In [21]:
# from future import print_function, absolute_import
import gensim
import gzip

sonnets_start = 172
sonnets_finish = 1000
def generate_lines(path='../../gensim/test/test_data/shakespeare-complete-works-gutenberg-project-pg100.txt.gz',
                   start=0,
                   finish=float('inf')):
    with gzip.open(path) as f:
        for i, line in enumerate(f):
            if i <= start:
                continue
            # print("{}: {}".format(i, line.rstrip()))
            yield line.rstrip()
            if i >= finish:
                break
            if i > 100000:
                break

list(generate_lines(start=sonnets_start))


Out[21]:
['1609',
 '',
 'THE SONNETS',
 '',
 'by William Shakespeare',
 '',
 '',
 '',
 '                     1',
 '  From fairest creatures we desire increase,',
 "  That thereby beauty's rose might never die,",
 '  But as the riper should by time decease,',
 '  His tender heir might bear his memory:',
 '  But thou contracted to thine own bright eyes,',
 "  Feed'st thy light's flame with self-substantial fuel,",
 '  Making a famine where abundance lies,',
 '  Thy self thy foe, to thy sweet self too cruel:',
 "  Thou that art now the world's fresh ornament,",
 '  And only herald to the gaudy spring,',
 '  Within thine own bud buriest thy content,',
 "  And tender churl mak'st waste in niggarding:",
 '    Pity the world, or else this glutton be,',
 "    To eat the world's due, by the grave and thee.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     2',
 '  When forty winters shall besiege thy brow,',
 "  And dig deep trenches in thy beauty's field,",
 "  Thy youth's proud livery so gazed on now,",
 '  Will be a tattered weed of small worth held:',
 '  Then being asked, where all thy beauty lies,',
 '  Where all the treasure of thy lusty days;',
 '  To say within thine own deep sunken eyes,',
 '  Were an all-eating shame, and thriftless praise.',
 "  How much more praise deserved thy beauty's use,",
 "  If thou couldst answer 'This fair child of mine",
 "  Shall sum my count, and make my old excuse'",
 '  Proving his beauty by succession thine.',
 '    This were to be new made when thou art old,',
 "    And see thy blood warm when thou feel'st it cold.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     3',
 '  Look in thy glass and tell the face thou viewest,',
 '  Now is the time that face should form another,',
 '  Whose fresh repair if now thou not renewest,',
 '  Thou dost beguile the world, unbless some mother.',
 '  For where is she so fair whose uneared womb',
 '  Disdains the tillage of thy husbandry?',
 '  Or who is he so fond will be the tomb,',
 '  Of his self-love to stop posterity?',
 "  Thou art thy mother's glass and she in thee",
 '  Calls back the lovely April of her prime,',
 '  So thou through windows of thine age shalt see,',
 '  Despite of wrinkles this thy golden time.',
 '    But if thou live remembered not to be,',
 '    Die single and thine image dies with thee.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     4',
 '  Unthrifty loveliness why dost thou spend,',
 "  Upon thy self thy beauty's legacy?",
 "  Nature's bequest gives nothing but doth lend,",
 '  And being frank she lends to those are free:',
 '  Then beauteous niggard why dost thou abuse,',
 '  The bounteous largess given thee to give?',
 '  Profitless usurer why dost thou use',
 '  So great a sum of sums yet canst not live?',
 '  For having traffic with thy self alone,',
 '  Thou of thy self thy sweet self dost deceive,',
 '  Then how when nature calls thee to be gone,',
 '  What acceptable audit canst thou leave?',
 '    Thy unused beauty must be tombed with thee,',
 "    Which used lives th' executor to be.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     5',
 '  Those hours that with gentle work did frame',
 '  The lovely gaze where every eye doth dwell',
 '  Will play the tyrants to the very same,',
 '  And that unfair which fairly doth excel:',
 '  For never-resting time leads summer on',
 '  To hideous winter and confounds him there,',
 '  Sap checked with frost and lusty leaves quite gone,',
 "  Beauty o'er-snowed and bareness every where:",
 "  Then were not summer's distillation left",
 '  A liquid prisoner pent in walls of glass,',
 "  Beauty's effect with beauty were bereft,",
 '  Nor it nor no remembrance what it was.',
 '    But flowers distilled though they with winter meet,',
 '    Leese but their show, their substance still lives sweet.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     6',
 "  Then let not winter's ragged hand deface,",
 '  In thee thy summer ere thou be distilled:',
 '  Make sweet some vial; treasure thou some place,',
 "  With beauty's treasure ere it be self-killed:",
 '  That use is not forbidden usury,',
 '  Which happies those that pay the willing loan;',
 "  That's for thy self to breed another thee,",
 '  Or ten times happier be it ten for one,',
 '  Ten times thy self were happier than thou art,',
 '  If ten of thine ten times refigured thee:',
 '  Then what could death do if thou shouldst depart,',
 '  Leaving thee living in posterity?',
 '    Be not self-willed for thou art much too fair,',
 "    To be death's conquest and make worms thine heir.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     7',
 '  Lo in the orient when the gracious light',
 '  Lifts up his burning head, each under eye',
 '  Doth homage to his new-appearing sight,',
 '  Serving with looks his sacred majesty,',
 '  And having climbed the steep-up heavenly hill,',
 '  Resembling strong youth in his middle age,',
 '  Yet mortal looks adore his beauty still,',
