Elegy II Comparative text
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| Elegy I Comparative text | Elegy II Comparative text by John Donne | Elegy III Comparative text |
| 1633 | 1896 | |
| The Anagram | ||
| Marry, and love thy Flavia, for, ſhee | Marry, and love thy Flavia, for she | |
| Hath all things, whereby others beautious bee, | Hath all things, whereby others beauteous be; | |
| For, though her eyes be ſmall, her mouth is great, | For, though her eyes be small, her mouth is great; | |
| Though they be Ivory, yet her teeth be jeat, | Though they be ivory, yet her teeth be jet; | |
| Though they be dimme, yet ſhe is light enough, | Though they be dim, yet she is light enough; | |
| And though her harſh haire fall, her skinne is rough; | And though her harsh hair fall, her skin is tough; | |
| What though her cheeks be yellow, her haire's red, | What though her cheeks be yellow, her hair's red, | |
| Give her thine, and ſhe hath a maydenhead. | Give her thine, and she hath a maidenhead. | |
| Theſe things are beauties elements, where theſe | These things are beauty's elements, where thes | |
| Meet in one, that one muſt, as perfect, pleaſe. | Meet in one, that one must, as perfect, please. | |
| If red and white and each good quality | If red and white, and each good quality | |
| Be in thy wench, ne'r aske where it doth lye. | Be in thy wench, ne'er ask where it does lie. | |
| In buying things perfum'd, we aske; if there | In buying things perfumed, we ask, if there | |
| Be muske and amber in it, but not where. | Be musk and amber in it, but not where. | |
| Though all her parts be not in th'uſuall place, | Though all her parts be not in th' usual place, | |
| She hath yet an Anagram of a good face. | She hath yet an anagram of a good face. | |
| If we might put the letters but one way, | If we might put the letters but one way, | |
| In the leane dearth of words, what could wee ſay? | In that lean dearth of words, what can we say? | |
| When by the Gamut ſome Muſitions make | When by the gamut some musicians make | |
| A perfect ſong, others will undertake, | A perfect song, others will undertake, | |
| By the ſame Gamut chang'd, to equall it. | By the same gamut changed, to equal it. | |
| Things ſimply good, can never be unfit; | Things simply good can never be unfit; | |
| She's faire as any, if all be like her, | She's fair as any, if all be like her; | |
| And if none bee, then ſhe is ſingular. | And if none be, then she is singular. | |
| All love is wonder; if wee juſtly doe | All love is wonder; if we justly do | |
| Account her wonderfull, why not lovely too? | Account her wonderful, why not lovely too? | |
| Love built on beauty, ſoone as beauty, dies, | Love built on beauty, soon as beauty, dies; | |
| Chuſe this face, chang'd by no deformities; | Choose this face, changed by no deformities. | |
| Women are like Angels; the faire be | Women are like angels; the fair be | |
| Like thoſe which fell to worſe; but ſuch as ſhee, | Like those which fell to worse; but such as she, | |
| Like to good Angels, nothing can impaire: | Like to good angels, nothing can impair: | |
| 'Tis leſſe griefe to be foulle, then to have beene faire. | 'Tis less grief to be foul, than to have been fair. | |
| For one nights revels, ſilke and gold we chuſe, | For one night's revels, silk and gold we choose | |
| But, in long journeyes, cloth, and leather uſe. | But, in long journeys, cloth, and leather use. | |
| Beauty is barren oft; beſt huſbands ſay | Beauty is barren oft; best husbands say | |
| There is beſt land, where there is fouleſt way. | There is best land, where there is foulest way. | |
| Oh what a ſoveraigne Plaiſter will ſhee bee | Oh, what a sovereign plaster she will be, | |
| If thy paſt ſinnes have taught thee jealouſie! | If thy past sins have taught thee jealousy! | |
| Here needs no ſpies, nor eunuches; her commit | Here needs no spies, nor eunuchs; her commit | |
| Safe to thy foes; yea, to a Marmoſit. | Safe to thy foes, yea, to a marmoset. | |
| When Belgiaes citties, the round countries drowne, | Like Belgia's cities the round country drowns, | |
| That durty fouleneſſe guards, and armes the towne: | That dirty foulness guards and arms the towns, | |
| So doth her face guard her; and ſo, for thee, | So doth her face guard her; and so, for thee, | |
| Which, forc'd by buſineſſe, abſent oft muſt bee, | Which forced by business, absent oft must be, | |
| Shee, whoſe face, like clouds, turnes the day to night, | She, whose face, like clouds, turns the day to night; | |
| Who, mightier thĕ the ſea, makes Moores ſeem white, | Who, mightier than the sea, makes Moors seem white; | |
| Who, though ſeaven yeares, ſhe in the Stews had laid, | Who, though seven years she in the stews had laid, | |
| A Nunnery durſt receive, and thinke a maid, | A nunnery durst receive, and think a maid; | |
| And though in childbeds labour ſhe did lie, | And though in childbed's labour she did lie, | |
| Midwifes would ſweare, 'twere but a tympanie, | Midwives would swear, 'twere but a tympany; | |
| Whom, if ſhee accuſe her ſelfe, I credit leſſe | Whom, if she accuses herself, I credit less | |
| Then witches, which impoſſibles confeſſe. | Than witches, which impossibles confess; | |
| One like none, and lik'd of none, fitteſt were, | One like none, and liked of none, fittest were; | |
| For, things in faſhion every man will weare. | For things in fashion every man will wear. |