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354 MONTAIGNE'S ESSAYES
know that such a ones lockes or flaring tresses are
borrowed of a page or taken from some lacky, that this
faire ruby-red came from Spaine, and this whitenes or
smoothnes from the ocean sea : yet must sight force us
to find and deeme the subject more lovely and more
pleasing against all reason. For in that there is
nothing of its owne.
Auferimur cultu: gemmis, aurbque teguntur
Crimina, pats minima est ipsapuetla sur.
Soepe ubi sit quod ames inter tarn multa requiras
Decipit hac oculos AEgide dives amor, 1
We are misse-led by ornaments what is amisse
Gold and gemmes cover, least part of her selfe the maiden is,
'Mongst things so many you may aske, where your love lies,
Rich love by this Gorgonian shield deceives thine eyes.
How much doe Poets ascribe unto the vertue of the
senses which makes Narcissus to have even fondly lost
himselfe for the love of his shadow ?
Cunctaque miratur, quibus est mirabilis ipse,
Se cupit impi udens, et qui probat, ipse probatur,
Dumque petit, petitur ; par iter que accendit et ardit,²
He all admire, whereby himselfe is admirable,
Fond he, fond of himselfe, to himselfe amiable,
He that doth like, is lik'd, and while he doth desire:
He is desired, at once he bumes and sets on fire.
And Pygmalions wit's so troubled by the impression of
the sight of his ivory statue that hee loves and serves
it as if it had life :
Osculadat, reddique putat, sequiturque, tenetque,
Et credit tactis digitos insidere membrts,
Et metuit pi essos vemat nt livor in artus.²
He kisses, and thinks kisses come againe,
He sues, pursues, and holds, beleeves in vaine
His lingers sinke where he doth touch the place,
And feares least black and blew toucht-lims deface.
1 OVID. Rem. Am. 1. i. 343.
² lb. Metam. 1. iii. 424, ³ lb. I x, 256,