CIO truant Muse what shall be thy amendsFor thy neglect of truth in beauty dy’d?Both truth and beauty on my love depends;So dost thou too, and therein dignified.Make answer Muse: wilt thou not haply say,‘Truth needs no colour, with his colour fix’d;Beauty no pencil, beauty’s truth to lay;But best is best, if never intermix’d’?Because he needs no praise, wilt thou be dumb?Excuse not silence so, for’t lies in theeTo make him much outlive a gilded tombAnd to be prais’d of ages yet to be.Then do thy office, Muse; I teach thee howTo make him seem long hence as he shows now.
O truant Muse what shall be thy amendsFor thy neglect of truth in beauty dy’d?Both truth and beauty on my love depends;So dost thou too, and therein dignified.Make answer Muse: wilt thou not haply say,‘Truth needs no colour, with his colour fix’d;Beauty no pencil, beauty’s truth to lay;But best is best, if never intermix’d’?Because he needs no praise, wilt thou be dumb?Excuse not silence so, for’t lies in theeTo make him much outlive a gilded tombAnd to be prais’d of ages yet to be.Then do thy office, Muse; I teach thee howTo make him seem long hence as he shows now.