Seppi ch' Amor cofa mai volfe indarno. Deh! fofs' il mio cuor lento e'l duro fene Canzone. R Idonfi donne e giovani amorofi M' accoftandofi attorno, e perche scrivi, Altri lidi t'aspettan, & altre onde Spuntati ad hor, ad hor a la tua chioma Dice mia Donna, e'l fuo dir, é il mio cuore IV. Diodati, e te'l dirò con maraviglia, Quel ritrofo io ch'amor spreggiar foléa 10 15 E de fuoi lacci spesso mi ridéa Gia caddi, ov'huom dabben talhor s'impiglia. Ne treccie d'oro, ne guancia vermiglia M abbaglian sì, ma fotto nova idea 4 Pellegrina bellezza che'l cuor bea, V. fuoco poco. Per certo i bei voftr'occhi, Donna mia "Effer non puo che non fian lo miò fole Si mi percuoton forte, come ei fuole Per l'arene di Libia chi s'invia, Mentre un caldo vapor (ne sentì pria) Da quel lato fi fpinge ove mi duole, Chiaman fofpir; io non so che si sia: Scoffo mi il petto, e poi n'ufcendo poco Quivi d'attorno o s'agghiaccia, o s'ingiela; Ma quanto a gli occhi giunge a trovar loco Tutte le notti a me fuol far piovofe Finche mia Alba rivien colma di rofe. VI. Giovane piano, e semplicetto amante Poi che fuggir me steffo in dubbio fono, De penfieri leggiadro, accorto, e buono ; *This Sonnet was made in 1631, and was fent in a letter to a friend, who had importun'd the author to take orders; of which letter there are two draughts in his own Manufcript, and the former runs thus. 66 SIR, my tardy moving according to "the precept of my confcience, "which I firmly truft is not with66 out God. Yet now I will not "strain for any fet apology, but "only refer myself to what my "mind fhall have at any time to "declare herfelf at her beft ease. "Yet if you think, as you faid, "Befides that in fundry respects "I must acknowledge me to pro"fit by you whenever we meet, 66 you are often to me, and were yefterday efpecially, as a good "watch-man to admonish that the "hours of the night pass on (for "fo I call my life as yet obfcure" that too much love of learning " and unferviceable to mankind)" is in fault, and that I have given "and that the day is at hand, "wherein Chrift commands all to "labor while there is light: which up myself to dream away my years in the arms of studious retirement, like Endymion with "the il Quando rugge S'arma di fe, e d'intero diamante, anto del forfe, e d' invidia ficuro, Di timori, e fperanze al popol use Quanto d'ingegno, e d'alto valor 2 di cetta fonora, e delle mufe: gran mondo, e fcocca il tuono,' vago, Sol troverete in tal parte men duro VII. * On his being arriv'd to the age of 23. How foon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth, 10 Stoln the moon on Latmus hill; yet "that fhall, as of him that never confider, that if it were no more "fhall obtain it (if this be altogebut this, to overcome this, there "ther bad) which would quickly is on the other fide both ill"overfway this flegm and melan"more bewitchful to entice away, "choly of bafhfulness, or that "and natural years more sway- "other humor, and prevail with "ing, and good more available" me to prefer a life, that had at to withdraw to that which you" leaft fome credit in it, fome "wish me; as firft all the fond “ place given it, before a manner "hopes which forward youth and "of living much difregarded and vanity are fledge with, none of" difcountenanc'd. There is be" which can fort with this Pluto's "fides this, as all well know, a"helmet, as Homer calls it, of "bout this time of a man's life, "obfcurity, and would foon caufea ftrong inclination, be it good "me to throw it off, if there or no, to build up a house and "were nothing else in't but an "family of his own in the belt "affected and fruitlefs curiofity of "manner he may; to which noknowing; and then a natural " thing is more helpful than the "defire of honor and renown," early entring into fome credible "which I think poffeffes the breaft" employment, and nothing more "of every scholar, as well of him cros than my way, which my "wafting Stoln on his wing my three and twentieth year! But my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th. Perhaps my femblance might deceive the truth, That I to manhood am arriv'd so near, And inward ripeness doth much less appear, wafting youth would prefently "bethink her of, and kill one love "with another, if that were all. "But what delight or what pecu"liar conceit, may you in charity think, could hold out against the long knowledge of a contrary Yet nefs in me, I am the bolder to "fend you fome of my nightward thoughts fome while fince, fince "they come in fitly, in a Petrar"chian ftanza. "How foon hath Time &c. "command from above, and the The latter draught is as follows, "terrible feifure of him that hid his "talent? Therefore commit grace "to grace, or nature to nature, "there will be found on the other "way more obvious temptations "to bad, as gain, preferment, am"bition, more winning prefent"ments of good, and more prone "affections of nature to incline and difpofe, not counting outward "caufes, as expectations and mur SIR, "Befides that in fandry other refpects I muft acknowledge me "to profit by you whenever we "meet, you are often to me, and "were yesterday efpecially, as a "good watchman to admonish that "the hours of the night pafs on "(for fo I call my life as yet ob"fcure and unferviceable to man"kind) and that the day with me murs of friends, fcandals taken, "and fuch like, than the bare love "of notions could refift. So that" is at hand, wherein Chrift com"if it be that which you suppose, "it had by this been round about "begirt and overmafter'd, whe"ther it had proceeded from vir tue, vice, or nature in me. Yet "that you may fee that I am fome time fufpicious of myself, and do "take notice of a certain belated "mands all to labor while there is "light: which because I am per"fuaded you do to no other pur"pofe, than out of a true defire that God fhould be honor'd in " every one, I therefore think my"felf bound, though unask'd, to give you account, as oft as oc❝ cafion 66 |
