Reading Help THE SONNETS
And 'gainst myself a lawful plea commence: `
` Such civil war is in my love and hate, `
` That I an accessary needs must be, `
` To that sweet thief which sourly robs from me. `
` `
` XXXVI `
` `
` Let me confess that we two must be twain, `
` Although our undivided loves are one: `
` So shall those blots that do with me remain, `
` Without thy help, by me be borne alone. `
` In our two loves there is but one respect, `
` Though in our lives a separable spite, `
` Which though it alter not love's sole effect, `
` Yet doth it steal sweet hours from love's delight. `
` I may not evermore acknowledge thee, `
` Lest my bewailed guilt should do thee shame, `
` Nor thou with public kindness honour me, `
` Unless thou take that honour from thy name: `
` But do not so, I love thee in such sort, `
` As thou being mine, mine is thy good report. `
` `
` XXXVII `
` `
` As a decrepit father takes delight `
` To see his active child do deeds of youth, `
` So I, made lame by Fortune's dearest spite, `
` Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth; `
` For whether beauty, birth, or wealth, or wit, `
` Or any of these all, or all, or more, `
` Entitled in thy parts, do crowned sit, `
` I make my love engrafted, to this store: `
` So then I am not lame, poor, nor despis'd, `
` Whilst that this shadow doth such substance give `
` That I in thy abundance am suffic'd, `
` And by a part of all thy glory live. `
` Look what is best, that best I wish in thee: `
` This wish I have; then ten times happy me! `
` `
` XXXVIII `
` `
` How can my muse want subject to invent, `
` While thou dost breathe, that pour'st into my verse `
` Thine own sweet argument, too excellent `
` For every vulgar paper to rehearse? `
` O! give thy self the thanks, if aught in me `
` Worthy perusal stand against thy sight; `
` For who's so dumb that cannot write to thee, `
` When thou thy self dost give invention light? `
` Be thou the tenth Muse, ten times more in worth `
` Than those old nine which rhymers invocate; `
` And he that calls on thee, let him bring forth `
` Eternal numbers to outlive long date. `
` If my slight muse do please these curious days, `
` The pain be mine, but thine shall be the praise. `
` `
` XXXIX `
` `
` O! how thy worth with manners may I sing, `
` When thou art all the better part of me? `
` What can mine own praise to mine own self bring? `
` And what is't but mine own when I praise thee? `
` Even for this, let us divided live, `
` And our dear love lose name of single one, `
` That by this separation I may give `
` That due to thee which thou deserv'st alone. `
` O absence! what a torment wouldst thou prove, `
` Were it not thy sour leisure gave sweet leave, `
` To entertain the time with thoughts of love, `
` Which time and thoughts so sweetly doth deceive, `
` And that thou teachest how to make one twain, `
` By praising him here who doth hence remain. `
` `
` XL `
` `
` Take all my loves, my love, yea take them all; `
` What hast thou then more than thou hadst before? `
` No love, my love, that thou mayst true love call; `
` All mine was thine, before thou hadst this more. `
` Then, if for my love, thou my love receivest, `
` I cannot blame thee, for my love thou usest; `
` But yet be blam'd, if thou thy self deceivest `
` By wilful taste of what thyself refusest. `
` I do forgive thy robbery, gentle thief, `
` Although thou steal thee all my poverty: `
` And yet, love knows it is a greater grief `
` To bear greater wrong, than hate's known injury. `
` Lascivious grace, in whom all ill well shows, `
` Kill me with spites yet we must not be foes. `
` `
` XLI `
` `
` Those pretty wrongs that liberty commits, `
` When I am sometime absent from thy heart, `
` Thy beauty, and thy years full well befits, `
` For still temptation follows where thou art. `
` Gentle thou art, and therefore to be won, `
` Beauteous thou art, therefore to be assail'd; `
` And when a woman woos, what woman's son `
` Will sourly leave her till he have prevail'd? `
` Ay me! but yet thou mightst my seat forbear, `
` And chide thy beauty and thy straying youth, `
` Who lead thee in their riot even there `
` Where thou art forced to break a twofold truth:-- `
` Hers by thy beauty tempting her to thee, `
` Thine by thy beauty being false to me. `
` `
` XLII `
` `
` That thou hast her it is not all my grief, `
` And yet it may be said I loved her dearly; `
` That she hath thee is of my wailing chief, `
` A loss in love that touches me more nearly. `
` Loving offenders thus I will excuse ye: `
` Thou dost love her, because thou know'st I love her; `
` And for my sake even so doth she abuse me, `
` Suffering my friend for my sake to approve her. `
` If I lose thee, my loss is my love's gain, `
` And losing her, my friend hath found that loss; `
` Both find each other, and I lose both twain, `
` And both for my sake lay on me this cross: `
` But here's the joy; my friend and I are one; `
` Sweet flattery! then she loves but me alone. `
` `
` XLIII `
` `
` When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see, `
` For all the day they view things unrespected; `
` But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee, `
` And darkly bright, are bright in dark directed. `
` Then thou, whose shadow shadows doth make bright, `
` How would thy shadow's form form happy show `
` To the clear day with thy much clearer light, `
` When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so! `