 '  Attending on his golden pilgrimage:',
 '  But when from highmost pitch with weary car,',
 '  Like feeble age he reeleth from the day,',
 '  The eyes (fore duteous) now converted are',
 '  From his low tract and look another way:',
 '    So thou, thy self out-going in thy noon:',
 '    Unlooked on diest unless thou get a son.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     8',
 "  Music to hear, why hear'st thou music sadly?",
 '  Sweets with sweets war not, joy delights in joy:',
 "  Why lov'st thou that which thou receiv'st not gladly,",
 "  Or else receiv'st with pleasure thine annoy?",
 '  If the true concord of well-tuned sounds,',
 '  By unions married do offend thine ear,',
 '  They do but sweetly chide thee, who confounds',
 '  In singleness the parts that thou shouldst bear:',
 '  Mark how one string sweet husband to another,',
 '  Strikes each in each by mutual ordering;',
 '  Resembling sire, and child, and happy mother,',
 '  Who all in one, one pleasing note do sing:',
 '    Whose speechless song being many, seeming one,',
 "    Sings this to thee, 'Thou single wilt prove none'.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     9',
 "  Is it for fear to wet a widow's eye,",
 "  That thou consum'st thy self in single life?",
 '  Ah, if thou issueless shalt hap to die,',
 '  The world will wail thee like a makeless wife,',
 '  The world will be thy widow and still weep,',
 '  That thou no form of thee hast left behind,',
 '  When every private widow well may keep,',
 "  By children's eyes, her husband's shape in mind:",
 '  Look what an unthrift in the world doth spend',
 '  Shifts but his place, for still the world enjoys it;',
 "  But beauty's waste hath in the world an end,",
 '  And kept unused the user so destroys it:',
 '    No love toward others in that bosom sits',
 "    That on himself such murd'rous shame commits.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     10',
 "  For shame deny that thou bear'st love to any",
 '  Who for thy self art so unprovident.',
 '  Grant if thou wilt, thou art beloved of many,',
 "  But that thou none lov'st is most evident:",
 "  For thou art so possessed with murd'rous hate,",
 "  That 'gainst thy self thou stick'st not to conspire,",
 '  Seeking that beauteous roof to ruinate',
 '  Which to repair should be thy chief desire:',
 '  O change thy thought, that I may change my mind,',
 '  Shall hate be fairer lodged than gentle love?',
 '  Be as thy presence is gracious and kind,',
 '  Or to thy self at least kind-hearted prove,',
 '    Make thee another self for love of me,',
 '    That beauty still may live in thine or thee.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     11',
 "  As fast as thou shalt wane so fast thou grow'st,",
 '  In one of thine, from that which thou departest,',
 "  And that fresh blood which youngly thou bestow'st,",
 '  Thou mayst call thine, when thou from youth convertest,',
 '  Herein lives wisdom, beauty, and increase,',
 '  Without this folly, age, and cold decay,',
 '  If all were minded so, the times should cease,',
 '  And threescore year would make the world away:',
 '  Let those whom nature hath not made for store,',
 '  Harsh, featureless, and rude, barrenly perish:',
 '  Look whom she best endowed, she gave thee more;',
 '  Which bounteous gift thou shouldst in bounty cherish:',
 '    She carved thee for her seal, and meant thereby,',
 '    Thou shouldst print more, not let that copy die.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     12',
 '  When I do count the clock that tells the time,',
 '  And see the brave day sunk in hideous night,',
 '  When I behold the violet past prime,',
 "  And sable curls all silvered o'er with white:",
 '  When lofty trees I see barren of leaves,',
 '  Which erst from heat did canopy the herd',
 "  And summer's green all girded up in sheaves",
 '  Borne on the bier with white and bristly beard:',
 '  Then of thy beauty do I question make',
 '  That thou among the wastes of time must go,',
 '  Since sweets and beauties do themselves forsake,',
 '  And die as fast as they see others grow,',
 "    And nothing 'gainst Time's scythe can make defence",
 '    Save breed to brave him, when he takes thee hence.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     13',
 '  O that you were your self, but love you are',
 '  No longer yours, than you your self here live,',
 '  Against this coming end you should prepare,',
 '  And your sweet semblance to some other give.',
 '  So should that beauty which you hold in lease',
 '  Find no determination, then you were',
 "  Your self again after your self's decease,",
 '  When your sweet issue your sweet form should bear.',
 '  Who lets so fair a house fall to decay,',
 '  Which husbandry in honour might uphold,',
 "  Against the stormy gusts of winter's day",
 "  And barren rage of death's eternal cold?",
 '    O none but unthrifts, dear my love you know,',
 '    You had a father, let your son say so.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     14',
 '  Not from the stars do I my judgement pluck,',
 '  And yet methinks I have astronomy,',
 '  But not to tell of good, or evil luck,',
 "  Of plagues, of dearths, or seasons' quality,",
 '  Nor can I fortune to brief minutes tell;',
 '  Pointing to each his thunder, rain and wind,',
 '  Or say with princes if it shall go well',
 '  By oft predict that I in heaven find.',
 '  But from thine eyes my knowledge I derive,',
 '  And constant stars in them I read such art',
 '  As truth and beauty shall together thrive',
 '  If from thy self, to store thou wouldst convert:',
