A Dialogue between the Soul and Body (1681) / Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) Soul. O Who shall, from this Dungeon, raise A Soul inslav’d so many wayes? With bolts of Bones, that fetter’d stands In Feet; and manacled in Hands. Here blinded with an Eye; and there Deaf with the drumming of an Ear. A Soul hung up, as ’twere, in Chains Of Nerves, and Arteries, and Veins. Tortur’d, besides each other part, In a vain Head, and double Heart. Soul. What Magick could me thus confine Within anothers Grief to pine? Where, whatsoever it complain, I feel, that cannot feel, the pain. And all my Care its self employs, That to preserve, which me destroys: Constrain’d not only to indure Diseases, but, whats worse, the Cure: And ready oft the Port to gain, Am Shipwreckt into Health again. Body. O who shall me deliver whole, From bonds of this Tyrannic Soul ? Which, stretched upright, impales me so, That mine own Precipice I go; And warms and moves this needless frame: (A Fever could but do the Body. But Physick yet could never reach The Maladies Thou me dost teach; Whom first the Cramp of Hope does Tear: And then the Palsie Shakes of Fear.
A Dialogue between the Soul and Body (1681) / Andrew Marvell
(1621-1678)Soul. O Who shall, from this Dungeon, raiseA Soul
inslavd so many wayes?With bolts of Bones, that fetterd standsIn
Feet and mana!led in "ands#"ere blinded with an $ye and thereDeaf
with the drumming of an $arA Soul hung u%, as twere, in
&hainsOf 'erves, and Arteries, and (eins#)orturd, besides ea!h
other %art,In a vain "ead, and double "eart#Soul. What *agi!+ !ould
me thus !on,neWithin anothers -rief to %ine?Where, whatsoever it
!om%lain,I feel, that !annot feel, the %ain#And all my &are its
self em%loys,)hat to %reserve, whi!h me destroys.&onstraind not
only to indureDiseases, but, whats worse, the &ure.And ready
oft the /ort to gain,Am Shi%wre!+t into "ealth again#Body.O who
shall me deliver whole,From bonds of this )yranni! Soul ?Whi!h,
stret!hed u%right, im%ales me so, )hat mine own /re!i%i!e I go!And
warms and moves this needless frame.0A Fever !ould but do the
same#1And, wanting where its s%ight to try,"as made me live to let
me dye#A Body that !ould never rest,Sin!e this ill S%irit it
%ossest#Body.But /hysi!+ yet !ould never rea!h)he *aladies )hou me
dost tea!h!Whom ,rst the &ram% of "o%e does)ear.And then the
/alsie Sha+es of Fear#)he /estilen!e of 2ove does heat. Or "atreds
hidden 3l!er eat#4oys !heerful *adness does %er%le5. Or Sorrows
other *adness ve5#Whi!h 6nowledge for!es me to +now And *emory will
not foregoe#What but a Soul !ould have the wit)o build me u% for
Sin so ,t?So Ar!hite!ts do s7uare and hew-reen )rees that in the
Forest grew#
