Poems on several occasions By the late Edward Lovibond |
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TO A YOUNG LADY, Who objected to sup with a Party of both sexes, that met at a Coffee-House. |
 | Poems on several occasions |  |
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TO A YOUNG LADY, Who objected to sup with a Party of both sexes, that met at a Coffee-House.
O far from Caroline, so soft a maid,
Be cruel coyness, pride, and cold disdain!
Who now of man, the monster man, afraid,
Flies the gay circle of the social train.
Be cruel coyness, pride, and cold disdain!
Who now of man, the monster man, afraid,
Flies the gay circle of the social train.
Away vain fears! away suspicious dreams,
From Beauty, Virtue, Tenderness, and Truth;
From eyes that dawn with Wisdom's mildest beams,
From harmless smiles that wait on gentle Youth.
From Beauty, Virtue, Tenderness, and Truth;
From eyes that dawn with Wisdom's mildest beams,
From harmless smiles that wait on gentle Youth.
125
Far other years and other nymphs befit
The prudish form, and high forbidding brow;
With others dwell, or frowns or scornful wit,
With nymphs less innocent, less fair than thou:
The prudish form, and high forbidding brow;
With others dwell, or frowns or scornful wit,
With nymphs less innocent, less fair than thou:
With her, whose youth, of Virtue's mild controul
Impatient, rush'd on wanton wild desires;
Now Prayer or Scandal cheers the gloomy soul
That pines in secret with forbidden fires:
Impatient, rush'd on wanton wild desires;
Now Prayer or Scandal cheers the gloomy soul
That pines in secret with forbidden fires:
Or her that triumph'd in her lover's sighs,
As round their brows the willow garlands bend;
She now dejected, now deserted lies,
Without a lover, and without a friend!
As round their brows the willow garlands bend;
She now dejected, now deserted lies,
Without a lover, and without a friend!
Another fate is youthful Virtue's share:
Come with the Graces, gentle maid, along;
Come, fairest thou among the young and fair,
To lead the dance, or join the virgins' song,
Come with the Graces, gentle maid, along;
Come, fairest thou among the young and fair,
To lead the dance, or join the virgins' song,
126
Come listen to the tale that youths complain,
To thousand vows, in amorous sighs addrest;
Propitious listen to the raptur'd strain,
When chaste majestic passions swell the breast.
To thousand vows, in amorous sighs addrest;
Propitious listen to the raptur'd strain,
When chaste majestic passions swell the breast.
Too long exterior charms of radiant eyes,
And blushing cheeks, the captive sense controul;
Thy forms, fair Harmony, too long we prize,
Forget the fairer, more harmonious soul.
And blushing cheeks, the captive sense controul;
Thy forms, fair Harmony, too long we prize,
Forget the fairer, more harmonious soul.
Too long the lovers for an empty Fair
At heedless ease inglorious arts advance;
Enough for them to deck the flowing hair,
Or flutter gaudy with the pride of France.
At heedless ease inglorious arts advance;
Enough for them to deck the flowing hair,
Or flutter gaudy with the pride of France.
From Worth with Beauty nobler lessons taught,
Each youth that languishes, his flame shall prove
By generous action or heroic thought,
And merit fame by arts that merit love.
Each youth that languishes, his flame shall prove
By generous action or heroic thought,
And merit fame by arts that merit love.
127
Shall once again the Grecian lyre be strung,
Restoring Hymen's mild Arcadian reign?
Shall patriot Eloquence instruct the tongue,
And spoils be gather'd from the martial plain?
Restoring Hymen's mild Arcadian reign?
Shall patriot Eloquence instruct the tongue,
And spoils be gather'd from the martial plain?
O! far unlike to such celestial flame
The passion kindled from impure desires;
Fatal to Friends, to Fortune, and to Fame,
The momentary flash in night expires.
The passion kindled from impure desires;
Fatal to Friends, to Fortune, and to Fame,
The momentary flash in night expires.
Love's lambent fire that beams from Virtue's rays,
Each sordid passion as it burns, refin'd,
Still bright and brighter with benignant blaze
Embraces friends, a country, humankind.
Each sordid passion as it burns, refin'd,
Still bright and brighter with benignant blaze
Embraces friends, a country, humankind.
| Poems on several occasions | |