XI.

As faft as thou fhalt wane, so fast thou grow'ft
In one of thine, from that which thou departeft;
And that fresh blood which youngly thou bestow'st
Thou mayft call thine when thou from youth con-
Herein lives wisdom, beauty and increase; [vertest.
Without this, folly, age and cold decay:

If all were minded so, the times should cease
And threescore year would make the world away.
Let those whom Nature hath not made for ftore,
Harsh, featureless and rude, barrenly perish:
Look, whom she best endow'd fhe gave the more;
Which bounteous gift thou shouldst in bounty cherish:
She carved thee for her feal, and meant thereby
Thou shouldft print more, nor let that copy die.

XII.

When I do count the clock that tells the time,
And see the brave day funk in hideous night;
When I behold the violet past prime,

And fable curls all filver'd o'er with white;
When lofty trees I fee barren of leaves,
Which erft from heat did canopy the herd,
And fummer's green all girded up in sheaves,
Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard,
Then of thy beauty do I queftion make,

That thou among the wastes of time must go,
Since fweets and beauties do themselves forfake
And die as fast as they fee others grow;

[fence

And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make deSave breed, to brave him when he takes thee hence.

XIII.

O, that you were yourself! but, love, you are.
No longer yours than you yourself here live:
Against this coming end you should prepare,
And your sweet semblance to some other give:
So should that beauty which you hold in lease
Find no determination; then you were

Yourself again, after yourself's decease,

When your sweet issue your sweet form should bear.
Who lets so fair a house fall to decay,

Which husbandry in honour might uphold
Against the stormy gufts of winter's day

And barren rage of death's eternal cold?

O, none but unthrifts! Dear my love, you know

You had a father: let your fon fay fo.

XIV.

Not from the stars do I my judgement pluck;
And yet methinks I have aftronomy,

But not to tell of good or evil luck,

Of plagues, of dearths, or seasons' quality;
Nor can I fortune to brief minutes tell,
Pointing to each his thunder, rain and wind,
Or fay with princes if it fhall go well,
By oft predict that I in heaven find.

But from thine eyes my knowledge I derive,
And, constant stars, in them I read fuch art
As Truth and beauty shall together thrive,

If from thyself to store thou wouldst convert ;'
Or else of thee this I prognofticate :

'Thy end is truth's and beauty's doom and date.'

XV.

When I confider every thing that

grows

Holds in perfection but a little moment,

That this huge ftage prefenteth nought but fhows
Whereon the stars in fecret influence comment;
When I perceive that men as plants increase,
Cheered and check'd even by the self-same sky,
Vaunt in their youthful fap, at height decrease,
And wear their brave state out of memory;
Then the conceit of this inconftant stay
Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,
Where wafteful Time debateth with Decay,
To change your day of youth to fullied night;
And all in war with Time for love of you,
As he takes from you, I engraft you new.