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161
To Amintas, by Mrs. B.
Upon reading the Lives of some of the Romans,
Had'st thou, Amintas, liv'd in that great age,
When hardly Beauty was to nature known,
What numbers to thy side might'st thou engage
And conquer'd Kingdoms by thy looks alone?
When hardly Beauty was to nature known,
What numbers to thy side might'st thou engage
And conquer'd Kingdoms by thy looks alone?
That age when valor they did Beauty name,
When Men did justly our brave sex prefer,
'Cause they durst dye, and scorn the publick shame
Of adding Glory to the conqueror.
When Men did justly our brave sex prefer,
'Cause they durst dye, and scorn the publick shame
Of adding Glory to the conqueror.
162
Had mighty Scipio had thy charming face,
Great Sophonisbe had refus'd to dye,
Her passion o're the sense of her disgrace
Had gain'd the more obliging victory.
Great Sophonisbe had refus'd to dye,
Her passion o're the sense of her disgrace
Had gain'd the more obliging victory.
Nor less wou'd Massanissa too have done,
But to such Eyes, as to his Sword wou'd bow,
For neither sex can here thy fetters shun,
Being all Scipio, and Amintas too.
But to such Eyes, as to his Sword wou'd bow,
For neither sex can here thy fetters shun,
Being all Scipio, and Amintas too.
Had'st thou great Cæsar been, the greater Queen,
Wou'd trembling have her mortal Asps lay'd by,
In thee she had not only Cæsar seen,
But all she did adore in Antony.
Wou'd trembling have her mortal Asps lay'd by,
In thee she had not only Cæsar seen,
But all she did adore in Antony.
Had daring Sextus had thy lovely shape,
The fairest Woman living had not dy'd.
But blest the darkness that secur'd the Rape,
Suffering her Pleasure to have debauch't her Pride.
The fairest Woman living had not dy'd.
But blest the darkness that secur'd the Rape,
Suffering her Pleasure to have debauch't her Pride.
163
Nor had he stoln to Rome to have quencht his fire,
If thee resistless in his Camp he'd seen,
Thy Eyes had kept his virtue all intire,
And Rome a happy monarchy had been.
If thee resistless in his Camp he'd seen,
Thy Eyes had kept his virtue all intire,
And Rome a happy monarchy had been.
Had Pompey lookt like thee, tho he had prov'd
The vanquisht, yet from Egypts faithless King
He had receiv'd the vows of being belov'd,
In stead of Orders for his murdering.
The vanquisht, yet from Egypts faithless King
He had receiv'd the vows of being belov'd,
In stead of Orders for his murdering.
But here, Amintas, thy misfortune lys,
Nor brave nor good are in our age esteem'd,
Content thee then with meaner victorys,
Unless that Glorious age cou'd be redeem'd.
Nor brave nor good are in our age esteem'd,
Content thee then with meaner victorys,
Unless that Glorious age cou'd be redeem'd.
A. B.
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