A Discourse of Love Neglected, Burnt up with Grief

1

Love is the cause, and hate is the effect
Which is produced when love doth find neglect.
For love, as2 fire, doth3 on fuel burn,
And grief, as coals when4 quenched, to blackness turn.
Thence5 pale and melancholy ashes grow,                          5
Which every wind, though weak, dispersing6 blow.
For life and strength from thence7 is gone and past
With th’species, which did cause8 the form to last,
Which ne’er regain the form it had at first;9
So love is lost in melancholy dust.10                                     10

  1. Burnt up with Grief] and Burnt up with Grief. 1664, 1668
  2. love, as] Love’s like 1664; Love’s like 1668
  3. doth] which doth 1664, 1668
  4. when] wch 1664, which 1668
  5. Thence] Whence 1664, 1668
  6. dispersing] about doth 1664, 1668
  7. thence] it 1653
  8. did cause] caus’d 1653
  9. ne’er regain the form it had at first;] Form, as it was first, comes ne’re again: 1664, 1668
  10. So love is lost in melancholy dust.] Thus Love in Melancholy adust is Slain. 1664; Thus Love in Melancholy, adust is Slain. 1668