Again, Shakespeare describes how, when absent from his friend, he is able to play with the flowers as shadows of his friend’s beauty. “They were but sweet, but figures of delight, Drawn after you, you pattern of all those. Yet seem’d it Winter still, and, you away, As with your shadow I with these did play.” (xcviii.) In Spenser the lover is able to make an appeal for pity by reference to the Platonic conception of the idea of the beloved which the lover is supposed to behold in his soul. “Leave lady in your glasse of christall clene, your goodly selfe for evermore to vew; and in my selfe, my inward selfe, I meane, most lively lyke behold your semblant trew. Within my hart, though hardly it can shew, thing so divine to vew of earthly eye: the fayre Idea of your celestiall hew, and every part remaines immortally: And were it not that, through your cruelty, with sorrow dimmed and deformed it were: the goodly ymage of your visnomy, clearer than christall would therein appere. But if your selfe in me ye playne will see, remove the cause by which your fayre beames darkened be.” (xlv.) The end which this conception of making love after the manner of the Platonist served was thought to be found in a purification of love. By praising the beauty of the beloved in such lofty terms the poet was able to set off the purity of his love from any connection with mere sensual desire. Thus Spenser testifies to the ennobling power of the beauty of his beloved’s eyes. “More then most faire, full of the living fire Kindled above unto the maker neere: no eies but joyes, in which al powers conspire, that to the world naught else be counted deare. Thrugh your bright beams doth not y^e blinded guest, shoot out his harts to base affections wound; but Angels come to lead fraile mindes to rest in chast desires on heavenly beauty bound. You frame my thoughts and fashion me within, you stop my toung, and teach my hart to speake, you calme the storme that passion did begin, strong thrugh your cause, but by your vertue weak, Dark is the world, where your light shined never: well is he borne that may behold you ever.” (viii.) In Sidney there is a direct reference to the power of Plato’s thought to lead the mind from the desire with which he is struggling. “Your words, my freends me causelesly doe blame, My young minde marde whom love doth menace so: · · · · · That _Plato_ I have reade for nought, but if he tame Such coltish yeeres; that to my birth I owe Nobler desires:” (xxi.)