 '    Or else of thee this I prognosticate,',
 "    Thy end is truth's and beauty's doom and date.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     15',
 '  When I consider every thing that grows',
 '  Holds in perfection but a little moment.',
 '  That this huge stage presenteth nought but shows',
 '  Whereon the stars in secret influence comment.',
 '  When I perceive that men as plants increase,',
 '  Cheered and checked even by the self-same sky:',
 '  Vaunt in their youthful sap, at height decrease,',
 '  And wear their brave state out of memory.',
 '  Then the conceit of this inconstant stay,',
 '  Sets you most rich in youth before my sight,',
 '  Where wasteful time debateth with decay',
 '  To change your day of youth to sullied night,',
 '    And all in war with Time for love of you,',
 '    As he takes from you, I engraft you new.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     16',
 '  But wherefore do not you a mightier way',
 '  Make war upon this bloody tyrant Time?',
 '  And fortify your self in your decay',
 '  With means more blessed than my barren rhyme?',
 '  Now stand you on the top of happy hours,',
 '  And many maiden gardens yet unset,',
 '  With virtuous wish would bear you living flowers,',
 '  Much liker than your painted counterfeit:',
 '  So should the lines of life that life repair',
 "  Which this (Time's pencil) or my pupil pen",
 '  Neither in inward worth nor outward fair',
 '  Can make you live your self in eyes of men.',
 '    To give away your self, keeps your self still,',
 '    And you must live drawn by your own sweet skill.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     17',
 '  Who will believe my verse in time to come',
 '  If it were filled with your most high deserts?',
 '  Though yet heaven knows it is but as a tomb',
 '  Which hides your life, and shows not half your parts:',
 '  If I could write the beauty of your eyes,',
 '  And in fresh numbers number all your graces,',
 '  The age to come would say this poet lies,',
 "  Such heavenly touches ne'er touched earthly faces.",
 '  So should my papers (yellowed with their age)',
 '  Be scorned, like old men of less truth than tongue,',
 "  And your true rights be termed a poet's rage,",
 '  And stretched metre of an antique song.',
 '    But were some child of yours alive that time,',
 '    You should live twice in it, and in my rhyme.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     18',
 "  Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?",
 '  Thou art more lovely and more temperate:',
 '  Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,',
 "  And summer's lease hath all too short a date:",
 '  Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,',
 '  And often is his gold complexion dimmed,',
 '  And every fair from fair sometime declines,',
 "  By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed:",
 '  But thy eternal summer shall not fade,',
 "  Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st,",
 "  Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,",
 "  When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,",
 '    So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,',
 '    So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     19',
 "  Devouring Time blunt thou the lion's paws,",
 '  And make the earth devour her own sweet brood,',
 "  Pluck the keen teeth from the fierce tiger's jaws,",
 '  And burn the long-lived phoenix, in her blood,',
 "  Make glad and sorry seasons as thou fleet'st,",
 "  And do whate'er thou wilt swift-footed Time",
 '  To the wide world and all her fading sweets:',
 '  But I forbid thee one most heinous crime,',
 "  O carve not with thy hours my love's fair brow,",
 '  Nor draw no lines there with thine antique pen,',
 '  Him in thy course untainted do allow,',
 "  For beauty's pattern to succeeding men.",
 '    Yet do thy worst old Time: despite thy wrong,',
 '    My love shall in my verse ever live young.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     20',
 "  A woman's face with nature's own hand painted,",
 '  Hast thou the master mistress of my passion,',
 "  A woman's gentle heart but not acquainted",
 "  With shifting change as is false women's fashion,",
 '  An eye more bright than theirs, less false in rolling:',
 '  Gilding the object whereupon it gazeth,',
 '  A man in hue all hues in his controlling,',
 "  Which steals men's eyes and women's souls amazeth.",
 '  And for a woman wert thou first created,',
 '  Till nature as she wrought thee fell a-doting,',
 '  And by addition me of thee defeated,',
 '  By adding one thing to my purpose nothing.',
 "    But since she pricked thee out for women's pleasure,",
 "    Mine be thy love and thy love's use their treasure.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     21',
 '  So is it not with me as with that muse,',
 '  Stirred by a painted beauty to his verse,',
 '  Who heaven it self for ornament doth use,',
 '  And every fair with his fair doth rehearse,',
 '  Making a couplement of proud compare',
 "  With sun and moon, with earth and sea's rich gems:",
 "  With April's first-born flowers and all things rare,",
 "  That heaven's air in this huge rondure hems.",
 '  O let me true in love but truly write,',
 '  And then believe me, my love is as fair,',
 "  As any mother's child, though not so bright",
 "  As those gold candles fixed in heaven's air:",
 '    Let them say more that like of hearsay well,',
 '    I will not praise that purpose not to sell.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     22',
 '  My glass shall not persuade me I am old,',
