Sonnet 84: Who Is It That Says Most, Which Can Say More

William Shakespeare

Who is it that says most, which can say more,
Than this rich praisethat you alone are you,
In whose confine immurd is the store
Which should example where your equal grew?
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.
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 admird everywhere.
You to your beauteous blessings add a curse,
Being fond on praise, which makes your praises worse.

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