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To a Painted Lady
LEAVE these deluding tricks and shows,
Be honest and downright;
What Nature did to view expose,
Don't you keep out of sight.
The novice youth may chance admire
Your dressings, paints and spells;
But we that are expert desire
Your sex for somewhat else.
In your adored face and hair,
What virtue could you find,
If women were like angels fair,
And every man were blind?
You need no pains or time to waste
To set your beauties forth,
With oils, and paint, and drugs, that cost
More than the face is worth.
Nature her self, her own work does
And hates all needless arts,
And all your artificial shows
Disgrace your nat'ral parts.
You're flesh and blood and so are we,
Let flesh and blood alone,
To love all compounds hateful be:
Give me the pure, or none.
ANTI-POLITITIAN
COME leave thy care, and love thy friend;
Live freely, don't despair,
Of getting money there's no end,
And keeping it breeds care.
If thou hast money at thy need,
Good company, and good wine,
His life, whose joys on wealth do feed,
's not half so sweet as thine.
I can enjoy myself and friends,
Without design or fear,
Below their envy, or base ends,
That politicians are.
I neither toil, nor care, nor grieve,
To gather, keep, or lose;
With freedom and content I live,
And what's my own I use.
While men blown on with strong desires
Of riches or renown,
Though ne'er so high, would be still higher,
So tumble headlong down.
For princes' smiles turn oft to frowns,
And favours fade each hour;
He that to day heaps towns on towns,
To morrow's clapped i'th'Tower.
All that we get by all our store,
's but honour or dominion;
The one's but trouble varnished o'er,
And t'other's but opinion.
Fate rules the roost, times always change;
'Tis fancy builds all things;
How madly then our minds do range,
Since all we grasp hath wings.
Those empty terms of rich and poor,
Comparison hath framed;
He hath not much that covets more,
Want is
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