Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
William Shakespeare. 15641616160. Sonnets xvi
WHEN in the chronicle of wasted time | |
I see descriptions of the fairest wights, | |
And beauty making beautiful old rime | |
In praise of Ladies dead and lovely Knights; | |
Then, in the blazon of sweet beauty’s best, | 5 |
Of hand, of foot, of lip, of eye, of brow, | |
I see their antique pen would have exprest | |
Even such a beauty as you master now. | |
So all their praises are but prophecies | |
Of this our time, all you prefiguring; | 10 |
And for they look’d but with divining eyes, | |
They had not skill enough your worth to sing: | |
For we, which now behold these present days, | |
Have eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to praise. |