Over foe and over friend,
O'er your mother, here must end.
And you now, that thought to lay
The world waste, must be my prey.
Love. Cruel Sphynx, I rather strive
How to keep the world alive,
And uphold it; without me,
All again would chaos be.
Tell me, monster, what should move
Thy despight, thus, against Love?
Is there nothing fair, and good,
Nothing bright, but burns thy blood?
Still thou art thyself, and made
All of practice, to invade
Clearest bosoms. Hath this place
None will pity Cupid's case?
Some soft eye, while I can see
Who it is that melts for me,
Made of marble? But a tear,
Though a false one; it may make
Others true compassion take.
I would tell you all the story
If I thought you would be sorry,
And in truth, there's none have reason,
Like yourselves, to hate the treason.
For it practis'd was on Beauty,
Unto whom Love owes all duty.
Let your favour but affright
Sphynx here, I shall soon recite
Every passage, how it was.
Sphynx. Do, I'll laugh, or cry, alas!
Thinks, poor Love, can ladies looks
Save him from the Sphynx's hooks?
Love. No; but these can witness bear
Of my candor, when they hear
What thy malice is or, how
I became thy captive now :
And it is no small content,
Falling, to fall innocent.
Know then, all you Glories here,
In the utmost East there were
Eleven daughters of the morn.
Ne'er were brighter bevies born,
Nor more perfect beauties seen.
The eldest of them was the queen
Of the Orient, and 'twas said,
That she should with Phoebus wed.
For which high-vouchsafed
grace,
He was loved of all their race.
And they would, when he did rise,
Do him early sacrifice
Of the rich and purest gum,
That from any plant could come;
And would look at him as far
As they could discern his car:
Grieving that they might not ever
See him; and when night did sever
Their aspècts, they sat and wept
Till he came, and never slept :
Insomuch, that at the length
This their fervor gat such strength,
As they would a journey prove,
By the guard, and aid of Love,
Hither to the farthest West:
Where they heard, as in the East,
He a palace, no less bright,
Had, to feast in every night
With the Ocean, where he rested
Safe, and in all state invested.-
I, that never left the side
Of the fair, became their guide,
But behold, no sooner landing
On this isle, but this commanding
Monster Sphynx, the enemy
Of all actions great, and high,
Knowing, that these rites were done
To the wisdom of the sun,
From a cliff surprised them all :
And, though I did humbly fall
At her lion's feet, and pray'd
As she had the face of maid,
That she would compassion take
Of these ladies, for whose sake
Love would give himself up; she
Swift to evil, as you see
By her wings, and hooked hands,
First did take my offer'd bands,
Then, to prison of the night
Did condemn those sisters bright,
There for ever to remain,
'Less they could the knot unstrain
Of a riddle, which she put
Darker, than where they are shut :
Or, from thence, their freedoms prove
With the utter loss of Love.
They unwilling to forego
One, who had deserved so
The meaning of this is, that these ladies being the perfect issue of beauty, and all worldly grace, were carried by Love to celebrate the majesty and wisdom of the king, figured in the sun, and seated in these extreme parts of the world; where they were rudely received by Ignorance, on their first approach, to the hazard of their affection, it being her nature to hinder all noble actions; but that the Love which brought them thither, was not willing to forsake them, no more than they were to abandon it; yet was it enough perplex'd, in that the monster Ignorance still covets to enwrap itself in dark and obscure terms and betray that way, whereas true Love affects to express itself with all clearness and simplicity.
Of all beauty, in their names,
Were content to have their flames
Hid in lasting night, ere I
Should for them untimely die.
I, on t'other side as glad
That I such advantage had,
To assure them mine, engaged
Willingly myself, and waged
With the Monster, that if I
Did her riddle not untie,
I would freely give my life
To redeem them and the strife.
Sphynx. Have you said, sir? will you try,
Now, your known dexterity?
You presume upon your arts,
Of tying, and untying hearts;
And it makes you confident:
But, anon, you will repent.
Love. No, Sphynx, I do not presume;
But some little heart assume
From my judges here, that sit
As they would not lose Love yet.
Sphynx. You are pleasant, sir, 'tis good.
Love. Love does often change his mood.
Sphynx. I shall make you sad agen.
Love. I shall be the sorrier, then.
Sphynx. Come, sir, lend it your best ear.
Love. I begin t' have half a fear.
Sphynx. First, Cupid, you must cast about
To find a world the world without,
Wherein what's done, the eye doth do;
And is the light and treasure too.
This eye still moves, and still is fix'd,
And in the pow'rs thereof are mix'd
Two contraries; which time, till now,
Nor fate knew where to join, or how.
Yet, if
you hit the right upon,
You must resolve these, all, by one.
Love. Sphynx, you are too quick of tongue :
Say't again, and take me along.'
Sphynx. I say; you first must cast about
To find a world the world without.
Love. I say, that is already done,
And is the new world in the moon.
Sphynx. Cupid, you do cast too far;
This world is nearer by a star:
So much light I'll give you to't.
Love. Without a glass? well, I shall do't.
Your world's a lady, then; each creature
Human, is a world in feature,
Sphynx. Yes, but find out
A world you must, the world without.
Love. Why, if her servant be not here,
She doth a single world appear
Without her world.
Sphynx. Well you shall run!
Love. Nay, Sphynx, thus far is well begun.
Sphynx. Wherein what's done, the eye doth do,
And is the light and treasure too.
Love. That's clear as light; for wherein lies
A lady's power but in her eyes?
And not alone her grace and power,
But oftentimes, her wealth and dower.
Sphynx. I spake but of an eye, not eyes.
Love. A one-eyed mistress that unties.
Sphynx. This eye still moves, and still is fix'd.
1 And take me along.] Go no faster than I can go with you. i. e. Let me understand you. The phrase, which is sufficiently common, is found in the Little French Lawyer; and is thus explained by the unfortunate editor. "Take me with you, i. e. You must consider!" "The expression (he adds, with his usual simplicity) frequently occurs, not always with this exact meaning in old plays." Beaumont and Fletcher, vol. v. p. 212. Right ;-not always, Mr. Weber, and you do well to put the reader on his guard.
|