Her amber-colourèd, her shining hair,
Makes him protest the sun hath spread her head
With golden beams, to make her far more fair;
But when her cheeks his amorous thoughts have fed,
Then he exclaims, “Such red and so pure white,
Did never bless the eye of mortal sight!”
Then views her lips, no lips did seem so fair
In his conceit, through which he thinks doth fly
So sweet a breath, that doth perfume the air;
Then next her dimpled chin he doth descry, 40
And views and wonders, and yet views her still,—
Love’s eyes in viewing never have their fill.
Her breasts like polish’d ivory appear,
Whose modest mount do bless admiring eye,
And makes him wish for such a pillowbear.[334]
Thus fond Pygmalion striveth to descry
Each beauteous part, not letting over-slip
One parcel of his curious workmanship;
Until his eye descended so far down
That it descrièd Love’s pavilion, 50
Where Cupid doth enjoy his only crown,
And Venus hath her chiefest mansion:
There would he wink, and winking look again,
Both eyes and thoughts would gladly there remain.
Who ever saw the subtile city-dame
In sacred church, when her pure thoughts should pray,
Peer through her fingers, so to hide her shame,
When that her eye, her mind would fain bewray:
So would he view and wink, and view again;
A chaster thought could not his eyes retain. 60
He wondered that she blush’d not when his eye
Saluted those same parts of secresy:
Conceiting not it was imagery
That kindly yielded that large liberty.
O that my mistress were an image too,
That I might blameless her perfections view!
But when the fair proportion of her thigh
Began appear, “O Ovid!” would he cry,
“Did e’en Corinna show such ivory
When she appeared in Venus livery!” 70
And thus enamour’d dotes on his own art
Which he did work, to work his pleasing smart.
And fondly doting, oft he kiss’d her lip;
Oft would he dally with her ivory breasts;
No wanton love-trick would he over-slip,
But still observ’d all amorous beheasts,
Whereby he thought he might procure the love
Of his dull image, which no plaints could move.