| |
| O YOU that hear this voice! | |
| O you that see this face! | |
| Say whether of the choice | |
| Deserves the former place? | |
| Fear not to judge this bate, | 5 |
| For it is void of hate. | |
| |
| This side doth BEAUTY take. | |
| For that doth MUSIC speak. | |
| Fit orators to make | |
| The strongest judgments weak. | 10 |
| The bar to plead the right, | |
| Is only True Delight. | |
| |
| Thus doth the voice and face, | |
| These gentle lawyers wage, | |
| Like loving brothers’ case, | 15 |
| For father’s heritage: | |
| That each, while each contends, | |
| Itself to other lends. | |
| |
| For beauty beautifies, | |
| With heavenly hue and grace, | 20 |
| The heavenly harmonies: | |
| And in this faultless face, | |
| The perfect beauties be | |
| A perfect harmony. | |
| |
| MUSIC more lofty swells | 25 |
| In speeches nobly placed; | |
| BEAUTY as far excels | |
| In actions aptly graced. | |
| A friend each party draws | |
| To countenance his cause. | 30 |
| |
| LOVE more affected seems | |
| BEAUTY’s lovely light; | |
| And WONDER more esteems | |
| Of MUSIC’s wondrous might: | |
| But both to both so bent | 35 |
| As both in both are spent. | |
| |
| MUSIC doth witness call | |
| The ear, his truth to try; | |
| BEAUTY brings to the hall | |
| The judgment of the eye: | 40 |
| Both in their objects such, | |
| As no exceptions touch. | |
| |
| The common SENSE which might | |
| Be arbiter of this; | |
| To be forsooth upright, | 45 |
| To both sides partial is: | |
| He lays on this side chief praise; | |
| Chief praise on that he lays. | |
| |
| Then REASON, Princess high! | |
| Whose throne is in the mind; | 50 |
| Which music can in sky, | |
| And hidden beauties find. | |
| Say! whether thou wilt crown | |
| With limitless renown? | |
| |
