SOPHIA’S REPLY


 

My child—said a mother, with caution severe—
    I hope you will never forget,
That modesty’s traces ought always appear
    In the form where true beauties are met.

’Tis this is the glory and pride of the fair
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    Adding lustre to every grace—
Surrounded by gallants, then strictly beware
    Of that full gaze of thine in their face! [Page 195]

Let thy long lashes bind thy regards to the earth,
    And evade the rude glance of each youth—
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Thus emotions of rapture thou’lt quickly give birth,
    And the flame thou awaken’st be truth.

Look downward, Mama!—said the maid in surprise—
    Hide the beauties that nature has given?—
As well might we think of averting our eyes
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    From the blue smiling lustre of heaven.

In periods gone by, might the maidens consent
    To retract their young charms from the view,
When religion’s or coquetry’s arrows were spent—
    But at this day, such tales!—and from you!—
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The men may look down, as subdued by our charms,
    Till we bid the mild suiters look up—
And fear or exult, in the power of our arms,
    Impell’d by despair or by hope. [Page 196]

From man we emerge, as the sunbeams of light
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    Cluster round the meridian sun’s rim—
Then why not the purest best arrows of sight,
    Be incessantly levelled at him! [Page 197]