Note 134 — Chapter XLII · CONCLUSION

See Fletcher’s Faithful Shepherdess. The following extracts from the Satyr’s speeches to Corin will explain the allusion in the text.

But behold a fairer sight!

By that heavenly form of thine,

Brightest fair! thou art divine!

Sprung from great immortal race

Of the gods; for in thy face

Shines more awful majesty

Than dull weak mortality

Dare with misty eyes behold,

And live! Therefore on this mould

Lowly do I bend my knee,

In worship of thy deity.

Act I. Scene I.

Brightest! if there be remaining

Any service, without feigning

I will do it: were I set

To catch the nimble wind, or get

Shadows gliding on the green,

Or to steal from the great queen

Of the fairies all her beauty,

I would do it, so much duty

Do I owe those precious eyes.

Act IV. Scene II.

Thou divinest, fairest, brightest,

Thou most powerful maid, and whitest,

Thou most virtuous and most blessed,

Eyes of stars, and golden tressed

Like Apollo. Tell me, sweetest,

What new service now is meetest

For the Satyr? Shall I stray

In the middle air, and stay

The sailing rack? or nimbly take

Hold by the moon, and gently make

Suit to the pale queen of night

For a beam to give thee light?

Shall I dive into the sea,

And bring thee coral, making way

Through the rising waves that fall

In snowy fleeces? Dearest, shall

I catch thee wanton fauns, or flies

Whose woven wings the summer dyes

Of many colours? Get thee fruit?

Or steal from heaven old Orpheus’ lute?

All these I’ll venture for, and more,

To do her service all these woods adore.

Act V. Scene V.