Shakespeare's Sonnets (1923) Yale/Text/Sonnet 84
84
Who is it that says most, which can say more
Than this rich praise,—that you alone are you,
In whose confine immured is the store
Which should example where your equal grew? 4
Lean penury within that pen doth dwell
That to his subject lends not some small glory;
But he that writes of you, if he can tell
That you are you, so dignifies his story. 8
Let him but copy what in you is writ,
Not making worse what nature made so clear,
And such a counterpart shall fame his wit,
Making his style admired everywhere. 12
You to your beauteous blessings add a curse,
Being fond on praise, which makes your praises worse.
3, 4 In whose confine . . . equal grew; cf. n.
10 clear: glorious
11 counterpart: reproduction
fame: give fame to
13 beauteous blessings: blessings of beauty
14 Being fond . . . praises worse; cf. n.