SONNET 30 When to the sessions of sweet silent thought
I summon up remembrance of things past,
I sigh the lack of many a thing I sought,
And with old woes new wail mydear time's waste:
Then can I drown an eye, unused to flow,
For precious friends hid in death's dateless night,
And weep afresh love's long since cancelled woe,
And moan the expense of manya vanished sight:
Then can I grieve at grievances foregone,
And heavily from woe to woe tell o'er
The sad account of fore-bemoaned moan,
Which I new pay as if not paid before.
But if the while I think on thee, dear friend,
All losses are restor'd and sorrows end. This is one of the most pensive and gentle of the sonnets. It links in closely with the previous one, both in thought and layout. The discontent with life which was expressed there still remains in this one, as the poet surveys his past life and all the sorrows it has brought him.
The language is quasi-legal, possibly based on that appropriate to a manorial court investigating discrepancies in its accounts. Hence terms like, waste, expense, grievance, cancelled, tell o'er, paid before, are employed. When the account is finally reckoned up, with his dear friend added to the balance sheet, the discrepancies and losses disappear, and all sorrow is outweighed by the joy of remembering him. This is one of the most pensive and gentle of the sonnets. It links in closely with the previous one, both in thought and layout. The discontent with life which was expressed there still remains in this one, as the poet surveys his past life and all the sorrows it has brought him.
The language is quasi-legal, possibly based on that appropriate to a manorial court investigating discrepancies in its accounts. Hence terms like, waste, expense, grievance, cancelled, tell o'er, paid before, are employed. When the account is finally reckoned up, with his dear friend added to the balance sheet, the discrepancies and losses disappear, and all sorrow is outweighed by the joy of remembering him. Such is the course that nature's kind hath wrought That snakes have time to cast away their stings; Gainst chained prisoners what need defence be sought? The fierce lion will hurt no yelden things. Why should such spite be nursed in thy thought, Sith all these powers are pressed under thy wings, And thou seest and reason thee hath taught What mischief malice many ways it brings. Consider eke that spite availeth naught; Therefore this song thy fault to thee it sings; Displease thee not, for saying thus me thought, Nor hate thou him from whom no hate forth springs; For furies that in hell be execrable, For that they hate are made most miserable. Such is the course that natures kind hath wrought That snakes have time to cast away their stynges; Ainst chainde prisoners what nede defence be sought? The fierce lyon will hurt no yelden thinges. Why should such spite be nursed in thy thought, Sith all these powers are prest under thy wnges; And thou sest and reason thee hath taught What mischief malice many waies it brings. Consider eke that spight availeth naught; Therefore this song thy fault to thee it singes; Displease thee not, for saiying thus, me thought, Nor hate thou him from whom no hate forth springes; For furies that in hell be execrable, For that they hate are made most miserable. NOTES yelden = yielded, submissive.sith = since.peare = appear.pressed = gathered, impressed, as in an army.What mischief etc. = what evil malice brings in its train by divers means.eke = also.for saying thus me thought = for thus speaking to you my thoughts.For that = because.
