Classic Poem

A POEM .

ADDRESSED TO MRS. ERIDGET TONES ,

A young widow lady of Llanelly, Caermarthensbire.

Once Beauty, wishing fond desire to move,
Contriv'd to catch the heart of wand'ring Love.
Come, purest Atoms! Beauty aid implores;
For new soft texture leave ethereal stores.
They come, they crowd, they shining hues unfold,
Be theirs a form which Beauty's self shall mould!
To mould my charmer's form she all apply'd —
Whence Cambria boasts the birth of Nature's pride,
She calls the Graces — Such is Beauty's state,
Prompt at her call th' obedient Graces wait.
First your fair feet they shape, and shape to please;
Each stands design'd for dignity and ease.
Firm on these curious pedestals depend
Two polish'd pillars which as fair ascend;
From well-wrought knees, more fair, more large they rise,
Seen by the Muse, tho' hid from mortal eyes;
More polish'd yet your fabric, each sustains
That purest temple where perfection reigns.
A small sweet circle forms your faultless waist,
By Beauty shap'd, to be by Love embrac'd.
Beyond that less'ning waist two orbs devise;
What swelling charms in fair proportion rise!
Fresh peeping there two blushing buds are found,
Each like a rose, which lilies white surround:
There feeling sense let pitying sighs inspire,
Till panting pity swelis to warm desire:
Desire, tho' warm, is chaste; each warmest kiss
All rapture chaste, when Hymen bids the bliss.
Rounding and soft, two taper arms descend:
Two snow-white hands in taper fingers end.
Lo! cunning Beauty on each palm designs
Love's fortune and your own in mystic lines;
And lovely whiteness either arm contains,
Diversify'd with azure wand'ring veins;
The wand'ring veins conceal a gen'rous flood,
The purple treasure of celestial blood.
Rounding and white your neck, as curious rears,
O'er all a face where Beauty's self appears.
Her soft attendants smooth the spotless skin,
And, smoothly-oval, turn the shapely chin;
The shapely chin to Beauty's rising face
Shall, doubling gently, give a double grace,
And soon sweet op'ning, rosy lips disclose
The well-rang'd teeth in lily whit'ning rows.
Here life is breath'd, and florid life assumes
A breath whose fragrance vies with vernal blooms;
And two fair cheeks give modesty to raise
A beauteous blush at praise, tho' just the praise:
And Nature now, from each kind ray, supplies
Soft clement smiles, and love-inspiring eyes;
New graces to those eyes mild shades allow,
Fringe their fair lids, and pencil either brow;
While sense of vision lights up orbs so rare,
May none but pleasing objects visit there!
Two little porches, (which one sense empow'rs
To draw rich scent from aromatic flow'rs)
In structure neat, and deck'd with polish'd grace,
Shall equal first, then heighten Beauty's face.
To smelling sense, oh! may the flow'ry year
Its first, last, choicest, incense offer here!
Transparent next, two curious crescents bound
The two-fold entrance of inspiring sound,
And granting a new pow'r of sense to hear,
New finer organs from each curious ear,
Form to imbibe what most the soul can move,
Music and reason, poesy and love.
Next on an open front is pleasing wrought
A pensive sweetness, born of patient Thought:
Above your lucid shoulders locks display'd,
Prone to descend, shall soften light with shade;
All with a nameless air and mien unite,
And as you move each movement is delight:
Tun'd is your melting tongue and equal mind,
At once by knowledge heighten'd and refin'd.
The Virtues next to Beauty's nod incline,
For where they lend not light she cannot shine;
Let these the temp'rate sense of taste reveal,
And give while Nature spreads the simple meal,
The palate pure, to relish health design'd,
From luxury as taintless as your mind.
The Virtues chastity and truth impart,
And mould to sweet benevolence your heart.
Thus Beauty finish'd — thus she gains the sway,
And Love still follows where she leads the way.
From ev'ry gift of Heav'n to charm is thine;
To love, to praise, and to adore, be mine.