Samuel Waddington, comp. The Sonnets of Europe. 1888.
Truth and BeautyLupercio Leonardo de Argensola (15591613)
Translated by James Y. Gibson
I
That dame Elvira’s charming red and white,
Though fair they seem, are only hers by right
In that her money purchased their perfection;
But thou must grant as well, on calm reflection,
That her sweet lie hath such a lustre bright,
As fairly puts to shame the paler light,
And honest beauty of a true complexion!
And yet no wonder I distracted go
With such deceit, when ’tis within our ken
That Nature blinds us with the self-same spell;
For that blue Heaven above, that charms us so,
Is neither Heaven nor blue! Sad pity then,
That so much Beauty is not Truth as well!