 | Poems on several occasions |  |
523
TO MISS B., ON HER GOING AWAY FROM THE WELLS AT NORTHAW, 1718.
How pleasing to the fair and gay,
To meet and dance, and chat and play,
Where well-placed tapers' friendly light
Affords advantage to the sight!
Each virgin seems of finer mould,
And brighter show the gems and gold.
The more distinguish'd youth and maids
Sweat beneath velvet and brocades.
In vain the lovely breast is bare,
And, glowing, rises to the air:
In vain the spacious rounds below
Draw all the breath the winds can blow;
Nay, give to the licentious eye
The garter'd knee or snowy thigh:
For music, motion, youth conspire
To' increase the heat and fan the fire,
To kindle and to feed a flame
Which all their waters cannot tame.
To meet and dance, and chat and play,
Where well-placed tapers' friendly light
Affords advantage to the sight!
Each virgin seems of finer mould,
And brighter show the gems and gold.
The more distinguish'd youth and maids
Sweat beneath velvet and brocades.
In vain the lovely breast is bare,
And, glowing, rises to the air:
In vain the spacious rounds below
Draw all the breath the winds can blow;
Nay, give to the licentious eye
The garter'd knee or snowy thigh:
For music, motion, youth conspire
To' increase the heat and fan the fire,
To kindle and to feed a flame
Which all their waters cannot tame.
Lives there whose fancy, wisely chaste,
Can scorn the pleasure she can taste?
Who, free to praise and skill'd to know
The well-dress'd belle and finish'd beau,
Yet ne'er essay'd admired to be
For dress transcending her degree;
Whose bloom of youth would ne'er endure
A mode enticing and impure;
Who, far from sullen and from proud,
Courts not applauses of a crowd;
Yet knows the sprightly dance to lead
With measured, graceful, easy tread;
And, sure of pleasing by her stay,
Can nobly choose to go away;
Gay and well-humour'd, when she flies;
Without degrading others, wise?
And can there such a virgin be?
There can, there is; and thou art she!
Can scorn the pleasure she can taste?
Who, free to praise and skill'd to know
The well-dress'd belle and finish'd beau,
Yet ne'er essay'd admired to be
For dress transcending her degree;
Whose bloom of youth would ne'er endure
A mode enticing and impure;
524
Courts not applauses of a crowd;
Yet knows the sprightly dance to lead
With measured, graceful, easy tread;
And, sure of pleasing by her stay,
Can nobly choose to go away;
Gay and well-humour'd, when she flies;
Without degrading others, wise?
And can there such a virgin be?
There can, there is; and thou art she!
| Poems on several occasions | |