 '  So long as youth and thou are of one date,',
 "  But when in thee time's furrows I behold,",
 '  Then look I death my days should expiate.',
 '  For all that beauty that doth cover thee,',
 '  Is but the seemly raiment of my heart,',
 '  Which in thy breast doth live, as thine in me,',
 '  How can I then be elder than thou art?',
 '  O therefore love be of thyself so wary,',
 '  As I not for my self, but for thee will,',
 '  Bearing thy heart which I will keep so chary',
 '  As tender nurse her babe from faring ill.',
 '    Presume not on thy heart when mine is slain,',
 "    Thou gav'st me thine not to give back again.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     23',
 '  As an unperfect actor on the stage,',
 '  Who with his fear is put beside his part,',
 '  Or some fierce thing replete with too much rage,',
 "  Whose strength's abundance weakens his own heart;",
 '  So I for fear of trust, forget to say,',
 "  The perfect ceremony of love's rite,",
 "  And in mine own love's strength seem to decay,",
 "  O'ercharged with burthen of mine own love's might:",
 '  O let my looks be then the eloquence,',
 '  And dumb presagers of my speaking breast,',
 '  Who plead for love, and look for recompense,',
 '  More than that tongue that more hath more expressed.',
 '    O learn to read what silent love hath writ,',
 "    To hear with eyes belongs to love's fine wit.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     24',
 '  Mine eye hath played the painter and hath stelled,',
 "  Thy beauty's form in table of my heart,",
 "  My body is the frame wherein 'tis held,",
 "  And perspective it is best painter's art.",
 '  For through the painter must you see his skill,',
 '  To find where your true image pictured lies,',
 "  Which in my bosom's shop is hanging still,",
 '  That hath his windows glazed with thine eyes:',
 '  Now see what good turns eyes for eyes have done,',
 '  Mine eyes have drawn thy shape, and thine for me',
 '  Are windows to my breast, where-through the sun',
 '  Delights to peep, to gaze therein on thee;',
 '    Yet eyes this cunning want to grace their art,',
 '    They draw but what they see, know not the heart.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     25',
 '  Let those who are in favour with their stars,',
 '  Of public honour and proud titles boast,',
 '  Whilst I whom fortune of such triumph bars',
 '  Unlooked for joy in that I honour most;',
 "  Great princes' favourites their fair leaves spread,",
 "  But as the marigold at the sun's eye,",
 '  And in themselves their pride lies buried,',
 '  For at a frown they in their glory die.',
 '  The painful warrior famoused for fight,',
 '  After a thousand victories once foiled,',
 '  Is from the book of honour razed quite,',
 '  And all the rest forgot for which he toiled:',
 '    Then happy I that love and am beloved',
 '    Where I may not remove nor be removed.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     26',
 '  Lord of my love, to whom in vassalage',
 '  Thy merit hath my duty strongly knit;',
 '  To thee I send this written embassage',
 '  To witness duty, not to show my wit.',
 '  Duty so great, which wit so poor as mine',
 '  May make seem bare, in wanting words to show it;',
 '  But that I hope some good conceit of thine',
 "  In thy soul's thought (all naked) will bestow it:",
 '  Till whatsoever star that guides my moving,',
 '  Points on me graciously with fair aspect,',
 '  And puts apparel on my tattered loving,',
 '  To show me worthy of thy sweet respect,',
 '    Then may I dare to boast how I do love thee,',
 '    Till then, not show my head where thou mayst prove me.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     27',
 '  Weary with toil, I haste me to my bed,',
 '  The dear respose for limbs with travel tired,',
 '  But then begins a journey in my head',
 "  To work my mind, when body's work's expired.",
 '  For then my thoughts (from far where I abide)',
 '  Intend a zealous pilgrimage to thee,',
 '  And keep my drooping eyelids open wide,',
 '  Looking on darkness which the blind do see.',
 "  Save that my soul's imaginary sight",
 '  Presents thy shadow to my sightless view,',
 '  Which like a jewel (hung in ghastly night)',
 '  Makes black night beauteous, and her old face new.',
 '    Lo thus by day my limbs, by night my mind,',
 '    For thee, and for my self, no quiet find.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     28',
 '  How can I then return in happy plight',
 '  That am debarred the benefit of rest?',
 "  When day's oppression is not eased by night,",
 '  But day by night and night by day oppressed.',
 "  And each (though enemies to either's reign)",
 '  Do in consent shake hands to torture me,',
 '  The one by toil, the other to complain',
 '  How far I toil, still farther off from thee.',
 '  I tell the day to please him thou art bright,',
 '  And dost him grace when clouds do blot the heaven:',
 '  So flatter I the swart-complexioned night,',
 "  When sparkling stars twire not thou gild'st the even.",
 '    But day doth daily draw my sorrows longer,',
 "    And night doth nightly make grief's length seem stronger",
 '',
 '',
 '                     29',
 "  When in disgrace with Fortune and men's eyes,",
 '  I all alone beweep my outcast state,',
 '  And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,',
 '  And look upon my self and curse my fate,',
 '  Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,',
 '  Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,',
 "  Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,",
 '  With what I most enjoy contented least,',
