Читать книгу A Collection of Emblemes, Ancient and Moderne - George Wither - Страница 24

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Illvstr. XIIII. Book. 1.

WHat though an Apish-Pigmie, in attire,

His Dwarfish Body Gyant-lyke, array?

Turne Brave, and get him Stilts to seem the higher?

What would so doing, handsome him I pray?

Now, surely, such a Mimicke sight as that,

Would with excessive Laughter move your Spleene,

Till you had made the little Dandiprat,

To lye within some Auger-hole, unseene.

I must confesse I cannot chuse but smile,

When I perceive, how Men that worthlesse are,

Piece out their Imperfections, to beguile,

By making showes, of what they never were.

For, in their borrow'd-Shapes, I know those Men,

And (through their Maskes) such insight of them have;

That I can oftentimes disclose (ev'n then)

How much they savour of the Foole or Knave.

A Pigmey-spirit, and an Earthly-Minde,

Whose looke is onely fixt on Objects vaine;

In my esteeme, so meane a place doth finde,

That ev'ry such a one, I much refraine.

But, when in honour'd Robes I see it put,

Betrimm'd, as if some thing of Worth it were,

Looke big, and on the Stilts of Greatnesse, strut;

From scorning it, I cannot then forbeare.

For, when to grosse Vnworthinesse, Men adde

Those Dues, which to the Truest-worth pertaine;

Tis like an Ape, in Humane-Vestments clad,

Which, when most fine, deserveth most disdaine:

And, more absurd, those Men appeare to me,

Then this Fantasticke-Monkey seemes to thee.