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POEMS.

Venus And Adonis.'

RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY WRIOTHESLY, Earl Of Southampton, And Baron Of Titchfield. Right Honourable,

I KNOW not how I shall offend in dedicating my unpolished lines to your Lordship, nor how the world will censure ine for choosing so strong a pronto support so weak a burden: only, if your honour seem but pleased, I account myself highly praised, and vow to take advantage of all idle hours, till I have honoured you with some graver labour. But if the first heir of my invention prove deformed, I shall be sorry It had so noble a godfather, and never after ear so barren a land, for fear it yield me still so bad a harvest. I leave it to your honourable survey, and your honour to your heart's content; which I wish may always answer your own wish, and the world s hopeful expectation.

Your Honour's in aU duty,

William Shakspeare,

Even as the sun with purple-colour'd face -
Had ta'en his last leave of the weeping morn, ft.
Rose-cheek'd Adonis hied him to the chase;
Hunting he lov'd. but love he latigh'd to scorn:
Sick-thoughted Venus makes amain unconim.
And like a bold-fac'd suitor 'gtns to woo him.

2. _
Thrice fairer than myself," thus she,began.
The fielcLs chief flower, sweet above compare,
Stain to all nymphs, more lovely than a man.
More white and red than doves or roses are;
Nature that made thee, with herself at strife,
Saith that the world hath ending with thy life.

"Vouchsafe, thou wonderfto alight thy steed,
And reign his proud head to the saddle-bow;
If thou wilt deign this favour, for thy ifteed,
A thousand honey-secrets shalt thou know;
Here come and sit, where never serpent hisses,
And being set, I'll smother thee with kisses;
4.

*' And yet not cloy thy lips with loath'd satiety,
But rather famish them amid their plenty.
Making them red and pale with fresh variety.
Ten kisses short as one, one long as twenty:
A summer s day will seem an hour but short.
Being wasted in such time-beguiling sport."

With this she seizeth on his sweating palm.
The precedent of pith and livelihood.
And, trembling in her passion, calls it balm.
Earth's sovereign salve to do a goddess good:
Being so enrag'd, desire doth lend her force.
Courageously to pluck him from his horse.
6.

Over one arm the lusty courser's rein,

Under her other was the tender boy.

Who biush'd and pouted in a dull disdain,

With leaden appetite, unapt to toy;

She red and not, as coals of glowing fire,
He red for shame, but frosty in desire.

The studded bridle on a ragged bough

Nimbly she fastens; (Olow quick is love I)

The steed is stalled up. and even now

To tie the rider she begins to prove:

Backward she pushVI him. as she would be thrust. And govern'd him in strength, though not in lust.

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So, soon was she along, as he was down,
E^ch leaning on their elbows and their hips:
Now doth she stroke his cheek, now doth he frown,
And feins to chide, but soon she stops his lips;
Ana kissing speaks, with lustful language broken,
"If thou wtlt chide, thy lips shall neveropen,"
9-

He burns with bashful shame: she with her tears
Doth quench the maiden burning of his cheeks:
Then with her windy sighs, and golden hairs,
To fan and blow them dry again she seeks:

He saith, she is immodest, blames her 'miss;

What follows more, she murders with a kiss, io.

Even as an empty eagle, sharp by fast,

Tires with her beak on feathers, flesh,; „

Shaking her wings, devouring all in haste.
Till either gorge be stuff*d, or prey be gone;
Even so she kiss'd his brow, his cheek, his chin,
And where she ends, she doth anew begin,
ti,

Forc'd to content, but never to obey.

Panting he lies, and breatheth in her face;

She feedeth on the steam, as on a prey.

And calls it heavenly moisture, air of grace. Wishing her cheeks were gardens full of flowers, So they were dew'd with such distilling showers.

12.

Look how a bird lies tangled in a net.

So fasten'd in her arms Adonis lies;

Pure shame and aw'd resistance made him fret.

Which bred more beauty in his angry eyes:
Rain added to a river that is rank.
Perforce will force it overflow the bank.

13.

Still she entreats, and prettily entreats,

For to a pretty ear bhe tunes her tale;

Still is he sullen, still he lowers and frets.

'Twixt crimson shame, and anger ashy pale;
Being red. she loves him best; and being white,
Her best is better'd with a more delight
14.

