POEMS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS.1 THE GLORY OF BEAUTY. AH, wherefore with infection should he live, Why should false painting imitate his cheek, O him she stores, to shew what wealth she had, Ere beauty's dead fleece made another gay, [] Shakspeare's Sonnets were entered on the Stationers' books by Thomas Thrope, May 20, 1609, and printed in quarto in the same year. They were, however, written some years before. The general style of these poems, and the numerous passages in them, which remind us of our author's plays, leave not the smallest doubt of their authenticity. As these Sonnets are in 154 stanzas, peculiar passages have been selected, under appropriate heads, which will be more acceptable to readers in general. MALONE. [2] i. e. Embellish itself. MALONE. [3] In our author's time the false hair, usually worn, perhaps in compliment to the queen was of a sandy colour. Hence the epithet golden. MÁL. 21 VOL. IX. Without all ornament itself, and true, Those parts of thee, that the world's eye doth view, By seeing farther than the eye hath shown. And that in guess they measure by thy deeds; Then their churl thoughts (although their eyes were kind) INJURIOUS TIME. Like as the waves make towards the pebbled shore, Each changing place with that which goes before, Nativity once in the main of light,4 Crawls to maturity, wherewith being crown'd, And time that gave, doth now his gift confound; And nothing stands but for his scythe to mow. Against my love shall be as I am now, With time's injurious hand crush'd and o'er-worn ; When hours have drain'd his blood, and fill'd his brow With lines and wrinkles; when his youthful morn Hath travell'd on to age's steepy night, And all those beauties, whereof now he's king, [4] In the great body of light. So the main of waters. MALONE. |