The works of Lord Byron A new, revised and enlarged edition, with illustrations. Edited by Ernest Hartley Coleridge and R. E. Prothero |
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 | The works of Lord Byron |  |
63
TO THE SIGHING STREPHON.
1
Your pardon, my friend,If my rhymes did offend,
Your pardon, a thousand times o'er;
From friendship I strove,
Your pangs to remove,
But, I swear, I will do so no more.
2
Since your beautiful maid,Your flame has repaid,
No more I your folly regret;
She's now most divine,
And I bow at the shrine,
Of this quickly reforméd coquette.
3
Yet still, I must own,I should never have known,
From your verses, what else she deserv'd;
64
I pitied your fate,
As your fair was so dev'lish reserv'd.
4
Since the balm-breathing kissOf this magical Miss,
Can such wonderful transports produce;
Since the “world you forget,
When your lips once have met,”
My counsel will get but abuse.
5
You say, “When I rove,”“I know nothing of love;”
'Tis true, I am given to range;
If I rightly remember,
I've lov'd a good number;
Yet there's pleasure, at least, in a change.
6
I will not advance,By the rules of romance,
To humour a whimsical fair;
65
Yet a frown will affright,
Or drive me to dreadful despair.
7
While my blood is thus warm,I ne'er shall reform,
To mix in the Platonists' school;
Of this I am sure,
Was my Passion so pure,
Thy Mistress would think me a fool.
8
And if I should shun,Every woman for one,
Whose image must fill my whole breast;
Whom I must prefer,
And sigh but for her,
What an insult 'twould be to the rest!
9
Now Strephon, good-bye;I cannot deny,
Your passion appears most absurd;
66
Is pure love, indeed,
For it only consists in the word.
| The works of Lord Byron | |