Art of Love
- 1.437.501
Extremely flatter and extremely pray.
- 1.437.502
Priam by pray'rs did Hector's body gain;
- 1.437.503
Nor is an angry god invok'd in vain.
- 1.437.504
With promis'd gifts her early mind bewitch,
- 1.437.505
For e'en the poor in promise may be rich.
- 1.437.506
Vain hopes awhile her appetite will stay;
- 1.437.507
'Tis a deceitful, but commodious way.
- 1.437.508
Who gives is mad ; but make her still believe
- 1.437.509
'Twill come, and that's the cheapest way to give.
- 1.437.510
E'en barren lands fair promises afford,
- 1.437.511
But the lean harvest cheats the starving lord.
- 1.437.512
Buy not thy first employment, lest it prove
- 1.437.513
Of bad example to thy future love ;
- 1.437.514
But get it gratis, and she'll give thee more,
- 1.437.515
For fear of losing what she gave before.
- 1.437.516
The losing gamester shakes the box in vain,
- 1.437.517
And bleeds, and loses on, in hopes to gain.
- 1.437.518
Write then, and in thy letter, as I said,
- 1.437.519
Let her with mighty promises be fed.
- 1.437.520
Cydyppe by a letter was betray'd,
- 1.437.521
Writ on an apple to th' unwary maid;
- 1.437.522
She read herself into a marriage vow,
- 1.437.523
(And every cheat in love the gods allow.)
- 1.437.524
Learn eloquence, ye noble youth of Rome,-
- 1.437.525
It will not only at the bar o'ercome:
- 1.437.526
Sweet words the people and the senate move;
- 1.437.527
But the chief end of eloquence is love.
- 1.437.528
But in thy letter hide thy moving arts,
- 1.437.529
Affect not to be thought a man of parts;
- 1.437.530
None but vain fools to simple women preach:
- 1.437.531
A learned letter oft has made a breach.
- 1.437.532
In a familiar style your thoughts convey,
- 1.437.533
And write such things as, present, you would say;
- 1.437.534
Such words as from the heart may seem to move;
- 1.437.535
'Tis wit enough to make her think you love.
- 1.437.536
If seal'd she sends it back, and will not read,
- 1.437.537
Yet hope, in time, the business may succeed.
- 1.437.538
In time the steer will to the yoke submit,
- 1.437.539
In time the restive horse will bear the bit.
- 1.437.540
E'en the hard ploughshare use will wear away,
- 1.437.541
And stubborn steel in length of time decay.
- 1.437.542
Water is soft and marble hard, and yet
- 1.437.543
We see soft water through hard marble eat.
- 1.437.544
Though late, yet Troy at length in flames expir'd;
- 1.437.545
And ten years more, Penelope had tir'd.
- 1.437.546
Perhaps she writes, and answers with disdain,
- 1.437.547
And sharply bids you not to write again:
- 1.437.548
What she requires, she fears you would accord;
- 1.437.549
The jilt would not be taken at her word.
- 1.487.550
Meantime, if she be carried in her chair,
- 1.487.551
Approach, but do not seem to know she's there:
- 1.487.552
Speak softly, to delude the standers by;
- 1.487.553
Or, if aloud, then speak ambiguously.
- 1.487.554
If sauntering in the portico she walk,
- 1.487.555
Move slowly too, for that's a time for talk;
- 1.487.556
And sometimes follow, sometimes be her guide,
- 1.487.557
But when the crowds permit, go side by side.
- 1.487.558
Nor in the playhouse let her sit alone,
- 1.487.559
For she's the playhouse and the play in one;
- 1.487.560
There thou may'st ogle, or by signs advance
- 1.487.561
Thy hand, and seem to touch her hand by chance.
- 1.487.562
Admire the dancer who her liking gains,
- 1.487.563
And pity in the play the lover's pails ;
- 1.487.564
For her sweet sake the loss of time despise,
- 1.487.565
Sit while she sits, and when she rises rise.
- 1.487.566
But dress not like a fop, nor curl your hair,
- 1.487.567
Nor with a pumice make your body bare;
- 1.487.568
Leave those effeminate and useless toys
- 1.487.569
To eunuchs, who can give no solid joys.
- 1.487.570
Neglect becomes a man-this Theseus found;
- 1.487.571
Uncurl'd, uncomb'd, the nymphs his wishes crowned.
- 1.487.572
The rough Hippolytus was Phaedra's care,
- 1.487.573
And Venus thought the rude Adonis fair.
- 1.487.574
Be not too finical, but yet be clean,
- 1.487.575
And wear well fashioned clothes, like other men;
- 1.487.576
Let not your teeth be yellow or be foul,
- 1.487.577
Nor in wide shoes your feet too loosely roll.
- 1.487.578
Of a black muzzle and long beard beware,
- 1.487.579
And let a skilful barber cut your hair;
- 1.487.580
Your nails be pick'd from dirt, and even par'd;
- 1.487.581
Nor let your nasty nostrils bud with beard.
- 1.487.582
Cure your unsav'ry breath; gargle your throat;
- 1.487.583
And free your armpits from the ram and goat.
- 1.487.584
Dress not, in short, too little or too much;
- 1.487.585
And be not wholly French nor wholly Dutch.
- 1.525.586
Now Bacchus calls me to his jolly rites:
- 1.525.587
Who would not follow when a god invites?
- 1.525.588
He helps the poet, and his pen inspires;
- 1.525.589
Kind and indulgent to his former fires.
- 1.525.590
Fair Ariadne wander'd on the shore
- 1.525.591
Forsaken now; and Theseus loves no more;
- 1.525.592
Loose was her gown, dishevel'd was her hair,
- 1.525.593
Her bosom naked, and her feet were bare;
- 1.525.594
Exclaiming, on the water's brink she stood,
- 1.525.595
Her briny tears augment the briny flood;
- 1.525.596
She shriek'd and wept, and both became her face,
- 1.525.597
No posture could that heav'nly form disgrace.
- 1.525.598
She beat her breast: - "The traitor's gone," said she;
- 1.525.599
"What shall become of poor forsaken me?
- 1.525.600
What shall become-" She had not time for more,
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