The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw, Volume ICrashaw, Richard
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The Complete Works of Richard Crashaw, Volume I
Crashaw, Richard
English poetry -- Early modern, 1500-1700
" 26, 'finds' for 'feels:' our text (1652) drops 'hatcht,'
which we have restored after 1646 and 1648; 1670 reads 'hatch,'
and TURNBULL follows blindly.
Line 29, our text (1652) misreads 'now:' we restore 'enow,'
after the editions as in No. 9.
Line 34, our text misreads 'too' after 'we:' I omit it, as
in 1646 and 1670. 1648 has 'to.'
Line 41, 'Wine of youth's Life.'
" 45, 'in' for 'at.' As the 'Apologie' refers only to
the Hymn preceding, and not to what follows, I have placed it
after the former, not (as in 1648) the latter, which would make
it refer to both. G.
THE FLAMING HEART:
VPON THE BOOK AND PICTURE OF THE SERAPHICAL SAINT TERESA, AS SHE IS
VSVALLY EXPRESSED WITH A SERAPHIM BISIDE HER.[50]
Wel-meaning readers! you that come as freinds 1
And catch the pretious name this peice pretends;
Make not too much hast to admire
That fair-cheek't fallacy of fire.
That is a seraphim, they say 5
And this the great Teresia.
Readers, be rul'd by me; and make
Here a well-plact and wise mistake:
You must transpose the picture quite,
And spell it wrong to read it right; 10
Read him for her, and her for him,
And call the saint the seraphim.
Painter, what didst thou vnderstand
To put her dart into his hand?
See, euen the yeares and size of him 15
Showes this the mother seraphim.
This is the mistresse flame; and duteous he
Her happy fire-works here, comes down to see.
O most poor-spirited of men!
Had thy cold pencil kist her pen, 20
Thou couldst not so vnkindly err
To show vs this faint shade for her.
Why, man, this speakes pure mortall frame;
And mockes with female frost Loue's manly flame.
One would suspect thou meant'st to paint 25
Some weak, inferiour, woman-saint.
But had thy pale-fac't purple took
Fire from the burning cheeks of that bright booke,
Thou wouldst on her haue heap't vp all
That could be found seraphicall; 30
What e're this youth of fire, weares fair,
Rosy fingers, radiant hair,
Glowing cheek, and glistering wings,
All those fair and fragrant things
But before all, that fiery dart 35
Had fill'd the hand of this great heart.
Doe then, as equall right requires,
Since his the blushes be, and her's the fires,
Resume and rectify thy rude design,
Vndresse thy seraphim into mine; 40
Redeem this iniury of thy art,
Giue him the vail, giue her the dart.
Giue him the vail; that he may couer
The red cheeks of a riuall'd louer.
Asham'd that our world now can show 45
Nests of new seraphims here below.
Giue her the dart, for it is she
(Fair youth) shootes both thy shaft, and thee;
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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