Look how he can, she cannot choose but love;

And by her fair immortal hand she swears

From his soft bosom never to remove,

Till lie take truce with her contending tears,
Which long have rain'd. making her cheeks all wet
And one sweet kiss shall pay this countless debt

Upon this promise did he raise his chin,
I-ike a dive-dapper peering through a wave,
Who, being look'd on, ducks as quickly in;
So offers lie 10 give what she did crave;
But when her lips were ready for his pay.
He winks, and turns his lips another way.
16.

Never did passenger in summer's heat
More thirst for drink, than she for thU good turn:
Her help she sees, but help she cannot get;
She bathes in water, yet her fire must burn:

"O. pity," 'gan she cry, "flint-hearted boy 1 ''Tis but a kiss I beg; why art thou coy?

'" I have been woo'd, as 1 entreat thee now.
Even by the stern and direful god of war.
Whose sinewy neck in battle ne'er did bow.
Who conquers where lie conies, in every jar:
Yet hath he been my captive and my slave,
And begg'd for that which thou unask'd shalt have.
18.

"Over my altars hath he hung his lance.
His batter'd shield, his uncontrolled crest.
And for my sake hath learn d to sport and dance.
To toy, to wanton, dally, smile, and jest;
Scorning his churlish drum, and ensign red,
Making my arms his field, his tent my bed.

"Thus he that overrul'd, 1 oversway'd,
Leading him prisoner in a red-rose chain:
Strong-temper'd steel his stronger strength obey'd.
Yet was he servile to my coy disdain.
O be not proud, nor brag not of thy might,
For mastering her that foil'd the god of fight I
20.

"Touch but my lips with those fair lips of thine, (Though mine Be not so fair, yet are they red,) The kiss shall be thine own as well as mine :— What seest thou in the ground t hold up thy head; Look in mine eyeballs, there thy beauty lies: Then why not hps on lips, since eyes in eyes?

21.

*• Art thou asham'd to kiss? then wink again.

And I will wink, so shall the day seem night;

Love keeps his revels where there are but twain;

Be bold to play, our sport is not in sight:
These blue-vein'd violets whereon we lean
Never can blab, nor know not what we mean,
aa.

"The tender spring upon thy tempting lip
Shows thee unripe; yet mayst thou well be t
Make use of time, let not advantage slip:
Beauty within itself should not be wasted:
Fair flowers that are not gather'd in their prime.
Rot and consume themselves in litUe time.

2*.

"Were I hard-favour'd. foul, or wrinkled-old,
Ill-nurtur'd, crooked, churlish, harsh in voice.
O'er-worn, despised, rheumatic and cold.
Thick-sighted, barren, lean, and lacking juice.
Then inightst thou pause, for then 1 were not for
But having no defects, why dost abhor meT [thee;

24

"Thou canst not see one wrinkle in my brow:
Mine eyes are gray, and bright, and quick in fuming;
My beauty as the spring doth yearly grow.
My flesh is soft and plump, my marrow burning;
My smooth moist hand, were it with thy hand felt.
Would in thy palm dissolve, or seem to melt

25.

"Bid me discourse, I will enchant thine ear.
Or, like a fairy, trip upon the green.
Or, like a nymph, with long dishevell'd hair.
Dance on the sands, and yet no footing seen:
Love is a spirit all compact of fire.
Not gross to sink, but light, and will aspire.
26.

*• Witness this primrose bank whereon I lie;

These forceless flowers like sturdy trees support me;

Two strengthless doves will draw me through the sky.

From morn rill night, even where i list to sport me
Js love so light, sweet boy, and may it be
That thou shouldst think it heavy unto thee?

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•' Is thine own heart to thine own face affected f
Can thy right hand seize love upon thy left?
Then woo thyself, be of thyself rejected.
Steal thine own freedom, and complain on theft.
Narcissus, so. himself himself forsook.
And died to kiss his shadow in the brook.

28. —

"Torches are made to light, jewels to wear, Dainties to taste, fresh beauty for the use. Herbs for their smell, and sappy plants to bear; Things growing to themselves are growth's abuse: Sreds spring from seeds, and beauty breedeth Thou wast begot,—to get it is thy duty, [beauty, 20.

"Upon the earth's increase why shouldst thou feedt

Unless the earth with thy increase be fed?

By law of nature thou arc bound to breed.

That thine may live, when thou thyself art dead;

And so in spite of death thou dost survive,

In that tny likeness still is left alive."

■p.

By this, the love-sick queen began to sweat;

For, where they !ay, the shadow had forsook them,

And Titan, 'tired in the midday heat.

