TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY WRIOTHESLY, EARL OF SOUTHAMPTON, AND BARON OF TICHFIELD. RIGHT HONOURABLE, I KNOW not how I shall offend in dedicating my unpolished lines to your lordship, nor how the world will censure me for choosing so strong a prop to support so weak a burthen: only if your honour seem but pleased, I account myself highly praised, and vow to take advantage of all idle hours, till I have honoured you with some graver labour. But if the first heir of my invention prove deformed, I shall be sorry it had so noble a godfather, and never after ear* so barren a land, for fear it yield me still so bad a harvest. I leave it to your honourable survey, and your honour to your heart's content; which I wish may always answer your own wish, and the world's hopeful expectation.+ Your Honour's in all duty, WILLIAM SHAKSPEARE. *I. e. plough. † Lord Southampton was at this period twenty years old. VENUS AND ADONIS. [Our author himself has told us that this poem was his first composition. It was entered in the Stationers' books by Richard Field, on the 18th of April, 1593; and again by Harrison, sen., on the 23rd of June, 1594; in which year it was probably published.] Vilia miretur vulgus, mihi flavus Apollo EVEN as the sun with purple-colour'd face Vouchsafe, thou wonder, to alight thy steed, Here come and sit, where serpent never hisses, "And yet not cloy thy lips with loath'd satiety, A summer's day will seem an hour but short, With this, she seizeth on his sweating palm, And, trembling in her passion, calls it balm, She red and hot, as coals of glowing fire, Backward she push'd him, as she would be thrust, And govern'd him in strength, though not in lust. So soon was she along, as he was down, Each leaning on their elbows and their hips: 66 And kissing speaks, with lustful language broken, If thou wilt chide, thy lips shall never open." He burns with bashful shame; she with her tears Doth quench the maiden burning of his cheeks; Then with her windy sighs, and golden hairs, To fan and blow them dry again she seeks : He says, she is immodest, blames her miss; + Forced to content, § but never to obey, Wishing her cheeks were gardens full of flowers, Look how a bird lies tangled in a net, * Pattern. † Misbehaviour. I. e. to be contented to remain. + Pecks. Full. |