I Only begg'd to kiss your hand,
You said your lips I might command;
Shou'd I now ask those lips to kiss
Wou'd you not grant a greater bliss?
LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT.
I Owe, says Metius, much to Colon's care;
Once only seen, he chose me for his heir:
True, Metius; hence your fortunes take their rise;
His heir you were not, had he seen you twice.
FROM M. COTIN.
I Perish of too much desire,
If she inexorable prove;
And shall with too much joy expire,
If she be gracious to my love.
Thus nought can cure my wounded breast,
But I most certain am to die,
Or by the ill by which possest,
Or by the happy remedy.
ON A PHYSICIAN TURNED ARCHITECT. FROM BOILEAU.
I Said, (but what then?) for I never meant you, That a murdering quack had forsaken his trade, And luckily turning his mind on Vitru,
Had hit on a science for which he was made. But my judgment in hinting at you I should wrong; For I neither condemn, nor commend without
Then, prithee, how could I mean thee in my song, Who, indeed, art a quack, but art not a good mason?
VERY BEAUTIFUL, AND OF GREAT QUICK
I Sing the boy, who, gagg'd and bound,
Has been, by nature, robb'd of sound;
Yet has she found a gen'rous way,
One loss, by many gifts, to pay.
His voice indeed she close confin'd;
But bless'd him with a speaking mind:
And ev'ry muscle of his face
Discourses with peculiar grace:
The ladies, tattling o'er their tea,
Might learn to charm, by copying thee.
If silence thus can man become,
All women-beauties should be dumb.
Then, happy boy, no more complain;
Nor think thy loss of speech a pain:
Nature has us'd thee like good liquor;
And cork'd thee, but to make thee quicker.
I Stole from sweet Lucy two kisses in play,
But she from myself stole myself quite away;"
I grieve not I play'd, though so cruel the sport;
I'm more pleas'd with the play, than I'm griev'd at
the hurt.
ON A CRUEL CREDITOR.
I Will make dice of's bones, so doth he cry,
Who has the debtor in captivity.
Take heed, there's none will pity thy disaster,
When Lucifer, at last, cries, Come, the caster.
I Wish-nor ever wish thee ill!
I wish thee all thy heart's desire: Mary! if just, may time fulfil
The wish that friendship doth inspire.
I wish thee, Dear! a sacred boon,
Nay Heaven importune to bestow it,
I wish thee married, Girl, and soon;
But wish thou ne'er may'st wed a Poet!
THE REAL WONDER.
I Wonder'd not when I was told
The venal Scot his country sold;
But this I very much admire,
Where the deuce he found a buyer!
TO ALCHYMISTS..
IF all you boast of your great art be true,
Sure, willing poverty lives most in you.
IF at his title T had dropp'd his quill,
Tmight have past for a great genius still:
But Talas! (excuse him if you can)
Is now a scribbler, who was once a man.
KITTY'S PICTURE.
IF beauteous Kitty boasts a charm,
Her picture boasts the same;
With life the glowing cheeks are warm,
The sparkling eyes on flame.
How bold the strokes! how free the air!
The colours how laid on!
We think 'twill leave the canvas bare,
And walk, and talk, anon.
So far, dear painter, all is well;
And could'st thou more express,
Howe'er thy art the most excel,
Thy piece would please the less.
For he that Kitty's picture makes,
Make's beauty's self appear;
But, if it speaks as Kitty speaks,
"Tis folly's self we hear.
IF Ben to Charles a legacy has given,
The grateful Charles now wishes him-in heaven.
IF breath were made for every man to buy,
The poor man could not live, the rich man would not die.
ON A FEATHER IN A LADY'S HAIR.
IF C―rn but wear it, a feather's a charm:
Ah! who can be safe, when a feather can harm?
Since first I beheld, what a life have I led!
All joy and content with that feather are fled.
Fly, youth, from this beauty, whoever thou art;
And, warn'd by the feather, beware of the dart.
ON SEEING A NARCISSUS IN THE BOSOM OF A BEAUTIFUL YOUNG LADY.
IF Chloe's swelling seat of joy.
Had been thy blissful bier,
Then had'st thou died, enamour'd Boy!
Not for thyself-but her.
FROM SIR THOMAS MORE.
IF evils come not, then our fears are vain:
And, if they do, fear but augments the pain.
IF for one only horn
Which nature to him gave,
So famous is the noble unicorn,
What praise should that man have,
Whose head a lady brave
Doth with a goodly pair at once adorn?
IF Heaven be pleased when Sinners cease to sin,
If Hell be pleased when Souls are damned therein,
If Earth be pleased when its rid of a knave,
Then all are pleased, for Coleman's in his grave.
PECUNIARY FORESIGHT.
IF I have bought a horse by chance,
A picture, or a clock from France-
Straight Gripus, wealthier than a Jew,
My intimate, and kinsman too,
Beginning for his purse to fear,
Thus mutters, just to reach my ear:
"I've three-and-twenty pounds to pay
"For candles, coals, and beer, to-day:
My old coach vampt, and harness piec'd,
"Will cost me twenty more, at least;
Besides, I owe a hundred still
"For my late Uncle's funeral bill;
And, damme, if I've got a souse
"In bank, just now, or at my house."-
Oh, what a man of deep design,
Is this same intimate of mine!
Good Jew, 'tis hard enough, God knows,
To shrink when I the loan propose:
But ah, 'tis barbarous ten times more,
To shrink and put me off before.
THE LADY'S WISH.
IF it be true, celestial pow'rs,
That you have form'd me fair;
And yet, in all my vainest hours,
My mind has been my care:
Then, in return, I beg this grace;
As you were ever kind,
What envious time takes from my face,
Bestow upon my miud.
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