 '  Yet in these thoughts my self almost despising,',
 '  Haply I think on thee, and then my state,',
 '  (Like to the lark at break of day arising',
 "  From sullen earth) sings hymns at heaven's gate,",
 '    For thy sweet love remembered such wealth brings,',
 '    That then I scorn to change my state with kings.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     30',
 '  When to the sessions of sweet silent thought,',
 '  I summon up remembrance of things past,',
 '  I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought,',
 "  And with old woes new wail my dear time's waste:",
 '  Then can I drown an eye (unused to flow)',
 "  For precious friends hid in death's dateless night,",
 "  And weep afresh love's long since cancelled woe,",
 "  And moan th' expense of many a vanished sight.",
 '  Then can I grieve at grievances foregone,',
 "  And heavily from woe to woe tell o'er",
 '  The sad account of fore-bemoaned moan,',
 '  Which I new pay as if not paid before.',
 '    But if the while I think on thee (dear friend)',
 '    All losses are restored, and sorrows end.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     31',
 '  Thy bosom is endeared with all hearts,',
 '  Which I by lacking have supposed dead,',
 "  And there reigns love and all love's loving parts,",
 '  And all those friends which I thought buried.',
 '  How many a holy and obsequious tear',
 "  Hath dear religious love stol'n from mine eye,",
 '  As interest of the dead, which now appear,',
 '  But things removed that hidden in thee lie.',
 '  Thou art the grave where buried love doth live,',
 '  Hung with the trophies of my lovers gone,',
 '  Who all their parts of me to thee did give,',
 '  That due of many, now is thine alone.',
 '    Their images I loved, I view in thee,',
 '    And thou (all they) hast all the all of me.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     32',
 '  If thou survive my well-contented day,',
 '  When that churl death my bones with dust shall cover',
 '  And shalt by fortune once more re-survey',
 '  These poor rude lines of thy deceased lover:',
 "  Compare them with the bett'ring of the time,",
 '  And though they be outstripped by every pen,',
 '  Reserve them for my love, not for their rhyme,',
 '  Exceeded by the height of happier men.',
 '  O then vouchsafe me but this loving thought,',
 "  'Had my friend's Muse grown with this growing age,",
 '  A dearer birth than this his love had brought',
 '  To march in ranks of better equipage:',
 '    But since he died and poets better prove,',
 "    Theirs for their style I'll read, his for his love'.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     33',
 '  Full many a glorious morning have I seen,',
 '  Flatter the mountain tops with sovereign eye,',
 '  Kissing with golden face the meadows green;',
 '  Gilding pale streams with heavenly alchemy:',
 '  Anon permit the basest clouds to ride,',
 '  With ugly rack on his celestial face,',
 '  And from the forlorn world his visage hide',
 '  Stealing unseen to west with this disgrace:',
 '  Even so my sun one early morn did shine,',
 '  With all triumphant splendour on my brow,',
 '  But out alack, he was but one hour mine,',
 '  The region cloud hath masked him from me now.',
 '    Yet him for this, my love no whit disdaineth,',
 "    Suns of the world may stain, when heaven's sun staineth.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     34',
 '  Why didst thou promise such a beauteous day,',
 '  And make me travel forth without my cloak,',
 "  To let base clouds o'ertake me in my way,",
 "  Hiding thy brav'ry in their rotten smoke?",
 "  'Tis not enough that through the cloud thou break,",
 '  To dry the rain on my storm-beaten face,',
 '  For no man well of such a salve can speak,',
 '  That heals the wound, and cures not the disgrace:',
 '  Nor can thy shame give physic to my grief,',
 '  Though thou repent, yet I have still the loss,',
 "  Th' offender's sorrow lends but weak relief",
 "  To him that bears the strong offence's cross.",
 '    Ah but those tears are pearl which thy love sheds,',
 '    And they are rich, and ransom all ill deeds.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     35',
 '  No more be grieved at that which thou hast done,',
 '  Roses have thorns, and silver fountains mud,',
 '  Clouds and eclipses stain both moon and sun,',
 '  And loathsome canker lives in sweetest bud.',
 '  All men make faults, and even I in this,',
 '  Authorizing thy trespass with compare,',
 '  My self corrupting salving thy amiss,',
 '  Excusing thy sins more than thy sins are:',
 '  For to thy sensual fault I bring in sense,',
 '  Thy adverse party is thy advocate,',
 "  And 'gainst my self a lawful plea commence:",
 '  Such civil war is in my love and hate,',
 '    That I an accessary needs must be,',
 '    To that sweet thief which sourly robs from me.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     36',
 '  Let me confess that we two must be twain,',
 '  Although our undivided loves are one:',
 '  So shall those blots that do with me remain,',
 '  Without thy help, by me be borne alone.',
 '  In our two loves there is but one respect,',
 '  Though in our lives a separable spite,',
 "  Which though it alter not love's sole effect,",
 "  Yet doth it steal sweet hours from love's delight.",
 '  I may not evermore acknowledge thee,',
 '  Lest my bewailed guilt should do thee shame,',
 '  Nor thou with public kindness honour me,',
 '  Unless thou take that honour from thy name:',
 '    But do not so, I love thee in such sort,',
 '    As thou being mine, mine is thy good report.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     37',
