The text comes from Philips’s Poems by the Most Deservedly Admired Mrs. Katherine Philips, the Matchless Orinda (1667).
| Let dull Philosophers enquire no more | ||
| In Nature’s womb, or Causes strive t’explore, | ||
| By what strange harmony and course of things | ||
| Each body to the whole a tribute brings; | ||
| 5 | What secret unions secret Neighbourings make, | |
| And of each other how they do partake. | ||
| These are but low Experiments: but he | ||
| That Nature’s harmony intire would see, | ||
| Must search agreeing Souls, sit down and view | ||
| 10 | How sweet the mixture is, how full, how true; | |
| By what soft touches Spirits greet and kiss, | ||
| And in each other can complete their bliss. | ||
| A wonder so sublime, it will admit | ||
| No rude Spectator to contemplate it. | ||
| 15 | The Object will refine, and he that can | |
| Friendship revere must be a noble man. | ||
| How much above the common rate of things | ||
| Must they then be from whom this Union springs? | ||
| But what’s all this to me, who live to be | ||
| 20 | Disprover of my own Morality? | |
| And he that knew my unimproved Soul, | ||
| Would say I meant all Friendship to controul. | ||
| But Bodies move in time, and so must Minds; | ||
| And though th’attempt no easie progress finds, | ||
| 25 | Yet quit me not, lest I should desp’rate grow, | |
| And to such Friendship adde some Patience now. | ||
| O may good Heav’n but so much Vertue lend, | ||
| To make me fit to be Lucasia’s Friend! | ||
| But I’le forsake my self, and seek a new | ||
| 30 | Self in her breast that’s for more rich and true. | |
| Thus the poor Bee unmark’d doth hum and flye, | ||
| And droan’d with age would unregarded dye, | ||
| Unless some lucky drop of precious Gum | ||
| Do bless the Insect with an Amber-tomb. | ||
| 35 | Then glorious in its funeral the Bee | |
| Gets Eminence, and gets Eternity. |