The air, which thy smooth voice doth break, Into my soul like lightning flies; My life retires whilst thou dost speak, And thy soft breath its room supplies.
Lost in this pleasing ecstasy, I join my trembling lips to thine; And back receive that life from thee, Which I so gladly did resign.
Forbear, Platonic fools, t' inquire What numbers do the soul compose! No harmony can life inspire, But that which from these accents flows.
[_Speaking and Kissing._] This is _smarter_ than Stanley's usual style.]
Doris, I that could repel All those darts about thee dwell, And had wisely learn'd to fear, 'Cause I saw a foe so near; I that my deaf ear did arm 'Gainst thy voice's powerful charm, And the lightning of thine eye Durst (by closing mine) defy, Cannot this cold snow withstand From the whiter of thy hand. 10 Thy deceit hath thus done more Than thy open force before: For who could suspect or fear Treason in a face so clear; Or the hidden fires descry Wrapt in this cold outside lie? Flames might thus involv'd in ice The deceiv'd world sacrifice; Nature, ignorant of this Strange antiperistasis, 20 Would her falling frame admire, That by snow were set on fire.
[_The Snow-ball._] Doris maintains here the place she lost above. The tripping seventeenth-century 'sevens' are well spent on her. In l. 10 Miss Guiney thinks that 'whiter', the sole reading, must be 'winter'. [Greek: hêkista]: that Stanley meant 'the whiter _snow_' is, to me, certain.]
[Line: 20 'Antiperistasis' = 'reaction' or 'topsyturvyfication' (Thackeray).]
Though when I lov'd thee thou wert fair, Thou art no longer so; Those glories all the pride they wear Unto opinion owe; Beauties, like stars, in borrow'd lustre shine; And 'twas my love that gave thee thine.
The flames that dwelt within thine eye Do now, with mine, expire; Thy brightest graces fade and die At once with my desire; 10 Love's fires thus mutual influence return; Thine cease to shine, when mine to burn.
Then, proud Celinda, hope no more To be implor'd or woo'd, Since by thy scorn thou dost restore The wealth my love bestow'd; And thy despis'd disdain too late shall find That none are fair but who are kind.
[_The Deposition._] In _1647_ '_A_ Deposition _from Beauty_'. Also l. 3, 'do' for 'all'; l. 9, 'glories' for 'graces'; l. 16, 'That' for 'The' and 'which' for 'my'.]