Thy friend, whom thy deserts to thee enchaine, Urg'd by this unexcusable occasion, Thee and the Saint of his affection Leaving behinde, doth of both wants complaine; And let the love I beare to both sustaine 5 No blott nor maime by this division, Strong is this love which ties our hearts in one, And strong that love pursu'd with amorous paine; But though besides thy selfe I leave behind Heavens liberall, and earths thrice-fairer Sunne, 10 Going to where sterne winter aye doth wonne, Yet, loves hot fires, which martyr my sad minde, Doe send forth scalding sighes, which have the Art To melt all Ice, but that which walls her heart. [To M^r C. B.: _A23_, _W:_ To M. C. B. _1633-69_, _A18_, _N_, _O'F_, _TCC_, _TCD_] [9 thy self] my self _1669_] [10 liberall,] liberall _1633_ earths _1633_, _1669_, _A18_, _A23_, _N_, _O'F_, _TC_, _W:_ the _1635-54_, _Chambers_ thrice fairer _A23_, _W:_ thrice-faire _1633-69_, _A18_, _N_, _TC_] [11 sterne _1633_, _A18_, _A23_, _N_, _TC_, _W:_ sterv'd _1633-69_, _O'F_] [13 forth] out _A18_, _N_, _TC_] To M^r _E. G._ Even as lame things thirst their perfection, so The slimy rimes bred in our vale below, Bearing with them much of my love and hart, Fly unto that Parnassus, where thou art. There thou oreseest London: Here I have beene, 5 By staying in London, too much overseene. Now pleasures dearth our City doth posses, Our Theaters are fill'd with emptines; As lancke and thin is every street and way As a woman deliver'd yesterday. 10 Nothing whereat to laugh my spleen espyes But bearbaitings or Law exercise. Therefore I'le leave it, and in the Country strive Pleasure, now fled from London, to retrive. Do thou so too: and fill not like a Bee 15 Thy thighs with hony, but as plenteously As Russian Marchants, thy selfes whole vessell load, And then at Winter retaile it here abroad. Blesse us with Suffolks sweets; and as it is Thy garden, make thy hive and warehouse this. 20 [To M^r E. G. _W:_ _first printed in Gosse's_ Life and Letters of John Donne, _&c._ 1899] [5-6 beene, ... London,] _no commas_, _W_] [6 staying] staing _W_] [7 dearth] dirth _W_] [7-8 posses, ... emptines;] posses ... emptines. _W_] To M^r _R. W._