University of Virginia Library

Respect.

I.

Him whom you see so awful and severe,
Is call'd Respect, the eldest Son of Love;
Esteem his Mother is, who, every where,
Is the best Advocate to gain the Fair,
And knows the most obliging Arts to move:
Him you must still caress, and, by his Grace,
You'll conquer all the Beauties of the Place.
To gain him, 'tis not Words will do;
His Rhetorick is the Blush and Bow.

14

II.

He does require that you should silent be,
And understand no Language, but from Eyes;
Or Sighs, the soft Complaints of Cruelty,
Which soonest move the Heart they would surprize.
They, like the Fire in Limbecks, gently move;
What Words (too hot and fierce) destroy,
These by Degrees infuse a lasting Love,
Whilst those do soon burn out the short-blaz'd Joy.
Instructed thus, I my Address direct
To gain the pow'rful Advocate Respect;
Whom I soon won to favour my Design,
To which young Love his promis'd Aid did join.
This wak'd Aminta, who, with trembling Fear,
Wonder'd to see a Stranger enter'd there;
With timorous Eyes she does the Grove survey;
Where are my Loves? she cries; All fled away!
And left me in this gloomy Shade alone,
And with a Man! alas! I am undone!
Then strove to fly; but I all prostrate lay,
And grasping fast her Robe, oblig'd her Stay.
Cease, lovely charming Maid, oh! cease to fear,
I faintly cry'd, no savage Beast is near;
I am of human Race, whom Beauty awes,
And born an humble Slave to all her Laws:
Besides, we're not alone, within the Grove
Behold Respect, and the young God of Love.

15

How can you fear the Man who, with these two,
In any Shade or Hour approaches you?
Thus by Degrees her Courage took its Place,
And usual Blushes dress'd again her Face;
Then with a charming Air her Hand she gave,
Soft bad me rise, and said she did believe.
And now my Conversation does permit;
But oh! the Entertainment of her Wit,
Beyond her Beauty, did my Soul surprize;
Her Tongue had Charms more pow'rful than her Eyes.
Ah! Lysidas! had'st thou a List'ner been
To what she said, tho' her thou ne'er had'st seen,
Without the Sense of Sight, thou had'st a Captive been.
Guess at my Fate!—But after having spoke
Many indiff'rent Things, her Leave she took.
The Night drew on, and now my Thoughts opprest,
I minded neither where, nor when to rest;
When my Conductor, Love, whom I pursu'd,
Led to a Place he call'd Inquietude.