With burning eye did hotly overlook them;
Wishing Adonis had his team to guide.
So he were like him, and by Venus" side.

3*«

And now Adonis with a lazy sprite.

And with a heavy, dark, disliking eye.

llis lowering brows o'erwhelming his fair sight.

Like misty vapours, when they blot the sky. Souring his cheeks, cries. " Fie, no more of love I The sun doth burn my face ; I must remove."

32

"Ah me," quoth Venus. "young, and so unkind 1
What bare excuses inak'st thou to be gone I
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;

If they bum too, I'll quench them with my tears.

33

"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 burnetii me:
And were ! not immortal, life were done,
Between this heavenly and earthly sun.

34

"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 tormentetht 0 had thy mother borne so hard a mind. She had not brought forth thee, but died unkind.

"What am I that thou shouldst contemn me this!

Or wh it 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.

"Fie, lifeless picture, cold^and sensel___
Weil-pointed idol, image, dull and dead.
Statue, contenting but the eye alone.
Thing like a man, but of no woman bred;
Thou art 110 man, though of a man's complexion,
For men will kiss even by their own direction.-'
37-

This said, impatience chokes her pleading tongue.

And swelling passion doth provoke a pause;

Red checks 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 s
And now her sobs do her intendments break.
38.

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 begone.

She locks her lily fingers, one in one.

*' Fondling," she salth, "since I have hemm'd thee
Within the circuit of this ivory pale, [here,
I'll be a park, and thou shalt be my deer;
Feed where thou will, on mountain or in dale
Graze on my lips ; and if those hills be dry,
Stray lower, where the pleasant fountains lie.
40.

"Within this limit w> relief enough.
Sweet bottom-grass, and high delightful plain.
Round rising hillocks, brakes obscure and rough.
To shelter thee from tempest and from rain;

Then be my deer, since I am such a park;

No dot; shall rouse thee, though a thousand bark." 41.

At this Adonis smiles, as in disdain.
That in each cheek appears a pretty dimple:
Love made those hollows, if himself were slain.
He might be buried in a tomb so simple;
Foreknowing well, if there he came to lie,
Why there love liy'd. and there he could not die.
42-

These lovely caves, these round enchanting pits.
Open il their mouths to swallow Venus' liking.
Being inad before, how doth she now for wits f
Struck dead at first, what needs a second striking!
Poor queen of love, in thine own taw forlorn,
To love a cheek that smiles at thee in scorn I

Now which way shall she turn T what shall she say?

Her words are done, her woes the more increasing,

The time is spent, her o uect will away.

And from her twining arms doth urge releasing: "Pity"—she cries—' sjme favour—some remorse"— Away he springs, and hasteth to his horse.

44

But, lo, from forth a copse that neighbours by
A breeding jennet, lusty, young, and proud,
Adonis' trampling courser doth espy,
And forth she rushes, snorts, and neighs aloud:
The strong-neck'd steed, being tied unto a tree,
Breaketh his rein, and to her straight goes he.

45*

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 thunder;
The iron bit he crushes tween his teeth.
Controlling what he was controlled with.

46.

His ears up-prick'd ; his braided hanging mane
Upon his compass1'! crest now stand on end;
His nostrils drink the air. and forth again,
fAs from a furnace, vapours doth he send:

HJs eye, which scornfully glisters like fire.

Shows his hot courage and his high desire.

47

Sometime he trots, as if he told the steps.

With gentle majesty and modest pride;

Anon nc rears upright, curvets and leaps,

As who should say, Lo 1 thus my strength is tried;
And this I do to captivate the eye
Of the fair breeder that is standing by
48.

AVhat recketh he his rider's angry stir,
Tlis nattering Holla, or his Stand, J sayt
What cart-she now for curb, or pricking spur J
For rich c.iparisons, or trapping gay?
He sees his love, and nothing else he sees,
Nor nothing else with his proud sight agrees.
49-

Look, when a painter would surpass the life.
In limning out a well-proportion d steed.
His art with nature's workmanship a» strife,
As if the dead the living should exceed;
So did this horse excel a common one.
In shape, in courage, colour, pace, and bone.
50.

Round-hoofd, short-jointed, fetlocks shag and long.
Broad breast, full eye, small head, and nostril wide.
High crest, short ears, straight legs,and passing strong.
Thin mane, thick tail, broad buttock, tender hide:
, Look what a horse should have, he did not lack,
< Save a proud rider on so proud a back.

