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VENUS

and

ADONI S.

Vilia miretur vulgus, mihi flavus Apollo
Pocula Caftaliâ plena miniftret aquâ.

Ovid. Amor. l. 1.

El. 15.

To the Right Honourable

HENRY WRIOTHESLY,

Earl of Southampton, and Baron of Tichfield.

Right Honourable,

I know not how I fhall offend, in dedicating my unpolished lines to your lordship; nor how the world will cenfure me, for chufing so strong a prop to support so weak a burden: only if your honour feem but pleafed, I account myfelf highly praised, and vow to take advantage of all idle hours, till I have honoured you with fome graver labour. But if the firft heir of my invention prove deformed, I fhall be forry it had fo noble a godfather, and never after ear so barren a land, for fear it yield me ftill so bad a harvest. I leave it to your honourable furvey, and your honour to your heart's content; which I wifh may always answer your own wifh, and the world's hopeful expectation.

Your Honour's in all duty,

Will. Shakespear.

VENUS and ADONIS.

Even as the fun, with purple-coloured face,
Had ta'en his laft leave of the weeping morn,
Rofe-cheek'd Adonis hied him to the chase:
Hunting he lov'd, but love he laugh'd to fcorn.
Sick-thoughted Venus makes amain unto him,
And like a bold-fac'd fuitor 'gins to woo him.

Thrice fairer than myfelf! (thus fhe began)
The fields fweet flower! fweet 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 ftrife,
Saith, that the world hath ending with thy life.

Vouchsafe, thou wonder! to alight thy fteed,
And rein his proud head to the faddle-bow;
If thou wilt deign this favour, for thy meed,
A thousand honey fecrets fhalt thou know.

Here come and fit, where ferpent never hiffes,
And being fet, I'll fmother thee with kiffes.

And yet not cloy thy lips with loathed fatiety,
But rather famish them amid their plenty;
Making them red and pale with fresh variety:
Ten kiffes fhort as one, one long as twenty.

A fummer's day will seem an hour but short,
Being wasted in such time-beguiling fport.

A 2

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