As they must needs, the sister and the brother, One god is god of both, as poets feign; One knight loves both, and both in thee remain. VII. Fair was the morn, when the fair queen of love, Paler for sorrow than her milk-white dove, See in my thigh," quoth she, "here was the sore:" VIII. Sweet rose, fair flower, untimely pluck'd, soon faded, And falls, through wind, before the fall should be. I weep for thee, and yet no cause I have; If music and sweet poetry agree,-] This poem, according to Mr. Collier, was published in the first edition of R. Barnfield's "Encomion of Lady Pecunia," 1598, but was omitted by the author in his edition of 1605. From which circumstance, Mr. Collier infers that it was written by Shakespeare. b A line has here been lost. For why-] Because. Venus, with young Adonis sitting by hera "C "Even thus," quoth she, "the warlike god embrac'd me,” "Even thus," quoth she, "the warlike god unlac'd me," Venus, with young Adonis sitting by her-] This Sonnet, with some variations, occurs in a collection of Poems by B. Griffin, called Fidessa more Chaste then Kinde, 1596; and there the opening line is given as in our text. "The Passionate Pilgrim' reads, "Venus with Adonis sitting by her," &c. And as he fell to her, so fell she to him.] In "The Passionate Pilgrim" this line is imperfect, "80 being omitted. The word is supplied from Griffin's Fidessa. "Even thus," quoth she, "the warlike god embrac'd me,"-] In the latter part of this Sonnet the version in Fidessa differs considerably from the one before us. There, it runs as follows: "Even thus,' quoth she, 'the wanton god embrac'd me;' And thus she clasp'd Adonis in her arms: Even thus,' quoth she, the warlike god unlac'd me,' As if the boy should use like loving charms: But he, a wayward boy, refus'd her offer, And ran away, the beauteous queen neglecting; Age, I do abhor thee, Youth, I do adore thee; O, my love, my love is young! O, sweet shepherd, hie thee! For methinks thou stay'st too long. XI. Beauty is but a vain and doubtful good, A doubtful good, a gloss, a glass, a flower, And as goods lost are seld or never found, So beauty blemish'd once for ever's lost, XII. "Good night, good rest." Ah, neither be my share! "Farewell," quoth she, "and come again to-morrow;" Yet at my parting sweetly did she smile, XIII. Lord, how mine eyes throw gazes to the east! Not daring trust the office of mine eyes, While Philomela sits and sings, I sit and mark, For she doth welcome daylight with her ditty, - defy thee-] Renounce or contemn thee. So, in "Romeo and Juliet," Act V. Sc. 3, "I do defy thy conjurations," &c. The night so pack'd, I post unto my pretty; Were I with her, the night would post too soon; To spite me now, each minute seems a moon ;a Pack night, peep day; good day, of night now borrow; SONNETS TO SUNDRY NOTES OF MUSIC. XIV. It was a lording's daughter, That liked of her master As well as well might be, Long was the combat doubtful Unto the silly damsel! But one must be refused; ■ — each minute seems a moon;] A correction proposed by Steevens, the old copy reading, "an hour," &c. "This and the five following Sonnets are said in the old copy to have been set to musick. Mr. Oldys, in one of his MSS. says they were set by John and Thomas Morley."-MALONE. e That liked of her master-] The late Mr. S. Walker, in his valuable work, “A Critical Examination of the Text of Shakespeare," &c. which has been published while these pages were in preparation for the press, suggests that we should read, " of a master;" that is, a scholar by profession, a master of arts. For of the two the trusty knight Alas, she could not help it! Thus art, with arms contending, For now my song is ended. XV. On a day (alack the day!),a Love, whose month was ever May, Through the velvet leaves the wind," Wish'd himself the heaven's breath. But, alas, my hand hath sworn Ne'er to pluck thee from thy thorn! Juno but an Ethiope were; And deny himself for Jove, c On a day (alack the day!),-] This, as we have before remarked, is one of the three Sonnets found in "Love's Labour's Lost." It was printed also, with Shakespeare's name attached, in a collection of poems entitled, "England's Helicon," 1600, where it is entitled, The Passionate Sheepheard's Song. b Youth so apt to pluck a sweet.] In "Love's Labour's Lost," we have here two lines which were omitted both in the present version and in "England's Helicon : "— "Do not call it sin in me, That I am forsworn for thee." Thou for whom Jove would swear-] In this line, unless some epithet to "Jove" has been lost, "swear" is employed as a dissyllable. d My flocks feed not, &c.] These verses, under the title of The Unknown Sheepheard's Complaint, and subscribed Ignoto, are printed in " England's Helicon." They are found also, with music, in Weelkes's Madrigals, 1599. That Shakespeare had any hand either in them or in the poor effusion beginning, "It was a lording's daughter," &c. is inconceivable. |