Sometimes he scuds far off, and there he stares;

Anon he starts at stirring of a feather;
To bid the wind a base he now prepares.
And whe'r he run, or fly. they know not whether;
For thro' his mane and tail the high wind sings.
Fanning the hairs, who wave like feather'd wings.

He looks upon his love, and neighs unto her;

She answers him, as if she knew his mind;

Being proud, as females are, to see him woo her,

She puts on outward strangeness, seems unkind;
Spurns at his love, and scorns the heat he feels.
Beating his kind embracements with her heels.
S3-

Then, like n melancholy malcontent.
He vails his tail, that, like a falling plume.
Cool shadow to his melting buttock lent:
He stamps, and bites the poor flies in his fume.
His love, perceiving how he is enrag'd.
Grew kinder, and his fury was assuagM

His testy master goeth about to take him;
When, lo, the unback d breeder, full of fear,
Jealous of catching, swiftly doth forsake him,
With her the horse, and left Adonis there:
As they were mad, unto the wood they hie them.
Outstripping crows that strive to over-fly them.

AH sworn with chasing, down Adonis sits,
Banning his boisterous and unruly beast:
And now the happy season once more fits.
That love-sick love by pleading may be blest;
For lovers say, the neart hath treble wrong,
When it is barr'd the aidance of the tongue.
56.

An oven that is stopp'd, or river stay'd,

Burneth more hotly, swelleth with more rage:

So of concealed sorrow may be said;

Free vent of words love's fire doth assuage;
But when the heart's attorney once is mute*
The client breaks, as desperate in his suit

57

He sees her coming, and begins to glow,
(Even as a dying coal revives with wind,)
And with his bonnet hides his angry brow;
Looks on the dull earth with disturbed mind
Taking no notice that she is so nigh,
For all askaunce he holds her in his eye.

58.

O, what a sight it was, wistly to view
How she came stealing to the wayward boy 1
To note the fighting conflict of her hue.
How white and red each other did destroy I
But now her cheek was pale, and by and by
It flash'd forth fire, as lightning from the sky.
»•

Now was she just before him as he sat.
And like a lowly lover down she kneels:
With one fair hand she heaveth tip his hat,
Her other tender hand his fair cheek feels:
His tenderer cheek receives her soft hand's print.
As apt as new-fallen snow takes any dint
60.

O what a war of looks was then between them 1

Her eyes, petitioners, to his eyes suing;

His eyes saw her eyes as they had not seen them;

Her eyes woo'd still, his eyes disdain'd the wooing; And aH this dumb play had his acts made plain With tears, which, chorus-like, her eyes did rain. 6r.

Fall gently now she takes him by the hand,

A lily prison'd in a gaol of snow.

Or ivory in an alabaster band;

So white a friend engirts so white a foe:
This beauteous combat, wilful and unwilling,
Shbw'd like two silver doves that sit a-billing.
62.

Once more the engine of her thoughts began:
"O fairest mover on this mortal round.
Would thou wert a« 1 am, and 1 a man.
My heart all whole as thine, thy heart my wound;
For one sweet look thy help I would assure thee,
Though nothing but my body's bane would curt

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"Give me my hand, * saith he, "why dost thou feel

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*'Give me my heart," saith she, "and thou shalt have
O, give it me, lest thy hard heart do steel it, [it;

And being steel'd, soft sighs can never grave it;
Then love's deep groans I never shall regard.
Because Adonis' heart hath made mine hard."

64.

•* I-or shame," he cries, "let go, and let me go,

My day's delight is past, my horse is gone,
And 'tis your fault 1 am bereft him so:
I pray you hence, and leave me here alone;
For aj! my mind, my thought, my busy care.
Is how to get my palfrey from the mare."

65

Thus she replies: "Thy palfrey, as he should,
Welcomes the warm approach of sweet desire:
Affection is a coal that must be cooi'd;
EKe. sulfer'd, it will set the heart on fire:
The sea hath bounds, but deep desire hath none;
igii thy

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thy horse be gone.

•* How like a jade he stood, tied to the tree.
Servilely master'd with a leathern rein! _
But when he saw his love, his youth's fair fee.
He held such petty bondage in disdain;
Throwing the base thong from his bending crest,
Enfranchising his mouth, his back, his breast,

67

"Who sees his true-love in her naked bed,
Teaching the sheets a whiter hue than white,
But, wheh his glutton eye so full hath fed.
His other agents aim at like delight?
Who is so faint, that dare not lie so bold
TO touch the fire, the weather being coldt

68.

