• How like a jade he stood, tied to the tree, But when he saw his love, his youth's fair fee, Throwing the base thong from his bending crest; Who sees his true love in her naked bed, Who is so faint, that dare not be so bold, 'Let me excuse thy courser, gentle boy; And learn of him, I heartily beseech thee, To take advantage on presented joy : Though I were dumb, yet his proceedings teach thee. O, learn to love; the lesson is but plain; 'I know not love,' quoth he, nor will not know it, Unless it be a boar, and then I chase it: "Tis much to borrow, and I will not owe it; My love to love is love but to disgrace it; 1 1 My inclination towards love is only a desire to render it contemptible. For I have heard it is a life in death, That laughs, and weeps, and all but with a breath. Who wears a garment shapeless and unfinish'd? Who plucks the bud before one leaf put forth? If springing things be any jot diminish'd, They wither in their prime, prove nothing worth. The colt that's back'd and burthen'd being young, Loseth his pride, and never waxeth strong. You hurt my hand with wringing; let us part, And leave this idle theme, this bootless chat: Remove your siege from my unyielding heart; To love's alarm it will not ope the gate. Dismiss your vows, your feigned tears, your flattery; For where a heart is hard, they make no battery.' What! canst thou talk?' quoth she; hast thou a tongue? O, would thou hadst not, or I had no hearing! Thy mermaid's voice hath done me double wrong; I had my load before, now press'd with bearing: Melodious discord, heavenly tune harsh-sounding, Ear's deep-sweet music, and heart's deep-sore wounding. 'Had I no eyes, but ears, my ears would love That inward beauty and invisible; Or, were I deaf, thy outward parts would move Though neither eyes nor ears, to hear nor see, Say, that the sense of feeling were bereft me, And that I could not see, nor hear, nor touch, And nothing but the very smell were left me, Yet would my love to thee be still as much; For from the stillatory of thy face excelling Comes breath perfumed, that breedeth love by smelling. • But, O, what banquet wert thou to the taste, Lest Jealousy, that sour, unwelcome guest, Once more the ruby-color'd portal open'd, Gusts and foul flaws1 to herdmen and to herds. 1 Flaws are sudden blasts of wind. This ill presage advisedly she marketh : And at his look she flatly falleth down ; Claps her pale cheek, till clapping makes it red; And all-amazed brake off his late intent, He wrings her nose, he strikes her on the cheeks, The night of sorrow now is turn'd to day : Like the fair sun, when in his fresh array Whose beams upon his hairless face are fix'd, Had not his clouded with his brows' repine; But hers, which through the crystal tears gave light, Shone like the moon, in water seen by night. 'O, where am I?' quoth she; 'in earth or heaven, Or in the ocean drench'd, or in the fire? What hour is this? or morn, or weary even? Do I delight to die, or life desire ? But now I lived, and life was death's annoy; · O, thou didst kill me ;-kill me once again : 'Long may they kiss each other, for this cure! |