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XXXVI.

Let me confefs that we two must be twain,
Although our undivided loves are one:

So fhall those blots that do with me remain,
Without thy help, by me be borne alone.
In our two loves there is but one respect,
Though in our lives a separable spite,

Which, though it alter not love's fole effect,
Yet doth it steal fweet hours from love's delight.

I may not evermore acknowledge thee,

Left my bewailed guilt should do thee shame,
Nor thou with public kindness honour me,
Unless thou take that honour from thy name:
But do not fo; I love thee in fuch fort

As, thou being mine, mine is thy good report.

XXXVII.

As a decrepit father takes delight

To see his active child do deeds of youth,
So I, made lame by fortune's dearest spite,
Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth;
For whether beauty, birth, or wealth, or wit,
of these all, or all, or more,

Or

any

Entitled in thy parts do crowned fit,

I make my love engrafted to this store:

So then I am not lame, poor, nor despised,

Whilft that this shadow doth such substance give That I in thy abundance am fufficed

And by a part of all thy glory live.

Look, what is beft, that best I wish in thee:

This wish I have; then ten times happy me!

XXXVIII.

How can my Muse want subject to invent,
While thou doft breathe, that pour'ft into my versc

Thine own sweet argument, too excellent

For every vulgar paper to rehearse?

O, give thyself the thanks, if aught in me
Worthy perusal stand against thy sight;

For who's fo dumb that cannot write to thee,
When thou thyself dost give invention light?

Be thou the tenth Muse, ten times more in worth
Than thofe old nine which rimers invocate;

And he that calls on thee, let him bring forth
Eternal numbers to outlive long date.

If my flight Muse do please these curious days,
The pain be mine, but thine shall be the praise.

XXXIX.

O, how thy worth with manners may I fing,
When thou art all the better part of me?

What can mine own praise to mine own felf bring?

And what is 't but mine own when I praise thee? Even for this let us divided live,

And our dear love lose name of fingle one,

That by this feparation I may give

That due to thee which thou deservest alone.

O absence, what a torment wouldst thou prove,
Were it not thy four leisure gave sweet leave
To entertain the time with thoughts of love,
Which time and thoughts fo fweetly doth deceive,
And that thou teacheft how to make one twain,
By praifing him here who doth hence remain!

XL.

Take all my loves, my love, yea, take them all;
What haft thou then more than thou hadft before?
No love, my love, that thou mayst true love call;
All mine was thine before thou hadft this more.
Then if for my love thou my love receivest,
I cannot blame thee for my love thou useft;
But yet be blamed, if thou thyfelf deceivest
By wilful taste of what thyself refusest.
I do forgive thy robbery, gentle thief,
Although thou fteal thee all my poverty;
And yet love knows it is a greater grief
To bear love's wrong than hate's known injury.
Lascivious grace, in whom all ill well shows,

Kill me with spites; yet we must not be foes.

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