Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
George Wither. 15881667238. The Choice
ME so oft my fancy drew | |
Here and there, that I ne’er knew | |
Where to place desire before | |
So that range it might no more; | |
But as he that passeth by | 5 |
Where, in all her jollity, | |
Flora’s riches in a row | |
Do in seemly order grow, | |
And a thousand flowers stand | |
Bending as to kiss his hand; | 10 |
Out of which delightful store | |
One he may take and no more; | |
Long he pausing doubteth whether | |
Of those fair ones he should gather. | |
First the Primrose courts his eyes, | 15 |
Then the Cowslip he espies; | |
Next the Pansy seems to woo him, | |
Then Carnations bow unto him; | |
Which whilst that enamour’d swain | |
From the stalk intends to strain, | 20 |
(As half-fearing to be seen) | |
Prettily her leaves between | |
Peeps the Violet, pale to see | |
That her virtues slighted be; | |
Which so much his liking wins | 25 |
That to seize her he begins. | |
Yet before he stoop’d so low | |
He his wanton eye did throw | |
On a stem that grew more high, | |
And the Rose did there espy. | 30 |
Who, beside her previous scent, | |
To procure his eyes content | |
Did display her goodly breast, | |
Where he found at full exprest | |
All the good that Nature showers | 35 |
On a thousand other flowers; | |
Wherewith he affected takes it, | |
His belovèd flower he makes it, | |
And without desire of more | |
Walks through all he saw before. | 40 |
So I wand’ring but erewhile | |
Through the garden of this Isle, | |
Saw rich beauties, I confess, | |
And in number numberless. | |
Yea, so differing lovely too, | 45 |
That I had a world to do | |
Ere I could set up my rest, | |
Where to choose and choose the best. | |
Thus I fondly fear’d, till Fate | |
(Which I must confess in that | 50 |
Did a greater favour to me | |
Than the world can malice do me) | |
Show’d to me that matchless flower, | |
Subject for this song of our; | |
Whose perfection having eyed, | 55 |
Reason instantly espied | |
That Desire, which ranged abroad, | |
There would find a period: | |
And no marvel if it might, | |
For it there hath all delight, | 60 |
And in her hath nature placed | |
What each several fair one graced. | |
Let who list, for me, advance | |
The admirèd flowers of France, | |
Let who will praise and behold | 65 |
The reservèd Marigold; | |
Let the sweet-breath’d Violet now | |
Unto whom she pleaseth bow; | |
And the fairest Lily spread | |
Where she will her golden head; | 70 |
I have such a flower to wear | |
That for those I do not care. | |
Let the young and happy swains | |
Playing on the Britain plains | |
Court unblamed their shepherdesses, | 75 |
And with their gold curlèd tresses | |
Toy uncensured, until I | |
Grudge at their prosperity. | |
Let all times, both present, past, | |
And the age that shall be last, | 80 |
Vaunt the beauties they bring forth. | |
I have found in one such worth, | |
That content I neither care | |
What the best before me were; | |
Nor desire to live and see | 85 |
Who shall fair hereafter be; | |
For I know the hand of Nature | |
Will not make a fairer creature. |