Doth not thy
fearefull
hand in feeling quake, 45
As one which gath'ring flowers, still feares a snake?
As one which gath'ring flowers, still feares a snake?
John Donne
_Ed:_ glasse.
_1633-69_]
ELEGIE VIII.
_The Comparison. _
As the sweet sweat of Roses in a Still,
As that which from chaf'd muskats pores doth trill,
As the Almighty Balme of th'early East,
Such are the sweat drops of my Mistris breast,
And on her <brow> her skin such lustre sets, 5
They seeme no sweat drops, but pearle coronets.
Ranke sweaty froth thy Mistresse's brow defiles,
Like spermatique issue of ripe menstruous boiles,
Or like the skumme, which, by needs lawlesse law
Enforc'd, Sanserra's starved men did draw 10
From parboild shooes, and bootes, and all the rest
Which were with any soveraigne fatnes blest,
And like vile lying stones in saffrond tinne,
Or warts, or wheales, they hang upon her skinne.
Round as the world's her head, on every side, 15
Like to the fatall Ball which fell on Ide,
Or that whereof God had such jealousie,
As, for the ravishing thereof we die.
Thy _head_ is like a rough-hewne statue of jeat,
Where marks for eyes, nose, mouth, are yet scarce set; 20
Like the first Chaos, or flat seeming face
Of Cynthia, when th'earths shadowes her embrace.
Like Proserpines white beauty-keeping chest,
Or Joues best fortunes urne, is her faire brest.
Thine's like worme eaten trunkes, cloth'd in seals skin, 25
Or grave, that's dust without, and stinke within.
And like that slender stalke, at whose end stands
The wood-bine quivering, are her armes and hands.
Like rough bark'd elmboughes, or the russet skin
Of men late scurg'd for madnes, or for sinne, 30
Like Sun-parch'd quarters on the citie gate,
Such is thy tann'd skins lamentable state.
And like a bunch of ragged carrets stand
The short swolne fingers of thy gouty hand.
Then like the Chymicks masculine equall fire, 35
Which in the Lymbecks warme wombe doth inspire
Into th'earths worthlesse durt a soule of gold,
Such cherishing heat her best lov'd part doth hold.
Thine's like the dread mouth of a fired gunne,
Or like hot liquid metalls newly runne 40
Into clay moulds, or like to that AEtna
Where round about the grasse is burnt away.
Are not your kisses then as filthy, and more,
As a worme sucking an invenom'd sore?
Doth not thy fearefull hand in feeling quake, 45
As one which gath'ring flowers, still feares a snake?
Is not your last act harsh, and violent,
As when a Plough a stony ground doth rent?
So kisse good Turtles, so devoutly nice
Are Priests in handling reverent sacrifice, 50
And such in searching wounds the Surgeon is
As wee, when wee embrace, or touch, or kisse.
Leave her, and I will leave comparing thus,
She, and comparisons are odious.
[Eleg. VIII. The Comparison. _1635-54:_ Elegie VIII. _1669:_
Elegie. _1633:_ Elegie. (_numbered variously_) _A18_, _A25_,
_B_, _C_, _Cy_, _JC_, _L74_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _S96_,
_TCC_, _TCD_, _W_]
[2 muskats] muskets _1669_]
[4 breast, _1635-69:_ breast. _1633_]
[5 <brow> _Ed: necke 1633-69 and MSS. See note_]
[6 coronets. _1633-69_, _A18_, _B_, _Cy_, _L74_, _M_, _N_,
_O'F_, _S96_, _TC:_ carcanets. _A25_, _C_, _JC_, _S_, _W:_
carolettes. _P_]
[8 boiles, _Ed:_ boiles.
ELEGIE VIII.
_The Comparison. _
As the sweet sweat of Roses in a Still,
As that which from chaf'd muskats pores doth trill,
As the Almighty Balme of th'early East,
Such are the sweat drops of my Mistris breast,
And on her <brow> her skin such lustre sets, 5
They seeme no sweat drops, but pearle coronets.
Ranke sweaty froth thy Mistresse's brow defiles,
Like spermatique issue of ripe menstruous boiles,
Or like the skumme, which, by needs lawlesse law
Enforc'd, Sanserra's starved men did draw 10
From parboild shooes, and bootes, and all the rest
Which were with any soveraigne fatnes blest,
And like vile lying stones in saffrond tinne,
Or warts, or wheales, they hang upon her skinne.
Round as the world's her head, on every side, 15
Like to the fatall Ball which fell on Ide,
Or that whereof God had such jealousie,
As, for the ravishing thereof we die.
Thy _head_ is like a rough-hewne statue of jeat,
Where marks for eyes, nose, mouth, are yet scarce set; 20
Like the first Chaos, or flat seeming face
Of Cynthia, when th'earths shadowes her embrace.
Like Proserpines white beauty-keeping chest,
Or Joues best fortunes urne, is her faire brest.
Thine's like worme eaten trunkes, cloth'd in seals skin, 25
Or grave, that's dust without, and stinke within.
And like that slender stalke, at whose end stands
The wood-bine quivering, are her armes and hands.
Like rough bark'd elmboughes, or the russet skin
Of men late scurg'd for madnes, or for sinne, 30
Like Sun-parch'd quarters on the citie gate,
Such is thy tann'd skins lamentable state.
And like a bunch of ragged carrets stand
The short swolne fingers of thy gouty hand.
Then like the Chymicks masculine equall fire, 35
Which in the Lymbecks warme wombe doth inspire
Into th'earths worthlesse durt a soule of gold,
Such cherishing heat her best lov'd part doth hold.
Thine's like the dread mouth of a fired gunne,
Or like hot liquid metalls newly runne 40
Into clay moulds, or like to that AEtna
Where round about the grasse is burnt away.
Are not your kisses then as filthy, and more,
As a worme sucking an invenom'd sore?
Doth not thy fearefull hand in feeling quake, 45
As one which gath'ring flowers, still feares a snake?
Is not your last act harsh, and violent,
As when a Plough a stony ground doth rent?
So kisse good Turtles, so devoutly nice
Are Priests in handling reverent sacrifice, 50
And such in searching wounds the Surgeon is
As wee, when wee embrace, or touch, or kisse.
Leave her, and I will leave comparing thus,
She, and comparisons are odious.
[Eleg. VIII. The Comparison. _1635-54:_ Elegie VIII. _1669:_
Elegie. _1633:_ Elegie. (_numbered variously_) _A18_, _A25_,
_B_, _C_, _Cy_, _JC_, _L74_, _N_, _O'F_, _P_, _S_, _S96_,
_TCC_, _TCD_, _W_]
[2 muskats] muskets _1669_]
[4 breast, _1635-69:_ breast. _1633_]
[5 <brow> _Ed: necke 1633-69 and MSS. See note_]
[6 coronets. _1633-69_, _A18_, _B_, _Cy_, _L74_, _M_, _N_,
_O'F_, _S96_, _TC:_ carcanets. _A25_, _C_, _JC_, _S_, _W:_
carolettes. _P_]
[8 boiles, _Ed:_ boiles.
