Poems upon several occasions with a voyage to the Island of Love. By Mrs A. Behn |
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To the Lovely Witty Astræa, on her Excellent Poems.
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 | Poems upon several occasions |  |
To the Lovely Witty Astræa, on her Excellent Poems.
Oh, wonder of thy Sex! Where can we see,
Beauty and Knowledge join'd except in thee?
Such pains took Nature with your Heav'nly Face,
Form'd it for Love, and moulded every Grace;
I doubted first and fear'd that you had been
Unfinish'd left like other She's within:
I see the folly of that fear, and find
Your Face is not more beauteous than your Mind:
Whoe'er beheld you with a Heart unmov'd,
That sent not sighs, and said within he lov'd?
I gaz'd and found, a then, unknown delight,
Life in your looks, and Death to leave the sight.
What joys, new Worlds of joys has he possest,
That gain'd the sought-for welcome of your Breast?
Beauty and Knowledge join'd except in thee?
Such pains took Nature with your Heav'nly Face,
Form'd it for Love, and moulded every Grace;
Unfinish'd left like other She's within:
I see the folly of that fear, and find
Your Face is not more beauteous than your Mind:
Whoe'er beheld you with a Heart unmov'd,
That sent not sighs, and said within he lov'd?
I gaz'd and found, a then, unknown delight,
Life in your looks, and Death to leave the sight.
What joys, new Worlds of joys has he possest,
That gain'd the sought-for welcome of your Breast?
Your Wit wou'd recommend the homeliest Face,
Your Beauty make the dullest Humour please;
But where they both thus gloriously are join'd,
All Men submit, you reign in every Mind.
What Passions does your Poetry impart?
It shews th'unfathom'd thing a Woman's Heart,
Tells what Love is, his Nature and his Art,
Displays the several Scenes of Hopes and Fears,
Love's Smiles, his Sighs, his Laughings and his Tears
Each Lover here may reade his different Fate,
His Mistress kindness or her scornfull hate.
Come all whom the blind God has led astray,
Here the bewildred Youth is shew'd his way:
Guided by this he may yet love and find
Ease in his Heart, and reason in his Mind.
Your Beauty make the dullest Humour please;
But where they both thus gloriously are join'd,
All Men submit, you reign in every Mind.
What Passions does your Poetry impart?
It shews th'unfathom'd thing a Woman's Heart,
Tells what Love is, his Nature and his Art,
Displays the several Scenes of Hopes and Fears,
Love's Smiles, his Sighs, his Laughings and his Tears
Each Lover here may reade his different Fate,
His Mistress kindness or her scornfull hate.
Come all whom the blind God has led astray,
Here the bewildred Youth is shew'd his way:
Guided by this he may yet love and find
Ease in his Heart, and reason in his Mind.
Thus sweetly once the charming W---lr strove
In Heavenly sounds to gain his hopeless Love:
All the World listned but his scornfull Fair,
Pride stopt her ears to whom he bent his prayer.
In Heavenly sounds to gain his hopeless Love:
All the World listned but his scornfull Fair,
Pride stopt her ears to whom he bent his prayer.
Much happier you that can't desire in vain,
But what you wish as soon as wish'd obtain.
But what you wish as soon as wish'd obtain.
| Poems upon several occasions | |