Tell me more yet, can they grieve? When you men are wise as they. Then I see, Faith will be Never till they both believe. John Fletcher [1579-1625] LOVE'S EMBLEMS From "Valentinian " Now the lusty spring is seen; All love's emblems, and all cry, Every woman, every maid: And inviting men to taste, All love's emblems, and all cry, THE POWER OF LOVE From "Valentinian " HEAR, ye ladies that despise What the mighty Love has done; Fear examples and be wise: Fair Callisto was a nun; Advice to a Lover Leda, sailing on the stream To deceive the hopes of man, Love accounting but a dream, Doted on a silver swan; Danaë, in a brazen tower, Where no love was, loved a shower. Hear, ye ladies that are coy, What the mighty Love can do; Fear the fierceness of the boy: The chaste Moon he makes to woo; Vesta, kindling holy fires, Circled round about with spies, Never dreaming loose desires, Doting at the altar dies; Ilion, in a short hour, higher He can build, and once more fire. 483 John Fletcher [1579-1625] ADVICE TO A LOVER THE sea hath many thousand sands, The sun hath motes as many; As full of woes as any: Believe me, that do know the elf, It is in truth a pretty toy But O, the honies of our youth Are oft our age's gall: Self-proof in time will make thee know He was a prophet told thee so: A prophet that, Cassandra-like, Tells truth without belief; For headstrong Youth will run his race, Love's Martyr, when his heat is past, Unknown LOVE'S HOROSCOPE. LOVE, brave Virtue's younger brother, Gave omen to his infant hours; Ah, my heart! is that the way? Are these the beams that rule thy day?' The obsequious motions of Love's fate. If those sharp rays, putting on Cast amorous glances on its birth, To pave his paths with all the good But if her milder influence move, "Ah, How Sweet It Is To Love" 485 Though every diamond in Jove's crown Her eye a strong appeal can give, O, if Love shall live, O where, Or, if Love shall die, O where, While Love shall thus entombed lie, Richard Crashaw [1613?-1649] "AH, HOW SWEET IT IS TO LOVE!” From "Tyrannic Love" Ан, how sweet it is to love! Ah, how Desire! is young When we first approach Love's fire! Pains of Love be sweeter far t Than all other pleasures are. f Sighs which are from lovers blown Cure, like trickling balm, their smart: Love and Time with reverence use, Treat them like a parting friend; Nor the golden gifts refuse Which in youth sincere they send: For each year their price is more, Love, like spring-tides full and high, Till they quite shrink in again:.. If a flow in age appear, 'Tis but rain, and runs not clear. SONG John Dryden [1631-1700] LOVE still has something of the sea, They are becalmed in clearest days, One while they seem to touch the port, Then straight into the main 1 At first Disdain and Pride they fear, By such degrees to joy they come, 'Tis cruel to prolong a pain; |