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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A Dialogue betwixt the Body and the Mind.
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 | Poems, and phancies |  |
A Dialogue betwixt the Body and the Mind.
Body.What Bodies els but Man's did Nature make,
To joyn with such a Mind, no rest can take?
That ebbs and flow's with full and falling tide,
As minds dejected fall or swell with Pride;
In waves of passion roul to billows high,
Always in Motion, never quiet lye;
Where thoughts like Fishes swim the Mind about,
And Greater thoughts the Smaller thoughts eat out;
My Bodie's Barque rows in Mind's ocean wide,
VVhich VVaves of Passion beat on every side.
VVhen that dark Cloud of Ignorance hangs low,
And VVinds of vain Opinions strong do blow,
Then showrs of Doubts into the Mind rain down,
And Studies deep my Barque of flesh do drown.
Mind.
VVhy doth the Body thus Complain, when I
Do help it forth of every misery?
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By Nature thus rigg'd out, to traffick in;
Against hard rocks you'ld break in peeces small,
If my Invention help'd you not in all.
The Loadstone of Attraction I find out,
The Card of observation guides about,
The Needle of discretion points the way
Which makes that Barque get safe into each Bay.
Body.
If I escape Drowning in th'VVat'ry main,
Yet in great mighty battels I am slain;
By your ambition I am forc'd to Fight,
VVhen many VVounds upon my body light;
For you Care not, so you a Fame may have
To live, if I be buried in a grave.
Mind.
If bodies fight and Kingdom's win, then you
Take all the pleasure that belongs thereto.
Upon that head a glorious Crown you bear,
And on that body you rich Jewels wear,
All things are sought to please your Senses five,
No drugg unpractis'd to keep you alive,
And I to set you up in high degree,
Invent all Engines, us'd in wars to be;
'Tis I that do you make in Triumph great,
Above all other Creatures t'have your seat;
By the Industrious Arts which I do find,
You other Creaturs in Subjection bind;
You eat their Flesh, and then you use their Skin,
VVhen winter comes, to lap your bodies in;
And so in every thing, Nature doth make,
By my direction you great pleasure take.
Body.
VVhat though my Senses all do take delight,
Yet you upon my Entrals always bite?
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VVith the sharp teeth of Sorrow, Grief and Care;
You draw my blood from th'Veins with envious spight,
Decay my strength with Shame, or extreme Fright;
Often with Love extremely Sick I lie,
And with a Cruel hate you make me dye.
Mind.
Care keeps you from all hurt or falling low,
Sorrow and Grief are debts to friends we owe,
Fear makes man Just, to give each one his own,
Shame makes Civility, without there's none;
Hate makes good Laws, that all may live in peace,
Love brings Society, and gets increase;
Besides with Joy I make the Eyes look gay,
VVith pleasing smiles they dart forth every way;
With Mirth the cheeks are Fat, Smooth, Rosie-red,
Speech flows with Wit, when Fancies fill the head.
If I were gone, you'ld miss my Company,
VVish we were Joyn'd again, or you might dye.
| Poems, and phancies | |