19. When in the chronicle of wasted time. W. Shakespeare. The Golden Treasury

Francis T. Palgrave, ed. (1824–1897). The Golden Treasury. 1875.

W. Shakespeare

XIX. "When in the chronicle of wasted time"

2 WHEN in the chronicle of wasted time
I see descriptions of the fairest wights,
And beauty making beautiful old rhyme
In praise of ladies dead, and lovely knights;

Then in the blazon of sweet beauty's best	5
Of hand, of foot, of lip, of eye, of brow,
I see their antique pen would have exprest
Ev'n such a beauty as you master now.

So all their praises are but prophecies
Of this our time, all, you prefiguring;	10
And for they look'd but with divining eyes,
They had not skill enough your worth to sing:

For we, which now behold these present days,
Have eyes to wonder, but lack tongues to praise.