TO Love thy neighbour as thy self, will prove The Summ of Virtue; yet Selflove The total is of Vice. Unhappy riddle this, That thine own Rule should perfect be To all the World besides, but not to thee. 2 When self-conceited Lucifer so high Did soar on wings of Philauty, The foolish Gallant fell As low as lowest hell. Corrupted Good's the worst of Evil: As God is Love himself, Selflove's a Devil. 3 No Hate's so dangerous as Selflove, by which We ask our own selvs to death bewitch. Ask but Narcissus what Inchanted him to that Dainty, but deadly fate, & He Will answer, 'Twas Selflove which drowned Me. 4 Do's not thy sober indignation rise Against false-hearted Flatteries Which only tickle thee Into a Fallacie? How dar'st thou then take such delight In being thine own constant Parasite? 5 Would'st love thyself indeed? come then & throw Thy hate at what thou lovest now. 'Tis not thy Self, but thy Passions & Lusts which ly In thy loves arms; all other Foes God bids thee love, I grant, but never those. 6 Thy Soule's thy Self, & what thy God did make; Not what thy Sinns: Mend that Mistake, And then Selflove will be Ev'n Virtues self to thee. Thy riddle then will cease, and thou By Self-loves rule mayst charity bestow. | Discover our Poem Explanations and Poet Analyses!Other Poems of Interest...EPITAPH: IN OBITUM M.S. XO MAIJ, 1614 by WILLIAM BROWNE (1591-1643) THE CORRELATION by EDMUND CHARLES BLUNDEN THE BAR VERSUS THE DOCKET by JOHN GARDINER CALKINS BRAINARD THE DEATH OF SCHILLER by WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT CLYTEMNESTRA by EDWARD ROBERT BULWER-LYTTON |