No More Learning

But when olde age theire beauties hath in Chace,
And plowes up furrowes in theire once-smoothe face,
Then they become forsaken, and doe showe 75
Like stately abbeyes ruin'd longe agoe.
Nature but gives the modell, and first draught
Of faire perfection, which by art is taught
To speake itselfe, a compleat form and birthe,
Soe stands a Copie to these shapes on earthe. 80
Jove grante me then a reparable face
Which, whiles that Colours are, can want no grace.
Pigmalions painted statue I coulde love,
Soe it were warme and softe, and coulde but move.


[A Paradoxe of a Painted Face. _H39_, _S_, _S96_, _TCD_ (_II_)
_Pembroke and Ruddier_ (_1660_), _Le Prince D'Amour_ (_1660_),
_Simeon_ (_1856-7_), _Grosart_ (_from S_), _Chambers_ (_from
Simeon_, _and Pembroke and Ruddier_): _text from S96_:
_punctuation partly Editor's_]

[8 azure crincklinge _S96_: azure winckles _P and R_: azure
twinklinge _S_: azur'd wrinklings _TCD_: azure wrinkles
_Chambers_]

[15 Detaine] Deceive _H39_, _P and R_, _LeP D' A_, _TCD_,
_Chambers_

pleasing] cunning _TCD_]

[18 radiant _S96_: cadent _H39_, _TCD_, _LeP D' A_, _Grosart_,
_and Chambers_: splendent _P and R_]

[21 then] yet _S96_]

[32 Chaste] choise _P and R_, _LeP D' A_, _TCD_]

[39 shop] shape _S96_

rich] largest _S96_: large _P and R_, _Grosart_, _and
Chambers_]

[45 discoloured] discovered _H39_: _but_ discoloured _is here_
variegated]

[53 rifles] rifled _S96_]

[55 purles] fills _S_: purls _is_ embroiders as with gold or
silver thread]

[67 clearest] choicest _P and R_: cleanest _S_: finest
_Chambers_]

[68 most hott] most stronge _S96_]

[72 hansells _H39_: houses _S_, _S96_, _Chambers_: touches _P
and R_: causes _LeP D' A_]

[73 beauties] brav'ries _H39_]

[79 To speake itselfe _TCD_, _P and R_: Speake to itselfe _S_,
_S96_: Speake for itselfe _H39_: To make itselfe _Simeon_,
_Grosart_, _and Chambers_]




_Sonnett. _

Madam that flea that Crept between your brests
I envied, that there he should make his rest:
The little Creatures fortune was soe good
That Angells feed not on so pretious foode.
How it did sucke how eager tickle you 5
(Madam shall fleas before me tickle you? )

Oh I can not holde; pardon if I kild it.
Sweet Blood, to you I aske this, that which fild it
Ran from my Ladies Brest. Come happie flea
That dide for suckinge of that milkie Sea. 10
Oh now againe I well could wishe thee there,
About hir Hart, about hir anywhere;
I would vowe (Dearest flea) thou shouldst not dye,
If thou couldst sucke from hir hir crueltye.


[Sonnett. _O'F_, _S96_: _no title_, _S_: On A Flea on His
Mistress's Bosom _Simeon_, _Grosart_, _Chambers_ (_from
Simeon_): _text from S96_]

[7 I can not holde] I not hold can _Chambers_

kild _Ed_: killed _Chambers_: kill _S96_]

[13 vowe ] now _Chambers_

Dearest _S96_: deare _S_, _O'F_, _Chambers_

thou] that thou _Chambers_]




_On Black Hayre and Eyes. _

If shaddowes be the pictures excellence;
And make it seeme more lively to the sence;
If starres in the bright day are hid from sight
And shine most glorious in the masque of night;
Why should you thinke (rare creature) that you lack 5
Perfection cause your haire and eyes are blacke,
Or that your heavenly beauty which exceedes
The new sprung lillies in their mayden weeds,
The damaske coullour of your cheekes and lipps
Should suffer by their darknesse an eclipps?
10
Rich diamonds shine brightest, being sett
And compassed within a foyle of Jett.
Nor was it fitt that Nature should have mayde
So bright a sunne to shine without a shade.
It seemes that Nature when she first did fancie 15
Your rare composure studied Necromancie,
That when to you this guift she did impart
She used altogether the black art.
By which infused power from Magique tooke
You doe command all spiritts with a looke: 20
Shee drew those Magique circles in your eyes,
And mayde your hayre the chaines wherewith shee ties
Rebelling hearts: those blew veines which appeare,
Winding Meander about either spheare,
Misterious figures are, and when you list 25
Your voice commandeth like the Exorcist,
And every word which from your Pallett falleth
In a deep charme your hearer's heart inthralleth.
Oh! If in Magique you have skill so farre,
Vouchsafe me to be your familiar. 30
Nor hath kind Nature her black art reveal'd
To outward partes alone, some lie conceal'd,
And as by heads of springs men often knowe
The nature of the streames that run belowe,
So your black haire and eyes do give direction 35
To make me thinke the rest of like complexion:
That rest where all rest lies that blesseth Man,
That Indian mine, that straight of Magellan,
That worlde dividing gulfe where he that venters,
With swelling sayles and ravisht senses enters 40
To a new world of blisse. Pardon, I pray,
If my rude muse presumeth to display
Secretts unknowne, or hath her bounds orepast
In praysing sweetnesse which I ne're did tast;
Sterved men doe know there's meate, and blind men may 45
Though hid from light presume there is a day.
The rover in the marke his arrowe sticks
Sometimes as well as he that shootes att prickes,
And if I might direct my shaft aright,
The black mark would I hitt and not the white. 50


[On Black Hayre and Eyes _Add. MS. 11811, on which text is
based: in several MSS. including A25, TCD (II), L77: printed
in Parnassus Biceps (1656), Pembroke and Ruddier's Poems
(1660), Simeon (1856-7), Grosart, and Chambers_]

[2 it _A2I_, _H60_, _TCD_: them _A11_: things _L77_]

[4 shine _H39_, _TCD_: seem _A11_, _Grosart_, _and Chambers_]

[8 mayden weeds,] maidenheads, _H39_, _TCD_, _Grosart_, _and
Chambers_]

[9 The damasque coullor of] That cherry colour of _H39_,
_TCD_: Or that the cherries of _Some MSS. _]

[12 compassed ] compos'd _A11_

foyle] field _Chambers_]

[19 tooke] book _Grosart and Chambers_]

[20 all spiritts] like spirits _Grosart and Chambers_]

[25 figures] fables _A11_]

[26 commandeth] commands _A11_]

[29 you have skill _L77_, _TCD_, _&c. _: your power _A11_: you
have power _Grosart and Chambers_]

[33 For (And) as by the springhead a man may (men often) know
_L77_, _TCD_, _and other MSS. _]

[34 streame .