Astrophil and Stella 25: The wisest scholar…

The wisest scholar of the wight most wise

By Phoebus’ doom, with sugared sentence says

That Virtue, if it once met with our eyes,

Strange flames of love it in our souls would raise;

But, for that man with pain this truth descries,

While he each thing in sense’s balance weighs,

And so nor will nor can behold those skies

Which inward sun to heroic mind displays,

Virtue of late, with virtuous care to stir

Love of herself, takes Stella’s shape, that she

To mortal eyes might sweetly shine in her.

It is most true, for since I her did see,

Virtue’s great beauty in that face I prove,

And find th’effect, for I do burn in love.