 | Decius and Paulina |  |
SCENE III.
Simo, and Ida.Simo.
Ida,—
Ida.
What says my Simo dear?
Sim.
The Golden Hopes are fled:
Fantastick Sex! Ah, silly Pride,
A Gift of such a Price to scorn!
5
'Tis not Virtue, but 'tis Vice
To be so reserv'd and nice:
To be so reserv'd and nice:
When they are so richly hir'd,
Why should they doubt,
And why stand out,
When so little is requir'd?
Why should they doubt,
And why stand out,
When so little is requir'd?
'Tis not Virtue, but 'tis Vice
To be so reserv'd and nice.
To be so reserv'd and nice.
Id.
Must Women then, because they bloom in Charms,
Strait fall into th'expecting Lover's Arms?
Sim.
Why not?—The mellow Pear, we see,
If over-ripe, forsakes the Tree.
Ida.
Were we so courteous, and so forward found,
We soon might lie neglected on the Ground.
I would that Woman
Should yield to no Man,
Or Love like Autumn-Fruit bestow;
No, no, 'tis Reason,
You nick the Season,
And take the Trouble to shake the Bough.
Should yield to no Man,
Or Love like Autumn-Fruit bestow;
6
You nick the Season,
And take the Trouble to shake the Bough.
Sim.
Can cruel Ida then consent
To give her Simo Discontent?
And let him dwindle, till he but discover
The meagre Shadow of a lusty Lover?
Take me, while this Bloom and Grace
Give a Lustre to my Face:
Give a Lustre to my Face:
E'er this Shape and Mien forsake me,
Age unnerve, or Palsies shake me,
E'er Old Time my Strength destroy,
And I grow unfit for Joy.
Age unnerve, or Palsies shake me,
E'er Old Time my Strength destroy,
And I grow unfit for Joy.
Take me, while this Bloom and Grace
Give a Lustre to my Face.
Give a Lustre to my Face.
Ida.
Simo, thou know'st how much I love,
How much thy beauteous Form I prize,
7
But, ah! 'tis wond'rous, wond'rous sweet,
To have a Lover
Some Pains discover,
And sigh, and languish at our Feet.
To have a Lover
Some Pains discover,
And sigh, and languish at our Feet.
Freely would I to thy Arms
Give up all my youthful Charms,
And thy gen'rous Passion meet:
Give up all my youthful Charms,
And thy gen'rous Passion meet:
But, ah! 'tis wondrous, wondrous sweet,
To have a Lover
Some Pains discover,
And sigh, and languish at our Feet.
To have a Lover
Some Pains discover,
And sigh, and languish at our Feet.
Sim.
Soft! Decius comes; my Duck, retire:
'Twere well to be unseen, till we
Can with more welcome Tidings greet him.
[Exeunt.
| Decius and Paulina | |