JOHN MARSTON

125      [from The Metamorphosis of Pigmalions Image]

1.

Pigmalion, whose hie love-hating minde

Disdain’d to yeeld servile affection,

Or amorous sute to any woman-kinde,

Knowing their wants, and mens perfection.

5            Yet Love at length forc’d him to know his fate,

And love the shade, whose substance he did hate.

2.

For having wrought in purest Ivorie,

So faire an Image of a Womans feature,

That never yet proudest mortalitie

10    Could show so rare and beautious a creature.

(Unlesse my Mistres all-excelling face,

Which gives to beautie, beauties onely grace.)

3.

Hee was amazed at the wondrous rarenesse

Of his owne workmanships perfection.

15    He thought that Nature nere produc’d such fairenes

In which all beauties have their mantion.

And thus admiring, was enamored

On that fayre Image himselfe portraied.

4.

And naked as it stood before his eyes,

20    Imperious Love declares his Deitie.

O what alluring beauties he descries

In each part of his faire imagery!

Her nakednes, each beauteous shape containes.

All beautie in her nakednes remaines.

5.

25    He thought he saw the blood run through the vaine

And leape, and swell with all alluring meanes:

Then feares he is deceiv’d, and then againe,

He thinks he see’th the brightnes of the beames

Which shoote from out the fairenes of her eye:

30           At which he stands as in an extasie.

6.

Her Amber-coloured, her shining haire,

Makes him protest, the Sunne hath spread her head

With golden beames, to make her farre more faire.

But when her cheeks his amorous thoughts have fed,

35          Then he exclaimes, such redde and so pure white,

Did never blesse the eye of mortall sight.

7.

Then view’s her lips, no lips did seeme so faire

In his conceit, through which he thinks doth flie

So sweet a breath, that doth perfume the ayre.

40    Then next her dimpled chin he doth discry,

And views, and wonders, and yet view’s her still.

”Loves eyes in viewing never have their fill.

8.

Her breasts, like polisht Ivory appeare,

Whose modest mount, doe blesse admiring eye,

45    And makes him wish for such a Pillowbeare.

Thus fond Pigmalion striveth to discry

Each beauteous part, not letting over-slip

One parcell of his curious workmanship.

9.

Untill his eye discended so farre downe

50    That it discried Loves pavillion:

Where Cupid doth enjoy his onely crowne,

And Venus hath her chiefest mantion:

There would he winke, and winking looke againe,

Both eies and thoughts would gladly there remaine.

10.

55    Who ever saw the subtile Citty-dame

In sacred church, when her pure thoughts shold pray,

Peire through her fingers, so to hide her shame,

When that her eye, her mind would faine bewray.

So would he view, and winke, and view againe,

60          A chaster thought could not his eyes retaine.

11.

He wondred that she blusht not when his eye

Saluted those same parts of secrecie:

Conceiting not it was imagerie

That kindly yeelded that large libertie.

65          O that my Mistres were an Image too,

That I might blameles her perfections view.

12.

But when the faire proportion of her thigh

Began appeare. O Ovid would he cry,

Did ere Corinna show such Ivorie

70    When she appear’d in Venus livorie?

And thus enamour’d, dotes on his owne Art

Which he did work, to work his pleasing smart.