 '  As a decrepit father takes delight,',
 '  To see his active child do deeds of youth,',
 "  So I, made lame by Fortune's dearest spite",
 '  Take all my comfort of thy worth and truth.',
 '  For whether beauty, birth, or wealth, or wit,',
 '  Or any of these all, or all, or more',
 '  Entitled in thy parts, do crowned sit,',
 '  I make my love engrafted to this store:',
 '  So then I am not lame, poor, nor despised,',
 '  Whilst that this shadow doth such substance give,',
 '  That I in thy abundance am sufficed,',
 '  And by a part of all thy glory live:',
 '    Look what is best, that best I wish in thee,',
 '    This wish I have, then ten times happy me.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     38',
 '  How can my muse want subject to invent',
 "  While thou dost breathe that pour'st into my verse,",
 '  Thine own sweet argument, too excellent,',
 '  For every vulgar paper to rehearse?',
 '  O give thy self the thanks if aught in me,',
 '  Worthy perusal stand against thy sight,',
 "  For who's so dumb that cannot write to thee,",
 '  When thou thy self dost give invention light?',
 '  Be thou the tenth Muse, ten times more in worth',
 '  Than those old nine which rhymers invocate,',
 '  And he that calls on thee, let him bring forth',
 '  Eternal numbers to outlive long date.',
 '    If my slight muse do please these curious days,',
 '    The pain be mine, but thine shall be the praise.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     39',
 '  O how thy worth with manners may I sing,',
 '  When thou art all the better part of me?',
 '  What can mine own praise to mine own self bring:',
 "  And what is't but mine own when I praise thee?",
 '  Even for this, let us divided live,',
 '  And our dear love lose name of single one,',
 '  That by this separation I may give:',
 "  That due to thee which thou deserv'st alone:",
 '  O absence what a torment wouldst thou prove,',
 '  Were it not thy sour leisure gave sweet leave,',
 '  To entertain the time with thoughts of love,',
 '  Which time and thoughts so sweetly doth deceive.',
 '    And that thou teachest how to make one twain,',
 '    By praising him here who doth hence remain.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     40',
 '  Take all my loves, my love, yea take them all,',
 '  What hast thou then more than thou hadst before?',
 '  No love, my love, that thou mayst true love call,',
 '  All mine was thine, before thou hadst this more:',
 '  Then if for my love, thou my love receivest,',
 '  I cannot blame thee, for my love thou usest,',
 '  But yet be blamed, if thou thy self deceivest',
 '  By wilful taste of what thy self refusest.',
 '  I do forgive thy robbery gentle thief',
 '  Although thou steal thee all my poverty:',
 '  And yet love knows it is a greater grief',
 "  To bear greater wrong, than hate's known injury.",
 '    Lascivious grace, in whom all ill well shows,',
 '    Kill me with spites yet we must not be foes.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     41',
 '  Those pretty wrongs that liberty commits,',
 '  When I am sometime absent from thy heart,',
 '  Thy beauty, and thy years full well befits,',
 '  For still temptation follows where thou art.',
 '  Gentle thou art, and therefore to be won,',
 '  Beauteous thou art, therefore to be assailed.',
 "  And when a woman woos, what woman's son,",
 '  Will sourly leave her till he have prevailed?',
 '  Ay me, but yet thou mightst my seat forbear,',
 '  And chide thy beauty, and thy straying youth,',
 '  Who lead thee in their riot even there',
 '  Where thou art forced to break a twofold truth:',
 '    Hers by thy beauty tempting her to thee,',
 '    Thine by thy beauty being false to me.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     42',
 '  That thou hast her it is not all my grief,',
 '  And yet it may be said I loved her dearly,',
 '  That she hath thee is of my wailing chief,',
 '  A loss in love that touches me more nearly.',
 '  Loving offenders thus I will excuse ye,',
 "  Thou dost love her, because thou know'st I love her,",
 '  And for my sake even so doth she abuse me,',
 "  Suff'ring my friend for my sake to approve her.",
 "  If I lose thee, my loss is my love's gain,",
 '  And losing her, my friend hath found that loss,',
 '  Both find each other, and I lose both twain,',
 '  And both for my sake lay on me this cross,',
 "    But here's the joy, my friend and I are one,",
 '    Sweet flattery, then she loves but me alone.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     43',
 '  When most I wink then do mine eyes best see,',
 '  For all the day they view things unrespected,',
 '  But when I sleep, in dreams they look on thee,',
 '  And darkly bright, are bright in dark directed.',
 '  Then thou whose shadow shadows doth make bright',
 "  How would thy shadow's form, form happy show,",
 '  To the clear day with thy much clearer light,',
 '  When to unseeing eyes thy shade shines so!',
 '  How would (I say) mine eyes be blessed made,',
 '  By looking on thee in the living day,',
 '  When in dead night thy fair imperfect shade,',
 '  Through heavy sleep on sightless eyes doth stay!',
 '    All days are nights to see till I see thee,',
 '    And nights bright days when dreams do show thee me.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     44',
 '  If the dull substance of my flesh were thought,',
 '  Injurious distance should not stop my way,',
 '  For then despite of space I would be brought,',
 '  From limits far remote, where thou dost stay,',
 '  No matter then although my foot did stand',
