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 |
 |
| I. |
| II. |
|
|
| III. |
|
|
| IV. |
| THE CLASP. |
| V. |
|
|
 | Poems, and phancies |  |
227
THE CLASP.
Of Fairies in the Brain.
VVho knows, but that in every Brain may dwellThose Creatures, we call Fairies, who can tell?
And by their several Actions they may frame
Those Forms and Figures, which we Fancies name;
And when we Sleep, those Visions, Dreams we call,
May by their Industry be Raised all;
And all the Objects, which through Senses get,
Within the Brain they may in Order set;
And some Pack up, as Merchants do, each thing,
Which they sometimes may to the Mem'ry bring:
And thus, besides our own Imaginations,
May Fairies in our Brain beget Inventions.
If so, then th'Eye's the Sea, where by the Gale
Of Passions, on Salt Tears their Ship doth Sail;
And when a Tear doth Break, as it doth fall,
Or wip'd away, they may a Shipwrack call.
There from the Stomack Vapours do arise,
And fly up to the Head, as to the Skys,
And, as great Storms, their Houses down may blow,
VVhere, by their Fall, the Head may Dizzy grow;
228
VVith Knocking they may put the Head to Pain;
VVhen they Dig deep, perchance a Tooth make Ake,
And from a Tooth a Quarry-Bone may take,
Which they, like Stone, may Build their House withall;
If much Took out, the Tooth may Rotten fall.
Those that Dwell near the Ears are very Cool,
For they are both the South and Northern-Pole;
The Eyes are Sun and Moon, which give them Light,
VVhen open, Day, when shut, it is Dark Night.
The City of these Fairies is the Brain.
The Fairy's City in the Brain is found,VVith Dur' and Pia-mater Compass'd round;
VVith a thick Scul it's Trenched all about,
And with great Art and Labour fac'd without;
The Fore-head is the Fort, which is Built high,
Instead of Centinels doth serve each Eye;
And that same place where Memory lies in,
Is great King Oberon his Magazine;
The Market-place the Mouth, when full, begun
Is Market-Day, when empty, Market's done;
The City-Conduit, where the Water flows,
Is with two Spouts, the Nostrils of the Nose,
And when these watery Spouts are not stopt close,
Then we do say, it is a Cold or Pose;
The Gates be the two Ears, when Deaf they are,
Then those two City-Gates the Fairies Barr:
This City's Govern'd, as most Cities be,
By Aldermen, and so by Mayoralty;
And Ob'ron King dwells never any where,
But in a Royal Head, whose Court is there,
229
We there might View him and his Beauteous Queen:
Sure that's their Court, and there they Sit in State,
And Noble Lords and Ladies on them wait.
The Fairies in the Brain may be the Causes of many Thoughts.
When we have Pious Thoughts, and think of Heaven,Yet go about, not ask to be Forgiven,
Perchance they're Preaching, or a Chapter saying,
Or on their Knees they are Devoutly Praying;
When we are Sad, and know no Reason why,
Perchance it is, because some there do Dye;
And some place may i'th' Head be hung with Black,
Which makes us Dull, yet know not what we Lack.
Our Fancies which in Verse or Prose we put,
May Pictures be, which they do Draw or Cut;
And when these Fancies fine and thin do show,
They may be Graven in Seal, for ought we know;
When we have Cross Opinions in the Mind,
Then we may them in Schools Disputing find;
When we of Childish Toys do think, a Fair
May be i'th' Brain, where Crowds of Fairies are,
And in each Stall may all such Knacks be Sold,
As Rattles, Bells, or Bracelets made of Gold;
Pins, Whistles, and the like may be Bought there,
And thus within the Head may be a Fair:
And when our Brain with Amorous Thoughts is staid,
Perhaps there is a Bride and Bridegroom made;
And when our Thoughts all Merry be and Gay,
There may be Dancing on their Wedding Day.
230
Of the Animal Spirits.
Those Spirits which we Animal do call,May Men and Women be, and Creatures small;
And may the Body into Kingdomes wide,
As Muscles, Nerves, Veins, Arteries, Divide;
The Head and Heart, East and West-Indies be,
Which through the Veins may Traffick, as the Sea;
In Feavers may by Shipwrack many Dye;
For when the Blood is Hot, and Vapours high
Do Rise, as Waves they Toss, and when they Hit
Against Rocks of Obstructions, Life doth Split.
I'th' Head, th'East-Indies, Spicie Fancies grow,
Orange and Limon Satyr there doth Flow;
I'th' Heart, the West, where Heat the Blood refines,
The Blood's like Gold, the Heart like Silver-Mines:
Thus from the Head in Ships are Spices brought,
And in the Heart is Gold and Silver wrought.
The Warr of the Animal Spirits.
Sometimes these Animal Creatures when they Jarr,Then all their Kingdomes rise up into Warr;
And when they Fight, we do Convulsions feel,
Cramps, Gouts in Toes, and Chilblains in the Heel.
Peace betwixt Animal Spirits.
VVhen they keep Peace, and all do well agree,Then is Commerce in every Kingdome free,
And through the Nerves they Travel without fear;
There are no Thieves to Rob them of their Ware;
231
Unto the Senses, which Buy every thing:
But to the Muscles they have great Recourse;
For in those Kingdomes Trading hath great Force;
VVhich Kingdomes always joyn by two and two,
That they with Ease may Pass and Repass through.
The Body is the World of the Animal Spirits.
The Art'ries are the Ocean deep and wide,The Blood the Sea, which Ebbs and Flows in Tide;
The Nerves the Continent they Travel through,
The Muscles Cities are they Traffick to.
The Body Similized to many Countries.
The Nerves are France, and Italy, and Spain,The Liver Brit'n, the Narrow Sea each Vein;
The Spleen is Æthiopia, wherein
Is Bred a Peopl' of Black and Tawny Skin;
The Stomack is like Ægypt, and the Chyle
VVhich through the Body flows, is as the Nile;
The Head and Heart both Indies are; each Ear
Doth like the South and Northern-pole appear;
The Lungs are Rocks and Caverns, whence rise Winds,
Where Life, which passes through, great Danger finds.
A Complement sent to the Fairy Queen.
Sir Charls unto my Chamber coming in,VVhen I was Writing of the Fairy Queen,
232
Present my Service to her Majesty,
And tell Her, I have heard Fames loud report,
Both of her Beauty, and her stately Court.
VVhen I Queen Mab within my Fancy view'd,
My Thoughts bow'd Low, fearing I should be Rude,
Kissing her Garment thin, which Fancy made,
Kneeling upon a Thought, like one that Pray'd,
And then in whispers Soft I did present
His humble Service which in Mirth was sent.
Thus by Imagination I have been
In Fairy Court, and seen the Fairy Queen;
For why, Imagination runs about
In every place, but none can Trace it out.
| Poems, and phancies | |