 | Miscellanies (1785) |  |
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PLEASING AND TEASING.
A SONG.
I
Fair Rosamond long young Palemon ador'd,For pastime in bed, and for pleasures at board;
Their pleasures, at first, were the pleasures of pleasing,
Till such things gave way to—the transports of teasing.
II
When at night she withdrew to the soft scene of rest,'Twas “Palemon, my dearest, my sweetest, my best!”
'Twas then she enjoy'd all the pleasures of pleasing,
But rose in the morn to—the transport of teasing.
255
III
All mild as she came from the bosom of blisses,Yet thrilling with passion, yet soften'd by kisses,
The sighs that broke from her were tenderly pleasing,
And yet all gave way to the transport of teasing.
IV
“By my love of a coach (cries the fair in a rage)Your form and your sense can no longer engage;
Since we both are grown tired with pleasures of pleasing,
I'm resolv'd to enjoy all—the transports of teasing.”
V
“Let us part, then, to-morrow,” Palemon replies.“To-night, if you please (the fair Rosamond cries)
I've a man in thy eye—for the pleasures of pleasing,
And I'll leave to Palemon—the transports of teasing.
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VI
“Call a hack there this minute, and let me depart,Wherever I go, I take with me my heart;
I take with me too all the pleasures of pleasing,
While I leave to Palemon—the transports of teasing.
VII
The hackney was call'd, and away the fair drove,From all the delights of Palemon and love;
For tho' hundreds appear'd for the transports of teasing,
Alas! she found none for the pleasures of pleasing.
VIII
“Ah hang it! (she cries) what a sad life is this!No joy in the chariot, no heaven in the kiss;
In the day I have lost e'en the transports of teasing,
In the night I have lost too the pleasures of pleasing.
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IX
“If thus I'm condemn'd like a stoic to sit,Neither touch'd by soft passion, nor tickled by wit;
Ah! give me, kind gods, the dear pleasures of pleasing,
And mix along with them the transports of teasing.
X
“Oh! would but Palemon receive me again,Give one hand to rapture, and one hand to pain;
I plainly perceive, in the cup that's most pleasing
Ye have generously squeezed the acid of teasing.”
XI
To give both the lemon and sugar, was just;'Tis the punch of existence, and drink it we must,
If at night we may quaff the full goblet of pleasing,
Let us patiently swallow the bumper of teasing.
| Miscellanies (1785) | |