** Let me excuse thy courser, gentle boy;

And learn of him. 1 heartily beseech thee.

To take advantage on presented joy;

Though T were dumb, yet his proceedingsteach thee:
O learn to love; the lesson is but plain.
And once made perfect, never lost again.**

69.

"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:

For 1 have heard it is a life in death,

That laughs, and weeps, and all but with a breath.

70.

•' Who wears a garment shapeless and unfinish'd?
Who plucks the hud before one leaf put forth I
If springing things be any jot diminish'd,
They wither in their prime, prove nothing worth:
The colt that's back'd and burden'd being young,
Loseth his pride, and never waxeth strong.

"You hurt my hand with wringing; let us part,
A nd leave this idle theme, this bootless chat:
Remove your siege from my unyielding heart;
To love's alarms it will not ope the gate:
Dismiss your vows, your feigned tears, your flat
tery;

For where a heart is hard, they make no battery." 72.

"What! canst thou talk?" quoth she, "haf-t thou a tongue?

O. would thou hadst not. or I had no hearing 1
Thy mermaid's voice hath done me double wrong;
I had iny 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 cars would love

That inward beauty and invisible;

Or, were I deaf, thy outward parts would move

Each part in me [hat were but sensible:
Though neither eyes*nor ears, to hear nor see,
Yet should 1 be in love, by touching thee.

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 rae.
Yet would my love to thee be still as much;
For from the still'tory of thy face excelHhg
Comes breath pcrfumd, that brccdeth love by
smelling.

"But, O, what banquet wert thou to the taste,
Being nurse and feeder of the other four I
Would they not wish the feast might ever last,
And bid Suspicion double-lock the door;
Lest Jealousy, that sour unwelcome guest.
Should, by his stealing in, disturb the feast."
7*

Once more the ruby-colour'd portal open'd.
Which to his speech did honey passage yield;
Like a red morn, that ever yet betoken'd
Wreck to the seaman, tempest to the field.

Sorrow to shepherds, woe unto the birds.

Gusts and foul flaws to herdmen and to'

This ill presage advisedly she marketh:
Even as the wind is hush d before it raineth.
Or as the wolf doth grin before he barketh,
Or as the berry breaks before it staineth.
Or like the deadly bullet of a gun.
His meaning struck her ere his words begun.
78.

And at his look she flatly lallcth down,
For looks kilt love, and love by looks reviveth:
A smile recures the wounding of a frown;
But blessed bankrupt, that by love so thriveth I

The silly boy, believing she is dead.

Claps her pale cheek, till clapping makes it red 1 79

An all-amaz'd brake off his late intent.
For sharply he did think to reprehend her.
Which cunning love did wittily prevent:
Fair fall the wit that can so well defend her I
For on the grass she lies as she were slain,
Till his breath breatheth life in her again.
80.

He wrings her nose, he strikes her on the cheeks.
He bends her fingers, holds her pulses hard.
He chafes her lips; a thousand ways he seeks
To mend the hurt that his unkindness niarr'd:
He kisses her ; and she. by her good will,
Will never rise, so he will kiss her still.

8r.

The night of sorrow now is turn'd to day:
Her two blue windows faintly she upheaveth.
Like the fair sun. when in his fresh array
He cheers the morn, and all the world relieveth:
And as the bright sun glorifies the sky,
So is her face illumin'd with her eye;

Whose beams upon his hairless face are fiVd.
As if from thence they borrow'd all their shine
Were never four such lamps together mix'd,
Had not his clouded with his brows' repine j
But hers, which through the crystal tears gave light.
Shone like the moon in water seen by night.
83.

"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 1

Do 1 delight to die, or life desire? ,

But now I liv'd, and life was death's annoy;

But now I died, and death was lively joy. 84.

"O thou didst kill me:—kill me. once again: Thy eyes' shrewd tutor, that hard heart of thine Hath taught them scornful tricks, and such disdain, That they have murder'd this poor heart of mine; And these mine eyes, true leaders to their queen, But for thy piteous lips no more had seen. 85.

"Long may they kiss each other, for this cure I

O never let their crimson liveries wear!

And as they last, their verdure still endure,

To drive infection from the dangerous year I
That.the star-gazers, having writ on death.
May say, the plague is banish'd by thy breath.

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