` How would, I say, mine eyes be blessed made `
` By looking on thee in the living day, `
` When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade `
` Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay! `
` All days are nights to see till I see thee, `
` And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me. `
` `
` XLIV `
` `
` If the dull substance of my flesh were thought, `
` Injurious distance should not stop my way; `
` For then despite of space I would be brought, `
` From limits far remote, where thou dost stay. `
` No matter then although my foot did stand `
` Upon the farthest earth remov'd from thee; `
` For nimble thought can jump both sea and land, `
` As soon as think the place where he would be. `
` But, ah! thought kills me that I am not thought, `
` To leap large lengths of miles when thou art gone, `
` But that so much of earth and water wrought, `
` I must attend, time's leisure with my moan; `
` Receiving nought by elements so slow `
` But heavy tears, badges of either's woe. `
` `
` XLV `
` `
` The other two, slight air, and purging fire `
` Are both with thee, wherever I abide; `
` The first my thought, the other my desire, `
` These present-absent with swift motion slide. `
` For when these quicker elements are gone `
` In tender embassy of love to thee, `
` My life, being made of four, with two alone `
` Sinks down to death, oppress'd with melancholy; `
` Until life's composition be recur'd `
` By those swift messengers return'd from thee, `
` Who even but now come back again, assur'd, `
` Of thy fair health, recounting it to me: `
` This told, I joy; but then no longer glad, `
` I send them back again, and straight grow sad. `
` `
` XLVI `
` `
` Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war, `
` How to divide the conquest of thy sight; `
` Mine eye my heart thy picture's sight would bar, `
` My heart mine eye the freedom of that right. `
` My heart doth plead that thou in him dost lie,-- `
` A closet never pierc'd with crystal eyes-- `
` But the defendant doth that plea deny, `
` And says in him thy fair appearance lies. `
` To side this title is impannelled `
` A quest of thoughts, all tenants to the heart; `
` And by their verdict is determined `
` The clear eye's moiety, and the dear heart's part: `
` As thus; mine eye's due is thy outward part, `
` And my heart's right, thy inward love of heart. `
` `
` XLVII `
` `
` Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took, `
` And each doth good turns now unto the other: `
` When that mine eye is famish'd for a look, `
` Or heart in love with sighs himself doth smother, `
` With my love's picture then my eye doth feast, `
` And to the painted banquet bids my heart; `
` Another time mine eye is my heart's guest, `
`
` Such civil war is in my love and hate, `
` That I an accessary needs must be, `
` To that sweet thief which sourly robs from me. `
` `
` XXXVI `
` `
` Let me confess that we two must be twain, `
` Although our undivided loves are one: `
` So shall those blots that do with me remain, `
` Without thy help, by me be borne alone. `
` In our two loves there is but one respect, `
` Though in our lives a separable spite, `
` Which though it alter not love's sole effect, `
` Yet doth it steal sweet hours from love's delight. `
` I may not evermore acknowledge thee, `
` Lest my bewailed guilt should do thee shame, `
` Nor thou with public kindness honour me, `
` Unless thou take that honour from thy name: `
` But do not so, I love thee in such sort, `
` As thou being mine, mine is thy good report. `
` `
` XXXVII `
` `
` As a decrepit father takes delight `
` To see his active child do deeds of youth, `
` So I, made lame by Fortune's dearest spite, `
` Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth; `
` For whether beauty, birth, or wealth, or wit, `
` Or any of these all, or all, or more, `
` Entitled in thy parts, do crowned sit, `
` I make my love engrafted, to this store: `
` So then I am not lame, poor, nor despis'd, `
` Whilst that this shadow doth such substance give `
` That I in thy abundance am suffic'd, `
` And by a part of all thy glory live. `
` Look what is best, that best I wish in thee: `
` This wish I have; then ten times happy me! `
` `
` XXXVIII `
` `
` How can my muse want subject to invent, `
` While thou dost breathe, that pour'st into my verse `
` Thine own sweet argument, too excellent `
` For every vulgar paper to rehearse? `
` O! give thy self the thanks, if aught in me `
` Worthy perusal stand against thy sight; `
` For who's so dumb that cannot write to thee, `
` When thou thy self dost give invention light? `
` Be thou the tenth Muse, ten times more in worth `
` Than those old nine which rhymers invocate; `
` And he that calls on thee, let him bring forth `
` Eternal numbers to outlive long date. `
` If my slight muse do please these curious days, `
` The pain be mine, but thine shall be the praise. `
` `
` XXXIX `
` `
` O! how thy worth with manners may I sing, `
` When thou art all the better part of me? `
` What can mine own praise to mine own self bring? `
` And what is't but mine own when I praise thee? `
` Even for this, let us divided live, `
` And our dear love lose name of single one, `
` That by this separation I may give `
` That due to thee which thou deserv'st alone. `
` O absence! what a torment wouldst thou prove, `
` Were it not thy sour leisure gave sweet leave, `
` To entertain the time with thoughts of love, `
