Peer Reviewed
- Edition: Venus and Adonis
Venus and Adonis (Modern)
- Texts of this edition
- Facsimiles
752Love-lacking vestals and self-loving nuns,
753That on the earth would breed a scarcity
754And barren dearth of daughters and of sons,
755 Be prodigal: the lamp that burns by night
756 Dries up his oil to lend the world his light.
758Seeming to bury that posterity
759Which by the rights of time thou needs must have,
760If thou destroy them not in dark obscurity?
761 If so, the world will hold thee in disdain,
762 Sith in thy pride so fair a hope is slain.
764A mischief worse than civil homebred strife,
765Or theirs whose desperate hands themselves do slay,
766Or butcher sire that reaves his son of life.
767 Foul cank'ring rust, the hidden treasure frets,
768 But gold that's put to use more gold begets."
770Into your idle overhandled theme.
771The kiss I gave you is bestowed in vain,
772And all in vain you strive against the stream;
773 For, by this black-faced night, desire's foul nurse,
774 Your treatise makes me like you worse and worse.
776And every tongue more moving than your own,
777Bewitching like the wanton mermaids' songs,
778Yet from mine ear the tempting tune is blown;
779 For know, my heart stands armèd in mine ear
780 And will not let a false sound enter there,