Читать книгу A Collection of Emblemes, Ancient and Moderne - George Wither - Страница 24
Though he endeavour all he can,
An Ape, will never be a Man.
ОглавлениеIllvstr. 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.