William Cartwright (dramatist)

"There are two Births, the one when Light First strikes the new awak’ned sense; The Other when two Souls unite; And we must count our life from thence: When you lov’d me, and I lov’d you, Then both of us were born anew.Love then to us did new Souls give, And in those Souls did plant new pow’rs; Since when another life we live, The Breath we breathe is his, not ours; Love makes those young, whom Age doth Chill, And whom he finds young, keeps young still."

"She who to Heaven more heaven doth annex, Whose lowest Thought was above all our Sex, Accounted nothing Death but t’be Repriv’d, And dyed as free from sickness as she liv’d. Others are dragg’d away, or must be driven, She only saw her time and stept to Heaven."

"I can hear thee curse, yet chase thee; Drink thy tears, yet still embrace thee. Easie riches is no treasure; She that’s willing, spoils the pleasure. Love bids learn the restless fight, Pull and struggle whilst ye twine: Let me use my force to night, The next conquest shall be thine."

"Give me a Girl, if one I needs must meet, Or in her nuptial, or her Winding-sheet; I know but two good Hours that Women have, One in the Bed, another in the Grave, Thus of the whole Sex all I would desire, Is to enjoy their Ashes or their Fire."