LXVI. TIR'D with all these, for restful death I cry,— And needy nothing trimm'd in jollity, Tir'd with all these, from these would I be gone, 8 12 14 LXVI. The tone of melancholy, which has been previously heard, especially since lix., now attains a greater intensity, and we have a pessimism which has been compared to that of Hamlet. The poet sees in the world and the arrangements of society so many things abnormal and awry, that, in his weariness and loathing, he cries out for death, though unwilling to leave his friend. 1 Tir'd with all these,-i e., such things as those which follow. 2 As.-As, for example. Desert a beggar born.-Real merit and worth suffering the disqualification of an abjectly mean origin, and restrained by penury. 3 This line probably refers to what is commonly described as "keeping up an appearance." Unhappily forsworn.—Through the pressure of circumstances (as seems likely) in an evil world. 5 Gilded honour shamefully misplaced.—Cf. Ecclesiastes x. 5, 6, "There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler. Folly is set in great dignity," &c. 6 Rudely.-Either of physical force, or of the recklessness of slander; but the latter sense would seem to agree with the next line. 8 Strength by limping sway disabled.-Describes the injury inflicted by an incompetent and feeble government. 9, 10 In these lines there seem to be allusions to universities and their technical phraseology. This view accords with the use of doctor-like, and line 9 (where art will denote "learning") may be taken to refer to opinions obnoxious to those in authority being forbidden to be expressed and published. 12 This is a climax. Evil is a victorious captain, with Good as a captive attending to grace his triumph.; P LXVII. AH, wherefore with infection should he live, Why should false painting imitate his cheek, O, him she stores, to show what wealth she had, 8 12 14 LXVII. The world being such as was represented in the last Sonnet, the excellences of the poet's friend are out of place. Its atmosphere is charged with an infecting miasma. The friend's beauty serves as an extenuation and excuse for the debasement and decay of all around. The only reason which can be assigned for his presence in such a world is, that he is Nature's memorial of a golden age long passed away. 3 That sin by him advantage, &c.-His presence serving as a veil to conceal corruption. 66 4 Lace itself with his society.-"Lace" may here mean embellish," though in passages which have been quoted in proof the sense is rather "diversify." So in Rom, and Jul., Act iii. sc. 5, lines 7, 8, "What envious streaks Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east ;" and Macbeth, Act ii. sc. 3, lines 117-119, "Here lay Duncan, His silver skin laced with his golden blood; And his gashed stabs looked like a breach in nature," &c. 6 Dead seeing.-"Seeing " is equivalent to "appearance." Cf. v. 2, "The lovely gaze where every eye doth dwell." The "seeing" is "dead" as not being the result of healthy vitality, but mere imitation. 7 Poor beauty.-Beauty indifferent and imperfect. Indirectly.-By artificial means. 8 Shadow.-Mere external appearance. 12 Proud of many.-On account of their seeming beauty, which, however, is not caused by "blood blushing through lively veins." LXVIII. THUS is his cheek the map of days outworn, 8 12 14 LXVIII. Enlarges further on the subject of the last Sonnet, and in addition condemns the wearing of false hair. 1 The map of days outworn.-"This pattern of the worn-out age," used of the groom in Lucrece, has been compared, as also " Thou map of honour" in King Richard II., Act v. sc. 1, line 12. 3 These bastard signs of fair.—This mere artificial appearance of beauty. Bastard. As not truly derived from Nature. 6 The right of sepulchres.-Which should have been consigned to the sepulchre, and have remained there. The following passage from the Merchant of Venice, Act iii. sc. 2, lines 92-96, has been justly compared : "So are those crisped snaky golden locks, Which make such wanton gambols with the wind, Upon supposed fairness, often known To be the dowry of a second head, The skull that bred them in the sepulchre." 8 Ere beauty's dead fleece, &c., appears to express in other words what had been already said. 10 Itself would seem to be equivalent to "nature itself." 12 Robbing no old, &c.—These words and the two lines preceding may be taken to explain the "holy" of line 9, which can scarcely be used of moral purity. See the Sonnet following. LXIX. THOSE parts of thee that the world's eye doth view, By seeing farther than the eye hath shown. And that, in guess, they measure by thy deeds; 8 12 Then (churls) their thoughts, although their eyes were kind, 14 LXIX. The poet asserts that his friend's beauty is perfect. This all cordially admitted. Nevertheless it was alleged that his friend's moral character was not conformable to his outward appearance. The latter was a "fair flower," while the former was acquiring "the rank smell of weeds." The cause of this was a want of sufficient care with regard to companions, thus allowing too great facility of access. 4 Even so as foes commend.—Meaning, apparently, “for in like manner even foes commend, stinting their praise as much as possible." 5 Thy.-Q. has "Their." 7 Confound.-Abate and nullify. 8 By seeing farther.—As they pretend. 9 The beauty of thy mind.—Said possibly not without a shade of irony. 10 Thy deeds. As to the general nature of these we can form a probable guess from what had occurred with regard to Shakespeare's mistress. xl. al. 11 Their thoughts.-The conclusions they formed. 13 Odour, of course, is "reputation." Cf. 14 The solve,i.e., the solution, the explanation. Q. has "solye," but there can be little doubt that the emendation "solve" is right. LXX. THAT thou art blam'd shall not be thy defect, A crow that flies in heaven's sweetest air. If some suspect of ill mask'd not thy show, Then thou alone kingdoms of hearts should'st owe. LXX. After the hint given to his friend in the preceding Sonnet, the poet declares that the allegations referred to were slanders, the result of suspicion. Slander ever fastens on the purest characters. His friend's prime was unstained, such an affair as that with the poet's mistress not being regarded, apparently, as involving serious moral blemish. Moreover, there had been forgiveness; and the special reference here may be to some charge of which Mr. W. H. was innocent. But (as in lxxix.) Shakespeare can scarcely escape the charge of adulation. This Sonnet was probably intended to mitigate the influence of what had been said in lxix. 1 Blame is no proof of blameworthiness. 3 Suspicion is so usually associated with beauty that it may be regarded as its wonted ornament. 5 So thou be good.--If thou be good. 6 Being woo'd of time.-This must be taken, it would seem, with "slander" of line 5. The sense will then be that "slander coming under the soothing influence of time will show thy worth to be greater; "slander will turn to praise in course of time, and your true character will shine forth." Thy at beginning of this line is in Q. "Their." or, 7 For canker vice, &c.-This line has been illustrated by "As the most forward bud is eaten by the canker ere it blow," &c., Two Gentlemen of Verona, Act i. sc. 1, lines 45, 46. But the "canker vice" of our text is slander or envy. The ambush of young days.-The vices to which youth is prone. 10 Charg'd.-Attacked, assailed. 11, 12 Yet this praise of thine cannot have such efficacy as to restrain envy, which is ever busy. 13, 14 If the influence of thy beauty were not abated by evil suspicion all would be devoted to thee. Owe.-Possess, as elsewhere. |