Oracles from the Poets: A Fanciful Diversion for the Drawing Room

Amusements; Fortune-telling; Quotations, English

NEVILL.--Know'st thou how slight a thing a woman is?

    SCUDMORE.--Yes; and how serious too.

            NATHANIEL FIELD--

            _Woman's a Weathercock. A Comedy_.

            From Lamb's Specimens of Old Dramatic Poets.




WHAT IS YOUR CHARACTER?


LADY.


    1.  None know thee but to love thee,
        None name thee but to praise.

            HALLECK.


    2.  Oh, thou wilt ever be what now thou art,
        Nor unbeseem the promise of thy spring;
        As fair in form, as warm, yet pure in heart,
        Love's image upon earth without its sting.

            BYRON.


    3. Ever o'er thy soul a shadow lies,
       Still darkest, when life wears the sunniest skies;
       And even when with bliss thy heart beats high,
       The swell subsides into a plaintive sigh.

            MRS. PIERSON.


    4.  Sometimes will you laugh, and sometimes cry,
        Then sudden you wax wroth, and all you know not why.

            THOMSON.


    5.  Thou doest little kindnesses,
          Which most leave undone or despise;
        For naught that sets one heart at ease,
        And giveth happiness or peace,
          Is low esteemed in thy eyes.

            JAMES R. LOWELL.


    6.  Thou art merry and free,
          Thou carest for naebody,
        If naebody care for thee.

            BURNS.


    7.  Women love you, that you are a woman
        More worth than any man; men, that you are
        The rarest of all women.

            _Winter's Tale._


    8.  Not only good and kind,
        But strong and elevated is thy mind;
        A spirit that with noble pride
        Can look superior down
        On fortune's smile or frown;
        That can, without regret or pain,
        To virtue's lowest duty sacrifice.

            LORD LYTTLETON.


    9.  At table you are scrupulous withal;
        No morsel from your lips do you let fall,
        Nor in your sauce will dip your fingers deep.
        Well can you carry a morsel, and well keep,
        That not a drop e'er falls upon your breast.
        In courtesy your pleasure much doth rest.
        Your dainty upper lip you wipe so clean,
        That in your cup there is no farthing seen
        Of grease, when you have drunk; and for your meat,
        Full seemly bend you forward on your seat.

            CHAUCER.


    10.  You have a natural, wise sincerity,
         A simple truthfulness;
         And though yourself not unacquaint with care,
         Have in your heart wide room.

            JAMES R. LOWELL.


    11. What you do
        Still betters what is done; when you speak, sweet,
        We'd have you do it ever.

            _Winter's Tale._


    12. An inward light to guide thee,
          Unto thy soul is given,
        Pure and serene as its divine
          Original in heaven.

            JAMES ALDRICH.


    13. You have no gift at all in shrewishness,
        You are a right woman for your cowardice.

            _Midsummer Night's Dream._

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Oracles from the Poets: A Fanciful Diversion for the Drawing Room

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