Internet Shakespeare Editions

About this text

  • Title: The Passionate Pilgrim (Octavo, 1599)
  • Editor: Hardy M. Cook
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-411-0

    Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Hardy M. Cook
    Not Peer Reviewed

    The Passionate Pilgrim (Octavo, 1599)


    170BEauty is but a vaine and doubtfull good,
    A shining glosse, that vadeth sodainly,
    A flower that dies, when first it gins to bud,
    A brittle glasse, that s broken presently.
    A doubtfull good, a glosse, a glasse, a flower,
    175 Lost, vaded, broken, dead within an houre.

    And as goods lost, are seld or neuer found,
    As vaded glosse no rubbing will refresh:
    As flowers dead, lie withered on the ground,
    As broken glasse no symant can redresse.
    180 So beauty blemisht once, for euer lost,
    In spite of phisicke, painting, paine and cost.