O TRUANT Muse, what
shall be thy amends |
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For thy neglect of truth in beauty dyd? |
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Both truth and beauty on my love depends; |
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So dost thou too, and therein dignified. |
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Make answer, Muse: wilt thou not haply say, |
5 |
Truth needs no colour, with his colour
fixd; |
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Beauty no pencil, beautys truth to
lay; |
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But best is best, if never intermixd? |
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Because he needs no praise, wilt thou be
dumb? |
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Excuse not silence so; for t lies in
thee |
10 |
To make him much outlive a gilded tomb |
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And to be praisd of ages yet to be. |
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Then do thy office, Muse; I teach
thee how |
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To make him seem long hence as
he shows now. |
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