TO A MILLINER. Forgive me, pale Miss, if you think I am rude, But your mein and your manners declare you a prude; With finicking fingers you coil up the lace, Your caps and your ribbons, with ill-contriv’d grace; O! who but a fool would e’er venture to take, For a bride such a trumpery gingerbread cake; Yet whose humble conceits, without twopence to spare, Would lead her to think she’s a match for a mayor. FROM A TRADESMAN TO HIS VALENTINE. If you’ll my partner be for life, My Valentine I shall regard; But you must be a frugal wife, Because the times are very hard. I’ll give you what is good I vow, And always strive to make you glad; But no extravagance allow, Because the times are very hard. ANSWER OF COMPLIANCE. Content is all that I request, I seek not to be rich or fine; The man who always does his best, Must be a worthy Valentine. I’ll work as well as you, dear Sir, And tho’ of comforts oft debarr’d, Believe me I shall not demur, Because the times I know are hard. ANSWER OF REJECTION. Indeed I doubted your regard, When I perus’d your paltry lines; And must observe, as times are hard, You should not think of Valentines. As I’m at liberty to judge, You are a stingy man I think, And I should be afraid you’d grudge All I sat down to eat and drink. FROM A PERSON OF ANY RANK TO HIS FAVOURITE LADY. As you’re the fair whom I approve, Oh, let us visit Hymen’s shrine, There make our vows of mutual love, And be each other’s Valentine! ANSWER OF COMPLIANCE. You have astonish’d me indeed, And my consent I hereby sign; I’ll follow--if the way you’ll lead-- Your most obedient Valentine. ANSWER OF REJECTION. “Look before you leap,” they say, To the adage I incline; I must think ere I obey, And know well my Valentine. FROM A PERSON OF LOW OCCUPATION TO HIS FAVOURITE LASS. Altho’ my occupation’s mean, I wish my girl to know, On Sundays I am very clean, And seem more high than low. They frequently are found more coarse, Who think themselves more fine-- Take me for better or for worse, And be my Valentine. ANSWER OF COMPLIANCE. The high and low, all, ’tis allow’d, From Adam do arise; And, therefore, I am not so proud, The humble to despise. The lowest man may be sincere, And wherefore should he pine? I therefore am resolv’d to cheer My humble Valentine. ANSWER OF REJECTION. You look too high I must declare, More modest pray appear; And seek a Valentine elsewhere, Within your proper sphere. A servant wench your vows may hear, A bar-maid may incline; But look not higher, or, I fear, You’ll get no Valentine. FROM A WIDOWER TO A LADY.