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Occasions Off-spring

Or Poems upon Severall Occasions: By Mathew Stevenson
 

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A young Gentleman to his Lady, who lookt upon him as too immature.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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1

A young Gentleman to his Lady, who lookt upon him as too immature.

MADAM,

I love you, should I not do so,
I were an Anchorite and my Breast like Snow:

9

Yes I do love, and humbly here commence
Affection ushererd in with Reverence.
Deigne but your-lilly hand, No bold desire
Shall wing up my ambition any higher.
Nay if that be too much, let me descry
My rudeness chastiz'd in your scornfull eye.
I must confess these early years of mine
May look on, but not love Women nor Wine:
Not love sayd I? who can but love a face
So winning unless of Deucalions race?
Yet while I love and in my breast enshrine yee
It don't to pitty, but contempt incline yee.
Nature will lend my lip a cloak, And than
I may profess, I want not zeal, though man:
My statures small, And Cupid cannot find
Me yet; Shrubs loose th' advantage of the wind:
Yet should I love thus young, I might produce
Such presidents would warrant my excuse;
And yours too, Sapho sum'd up all her joy
In the embrace of a Cicilian boy
The Queen of Greece lov'd Theseus but a Lad,
And Cytharea her Adonis had.
Nay, Love himself that God, is but a Child,
Shall I then be for want of years exil'd?
Yea I have heard fair Damsels say, In truth
Of all that love, give me the Smooth-chin'd Youth.
True I am young, and thence I dare approve
My non-acquaintance with the slights of love.
You are that wounded me the first and all:
Blame me not then that come at the first call.