Contract thy smiles, if that they go too far,
And let thy frowns be such as threaten war:10
That face which nature sure never intended
Should e'er be marr'd, because 't could ne'er be mended.
Take no corruption from thy grandame Eve;
Rather want faith to save thee, than believe
Too soon; for credit me 'tis true,15
Men most of all enjoy when least they do.
A CANDLE
There is a thing which in the light
Is seldom us'd; but in the night
It serves the maiden female crew,
The ladies, and the good-wives too.
They use to take it in their hand,5
And then it will uprightly stand;
And to a hole they it apply,
Where by its good-will it would die:
It spends, goes out, and still within
It leaves its moisture thick and thin.10
THE METAMORPHOSIS
The little boy, to show his might and power,
Turn'd Io to a cow, Narcissus to a flower;
Transform'd Apollo to a homely swain,
And Jove himself into a golden rain.
These shapes were tolerable, but by th' mass!5
He's metamorphos'd me into an ass.
TO B. C.
When first, fair mistress, I did see your face,
I brought, but carried no eyes from the place:
And, since that time, god Cupid hath me led
In hope that once I shall enjoy your bed.
But I despair; for now, alas! I find,5
Too late for me, the blind does lead the blind.
