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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Of Fairies in the Brain.
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 | Poems, and phancies |  |
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;
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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.
| Poems, and phancies | |