No More Learning

20
If any, so by love refin'd,
That he soules language understood,
And by good love were growen all minde,
Within convenient distance stood,
He (though he knew not which soule spake, 25
Because both meant, both spake the same)
Might thence a new concoction take,
And part farre purer then he came.
This Extasie doth unperplex
(We said) and tell us what we love, 30
Wee see by this, it was not sexe,
Wee see, we saw not what did move:
But as all severall soules containe
Mixture of things, they know not what,
Love, these mixt soules, doth mixe againe, 35
And makes both one, each this and that.
A single violet transplant,
The strength, the colour, and the size,
(All which before was poore, and scant,)
Redoubles still, and multiplies. 40
When love, with one another so
Interinanimates two soules,
That abler soule, which thence doth flow,
Defects of lonelinesse controules.
Wee then, who are this new soule, know, 45
Of what we are compos'd, and made,
For, th'Atomies of which we grow,
Are soules, whom no change can invade.
But O alas, so long, so farre
Our bodies why doe wee forbeare? 50
They are ours, though they are not wee, Wee are
The intelligences, they the spheare.
We owe them thankes, because they thus,
Did us, to us, at first convay,
Yeelded their forces, sense, to us, 55
Nor are drosse to us, but allay.
On man heavens influence workes not so,
But that it first imprints the ayre,
Soe soule into the soule may flow,
Though it to body first repaire. 60
As our blood labours to beget
Spirits, as like soules as it can,
Because such fingers need to knit
That subtile knot, which makes us man:
So must pure lovers soules descend 65
T'affections, and to faculties,
Which sense may reach and apprehend,
Else a great Prince in prison lies.
To'our bodies turne wee then, that so
Weake men on love reveal'd may looke; 70
Loves mysteries in soules doe grow,
But yet the body is his booke.
And if some lover, such as wee,
Have heard this dialogue of one,
Let him still marke us, he shall see 75
Small change, when we'are to bodies gone.


[The Extasie. _1633-69:_ _do. or_ Extasie.
_A18_, _A25_, _B_,
_D_, _H40_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _S96_,
_TCC_, _TCD_]

[3 reclining _1633-54:_ declining _1669_]

[4 best. _Ed:_ best; _1633-54_

Sate we on one anothers breasts. _1669_]

[6 With _1633_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_,
_P_, _S_, _TC:_ By _1635-69_, _Chambers_]

[8 string; _Ed:_ string, _1633-69_]

[9 to'entergraft _1633_, _A18_, _D_, _H40_, _H49_, _Lec_,
_N_, _P_, _S_, _TC:_ to engraft _1635-69_, _A25_, _JC_, _O'F_,
_Chambers_]

[11 in _1633-69_, _P:_ on _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H40_,
_H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _TC_]

[15 their _1633 and most MSS. :_ our _1635-69_, _O'F_, _P_]

[18 lay; _Ed:_ lay, _1633-69_]

[25 knew _1635-69_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _H40_, _H49_, _JC_,
_N_, _P_, _TC:_ knowes _1633_, _D_, _Lec_]

[29 doth] do _1669_]

[31 sexe, _1669:_ sexe _1633-54_]

[42 Interinanimates _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _H40_, _H49_, _JC_,
_N_, _O'F_, _P_, _TC:_ Interanimates _1633-69_, _D_, _Lec_]

[44 loneliness] loveliness _1669_]

[46 made, _1633-39:_ made: _1650-69_]

[47 Atomies _1633-54:_ Atomes _1669_]

[48 are soules, _1633_, _1669:_ are soule, _1635-54_]

[51 though they are not _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H40_,
_H49_, _JC_, _Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _TC:_ though not
_1633-69_]

[52 spheare. _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H40_, _H49_, _JC_,
_Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _S96_, _TC:_ spheares. _1633-69_]

[55 forces, sense, _A18_, _A25_, _D_, _H40_, _H49_, _JC_,
_Lec_, _N_, _O'F_, _S_, _S96_, _TC:_ senses force _1633-69_]

[59 Soe _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _H40_, _JC_, _N_, _P_, _S_, _S96_,
_TC:_ For _1633-69_, _D_, _H49_, _Lec_]

[64 makes] make _1635-39_]

[72 his] the _1669_]

[76 gone. _1633_, _A18_, _A25_, _B_, _D_, _H49_, _JC_, _Lec_,
_O'F_, _S_, _TC:_ growne. _1635-69_, _P_, _S96_]




_Loves Deitie. _

I long to talke with some old lovers ghost,
Who dyed before the god of Love was borne:
I cannot thinke that hee, who then lov'd most,
Sunke so low, as to love one which did scorne.
But since this god produc'd a destinie, 5
And that vice-nature, custome, lets it be;
I must love her, that loves not mee.

Sure, they which made him god, meant not so much,
Nor he, in his young godhead practis'd it;
But when an even flame two hearts did touch, 10
His office was indulgently to fit
Actives to passives. Correspondencie
Only his subject was; It cannot bee
Love, till I love her, that loves mee.

But every moderne god will now extend 15
His vast prerogative, as far as Jove.
To rage, to lust, to write to, to commend,
All is the purlewe of the God of Love.
Oh were wee wak'ned by this Tyrannie
To ungod this child againe, it could not bee 20
I should love her, who loves not mee.

Rebell and Atheist too, why murmure I,
As though I felt the worst that love could doe?