Youth’s native wildness; yet ‘twas gracious too. A little _Cupid_ waiting by my side, (Who was presented to me for a guide,) Beholding me decline, the Sleeping Maid, To gaze on this Intruder,--Thus he said. RESPECT. I. _Him whom you see so awful and severe,_ _Is call’d_ Respect, _the Eldest Son of_ Love; Esteem _his Mother is; who every where_ _Is the best Advocate to all the fair,_ _And knows the most obliging Arts to move:_ _Him you must still carress, and by his Grace,_ _You’ll conquer all the Beauties of the Place;_ _To gain him ‘tis not Words will do,_ _His Rhetorick is the Blush and Bow._ II. _He even requires that you shou’d silent be,_ _And understand no Language but from Eyes,_ _Or Sighs, the soft Complaints on Cruelty;_ _Which soonest move the Heart they wou’d surprize:_ _They like the Fire in Limbecks gently move._ _What words (too hot and fierce) destroy;_ _These by degrees infuse a lasting Love;_ _Whilst those do soon burn out the short blaz’d Joy._ _These the all-gaining Youth requires,_ _And bears to Ladies Hearts the Lambent Fires;_ _And He that wou’d against despair be proof,_ _Can never keep him Company enough._ Instructed thus, I did my steps direct, Towards the necessary Grave _Respect_, Whom I soon won to favour my design, To which young LOVE his promis’d aid did joyn. This wak’t _Aminta_, who with trembling fear, Wonder’d to see a stranger enter’d there; With timorous Eyes the Grove she does survey, Where are my LOVES, she crys! all fled away? And left me in this gloomy shade alone? And with a Man! Alas, I am undone. Then strove to fly; but I all prostrate lay, And grasping fast her Robe, oblig’d her stay; Cease, lovely Charming Maid, Oh cease to fear, I faintly cry’d,--There is no _Satyr_ near; I am of humane Race, whom Beauty Aws, And born an humble Slave to all her Laws; Besides we’re not alone within the Grove, Behold _Respect_, and the young God of LOVE: How can you fear the Man who with these two, In any Shade or hour approaches you? Thus by degrees her Courage took its place; And usual Blushes drest again her Face, Then with a Charming Air, her Hand she gave, She bade me rise, and said she did believe. And now my Conversation does permit; But oh the entertainment of her Wit, Beyond her Beauty did my Soul surprize, Her Tongue had Charms more pow’rful than her Eyes! Ah _Lysidas_, hadst thou a list’ner been } To what she said; tho’ her thou ne’re had’st seen, } Without that Sense, thou hadst a Captive been. } Guess at my Fate,--but after having spoke, Many indifferent things: Her leave she took.