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XLIV.

If the dull fubftance of my flesh were thought,
Injurious distance should not stop my way;
For then, despite of space, I would be brought,
From limits far remote, where thou dost stay.
No matter then although my foot did stand
Upon the fartheft earth removed from thee;
For nimble thought can jump both sea and land,
As soon as think the place where he would be.
But, ah, thought kills me that I am not thought,
To leap large lengths of miles when thou art gone,
But that, so much of earth and water wrought,
I must attend time's leisure with my moan;
Receiving nought by elements fo flow

But heavy tears, badges of either's woe.

XLV.

The other two, flight air and purging fire,
Are both with thee, wherever I abide;
The first my thought, the other my defire,
These present-absent with fwift motion slide.
For when thefe quicker elements are gone
In tender embaffy of love to thee,

My life, being made of four, with two alone
Sinks down to death, oppreff'd with melancholy;
Until life's compofition be recured

By those swift meffengers return'd from thee,
Who even but now come back again, assured
Of thy fair health, recounting it to me:

This told, I joy; but then no longer glad,
I send them back again, and straight grow fad.

XLVI.

Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war,
How to divide the conqueft of thy fight;
Mine eye my heart thy picture's fight would bar,
My heart mine eye the freedom of that right.
My heart doth plead that thou in him dost lie,
A closet never pierced with crystal eyes,
But the defendant doth that plea deny,
And fays in him thy fair appearance lies.
To 'cide this title is impannelled

A queft of thoughts, all tenants to the heart;
And by their verdict is determined

The clear eye's moiety and the dear heart's part:

As thus; mine eye's due is thine outward part, heart's right thine inward love of heart.

And my

XLVII.

Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took,
And each doth good turns now unto the other:
When that mine eye is famish'd for a look,

Or heart in love with fighs himself doth smother,
With my love's picture then my eye doth feast,
And to the painted banquet bids my heart;
Another time mine eye is my heart's guest,

And in his thoughts of love doth share a part:
So, either by thy picture or my love,

Thyself away art present still with me;

For thou not farther than my thoughts canst move,
And I am still with them and they with thee;

Or, if they fleep, thy picture in my fight
Awakes my heart to heart's and eye's delight

D

XLVIII.

How careful was I, when I took my way,

Each trifle under trueft bars to thrust,

That to my use it might unused stay

From hands of falsehood, in fure wards of trust
But thou, to whom my jewels trifles are,

Moft worthy comfort, now my greatest grief,
Thou, best of dearest and mine only care,
Art left the prey of every vulgar thief.
Thee have I not lock'd up in any chest,

Save where thou art not, though I feel thou art,
Within the gentle closure of my breast,

From whence at pleasure thou mayst come and part;
And even thence thou wilt be stol'n, I fear,

For truth proves thievish for a prize so dear.

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