 '  Upon the farthest earth removed from thee,',
 '  For nimble thought can jump both sea and land,',
 '  As soon as think the place where he would be.',
 '  But ah, thought kills me that I am not thought',
 '  To leap large lengths of miles when thou art gone,',
 '  But that so much of earth and water wrought,',
 "  I must attend, time's leisure with my moan.",
 '    Receiving nought by elements so slow,',
 "    But heavy tears, badges of either's woe.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     45',
 '  The other two, slight air, and purging fire,',
 '  Are both with thee, wherever I abide,',
 '  The first my thought, the other my desire,',
 '  These present-absent with swift motion slide.',
 '  For when these quicker elements are gone',
 '  In tender embassy of love to thee,',
 '  My life being made of four, with two alone,',
 '  Sinks down to death, oppressed with melancholy.',
 "  Until life's composition be recured,",
 '  By those swift messengers returned from thee,',
 '  Who even but now come back again assured,',
 '  Of thy fair health, recounting it to me.',
 '    This told, I joy, but then no longer glad,',
 '    I send them back again and straight grow sad.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     46',
 '  Mine eye and heart are at a mortal war,',
 '  How to divide the conquest of thy sight,',
 "  Mine eye, my heart thy picture's sight would bar,",
 '  My heart, mine eye the freedom of that right,',
 '  My heart doth plead that thou in him dost lie,',
 '  (A closet never pierced with crystal eyes)',
 '  But the defendant doth that plea deny,',
 '  And says in him thy fair appearance lies.',
 '  To side this title is impanelled',
 '  A quest of thoughts, all tenants to the heart,',
 '  And by their verdict is determined',
 "  The clear eye's moiety, and the dear heart's part.",
 "    As thus, mine eye's due is thy outward part,",
 "    And my heart's right, thy inward love of heart.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     47',
 '  Betwixt mine eye and heart a league is took,',
 '  And each doth good turns now unto the other,',
 '  When that mine eye is famished for a look,',
 '  Or heart in love with sighs himself doth smother;',
 "  With my love's picture then my eye doth feast,",
 '  And to the painted banquet bids my heart:',
 "  Another time mine eye is my heart's guest,",
 '  And in his thoughts of love doth share a part.',
 '  So either by thy picture or my love,',
 '  Thy self away, art present still with me,',
 '  For thou not farther than my thoughts canst move,',
 '  And I am still with them, and they with thee.',
 '    Or if they sleep, thy picture in my sight',
 "    Awakes my heart, to heart's and eye's delight.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     48',
 '  How careful was I when I took my way,',
 '  Each trifle under truest bars to thrust,',
 '  That to my use it might unused stay',
 '  From hands of falsehood, in sure wards of trust!',
 '  But thou, to whom my jewels trifles are,',
 '  Most worthy comfort, now my greatest grief,',
 '  Thou best of dearest, and mine only care,',
 '  Art left the prey of every vulgar thief.',
 '  Thee have I not locked up in any chest,',
 '  Save where thou art not, though I feel thou art,',
 '  Within the gentle closure of my breast,',
 '  From whence at pleasure thou mayst come and part,',
 "    And even thence thou wilt be stol'n I fear,",
 '    For truth proves thievish for a prize so dear.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     49',
 '  Against that time (if ever that time come)',
 '  When I shall see thee frown on my defects,',
 '  When as thy love hath cast his utmost sum,',
 '  Called to that audit by advised respects,',
 '  Against that time when thou shalt strangely pass,',
 '  And scarcely greet me with that sun thine eye,',
 '  When love converted from the thing it was',
 '  Shall reasons find of settled gravity;',
 '  Against that time do I ensconce me here',
 '  Within the knowledge of mine own desert,',
 '  And this my hand, against my self uprear,',
 '  To guard the lawful reasons on thy part,',
 '    To leave poor me, thou hast the strength of laws,',
 '    Since why to love, I can allege no cause.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     50',
 '  How heavy do I journey on the way,',
 "  When what I seek (my weary travel's end)",
 '  Doth teach that case and that repose to say',
 "  'Thus far the miles are measured from thy friend.'",
 '  The beast that bears me, tired with my woe,',
 '  Plods dully on, to bear that weight in me,',
 '  As if by some instinct the wretch did know',
 '  His rider loved not speed being made from thee:',
 '  The bloody spur cannot provoke him on,',
 '  That sometimes anger thrusts into his hide,',
 '  Which heavily he answers with a groan,',
 '  More sharp to me than spurring to his side,',
 '    For that same groan doth put this in my mind,',
 '    My grief lies onward and my joy behind.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     51',
 '  Thus can my love excuse the slow offence,',
 '  Of my dull bearer, when from thee I speed,',
 '  From where thou art, why should I haste me thence?',
 '  Till I return of posting is no need.',
 '  O what excuse will my poor beast then find,',
 '  When swift extremity can seem but slow?',
 '  Then should I spur though mounted on the wind,',
 '  In winged speed no motion shall I know,',
 '  Then can no horse with my desire keep pace,',
 "  Therefore desire (of perfect'st love being made)",
 '  Shall neigh (no dull flesh) in his fiery race,',
 '  But love, for love, thus shall excuse my jade,',
