Sonnet 85
My toung-tide Muse in manners holds her still,
While comments of your praise richly compil'd,
Reserve their Character with goulden quill,
And precious phrase by all the Muses fil'd.
I thinke good thoughts, whilst other write good wordes,
And like unlettered clarke still crie Amen,
To every Himme that able spirit affords,
In polisht form of well refined pen.
Hearing you prais'd, I say 'tis so, 'tis true,
And to the most of praise adde some-thing more,
But that is in my thought, whose love to you
(Though words come hind-most) holds his ranke before.
Then others, for the breath of words respect,
Me for my dombe thoughts, speaking in effect.
Commentary
The first quatrain begins with an opposition set out between the poet's muse who politely (in manners) holds still and the rival poet's muse who expresses herself with 'praise rich'ly compil'd', preserved with a 'golden quill' using precious phrases which appeal to all the muses. 'Reserve their Character' means that the form of the praise is preserved (in writing). 'Their' refers to the comments of praise. It is the same opposition that is set up in the previous sonnets between plain, true, honest-speaking Shakespeare and the learned, flattering devil who uses golden pens and fancy sayings culled from the classics. Quills were filed to a point.
The second quatrain proposes another opposition between the poet, who genuinely thinks good thoughts about the young man, and others who simply write good words. The good Shakespeare also cries 'Amen' to any hymn (himme) written to the young man which is well written.
The third quatrain reinforces these arguments, maintaining that whenever anyone praises the young man, the poet confirms the praise, and that, though his words come last, his love for the young man is the greatest.
The final couplet advises the young man to respect the other poets for their 'breath of words', and the poet himself for his dumb thoughts, which speak for him in deeds (in effect).