Edward, Lord Herbert of Chirbury. Another Sonnet to Black Itself.

Another Sonnet to Black it self.

by Edward, Lord Herbert of Chirbury

Thou Black, wherein all colours are compos'd,
    And unto which they all at last return,
    Thou colour of the Sun where it doth burn,
And shadow, where it cools, in thee is clos'd
Whatever nature can, or hath dispos'd
    In any other here :  from thee do rise
Those tempers and complexions, which disclos'd,
    As parts of thee, do work as mysteries,
Of that thy hidden power, when thou dost reign
    The characters of fate shine in the Skies,
And tell us what the Heavens do ordain,
    But when Earth's common light shines to our eys,*
Thou so retir'st thy self, that thy disdain
    All revelation unto Man denys.

* Eyes.

Transcribed and coded by Anniina Jokinen from the Scolar Press
Facsimile of Occasional Verses of Edward Lord Herbert (1665)
Bodleian Library. Shelf-mark: Bliss. A.98. Wing H1508.
Transcription and code copyright ©2002 Anniina Jokinen.

to Lord Herbert

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