Commentary and a note on the text TK. This is a reading text, with no pretense to being a critical edition.
To the Fair ClarindaWho Made Love to Me, Imagin’d More than Woman |
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| Fair lovely Maid, or if that Title be | ||
| Too weak, too Feminine for Nobler thee, | ||
| Permit a Name that more Approaches Truth: | ||
| And let me call thee, Lovely Charming Youth. | ||
| This last will justifie my soft complainte, [5] | ||
| While that may serve to lessen my constraint; | ||
| And without Blushes I the Youth persue, | ||
| When so much beauteous Woman is in view | ||
| Against thy Charms we struggle but in vain | ||
| With thy deluding Form thou giv’st us pain, [10] | ||
| While the bright Nymph betrays us to the Swain. | ||
| In pity to our Sex sure thou wer’t sent, | ||
| That we might Love, and yet be Innocent: | ||
| For sure no Crime with thee we can commit; | ||
| Or if we shou’d — thy Form excuses it. | ||
| For who, that gathers fairest Flowers believes [15] | ||
| A Snake lies hid beneath the Fragrant Leaves. | ||
| Thou beauteous Wonder of a different kind, | ||
| Soft Cloris with the dear Alexis join’d; | ||
| When e’er the Manly part of thee, wou’d plead | ||
| Thou tempts us with the Image of the Maid, [20] | ||
| While we the noblest Passions do extend | ||
| The Love to Hermes, Aphrodite the Friend. |