And love avowd to other Lady late, That to remove the same I have no might: To chaunge love causelesse is reproch to warlike knight." 51

Mammon emmoved was with inward wrath; Yet, forcing it to fayne, him forth thence ledd,

Through griesly shadowes by a beaten path, Into a gardin goodly garnished.

With hearbs and fruits, whose kinds motę not be redd:

Not such as earth out of her fruitful woomb Throwes forth to men, sweet and well savored,

But direfull deadly black, both leafe and bloom,

Fitt to adorne the dead, and deck the drery toombe.

Gan sucke this vitall ayre into his brest,
As overcome with too exceeding might,
The life did flit away out of her nest,
And all his sences were with deadly fit
opprest.

THE GOSPEL OF BEAUTY

EDMUND SPENSER

[From An Hymn in Honor of Beauty] What time this world's great Workmaster did cast

To make all things such as we now behold,
It seems that he before his eyes had placed
A goodly pattern, to whose perfect mould
He fashioned them as comely as he could,
That now so fair and seemly they appear
As nought may be amended anywhere.
That wondrous pattern, whereso'er it be,
Whether in earth laid up in secret store,
Or else in heaven, that no man may it see
With sinful eyes, for fear it to deflore,
Is perfect Beauty, which all men adore;
Whose face and feature doth so much excel
All mortal sense, that none the same may
tell.

Thereof as every earthly thing partakes
Or more or less, by influence divine,
So it more fair accordingly it makes,
And the gross matter of this earthly mine
Which clotheth it, thereafter doth refine,
Doing away the dross which dims the light
Of that fair beam which therein is empight.