George Withers' Emblemes

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They, beft in]oy their Be:rts defires*
In "»hom, Love, kindles mutuall-fires.
iLLVSTR. XLIV.
r Jat may the reafon be, that, when Defire
Hath kindled in the breft, a Loving-fire,
The Flame,which burn'd awhile,bothcleere& ftrong,
Becomes to be exdnguifhed, ere long i
This Emblem gives the reafon ; for, itfhowes,
Thar, when Affettion, to perfection growes,
The Fire, which doth inlighten, firft, the fame,
Is made an equall^ndzmutuall-fiame,
Thefe burning Torches, are alike in length .
To mew, Love equall, both in time, andjkength.
They, to each otherward, their Flames extend,
To teach us,thar, True-lovers have no end
Perrayning to Sel/e-love and, lo, betweene
Theie Two, one Flaming Lcart, is to be feene j
To fignifie, that, they, but one, remainc
In Mtnde ; though,in their Perfons,they are txvam.
He, doubt lefle, then, who Lov'd, and, giveth over,
Defcrveth not the Title of a Lover •
Or, elfe, was unrequited in Affccftion,
And, was a Lever, with fome impcrfe&ion^
For, Love, that loves,and is not lov'd as much,
May perfect grow ; but, yet, it is not fuch,
Nor can be, till it may that ohjeclhzve,
Which gives a Heart, for what it would receive
And, lookes not fo much outward, as to heed
What fecmes n>ithin,xo want, or to exceed.
Whether our Emblem's Author, thought of this,
You need not care ;
nor,willitbeamiiTe,
Ifthey who perfccSt Lovers, would be thought,
Doe mind, what by this Morall, they are taught.
When