Loves Progress.
Who ever loves, if he do not propose
The right true end of love, he's one that goes
To sea for nothing but to make him sick:
Love is a bear-whelp born, if we o're lick
Our love, and force it new strange shapes to take,
We erre, and of a lump a monster make.
Were not a Calf a monster that were grown
Face'd like a man, though better then his own?
Perfection is in unitie: preferr
One woman first, and then one thing in her.
I, when I value gold, may think upon
The ductilness, the application,
The wholsomness, the ingenuitie,
From rust, from soil, from fire ever free:
But if I love it, 'tis because 'tis made
By our new nature (Use) the soul of trade.
All these in women we might think upon
(If women had them) and yet love but one.
Can men more injure women then to say
They love them for that, by which they're not they?
Makes virtue woman? must I cool my bloud
Till I both be, and find one wise and good?
May barren Angels love so. But if we
Make love to woman; virtue is not she:
As beauty'is not nor wealth: He that strayes thus
From her to hers, is more adulterous,
Then if he took her maid. Search every spheare
And firmament, our Cupid is not there:
He's an infernal god and under ground,
With Pluto dwells, where gold and fire abound:
Men to such Gods, their sacrificing Coles
Did not in Altars lay, but pits and holes.
Although we see Celestial bodies move
Above the earth, the earth we Till and love:
So we her ayres contemplate, words and heart,
And virtues; but we love the Centrique part.
Nor is the soul more worthy, or more fit
For love, then this, as infinite as it.
But in attaining this desired place
How much they erre; that set out at the face?
The hair a Forest is of Ambushes,
Of springes, snares, fetters and manacles:
The brow becalms us when 'tis smooth and plain,
And when 'tis wrinckled, shipwracks us again.
Smooth, 'tis a Paradice, where we would have
Immortal stay, and wrinkled 'tis our grave.
The Nose (like to the first Meridian) runs
Not 'twixt an East and West, but 'twixt two suns;
It leaves a Cheek, a rosie Hemisphere
On either side, and then directs us where
Upon the Islands fortunate we fall,
(Not faynte Canaries, but Ambrosiall)
Her swelling lips; To which when wee are come,
We anchor there, and think our selves at home,
For they seem all: there Syrens songs, and there
Wise Delphick Oracles do fill the ear;
There in a Creek where chosen pearls do swell,
The Remora, her cleaving tongue doth dwell.
These, and the glorious Promontory, her Chin
Ore past; and the streight Hellespont betweene
The Sestos and Abydos of her breasts,
(Not of two Lovers, but two Loves the neasts)
Succeeds a boundless sea, but yet thine eye
Some Island moles may scattered there descry;
And Sailing towards her India, in that way
Shall at her fair Atlantick Navell stay;
Though thence the Current be thy Pilot made,
Yet ere thou be where thou wouldst be embay'd,
Thou shalt upon another Forest set,
Where many Shipwrack, and no further get.
When thou art there, consider what this chace
Mispent by thy beginning at the face.
Rather set out below; practice my Art,
Some Symetry the foot hath with that part
Which thou dost seek, and is thy Map for that
Lovely enough to stop, but not stay at:
Least subject to disguise and change it is;
Men say the Devil never can change his.
It is the Emblem that hath figured
Firmness; 'tis the first part that comes to bed.
Civilitie we see refin'd: the kiss
Which at the face began, transplanted is,
Since to the hand, since to the Imperial knee,
Now at the Papal foot delights to be:
If Kings think that the nearer way, and do
Rise from the foot, Lovers may do so too;
For as free Spheres move faster far then can
Birds, whom the air resists, so may that man
Which goes this empty and Ætherial way,
Then if at beauties elements he stay.
Rich Nature hath in women wisely made
Two purses, and their mouths aversely laid:
They then, which to the lower tribute owe,
That way which that Exchequer looks, must go:
He which doth not, his error is as great,
As who by Clyster gave the Stomack meat.
[Elegie XVIII. &c. Ed: Elegie XVIII. 1669, where it is
first included among the Elegies. It had already been printed
in Wit and Drollery. By Sir J. M., J. S., Sir W. D., J. D.,
and the most refined Wits of the Age. 1661. It appears in
A18, A25, B, Cy, D, H49, Lec, N, O'F, S, S96, TC, with title
Loves Progress., or Elegie. on Loves Progresse., or with no
title]
[4 Love is a 1669: And Love's a MSS.]
[5 strange 1661 and MSS.: strong 1669]
[11 I,] I 1669]
[14 ever 1669: for ever O'F, S, S96]
[16 (our new nature) use, 1661]
[17 these 1669 and MSS.: this 1661, Cy, P, Chambers]
[20 them] om. 1661]
[25 beauty'is not 1661 and MSS.: beauties no 1669
thus] thus: 1669]
[27 Then if he took] Then he that took 1661, B (takes),
Cy, O'F, P, S
spheare] sphear 1669]
[30 abound: Ed: abound, 1669]
[32 in A18, B, D, H49, Lec, N, TC: on 1669,
A25
holes.] holes: 1669]
[38 infinite] infinit 1669]
[40 erre 1661-69, S, S96: stray A18, A25, B, Cy,
D, H49, JC, N, O'F, P, TC]
[42 springes, H49 and some MSS.: springs, 1669]
[46 and 1661, A18, A25, B, C, D, H49, Lec,
N, P, S96, TC: but 1669
our 1661, MSS.: a 1669]
[47 first Meridian 1661 and MSS.: sweet Meridian 1669.]
[52-3 (Not ... Ambrosiall) ... lips &c. 1661 and MSS.
(not always with brackets and sometimes with No for Not
and Canary): Not ... Ambrosiall. Unto her swelling lips when
we are come, 1669]
[55 For they seem all: there 1669, A18, B, D, H49,
JC, Lec, N, S, TC: For they sing all their 1661,
Cy, P]
[57 There 1661 and MSS.: Then 1669
swell, Ed: swell 1669]
[58 Rhemora 1669]
[59 the glorious Promontory,] brackets and no comma, 1669]
[60 Ore past; ... betweene 1661 and MSS.: Being past the
Straits of Hellespont between 1669]
[62 Loves] loves 1669]
[63 yet] that D, H49, Lec, and other MSS.]
[65 Sailing] Sailng 1669]
[66 Navell] Naval 1669]
[67 thence A18, A25, B, Cy, D, H49, Lec, O'F,
S, S96, TC: there 1661-9, N(?): hence P
thy all MSS.: the 1661-9]
[68 wouldst A18, A25, B, Cy, H49, JC, Lec, N,
O'F, P, S, S96, TC: shouldst 1669]
[70 many 1669: some doe A18, A25, B, Cy, D, H49,
JC, Lec, N, P]
[73 my 1669, A25, B, Cy, D, H49, N, O'F, P,
S, S96, TCD: thy Chambers: thine A18, TCC]
[80 the] bis 1669]
[81-2 Civilitie, we see, refin'd the kisse Which at the face
begonne, transplanted is D, H49, Lec]
[83 Imperial] imperial 1669]
[86 too;] too. 1669]
[90 elements 1661 and MSS.: enemies 1669]
[91 hath] Chambers omits]
[93 owe,] owe 1669]
[96 Clyster gave A18, D, H49, Lec, N, TC: glister
gives 1669]