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 |  |
154
Wherein Poetry chiefly Consists.
Most of our Modern Writers now adays,Consider not the Fancy, but the Phrase;
As if fine Words were Wit, or one should say,
A Woman's Handsome, if her Cloaths be Gay,
Regarding not what Beauty's in the Face,
Nor what Proportion doth the Body grace;
As when her Shoos be high, to say she's Tall,
And when she is strait Lac'd, to say she's Small;
When Painted, or her Hair is Curl'd with Art,
Though of it Self but Plain, and her Skin swart,
We cannot say, that from her thanks are due
To Nature, nor those Arts in Her we View,
Unless she them Invented, and so Taught
The World to set forth that, which is stark naught;
But Fancy is the Eye, gives Life to all,
Words, the Complexion, as a whited Wall;
Fancy the Form is, Flesh, Blood, Skin and Bone,
Words are but Shadows, Substance they have none:
But Number is the Motion, gives the Grace,
And is the Count'nance of a Well-form'd Face.
| Poems, and phancies | |