But far art thou from thy desire.
And that ’tis robs thine eye of fire4890
And pales thy cheek. O thou didst get
A fatal guest when moved to set
The door ajar that Love might come,
And make thy too fond heart his home.
Now rede I thee to drive him hence
Who clogs each high and noble sense,
To thy great loss and detriment.
The ills love entails
Full many a glorious soul hath spent
Vainly its force, intoxicate
With Love’s dread philtre: sad thy fate4900
Would prove, if all thy youth should be
Consumed in Love’s wild revelry,
And thou shouldst all too late behold
Thy life laid waste. If thou so bold
And strong art found that thou canst cast
And break Love’s bonds, thou then time past
Mayst mourn, but canst recover never.
But if, ere death comes, thou canst sever
Thyself from love, thereat mayst thou
Rejoice, for he hath known to bow4910
Men ’neath his yoke who thus have lost
All life holds dear—his power hath cost
Them body and soul, and strength and health,
And stripped them bare of worldly wealth.”
The Lover.
Thus Reason spent her words in air,
For Love had ta’en effectual care
That I should nought of profit draw
From all her wise and sober saw,
