Occasional Verses of Edward Lord Herbert, Baron of Cherbery and Castle-Island ::

Madam, your beauty and your lovely parts
Would scarce admit poetick praise and Arts
As they are Loves most sharp and piercing darts;
Though, as again they only wound and kill
The more deprav'd affections of our will,
You claim a right to commendation still.

2

For as you can unto that height refine
All Loves delights, as while they do incline
Unto no vice, they so become divine;
We may as well attain your excellence,
As without help of any outward sense
Would make us grow a pure Intelligence.

3

And as a Soul, thus being quite abstract,
Complies not properly with any act,
Which from its better Being may detract:
So through the virtuous habits you infuse,
It is enough that we may like and chuse,
Without presuming yet to take or use.

4

Thus Angels in their starry Orbs proceed
Unto affection, without other need
Then that they still on contemplation feed:

Though as they may unto this Orb descend,
You can, when you would so much lower bend,
Give joys beyond what man can comprehend.

5

Do not refuse then, Madam, to appear,
Since every radiant Beam comes from your Sphere,
Can so much more then any else endear,
As while through them we do discern each Grace,
The multiplied lights from every place,
Will turn and Circle, with their rays, your face.

University of Virginia Library

Platonick Love.

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