Page:Works of Sir John Suckling.djvu/120

100 So wildly. I'll tell you, gallants; 'tis now,

Since first I found myself a little hot

And quivering 'bout the heart, some ten days since:

A tedious ague, sirs; but what of that?

The gracious glance and little whisper past,

Approaches made from th' hand unto the lip,

I came to visit her, and, as you know, we use,

Breathing a sigh or two by the way of prologue,

Told her that in love's physic 'twas a rule,

Where the disease had birth, to seek a cure.

I had no sooner nam'd love to her, but she

Began to talk of flames, and flames

Neither devouring nor devour'd, of air

And of chameleons.

1 Court. O, the Platonics!

2 Court. Those of the new religion in love!

Your lordship's merry, troth! how do you like

The humour on't?

Ors. As thou would'st like red hair

Or leanness in thy mistress, scurvily!

'T does worse with handsomeness than strong desire

Could do with impotence—a mere trick

To enhance the price of kisses!

Phi. Surely these silly women, when they feed

Our expectation so high, do but like

Ignorant conjurers, that raise a spirit,

Which handsomely they cannot lay again.

Ors. True, 'tis like some that nourish up young lions,

till they grow so great they are afraid of themselves:

they dare not grant at last, for fear they should not

satisfy.

Phi. Who's for the town? I must take up again.

Ors. This villainous love's as changeable as the philo-

sopher's stone, and thy mistress as hard to compass too!

Phi. The Platonic is ever so: they are as tedious before

they come to the point, as an old man fall'n into the

stories of his youth.

2 Court. Or a widow into the praises of her first hus-

band.

Ors. Well, if she hold out but one month longer, if I

do not quite forget I e'er beleaguered there, and remove

the siege to another place, may all the curses beguil'd

virgins loose upon their perjur'd lovers fall upon me.

Phi. And thou wou'lt deserve 'em all.