I can love her, and her, and you, and you; I can love any, so she be not true. Will no other vice content you? Will it not serve your turn to do as did your mothers? Or have you all old vices worn, and now would find out others? Or doth a fear that men are true torment you? Oh! we are not, be not you so; Let me, and do you twenty know. Rob me, but bind me not, and let me go. Grow your fix'd subject because you are true? Venus heard me sing this song, 20 And by love's sweetest sweet, variety, she swore Poor heretics in love there be Which think to 'stablish dangerous constancy; 27 LOVE'S USURY. FOR every hour that thou wilt spare me now I will allow, Usurious God of Love! twenty to thee, When with my brown my grey hairs equal be; Let me think any rival's letter mine, Keep midnight's promise; mistake by the way This bargain's good; if when I'm old I be If thine own honour or my shame or pain Thou covet most, at that age thou shalt gain: Volume 11. B 10 20 24 CANONIZATION. FOR God's sake hold your tongue, and let me love, My five grey hairs or ruin'd fortune's flout; With wealth your state, your mind with arts improvę. Alas! alas! who's injur'd by my love? Add one more to the plaugy bill? Soldiers find wars, and lawyers find out still Litigious men whom quarrels move, Tho' she and I do love. Call's what you will, we are made such by love; We 'are tapers too, and at our own cost die; And we in us find th' eagle and the dove; 10 The phoenix riddle hath more wit We can die by it, if not live by love. And thus invoke us, you whom reverend love You to whom love was peace, that now is rage, Who did the whole world's soul contract, and drove Into the glasses of your eyes, So made such mirrors and such spies, That they did all to you epitomize. Countries, towns, courts, beg from above Donne.] Bij 30 But where 's that wise man that would not be I, Then as th' earth's inward narrow crooked lanes Thro' rhime's vexation I should them allay. I thought if I could draw my pains Grief brought to number cannot be so fierce, 10 But when I have done so, Some man, his art or voice to show, And, by delighting many, frees again To love and grief tribute of verse belongs, But not of such as pleases when 't is read; For both their triumphs so are published, 20 And I, which was two fools, do so grow three: 22 |