Thy anger comes, and I decline. Where all things burn, And the least frown of thine is shown? And now in age age I bud again, After so many deaths I live and write; And relish versing. O my only light, That I am he On whom thy tempests fell all night. These are thy wonders, Lord of love, Swelling through store, Virtue Sweet day, so cool, so calm, so bright, The dew shall weep thy fall to-night, Sweet rose, whose hue angry and brave Thy root is ever in its grave, And thou must die. 1 Sweet spring, full of sweet days and roses, A box where sweets compacted lie; My music shows ye have your closes, And all must die. Only a sweet and virtuous soul, Like seasoned timber, never gives; But though the whole world turn to coal, Then chiefly lives. 40 10 FRANCIS QUARLES The Introduction and Notes are at page 1022 Hos ego versiculos Like to the damask rose you see, The rose withers, the blossom blasteth, Like to the blaze of fond delight, Delights vanish, the morn o'ercasteth, The beauty fades, and man's life ends. FROM Divine Fancies, 1632 A good-night Close now thine eyes and rest secure; And guards thee, never slumbers, never sleeps. The music and the mirth of kings 10 20 Are all but very discords, when she sings; Then close thine eyes and rest secure; No sleep so sweet as thine, no rest so sure. FROM Emblems, 1635 [False world, thou ly'st] Proverbs xxiii. 5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches make them selves wings, they fly away as an eagle. False world, thou ly'st; thou canst not lend The least delight; Thy favors cannot gain a friend, They are so slight; Thy morning pleasures make an end To please at night; Poor are the wants that thou supply'st, And yet thou vaunt'st, and yet thou vy'st With heaven. Fond earth, thou boasts; false world, thou ly'st. Alas, fond world, thou boasts; false world, thou ly'st. Thou art not what thou seem'st; false world, thou ly'st. Thy tinsel bosom seems a mint Of new-coined treasure, A paradise that has no stint, No change, no measure; 30 Vain earth! that falsely thus comply'st With man; vain man! that thus rely'st On earth; vain man, thou dot'st, vain earth, thou ly'st. What mean dull souls, in this high measure To haberdash In earth's base wares, whose greatest treasure Is dross and trash? The height of whose enchanting pleasure Are these the goods that thou supply'st Us mortals with? are these the high'st? Can these bring cordial peace? False world, thou ly'st. [Oh, whither shall I fly?] Job xiv. 13 40 Oh, that thou wouldst hide me in the grave, that thou wouldst keep me secret until thy wrath be past! Oh, whither shall I fly, what path untrod Shall I seek out to 'scape the flaming rod Where shall I sojourn, what kind sea will hide What if my feet should take their hasty flight What if my soul should take the wings of day What if some solid rock should entertain Nor sea, nor shade, nor shield, nor rock, nor cave, The seas will part, graves open, rocks will split, 10 20 No, no, if stern-browed vengeance means to thunder, 'Tis vain to flee; 'tis neither here nor there 'Tis vain to flee; till gentle mercy show Th' ingenious child, corrected, does not fly Shadows are faithless, and the rocks are false; Great God, there is no safety here below; Thou art my God; by thee I fall or stand; I know thy justice is thyself; I know, Then work thy will; if passion bid me flee, [Oh, how my will is hurried] Romans vii. 23 30 40 I see another law in my members warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin. Oh, how my will is hurried to and fro, |