Elizabethan Sonnet-Cycles

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1898 edition. Excerpt: ... to beat them, Husbands that bid their wives tell all they know, Men that give children sweetmeats not to eat them,--Ladies, you see what destiny they go; And who entreats, you know entreats in vain, That love be constant or come back again. LTV Light, rage and grief, limbs of imperfect love, By over-acting ever lose their ends; For grief while it would good affection move, With self-affliction doth deface her friends; Putting on poor weak pity's pale reflexion, Whereas good-will is stirred with good com-plexion. Rage again fond of her inflamed desire, Desire which conquers by close invasion, Forgetting light and heat live in one fire, So overblows the temper of occasion, That scorched with heat, by light discovered, Untimely born is and untimely dead. Poor fools, why strive you then since all hearts feel That idle chance so governs in affection, As Cupid cannot turn his fatal wheel, Nor in his own orb banish her election? Then teach desire hope; not rage, fear, grief, Powers as unapt to take, as give relief. The MS. originally had " concealed." Cynthia, because your horns look diverse ways, Now darkened to the east, now to the west, Then at full-glory once in thirty days, Sense doth believe that change is nature's rest. Poor earth, that dare presume to judge the sky! Cynthia is ever round and never varies; Shadows and distance do abuse the eye, And in abused sense truth oft miscarries; Yet who this language to the people speaks, Opinion's empire sense's idol breaks. All my senses like beacon's flame, Gave alarum to desire To take arms in Cynthia's name, And set all my thoughts on fire; Furies' wit persuaded me, Happy love was hazard's hire, Cupid did best shoot and see In the night where smooth is fair; Up I start believing well To see...