XVIII. SHALL I compare thee to a summer's day? By chance, or nature's changing course, untrimm'd; Nor shall Death brag thou wander'st in his shade, So long as men can breathe, or eyes can see, 4 8 12 14 XVIII. If the poet were to compare his friend to a summer day, the comparison would be a depreciation of his excellence. And summer, too, must fade away; but through these Sonnets Mr. W. H. is assured of immortality so long as the race of men endures. The greatly increased power to confer immortality here attributed to the poet's verses may be noted, as showing not improbably that here a new group of Sonnets commences, extending to xxvi. 3 May." A summer month; we must remember that May in Shakspere's time ran on to within a few days of our mid-June."-Dowden, ad loc. 5 The eye of heaven.-The sun. Cf. xxxiii. 2. 7 Every fair from fair. -Everything beautiful from beauty. 8 Untrimm'd.-Its beauty marred or despoiled. 10 That fair thou ow'st.—That beauty thou ownest. 12 To time thou grow'st.-Thy fame increasing with the progress of time; keeping pace with time. XIX. DEVOURING Time, blunt thou the lion's paws, Yet do thy worst, old Time: despite thy wrong, 4 8 12 14 XIX. Mr. W. H.'s immortality is secured by the poet's verse against the possibility of being impaired by the utmost power of Time to destroy. In this Sonnet Time is first implored to restrain his power; and then he is defied. 2 The earth "devours" what, on its decay, becomes again incorporated with the earth. 3 Fierce tiger's jaws.-Q. has "yawes." 4 "Burned in her blood' may signify 'burnt alive.'"-Steevens. 10 Thine antique pen.-So called, apparently, as marking age on the countenance. In the previous line the effects of age are "carved" on the brow. 11 Untainted.-Without being faded or marred. XX. A WOMAN'S face with Nature's own hand painted, 4 8 By adding one thing to my purpose nothing. 12 But since she prick'd thee out for women's pleasure, 14 XX. The poet's friend has the beauty and tenderness of a woman, but without faults which are common in women. Evidence as to the nature of the poet's "passion," if such were needed, is given by lines II to 14. 2 Master-mistress.-An expression evidently used on account of the poet's dedicating his Sonnets to a male friend, instead of the mistress usually addressed by the sonnetteers. 5 Less false in rolling.-Cf. cxxxix. 6; cxl. 14. 6 Gilding the object, &c.-Like the sun. Cf. xxxiii. 1-4. 7 A man in hue, all hues.—The word "hue" has in our day a sense more restricted than it had in Shakespeare's time, when it could be employed to indicate "form" or "appearance." The lines from Spenser, Fairy Queen, Bk. v. canto ix., have been quoted : "Then gan it run away incontinent, Being returned to his former hew." The notion that "hues," as printed in the Quarto "Hews," was intended Controlling.— M XXI. So is it not with me as with that Muse, With sun and moon, with earth and sea's rich gems, Let them say more that like of hearsay well; 8 12 14 XXI. It is not necessary for the poet to flatter his friend, or to follow the example of other poets, who, inspired by meretricious charms, indulge in extravagant comparisons. There is none born of woman more beautiful than Mr. W. H., though, in its brightness, his beauty is not comparable to that of the stars, whose brightness is of a different nature. 1, 2 The muse is identified with the poet in question. As to the words "painted beauty," cf. xx. 1. Possibly some particular poet may be intended. 4 Every fair with his fair, &c.-Compares everything beautiful with the beauty which he celebrates. Cf. xviii. 7. 5 Couplement. Represented in Q. by "cooplement." Of proud compare.---Coupling, in his exalted and inflated comparisons, the beauty which he celebrates with objects specified in the three following lines. 8 This huge rondure.-Possibly the vast circumference of the limiting horizon, or possibly the vault of heaven. On the whole, the former sense seems the more probable. 12 Gold candles. Cf. Merchant of Venice, Act v. sc. 1, lines 58, 59: "Look how the floor of heaven Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold." 13 That like of hearsay well.-Who are pleased with idle and extravagant talk. The "of," in our present idiom, would be redundant. 14 I will not praise, &c.—I will not indulge in extravagant laudation, as sellers do, wishing to part with what they praise. Cf. Passionate Pilgrim, 19: "But plainly say thou lov'st her well, And set her person forth to sell." Also Troilus and Cressida, Act iv. sc. 1, line 78, "We'll not commend what we intend to sell." Paris here speaks; but it would not seem that he really wanted to part with Helen. If he did, he would do as vendors do. He intends to sell only at a costly price, by the fortune of war. XXII. My glass shall not persuade me I am old, Presume not on thy heart when mine is slain ; 8 12 14 XXII. The poet can see some traces of advancing age when he looks in a mirror; but he is united so closely to his friend, that he will not believe that he is himself old, while his friend is in the bloom of youthful beauty. They have exchanged hearts. In what is said of the poet's heart being slain, Professor Dowden sees some indication of a wrong which had been committed by the poet's friend. If this view is correct, the wrong (the nature of which is to come out afterwards) must have been committed, it would seem, very soon after the commencement of the friendship. 4 Expiate.-Bring to a close, finish.-Schmidt's Lex. Malone compared King Richard III., Act iii. sc. 3, line 23, "Make haste; the hour of death is expiate." 5 All the beauty, &c.—The poet and his friend have exchanged hearts; and so the poet's heart is clothed with the beautiful form of his friend. 9 Be of thyself so wary.-Since thou hast my heart in thy breast. A gentle hint, possibly, in accordance with what has been said above. 13 When mine is slain. -Meaning, possibly, slain by thy present course of conduct. |