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 |
Poems, and phancies | ||
Nature's Wardrope
In Nature's Wardrope, there hangs up great storeOf several Garments, some are Rich, some Poor;
Some made of Beauty's Stuff, with Smiles well Lac'd,
With lovely Favour is the Out-side Fac'd;
Some fresh and new, by Sicknesses were Rent,
Not taking any Care them to prevent,
But Physick and good Diet had again
Sow'd up the Slits, that none did yet remain;
Some worn so Bare with Age, that none could see
What Stuff't had been, or what it yet might be;
Others were so Ill-shap'd, their Stuff so Coarse,
As none would wear unless it were by force;
And several Mantles, Nature made, were there,
To keep her Creatures warm from the Cold Air,
As Sables, Martins, and black Fox good store,
Ermins, and fierce wild Cats, and many more;
Most of her Creatures she hath Clad in Furr,
Which need no Fire at all, if they but stir;
And some in Wool she Clads, as well as Hair,
And some in Scales, others do Feathers wear:
But Man, his Skin she made so smooth and fair,
He doth not need Feathers, Scales, Wool nor Hair.
The out-side of all things Nature keeps there,
For several Creatures, which she makes them wear,
Death pulls them off, Life puts them on, but Nature
Takes care to fit each Garment for each Creature.
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Of Stuffs , whereof are Garments made in Store;
But yet these of such several Fashions are,
That seldome any two alike appear;
And Nature several Trimmings for them makes,
And several Colours for each Trimming takes.
Poems, and phancies | ||