Comedies, Tragi-comedies, With other Poems by Mr William Cartwright ... The Ayres and Songs set by Mr Henry Lawes |
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 | Comedies, Tragi-comedies, With other Poems |  |
217
Beauty and Deniall.
No, no, it cannot be; for who e'r set
A Blockhouse to defend a Garden yet?
Roses ne'r chide my boldness when I go
To crop their Blush; why should your Cheeks do so?
The Lillies ne'r deny their Silk to men;
VVhy should your Hands push off, and draw back then?
The Sun forbids me not his Heat; then why
Comes there to Earth an Edict from your Eye?
I smell Perfumes, and they ne'r think it sin;
VVhy should your Breath not let me take it in?
A Dragon kept the Golden Apples; true;
But must your Breasts be therefore kept so too?
All Fountains else flow freely, and ne'r shrink;
And must yours cheat my Thirst when I would drink?
VVhere Nature knows no prohibition,
Shall Art prove Anti-Nature, and make one?
A Blockhouse to defend a Garden yet?
Roses ne'r chide my boldness when I go
To crop their Blush; why should your Cheeks do so?
The Lillies ne'r deny their Silk to men;
VVhy should your Hands push off, and draw back then?
The Sun forbids me not his Heat; then why
Comes there to Earth an Edict from your Eye?
I smell Perfumes, and they ne'r think it sin;
VVhy should your Breath not let me take it in?
A Dragon kept the Golden Apples; true;
But must your Breasts be therefore kept so too?
All Fountains else flow freely, and ne'r shrink;
And must yours cheat my Thirst when I would drink?
VVhere Nature knows no prohibition,
Shall Art prove Anti-Nature, and make one?
But O we scorn the profer'd Lip and Face;
And angry Frowns sometimes add quicker Grace
Than quiet Beauty: 'tis that melting kiss
That truly doth distill immortall Bliss
VVhich the fierce struggling Youth by force at Length
Doth make the purchase of his eager strength;
VVich, from the rifled weeping Virgin scant
Snatch'd, proves a Conquest, rather than a Grant.
And angry Frowns sometimes add quicker Grace
Than quiet Beauty: 'tis that melting kiss
That truly doth distill immortall Bliss
VVhich the fierce struggling Youth by force at Length
Doth make the purchase of his eager strength;
VVich, from the rifled weeping Virgin scant
Snatch'd, proves a Conquest, rather than a Grant.
Beleeve't not: 'tis the Paradox of some One,
That in Old time did love an Amazon,
One of so stiff a Temper, that she might
Have call'd him Spouse upon the Marriage night;
Whose Flames consum'd him lest some one might be
Seduc'd hereafter by his Heresie:
That in Old time did love an Amazon,
One of so stiff a Temper, that she might
Have call'd him Spouse upon the Marriage night;
218
Seduc'd hereafter by his Heresie:
That you are Fair and spotless, makes you prove
Fitter to fall a Sacrifice to Love:
On tow'rds his Altar then, vex not the Priest;
'Tis Ominous if the Sacrifice resist:
Who conquers still, and ransacks, we may say
Doth not Affect, but rather is in Pay.
But if there must be reall Lists of Love,
And our Embracing a true wrestling prove,
Bare, and Annoint you then: for, if you'l do
As Wrestlers use, you must be naked too.
Fitter to fall a Sacrifice to Love:
On tow'rds his Altar then, vex not the Priest;
'Tis Ominous if the Sacrifice resist:
Who conquers still, and ransacks, we may say
Doth not Affect, but rather is in Pay.
But if there must be reall Lists of Love,
And our Embracing a true wrestling prove,
Bare, and Annoint you then: for, if you'l do
As Wrestlers use, you must be naked too.
| Comedies, Tragi-comedies, With other Poems | |