CXVI. Let me not to the marriage of true minds Which alters when it alteration finds, Or bends with the remover to remove: O, no! it is an ever-fixed mark, That looks on tempefts and is never shaken; It is the ftar to every wandering bark, [taken. Whole worth's unknown, although his height be Love's not Time's fool, though rofy lips and cheeks Wtihin his bending fickle's compass come; Love alters not with his brief hours and weeks, But bears it out even to the edge of doom. I never writ, nor no man ever loved. CXVII. Accufe me thus: that I have scanted all Whereto all bonds do tie me day by day; That I have frequent been with unknown minds, And given to time your own dear-purchased right; That I have hoifted fail to all the winds Which should transport me farthest from your fight. Book both my wilfulness and errors down, Bring me within the level of your frown, But shoot not at me in your waken'd hate; Since my appeal says I did not strive to prove CXVIII. Like as, to make our appetites more keen, We ficken to fhun fickness when we purge; Even fo, being full of your ne'er-cloying sweetness, To bitter fauces did I frame my feeding; And fick of welfare found a kind of meetness To be diseased, ere that there was true needing. Thus policy in love, to anticipate The ills that were not, grew to faults affured, Which, rank of goodnefs, would by ill be cured: But thence I learn, and find the lesson true, Drugs poifon him that fo fell fick of you. CXIX. What potions have I drunk of Siren tears, What wretched errors hath my heart committed, How have mine eyes out of their spheres been fitted, In the distraction of this madding fever! O benefit of ill! now I find true That better is by evil still made better; And ruin'd love, when it is built anew, Grows fairer than at first, more strong, far greater. So I return rebuked to my content, And gain by ills thrice more than I have spent. CXX. That you were once unkind befriends me now, As I by yours, you've paff'd a hell of time; To weigh how once I fuffer'd in your crime. O, that our night of woe might have remember'd |