By Mr. William Fairfax

As in the crystal-centre of the sightTwo subtle beams make but one cone of light,Or, when one flame twin'd with another is,They both ascend in one bright pyramis;Our spirits thus into each other flow,One in our being, one in what we know,In what we will, desire, dislike, approve,In what we love; and one is that pure love.As in a burning glass the aerial flameWith the producing ray is still the same,We to love's purest quintessence refin'd,Do both become one undivided mind.This sacred fire into itself convertsOur yielding spirits and our melting hearts,Till both our lines into one spirit run;So several lines are in their centre one.And when thy fair idea is impress'dIn the soft tablet of my easier breast,The sweet reflexion brings such sympathy,That I my better self behold in thee;And all perfections that in thee combine,By this resultance are entirely mine.Thy rays disperse my shades, who only liveBright in the lustre thou art pleas'd to give,

'But when hereafter thou shalt knowThat grief hath slain me, come.'

'Who would keep another's heart,With her own must never part.'

'Love, with what strange tyrannic laws must theyComply, which are subjected to thy sway!How far all justice thy commands declineWhich though they hope forbid, yet love enjoin!'

'Or let me not desire, or else possess!Neither, or both, are equal happiness.'

'Thus let me ...Either, or both ...'

'To seek t'inspireA heart so pure as mine.'

'Sickness, in vain thou dost invadeA beauty that can never fade.'

The additional opening lines figure only in 1657; there, however,'her' in the second line is misprinted 'our,' and line 4 reads:

'Men might languish, and not dieAt thy then less scorching fire.'

'And (thou in this flame sacrific'd to me),We might each other's mutual martyr be.'

'Even in divorce delighted,Still in the grave united.'

'I by thy hate might be releas'd,Who now am prisoner to thy love.'

'Thus whilst so many suppliants doImplore thy pity they may prove.'

'And may, in spite of Fate, thus blest,Be, by this death, of heaven possess'd.'

'And be, in spite of Fate, thus blest,By this sad death, of heaven possess'd.'

'Whose cold embraces do a victim hideThat, paid to Beauty, on Love's altar died.'

'That her rich work and labours, thouWilt,' etc.

Wert thou yet fairer than thou art,(Which lies not in the power of art,)Or hadst thou in thine eyes more dartsThan ever Cupid shot at hearts;Yet if they were not thrown at me,I would not cast a thought on thee.

I'd rather marry a disease,Than court the thing I cannot please:She that will cherish my desiresMust meet my flames with equal fires.What pleasure is there in a kiss,To him that doubts the heart's not his?

I love thee not because thou'rt fair,Softer than down, smoother than air;Nor for the Cupids that do lieIn either corner of thine eye.Wouldst thou then know what it might be?'Tis I love you, 'cause you love me.