in whose tie
I see a wild civility,-

Do more bewitch me, than when art
Is too precise in every part.

R. HERRICK.

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93

II

Whenas in silks my Julia goes

Then, then (methinks) how sweetly flows
That liquefaction of her clothes.

Next, when I cast mine eyes and see
That brave vibration each way free;
O how that glittering taketh me !

R. HERRICK.

5

94

III

My Love in her attire doth shew her wit,
It doth so well become her:
For every season she hath dressings fit,
For Winter, Spring, and Summer.
No beauty she doth miss

When all her robes are on:

But Beauty's self she is

When all her robes are gone.

ANON.

5

95

ON A GIRDLE

That which her slender waist confined
Shall now my joyful temples bind :
No monarch but would give his crown
His arms might do what this has done.

It was my Heaven's extremest sphere,
The pale which held that lovely deer :
My joy, my grief, my hope, my love
Did all within this circle move.

5

A narrow compass! and yet there
Dwelt all that's good, and all that's fair :
Give me but what this ribband bound,
Take all the rest the Sun goes round.

E. WALLER.

10

96

TO ANTHEA WHO MAY COMMAND HIM
ANY THING

Bid me to live, and I will live
Thy Protestant to be:

Or bid me love, and I will give
A loving heart to thee.

A heart as soft, a heart as kind,

5

A heart as sound and free

As in the whole world thou canst find,
That heart I'll give to thee.

Bid that heart stay, and it will stay,

To honour thy decree :

10

Or bid it languish quite away,
And 't shall do so for thee.

Bid me to weep, and I will weep
While I have eyes to see:

And, having none, yet I will keep
A heart to weep for thee.

Bid me despair, and I'll despair
Under that cypress tree :

Or bid me die, and I will dare
E'en Death, to die for thee.

Thou art my life, my love, my heart,
The very eyes of me,

And hast command of every part,

To live and die for thee.

R. HERRICK.

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