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The poetical works of William Shakespeare and Ben Jonson
The poetical works of William Shakespeare and Ben Jonson Author:William Shakespeare Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: VENUS AND ADONIS. Vilia miretur vulgns, mihi flavus Apollo Poculo Castalia plena miuistret aqua. Ovid. TO THE RIGHT HONOURABLE HENRY WRIOTIIESLY, ... more » EARL OF SOUTHAMPTON, AXD BAKO.N OF TITCHFIELD. RIGHT HONOURABLE, I Know not how I shall offend in dedicating my unpolished lines to your Lordship, nor how the world will censure me for choosing so strong a prop to support so weak a burthen: only if your honour seem but pleased, I account myself highly praised, and vow to take advantage of all idle hours, till I have honoured you with some graver labour. But if the first heir of my invention prove deformed, I shall be sorry it had so noble a godfather, and never after ear1 so barren a land, for fear it yield me still so bad a harvest. I leave it to your honourable survey, and your honour to your heart's content; which I wish may always answer your own wish, and the world's hopeful expectation. Your Honour's in all duty, William Shakespeare. I ear] i. e. plough. VENUS AND ADONIS. Even as the sun with purple-colour'd face Had ta'en his last leave of the weeping morn, Rose-cheek'd Adonis hied him to the chase; Hunting he lov'd, but love he laugh'd to scorn: Sick-thoughted Venus makes amain unto him, And like a bold-fac'd suitor 'gins to woo him. " Thrice fairer than myself," thus she began, " The field's chief flower, sweet above compare, " Stain to all nymphs, more lovely than a man, " More white and red than doves or roses are ; " Nature that made thee, with herself at strife, " Saith that the world hath ending with thy life. " Vouchsafe, thou wonder, to alight thy steed, " And rein his proud head to the saddle-bow ; "If thou wilt deign this favour, for thy meed, " A thousand honey-secrets shalt thou know: " Here come and sit, where never serpent...« less