That looks on tempests, and is never shaken;

It is the star to every wandering bark,

Whose worth's unknown, although his height be taken.

Love's not Time's fool, though rosy lips and cheeks

Within his bending sickle's compass come :

Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks,

But bears it out even to the edge of doom.

If this be error, and upon me proved,

I never writ, nor no man ever loved.

E

THE COURSE OF LUST.

WILLIAM THE expense of spirit in a waste of shame

SHAKE

SPEARE.

1564-1616.

Is lust in action; and till action, lust

Is perjured, murderous, bloody, full of blame,
Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust;
Enjoyed no sooner, but despisèd straight;
Past reason hunted; and no sooner had
Past reason hated, as a swallowed bait,
On purpose laid to make the taker mad;
Mad in pursuit, and in possession so;
Had, having, and in quest to have, extreme;
A bliss in proof—and proved, a very woe;

Before, a joy proposed; behind, a dream :

All this the world well knows; yet none knows well

To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell.

WILLIAM
SHAKE-
SPEARE.

1564-1616.

HOPE AGAINST HOPE.

O, CALL not me to justify the wrong

That thy unkindness lays upon my heart;

Wound me not with thine eye but with thy tongue;
Use power with power and slay me not by art.
Tell me thou lovest elsewhere; but in my sight,

Dear heart, forbear to glance thine eye aside :
What need'st thou wound with cunning, when thy might

Is more than my o'erpressed defence can 'bide?
Let me excuse thee: ah! my love well knows
Her pretty looks have been mine enemies,
And therefore from my face she turns my foes,
That they elsewhere might dart their injuries:
Yet do not so; but since I am near slain,

Kill me outright with looks and rid my pain.

WII LIAM
SHAKE-
SPEARE.

1564-1616.

HOW TO CONQUER DEATH.

POOR soul, the centre of my sinful earth,

Fooled by these rebel powers that thee array,

Why dost thou pine within, and suffer dearth,
Painting thy outward walls so costly gay?
Why so large cost, having so short a lease,
Dost thou upon thy fading mansion spend?
Shall worms, inheritors of this excess,

Eat up thy charge? is this thy body's end?
Then, soul, live thou upon thy servant's loss,
And let that pine to aggravate thy store;
Buy terms divine in selling hours of dross;
Within be fed, without be rich no more:

So shalt thou feed on death, that feeds on men,

And, death once dead, there's no more dying then.

JOSHUA SYLVESTER.

THE CONSTANCY OF LOVE.

WERE I as base as is the lowly plain,

1563-1618. And you my Love as high as heaven above,

Yet should the thoughts of me your humble swain

}

Ascend to heaven in honour of my Love.
Were I as high as heaven above the plain,
And you my Love as humble and as low

As are the deepest bottoms of the main,
Whereso'er you were, with you my love should go:
Were you the earth, dear Love, and I the skies,
My love should shine on you like to the sun,

And look upon you with ten thousand eyes

Till heaven waxed blind and till the world were done.

Whereso'er I am, below or else above you,

Whereso'er you are, my heart shall truly love you.