The early poems of John Clare 1804-1822: General editor Eric Robinson: Edited by Eric Robinson and David Powell: Associate editor Margaret Grainger |
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A FEW HINTS TO A MAIDEN
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 | The early poems of John Clare |  |
A FEW HINTS TO A MAIDEN
After Hearing Her Laughing & Diverting Herself & Company With Railing at Anothers Misfortune
To Laugh at others & their faults expose
To take a pleasure in anothers woes
Seems quite as bad by those it is exprest
As is the scandal by the wretch poses'd
Who jeers misfortunes laughs at their expence
Tis but a Witness of their want of Sense
To take a pleasure in anothers woes
Seems quite as bad by those it is exprest
As is the scandal by the wretch poses'd
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Tis but a Witness of their want of Sense
Then lovley Girl resist so mean a vice
& pay attention to a friends advice
Nor frown offence on what he humbly moves
He loves the greater were he most reproves
He owns thy Beauty blossoms all divine
But Beautys frail & blossoms will decline
& while thy lustre blooms its brighter Ray
He only wishes those foul weeds away
That serve to poison while they're left to spred
With deep'ning shades that beautious white & Red
The fairest flowers will stain from lightest dyes
& faults less practis'd will the most supprise
Then charming creature from such vice Refrain
So fair thy beauty & so apt to stain
So free from failings of the slightest mould
How triumphs slander if he gets but hold
& pay attention to a friends advice
Nor frown offence on what he humbly moves
He loves the greater were he most reproves
He owns thy Beauty blossoms all divine
But Beautys frail & blossoms will decline
& while thy lustre blooms its brighter Ray
He only wishes those foul weeds away
That serve to poison while they're left to spred
With deep'ning shades that beautious white & Red
The fairest flowers will stain from lightest dyes
& faults less practis'd will the most supprise
Then charming creature from such vice Refrain
So fair thy beauty & so apt to stain
So free from failings of the slightest mould
How triumphs slander if he gets but hold
—Near think by making others faults your scorn
Those charms of thine to heighten & adorn
The victors valour is no more compleat
Then is the vanquish'd's lessen'd by defeat
No Worth & honour takes a differ'nt range
& mercy spares where malice might revenge
Those charms of thine to heighten & adorn
The victors valour is no more compleat
Then is the vanquish'd's lessen'd by defeat
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& mercy spares where malice might revenge
—But when such meaness Beautys charms preceede
They only serve to magnify the deed
Superior talents trifles more demean
As smallest spots on snow are soonest seen
& more then this Defficiency of praise
In slanders ear some Jealousys may raise
The world from this may hint suspicious thoughts
Tho blind to worth she never winks at faults
Her chief delight exposes them to view
& ne'er fails adding somthing more than true
They only serve to magnify the deed
Superior talents trifles more demean
As smallest spots on snow are soonest seen
& more then this Defficiency of praise
In slanders ear some Jealousys may raise
The world from this may hint suspicious thoughts
Tho blind to worth she never winks at faults
Her chief delight exposes them to view
& ne'er fails adding somthing more than true
What others want—and we so quickly see
Betrays in us the like difficensy
Old sayings hint that ‘Medlers are the Worst’
& Proverbs tell us ‘Rotten stakes crack first’
Those faults which others do the most contemn
Are often prov'd the most belov'd by them
Maids rail at Whores—as whores would maidens blame
Only as each could like to be the same
Then from such meaness lovly Girl desist
If tis not fact tis common at the least
For folks to think—& mind if you pursue
They'll be as apt to think the same of You
Betrays in us the like difficensy
Old sayings hint that ‘Medlers are the Worst’
& Proverbs tell us ‘Rotten stakes crack first’
Those faults which others do the most contemn
Are often prov'd the most belov'd by them
Maids rail at Whores—as whores would maidens blame
Only as each could like to be the same
Then from such meaness lovly Girl desist
If tis not fact tis common at the least
For folks to think—& mind if you pursue
They'll be as apt to think the same of You
| The early poems of John Clare | |