Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, ON WOMEN, by THOMAS WARTON THE ELDER


Poetry Explorer

Classic and Contemporary Poetry

ON WOMEN, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Three talents to the fair belong
Last Line: While thus th' inchanted rashly help it on.
Subject(s): Love; Man-woman Relationships; Men; Virtue; Women; Male-female Relations


I.
THREE Talents to the Fair belong,
Beauty, Cunning, and a Tongue;
By which Men lose these other Three,
Reason, Time, and Liberty:
Great is th' Advantage when their Pow'r they try,
In killing those that still desire to die.

II.
What triple Panoply, my Friend,
From Beauty's Darts can Souls defend?
Tho' sullen Satan never lov'd,
Yet this unlucky Truth he prov'd,
That Man by Woman might be manag'd best,
He ruin'd Eve, so left to her the rest.

III.
Yet, partial Muse, forbear to blame
The Fair for this increasing Flame;
Each Lover is their easy Prey,
And those who will be Captives may:
The Loss is sure that with Desire is sought,
We know the Snare, yet labour to be caught.

IV.
No Wonder then old Mico's Breast,
At Sixty-five is still possest;
Cupid in Time grows past Controul,
Enthron'd within our inmost Soul;
For Love's a Charm that ne'er can be undone,
While thus th' Inchanted rashly help it on.





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