The Life and Complete Works in Prose and Verse of Robert Greene (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883 edition. Excerpt: ...with desire, other with disdaine: infusing sundry effectes in diuers affects. I couet Terentia and shee is cruell: Flauia fauours thee, and thou art tyed to other loues. What restesin these extreames but to curse fancy, that maketh such a confused chaos of hir follyes. Oppose then reason against affection, and admitte not of loues conclusions vnlesse they be approoued principles. Thy thoughts are deuoted to Terenria, and shee onely vouchsafes thee the verdict of hir eares. Thou art more honourable then shee, of richer reuenewes then hir dowry can satissie, hauing as many desertes as shee hath beauties: and yet coy dame as shee is, shee twits thee with Vesta when God wotte Venus is the goddesse that heareth hir orisons. If thou hast this insight into hir thoughts, why wrongs thou thy seife with such carelesse passions? If shee be so ramage let hir flye and seeke for a Niess that may prooue more gentle: Let hir glory like Narcijsus in hir beautie: Loue can chastise if it be but with seife loue. Vse no phisicke Lentulus but the consideration of hir frowardnesTe. Let the drugs of Apollo serue for others not for thee. Thrust out fancy by force, and setting Terentia at light esteeme, make choice of Flauia: though shee be not so beautiful, yet shee is second to hir in graces, and farre beyond hir in curtesies. Tie not thy selfe Lentulus so stricktly to a womans face, beauty is but times flower, that as it is delicate so it soone withereth: Like the colours that Phidias drew in his pictures, which shewing most / glorious to the eye was yet blemisht with euery breath. Venus was faire and wanton: Helen the myracle of Greece, but aske Troy of hir qualities. Ah but Terentia is as chast as shee is beautifull. So is Flauia to, and farre more louing. Hir byrth...