"Herbs for their smell, and sappy plants to bear; "Things growing to themselves are growth's abuse: "Seeds spring from seeds, and beauty breedeth beauty, "Thou wast begot,-to get it is thy duty. Upon the earth's increase why should'st thou feed, "Unless the earth with thy increase be fed? 66 By law of Nature thou art bound to breed, “That thine may live, when thou thyself art dead; "And so in spite of death thou dost survive, "In that thy likeness still is left alive.” By this, the love-sick queen began to sweat, And now Adonis, with a lazy spright, 66 Ah me," quoth Venus, "young, and so unkind! "What bare excuses mak'st thou to begone! 6 'tired] i. e. attired. "I'll sigh celestial breath, whose gentle wind "Shall cool the heat of this descending sun; "I'll make a shadow for thee of my hairs; tears. "The sun that shines from heaven shines but warm, "And lo, I lie between that sun and thee; "The heat I have from thence doth little harm, "Thine eye darts forth the fire that burneth me: "And were I not immortal, life were done, "Between this heavenly and earthly sun. "Art thou obdurate, flinty, hard as steel, Nay, more than flint, for stone at rain relenteth? Art thou a woman's son, and canst not feel "What 'tis to love? how want of love tormenteth? "O had thy mother borne so hard a mind, "She had not brought forth thee, but died unkind.7 “What am I, that thou should'st contemn me this? 8 "Or what great danger dwells upon my suit? "What were thy lips the worse for one poor kiss? "Speak, fair; but speak fair words, or else be mute: “Give me one kiss, I'll give it thee again, "And one for interest, if thou wilt have twain. 8 unkind] i.e. unnatural. contemn me this] Is, I think, rightly explained by Ma lone," contemptuously refuse this favour that I ask." 66 "Fie, lifeless picture, cold and senseless stone, Well-painted idol, image, dull and dead, "Statue, contenting but the eye alone, 66 Thing like a man, but of no woman bred; "Thou art no man, though of a man's complexion, "For men will kiss even by their own direction.” This said, impatience chokes her pleading tongue, And swelling passion doth provoke a pause; Red cheeks and fiery eyes blaze forth her wrong; Being judge in love, she cannot right her cause: And now she weeps, and now she fain would speak, And now her sobs do her intendments 9 break. Sometimes she shakes her head, and then his hand, Now gazeth she on him, now on the ground; Sometimes her arms infold him like a band; She would, he will not in her arms be bound; And when from thence he struggles to be gone, She locks her lily fingers, one in one. my "Fondling," she saith, "since I have hemm'd thee "Within the circuit of this ivory pale, [here, “I'll be a park, and thou shalt be deer; “Feed where thou wilt, on mountain or in dale: "Graze on my lips; and if those hills be dry, "Stray lower, where the pleasant fountains lie. 9 intendments] i. e. intentions. "Within this limit is relief enough, "Sweet bottom-grass, and high delightful plain, At this Adonis smiles, as in disdain, That in each cheek appears a pretty dimple: These lovely caves, these round-enchanting pits, Open'd their mouths to swallow Venus' liking: Being mad before, how doth she now for wits? Struck dead at first, what needs a second striking? Poor queen of love, in thine own law forlorn, To love a cheek that smiles at thee in scorn! Now which way shall she turn? what shall she say? morse-" 10 Away he springs, and hasteth to his horse. 10 remorse] i. e. tenderness. But lo, from forth a copse that neighbours by, The strong-neck'd steed, being tied unto a tree, Imperiously he leaps, he neighs, he bounds, And now his woven girths he breaks asunder; The bearing earth with his hard hoof he wounds, Whose hollow womb resounds like heaven's thunThe iron bit he crushes 'tween his teeth, [der; Controlling what he was controlled with. His ears up prick'd; his braided hanging mane Sometime he trots, as if he told the steps, Of the fair breeder that is standing by. 11 compass'd] i. e. arched. 12 mane... • stand] “Our author uses mane, as composed of many hairs, as plural." MALONE. |