Similizing the Winds to Music

1
No music’s better than the winds do2 make,
If all their several notes right places take:
The full, the half, the quarter-note they3 set;
The tenor, bass, and treble there are met.4
The northern wind a strong big bass5 doth sing;               5
The east is sweet, like a6 small treble string;
The south and west the tenor’s parts do take,7
And so, all joined, a fine sweet consort make.8
All that this music meets, it moves to dance,
If bodies yielding be with compliance.9                               10
The clouds do dance in circle, hand in hand,
Where in10 the midst11 the worldly ball doth stand.
The seas do dance with ships upon their back,
Where, cap’ring12 high, they many times do wrack,
As men which venture on the ropes to dance                     15
Oft tumble down, if they too high advance.
But dust,13 like country clowns, no measure keep,
But rudely run14 together on a heap.
Trees grave and civil first bow down15 their head
Towards the Earth, then every leaf outspread,16                20
And every twig each other will salute;
Embracing oft, they17 kiss each other’s root.
And so each other plant and flower18 gay
Will sweetly dance when as19 the winds do play.
But when they’re out of tune, they discord make,              25
Disorder all—nothing its20 place can take.
But when Apollo with his beams21 doth play,
He22 places all again in the right way.

  1. Similizing the Winds to Music] Nature’s Musick. 1664; Nature’s Musick. 1668. The title in 1664 and 1668 exists as a marginal note in Cavendish’s 1653 text.
  2. music’s better than the winds do] better Musick then the Windes can 1653
  3. they] can 1653
  4. The tenor, bass, and treble there are met.] The Base, the Tenor, and the Treble sit. 1653
  5. The northern wind a strong big bass] The strong big Base the Northern wind 1653
  6. sweet, like a] the sweet, soft 1653
  7. the tenor’s parts do take,] as Tenors both applied, 1653, the Tenor’s Pars do take: 1668
  8. And so, all joined, a fine sweet consort make.] By East, by West, by South, and North divide. 1653
  9. compliance.] a Compliance. 1653
  10. Wherein] And in 1664; And, in 1668
  11. midst] mids 1653
  12. cap’ring] Capering 1653
  13. But dust,] Dust doth 1664; Dust doth, 1668
  14. run] runs 1664, 1668
  15. civil first bow down] civilly, first bow 1653
  16. outspread,] will spred; 1653
  17. they] and 1653
  18. each other plant and flower] all Plants besides, and Flowers 1664; all Plants besides, and Flowers 1668
  19. as] that 1653
  20. nothing its] not one right 1653
  21. But when Apollo with his beams] Untill Apollo with his Beams 1664; Until Apollo with his Beams 1668
  22. He] Who 1664, 1668