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Classic and Contemporary Poetry
TEMPERANCE, OR THE CHEAP PHYSICIAN, by RICHARD CRASHAW Poem Explanation Poet Analysis Poet's Biography First Line: Goe now; and with some dareing drugg Last Line: Hark hither; and thy self be he. Subject(s): Health; Lessius (leys), Leonard (1554-1623) | |||
IN PRAISE OF LESSIUS Goe now; and with some daring drugg Bait thy disease. And whilst they tugge, Thou to maintain their pretious strife Spend the dear treasures of thy life. Goe, take physick: Doat upon Some big-nam'd composition. Th'Oraculous DOCTOR'S mystick bills; Certain hard WORDS made into pills, And what at last shalt' gain by these? Only a costlyer disease. That which makes us have no need Of physick, that's PHYSICK indeed. Hark hither, Reader! wilt thou see Nature her own physitian be? Wilt' see a man, all his own wealth, His own musick, his own health; A man whose sober soul can tell How to wear her garments well. Her garments, that upon her sitt As garments should doe, close and fitt; A well-cloth'd soul; that's not opprest Nor choak't with what she should be drest. A soul sheath'd in a christall shrine; Through which all her bright features shine; As when a peice of wanton lawn A thinne, aeriall veil, is drawn Or'e beauty's face; seeming to hide More sweetly showes the blushing bride. A soul, whose intellectuall beames No mists doe mask, no lazy steames. A happy soul, that all the way To HEAVN rides in a summer's day. Wouldst' see a man, whose well-warm'd blood Bathes him in a genuine flood! A man, whose tuned humors be A set of rarest harmony? Wouldst' see blith lookes, fresh cheekes beguil Age? wouldst see december smile? Wouldst' see nests of new roses grow In a bed of reverend snow? Warm thoughts, free spirits flattering Winter's selfe into a SPRING? In summe, wouldst see a man that can Live to be old, and still a man? Whose latest and most leaden houres Fall with soft wings, stuck with soft flowres; And when life's sweet fable ends, Soul and body part like friends; No quarrells, murmurs, no delay; A KISSE, a SIGH, and so away. This rare one, reader, wouldst thou see? Hark hither; and thy self be HE. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...A SONG [OF DIVINE LOVE] by RICHARD CRASHAW AN EPITAPH UPON HUSBAND AND WIFE WHO DIED AND WERE BURIED by RICHARD CRASHAW CHARITAS NIMIA; OR THE DEAR BARGAIN by RICHARD CRASHAW IN THE HOLY NATIVITY [OF OUR LORD GOD]; AS SUNG BY SHEPHERDS by RICHARD CRASHAW ON GEORGE HERBERT'S BOOK, THE TEMPLE, SENT TO A GENTLEWOMAN by RICHARD CRASHAW THE FLAMING HEART by RICHARD CRASHAW WISHES TO HIS SUPPOSED MISTRESS by RICHARD CRASHAW A HYMN IN THE GLORIOUS EPIPHANIE OF OUR LORD, GOD by RICHARD CRASHAW AN ELEGIE ON THE DEATH OF DR. PORTER by RICHARD CRASHAW AN ELEGY UPON THE DEATH OF MR. STANNINOW, FELLOW OF QUEENE'S by RICHARD CRASHAW AN EPITAPH UPON DOCTOR BROOKE by RICHARD CRASHAW AN EPITAPH UPON MR. ASHTON A COMFORTABLE CITIZEN by RICHARD CRASHAW |
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