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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The Mine of Wit.
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 | Poems, and phancies |  |
The Mine of Wit.
'Tis strange, Men think so Vain, and seem so Sage,And Act so Foolish in this later Age;
Their Brains are always working some design,
Which Plots they Dig, as Miners in a Mine;
Fancies are Min'rals, and the Mine the Head,
Some Gold, some Silver, Iron, Tin, some Lead;
The Furnace which 'tis Melted in is great,
And Motion quick doth give a Glowing heat;
The Mouth's the Gutter, where Oar runs along,
The Hammer, which the Barrs do beat, the Tongue;
The Ear's the Forge, to Shape and Form it out,
And several Merchants send it all about;
And as the Metall's worth, the Price is set,
Scholars, which are the Buyers, most do get;
On Gold and Silver, which are Fancies fine,
Are Poets Stamp'd, as Masters of that Coin;
Hard Iron of strong Judgment's fit for use,
In Peace, or Warr, to joyn up Errours loose;
Though Lead is Dull, yet of it there is made
Use by Translatours, which in Language Trade;
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Yet joyn'd with Silver Wits, 't makes Alchymy:
For Men half Witted, with strong Wits joyn'd, grow
To be of Use, and make a Glist'ring show.
| Poems, and phancies | |