` Which time and thoughts so sweetly doth deceive, `
` And that thou teachest how to make one twain, `
` By praising him here who doth hence remain. `
` `
` XL `
` `
` Take all my loves, my love, yea take them all; `
` What hast thou then more than thou hadst before? `
` No love, my love, that thou mayst true love call; `
` All mine was thine, before thou hadst this more. `
` Then, if for my love, thou my love receivest, `
` I cannot blame thee, for my love thou usest; `
` But yet be blam'd, if thou thy self deceivest `
` By wilful taste of what thyself refusest. `
` I do forgive thy robbery, gentle thief, `
` Although thou steal thee all my poverty: `
` And yet, love knows it is a greater grief `
` To bear greater wrong, than hate's known injury. `
` Lascivious grace, in whom all ill well shows, `
` Kill me with spites yet we must not be foes. `
` `
` XLI `
` `
` Those pretty wrongs that liberty commits, `
` When I am sometime absent from thy heart, `
` Thy beauty, and thy years full well befits, `
` For still temptation follows where thou art. `
` Gentle thou art, and therefore to be won, `
` Beauteous thou art, therefore to be assail'd; `
` And when a woman woos, what woman's son `
` Will sourly leave her till he have prevail'd? `
` Ay me! but yet thou mightst my seat forbear, `
` And chide thy beauty and thy straying youth, `
` Who lead thee in their riot even there `
` Where thou art forced to break a twofold truth:-- `
` Hers by thy beauty tempting her to thee, `
` Thine by thy beauty being false to me. `
` `
` XLII `
` `
` That thou hast her it is not all my grief, `
` And yet it may be said I loved her dearly; `
` That she hath thee is of my wailing chief, `
` A loss in love that touches me more nearly. `
` Loving offenders thus I will excuse ye: `
` Thou dost love her, because thou know'st I love her; `
` And for my sake even so doth she abuse me, `
` Suffering my friend for my sake to approve her. `
` If I lose thee, my loss is my love's gain, `
` And losing her, my friend hath found that loss; `
` Both find each other, and I lose both twain, `
` And both for my sake lay on me this cross: `
` But here's the joy; my friend and I are one; `
` Sweet flattery! then she loves but me alone. `
` `
` XLIII `
` `
` When most I wink, then do mine eyes best see, `
` For all the day they view things unrespected; `
` But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee, `
` And darkly bright, are bright in dark directed. `
` Then thou, whose shadow shadows doth make bright, `
` How would thy shadow's form form happy show `
` To the clear day with thy much clearer light, `
` When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so! `
` How would, I say, mine eyes be blessed made `
` By looking on thee in the living day, `
` When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade `
` Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay! `
` All days are nights to see till I see thee, `
` And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me. `
` `
` XLIV `
` `
` If the dull substance of my flesh were thought, `
` Injurious distance should not stop my way; `
` For then despite of space I would be brought, `
` From limits far remote, where thou dost stay. `
` No matter then although my foot did stand `
` Upon the farthest earth remov'd from thee; `
` For nimble thought can jump both sea and land, `
` As soon as think the place where he would be. `
` But, ah! thought kills me that I am not thought, `
` To leap large lengths of miles when thou art gone, `
` But that so much of earth and water wrought, `
` I must attend, time's leisure with my moan; `
` Receiving nought by elements so slow `
` But heavy tears, badges of either's woe. `
` `
` XLV `
` `
` The other two, slight air, and purging fire `
` Are both with thee, wherever I abide; `
` The first my thought, the other my desire, `
` These present-absent with swift motion slide. `
` For when these quicker elements are gone `
` In tender embassy of love to thee, `
` My life, being made of four, with two alone `
` Sinks down to death, oppress'd with melancholy; `
` Until life's composition be recur'd `
` By those swift messengers return'd from thee, `
` Who even but now come back again, assur'd, `
` Of thy fair health, recounting it to me: `
` This told, I joy; but then no longer glad, `
` I send them back again, and straight grow sad. `
` `
` XLVI `
` `
` Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war, `
` How to divide the conquest of thy sight; `
` Mine eye my heart thy picture's sight would bar, `
` My heart mine eye the freedom of that right. `
` My heart doth plead that thou in him dost lie,-- `
` A closet never pierc'd with crystal eyes-- `
` But the defendant doth that plea deny, `
` And says in him thy fair appearance lies. `
` To side this title is impannelled `
` A quest of thoughts, all tenants to the heart; `
` And by their verdict is determined `
` The clear eye's moiety, and the dear heart's part: `
` As thus; mine eye's due is thy outward part, `
` And my heart's right, thy inward love of heart. `
` `
` XLVII `
` `
` Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took, `
` And each doth good turns now unto the other: `
` When that mine eye is famish'd for a look, `
` Or heart in love with sighs himself doth smother, `
` With my love's picture then my eye doth feast, `
` And to the painted banquet bids my heart; `
` Another time mine eye is my heart's guest, `
`