Poems, and phancies written By the Thrice Noble, Illustrious, And Excellent Princess The Lady Marchioness of Newcastle [i.e. Margaret Cavendish]. The Second Impression, much Altered and Corrected |
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Poems, and phancies | ||
The Circle of Honesty Squared.
VVithin the Head of Man's a Circle roundOf Honesty, in which no end is found;
Some think it fit this Circle should be squar'd,
Though to make Honesty take sides is hard;
Yet try, do Fortitude and Prudence take,
Justice and Temperance, four Lines they make;
If Temperance do prove too short a Line,
Then do the Figure of Discretion joyn,
Which Wisdome's point draw up, and you will find
Them make an even Line, when well Combin'd;
'Twixt Fortitude and Prudence Truth must point
Justice's Line towards that Corner-joynt
Of Fortitude, which Line do make agree
With Prudence, Temperance must also be
Of equal length with Justice, both must stand
'Twixt Fortitude and Prudence on each hand.
At every Corner must a Point be laid,
Where Lines do meet, that Angles may be made,
And when those Points too high or low do fall,
Then must the Lines be stretch'd to make them all
Even; And thus the Circle round, you'l find,
Is Squar'd with the four Virtues of the Mind.
Poems, and phancies | ||