less innocence
Which nor court nor city knows;--
Both alike my soul inflame,
That wild beauty, and this tame. 30

She that wisely can adorn
Nature with the wealth of Art,
Or whose rural sweets do scorn
Borrow'd helps to[44:1] take a heart;--
The vain care of that's my pleasure; 35
Poverty of this, my treasure.

Both the wanton and the coy
Me with equal pleasure[44:2] move;
She whom I by force enjoy,
Or who forceth me to love: 40
This, because she'll not confess,
That, not hide, her happiness.

She whose loosely flowing hair,
(Scatter'd like the beams o' th' morn.)
Playing with the sportive air, 45
Hides the sweets it doth adorn,
Captive in that net restrains me,
In those golden fetters chains me;

Nor doth she with power less bright
My divided heart invade, 50
Whose soft tresses spread, like night,
O'er her shoulders a black shade;
For the starlight of her eyes
Brighter shines through those dark skies.

Black, or fair, or tall, or low, 55
I alike with all can sport,
The bold sprightly Thais woo,
Or the frozen vestal court:
Every beauty takes my mind,
Tied to all, to none confin'd. 60

LA BELLE CONFIDANTE.

You earthly souls that court a wanton flame,
Whose pale weak influence
Can rise no higher than the humble name
And narrow laws of sense!
Learn by our friendship to create 5
An immaterial fire,
Whose brightness angels may admire
But cannot emulate.

Sickness may fright the roses from her cheek,
Or make the lilies fade, 10
But all the subtle ways that Death doth seek
Cannot my love invade.
Flames that are kindled by the eye
Through time and age expire,
But ours, that boast a reach far higher, 15
Cannot decay or die.[45:1]

For[45:2] when we must resign our vital breath,
Our loves by Fate benighted,[45:3]
We by this friendship shall survive in death,
Even in divorce united: