The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore Collected by Himself. In Ten Volumes |
 | I, II. |
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| III, IV. |
| V. |
| VI, VII. |
| VIII, IX. |
| X. |
 | The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore |  |
314
THE SALE OF LOVES.
I dreamt that, in the Paphian groves,
My nets by moonlight laying,
I caught a flight of wanton Loves,
Among the rose-beds playing.
Some just had left their silv'ry shell,
While some were full in feather;
So pretty a lot of Loves to sell,
Were never yet strung together.
Come buy my Loves,
Come buy my Loves,
Ye dames and rose-lipp'd misses!—
They're new and bright,
The cost is light,
For the coin of this isle is kisses.
My nets by moonlight laying,
I caught a flight of wanton Loves,
Among the rose-beds playing.
Some just had left their silv'ry shell,
While some were full in feather;
So pretty a lot of Loves to sell,
Were never yet strung together.
Come buy my Loves,
Come buy my Loves,
Ye dames and rose-lipp'd misses!—
They're new and bright,
The cost is light,
For the coin of this isle is kisses.
First Cloris came, with looks sedate,
The coin on her lips was ready;
“I buy,” quoth she, “my Love by weight,
“Full grown, if you please, and steady.”
“Let mine be light,” said Fanny, “pray—
“Such lasting toys undo one;
“A light little Love that will last to day,—
“To-morrow I'll sport a new one.”
Come buy my Loves,
Come buy my Loves,
Ye dames and rose-lipp'd misses!—
There's some will keep,
Some light and cheap,
At from ten to twenty kisses.
The coin on her lips was ready;
“I buy,” quoth she, “my Love by weight,
“Full grown, if you please, and steady.”
315
“Such lasting toys undo one;
“A light little Love that will last to day,—
“To-morrow I'll sport a new one.”
Come buy my Loves,
Come buy my Loves,
Ye dames and rose-lipp'd misses!—
There's some will keep,
Some light and cheap,
At from ten to twenty kisses.
The learned Prue took a pert young thing,
To divert her virgin Muse with,
And pluck sometimes a quill from his wing,
To indite her billet-doux with.
Poor Cloe would give for a well-fledg'd pair
Her only eye, if you'd ask it;
And Tabitha begg'd, old toothless fair,
For the youngest Love in the basket.
Come buy my Loves, &c. &c.
To divert her virgin Muse with,
And pluck sometimes a quill from his wing,
To indite her billet-doux with.
Poor Cloe would give for a well-fledg'd pair
Her only eye, if you'd ask it;
And Tabitha begg'd, old toothless fair,
For the youngest Love in the basket.
Come buy my Loves, &c. &c.
But one was left, when Susan came,
One worth them all together;
At sight of her dear looks of shame,
He smiled, and pruned his feather.
She wish'd the boy—'twas more than whim—
Her looks, her sighs betray'd it;
But kisses were not enough for him,
I ask'd a heart, and she paid it!
Good-by, my Loves,
Good-by, my Loves,
'Twould make you smile to've seen us
First trade for this
Sweet child of bliss,
And then nurse the boy between us.
One worth them all together;
316
He smiled, and pruned his feather.
She wish'd the boy—'twas more than whim—
Her looks, her sighs betray'd it;
But kisses were not enough for him,
I ask'd a heart, and she paid it!
Good-by, my Loves,
Good-by, my Loves,
'Twould make you smile to've seen us
First trade for this
Sweet child of bliss,
And then nurse the boy between us.
| The Poetical Works of Thomas Moore | |