Page:Shakespeare's Sonnets (1923) Yale.djvu/93

Shakespeare's Sonnets while you refuse loyal wedlock'; Beeching conjectures: 'By taking in wilfulness my mistress whom yet you do not love.'

badges of either's woe. The poet's heavy tears are the signs of woe of the two elements in his body, earth and water. In the first line of the next sonnet, Shakespeare alludes to the two remaining elements, fire and air. According to the belief of Shakespeare's day, man was composed of these four elements.

Shall neigh—no dull flesh—in his fiery race. It is possible that the text of this obscure line is corrupt. As it stands, the thought may be expressed as follows: (Desire), no dull, plodding beast, shall neigh like a spirited horse as it rushes on its fiery race to you.

The imprison'd absence of your liberty. Beeching paraphrases this: 'suffer your absence, which, though it represent liberty to you, means imprisonment to me.'

In sequent toil all forwards do contend. Toiling and following each other all (the waves) strive onward.

This line and the opening lines of the following sonnet give no definite information whatever concerning Shakespeare's age when he wrote these poems. It was a common convention of both English and Continental sonneteers to contrast their wrinkled faces and advanced years with the lovely youth of the person they were praising.

Why should poor beauty indirectly seek Roses of shadow. In this line 'indirectly' means 'dishonestly.' Shakespeare is inveighing against the fashionable practice of rouging or painting the face. This protest was a common one; it was expressed in many moods, including Hamlet's passionate outburst (Hamlet III. i. 150 ff.).

Here the poet attacks the fashionable