| Herbert J.C. Grierson, ed. (1886–1960). Metaphysical Lyrics & Poems of the 17th C. 1921. |
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| Thomas Stanley |
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| 56. La Belle Confidente |
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| YOU earthly Souls that court a wanton flame, | |
| Whose pale weak influence | |
| Can rise no higher then the humble name | |
| And narrow laws of Sence, | |
| Learn by our friendship to create | 5 |
| An immaterial fire, | |
| Whose brightnesse Angels may admire, | |
| But cannot emulate. | |
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| Sicknesse may fright the roses from her cheek, | |
| Or make the Lilies fade, | 10 |
| But all the subtile wayes that death doth seek | |
| Cannot my love invade: | |
| Flames that are kindled by the eye, | |
| Through time and age expire; | |
| But ours that boast a reach far higher | 15 |
| Can nor decay, nor die. | |
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| For when we must resign our vital breath, | |
| Our Loves by Fate benighted, | |
| We by this friendship shall survive in death, | |
| Even in divorce united. | 20 |
| Weak Love through fortune or distrust | |
| In time forgets to burn, | |
| But this pursues us to the Urn, | |
| And marries either's Dust. | |
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