 '    Since from thee going, he went wilful-slow,',
 "    Towards thee I'll run, and give him leave to go.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     52',
 '  So am I as the rich whose blessed key,',
 '  Can bring him to his sweet up-locked treasure,',
 '  The which he will not every hour survey,',
 '  For blunting the fine point of seldom pleasure.',
 '  Therefore are feasts so solemn and so rare,',
 '  Since seldom coming in that long year set,',
 '  Like stones of worth they thinly placed are,',
 '  Or captain jewels in the carcanet.',
 '  So is the time that keeps you as my chest',
 '  Or as the wardrobe which the robe doth hide,',
 '  To make some special instant special-blest,',
 '  By new unfolding his imprisoned pride.',
 '    Blessed are you whose worthiness gives scope,',
 '    Being had to triumph, being lacked to hope.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     53',
 '  What is your substance, whereof are you made,',
 '  That millions of strange shadows on you tend?',
 '  Since every one, hath every one, one shade,',
 '  And you but one, can every shadow lend:',
 '  Describe Adonis and the counterfeit,',
 '  Is poorly imitated after you,',
 "  On Helen's cheek all art of beauty set,",
 '  And you in Grecian tires are painted new:',
 '  Speak of the spring, and foison of the year,',
 '  The one doth shadow of your beauty show,',
 '  The other as your bounty doth appear,',
 '  And you in every blessed shape we know.',
 '    In all external grace you have some part,',
 '    But you like none, none you for constant heart.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     54',
 '  O how much more doth beauty beauteous seem,',
 '  By that sweet ornament which truth doth give!',
 '  The rose looks fair, but fairer we it deem',
 '  For that sweet odour, which doth in it live:',
 '  The canker blooms have full as deep a dye,',
 '  As the perfumed tincture of the roses,',
 '  Hang on such thorns, and play as wantonly,',
 "  When summer's breath their masked buds discloses:",
 '  But for their virtue only is their show,',
 '  They live unwooed, and unrespected fade,',
 '  Die to themselves. Sweet roses do not so,',
 '  Of their sweet deaths, are sweetest odours made:',
 '    And so of you, beauteous and lovely youth,',
 '    When that shall fade, my verse distills your truth.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     55',
 '  Not marble, nor the gilded monuments',
 '  Of princes shall outlive this powerful rhyme,',
 '  But you shall shine more bright in these contents',
 '  Than unswept stone, besmeared with sluttish time.',
 '  When wasteful war shall statues overturn,',
 '  And broils root out the work of masonry,',
 "  Nor Mars his sword, nor war's quick fire shall burn:",
 '  The living record of your memory.',
 "  'Gainst death, and all-oblivious enmity",
 '  Shall you pace forth, your praise shall still find room,',
 '  Even in the eyes of all posterity',
 '  That wear this world out to the ending doom.',
 '    So till the judgment that your self arise,',
 "    You live in this, and dwell in lovers' eyes.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     56',
 '  Sweet love renew thy force, be it not said',
 '  Thy edge should blunter be than appetite,',
 '  Which but to-day by feeding is allayed,',
 '  To-morrow sharpened in his former might.',
 '  So love be thou, although to-day thou fill',
 '  Thy hungry eyes, even till they wink with fulness,',
 '  To-morrow see again, and do not kill',
 '  The spirit of love, with a perpetual dulness:',
 '  Let this sad interim like the ocean be',
 '  Which parts the shore, where two contracted new,',
 '  Come daily to the banks, that when they see:',
 '  Return of love, more blest may be the view.',
 '    Or call it winter, which being full of care,',
 "    Makes summer's welcome, thrice more wished, more rare.",
 '',
 '',
 '                     57',
 '  Being your slave what should I do but tend,',
 '  Upon the hours, and times of your desire?',
 '  I have no precious time at all to spend;',
 '  Nor services to do till you require.',
 '  Nor dare I chide the world-without-end hour,',
 '  Whilst I (my sovereign) watch the clock for you,',
 '  Nor think the bitterness of absence sour,',
 '  When you have bid your servant once adieu.',
 '  Nor dare I question with my jealous thought,',
 '  Where you may be, or your affairs suppose,',
 '  But like a sad slave stay and think of nought',
 '  Save where you are, how happy you make those.',
 '    So true a fool is love, that in your will,',
 '    (Though you do any thing) he thinks no ill.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     58',
 '  That god forbid, that made me first your slave,',
 '  I should in thought control your times of pleasure,',
 "  Or at your hand th' account of hours to crave,",
 '  Being your vassal bound to stay your leisure.',
 '  O let me suffer (being at your beck)',
 "  Th' imprisoned absence of your liberty,",
 '  And patience tame to sufferance bide each check,',
 '  Without accusing you of injury.',
 '  Be where you list, your charter is so strong,',
 '  That you your self may privilage your time',
 '  To what you will, to you it doth belong,',
 '  Your self to pardon of self-doing crime.',
 '    I am to wait, though waiting so be hell,',
 '    Not blame your pleasure be it ill or well.',
 '',
 '',
 '                     59',
 '  If there be nothing new, but that which is,',
 '  Hath been before, how are our brains beguiled,',
 '  Which labouring for invention bear amis',
 '  The second burthen of a former child!',
 '  O that record could with a backward look,',
 ...]