when thou wilt inflame, how coldly those impediments stand forth, ofwealth, of filial fear, law, kindred, fame! love's arms are peace, 'gainstrule, 'gainst sense, 'gainst shame. and sweetens, in the suff'ring pangs itbears, the aloes of all forces, shocks and fears.
'"now all these hearts that do on mine depend, feeling it break, withbleeding groans they pine, and supplicant their sighs to your extend, toleave the batt'ry that you make 'gainst mine, lending soft audience to mysweet design, and credent soul to that strong-bonded oath, that shallprefer and undertake my troth."'this said, his wat'ry eyes he did dismount, whose sights till thenwere levelled on my face; each cheek a river running from a fount withbrinish current downward flowed apace. o, how the channel to the streamgave grace! who glazed with crystal gate the glowing roses that flamethrough water which their hue encloses.
'o father, what a hell of witchcraft lies in the small orb of oneparticular tear! but with the inundation of the eyes what rocky heart towater will not wear? what breast so cold that is not warmed here? o cleft effect! cold modesty, hot wrath, both fire from hence and chill extincturehath.
'for lo, his passion, but an art of craft, even there resolved my reasoninto tears; there my white stole of chastity i daffed, shook off my soberguards and civil fears; appear to him as he to me appears, all melting;though our drops this diff'rence bore: his poisoned me, and mine did himrestore.
'in him a plenitude of subtle matter, applied to cautels, all strangeforms receives, of burning blushes or of weeping water, or swooningpaleness; and he takes and leaves, in either's aptness, as it best deceives,to blush at speeches rank, to weep at woes, or to turn white and swoon attragic shows;'that not a heart which in his level came could scape the hail of hisall-hurting aim, showing fair nature is both kind and tame; and, veiled inthem, did win whom he would maim. against the thing he sought hewould exclaim; when he most burned in heart-wished luxury, he preachedpure maid and praised cold chastity.
'thus merely with the garment of a grace the naked and concealedfiend he covered, that th' unexperient gave the tempter place, which, likea cherubin, above them hovered. who, young and simple, would not be solovered? ay me, i fell, and yet do question make what i should do againfor such a sake.
'o, that infected moisture of his eye, o, that false fire which in hischeek so glowed, o, that forced thunder from his heart did fly, o, that sadbreath his spongy lungs bestowed, o, all that borrowed motion, seemingowed, would yet again betray the fore-betrayed, and new pervert areconciled maid.'
the end
