Classic Poem

Thou both at once, a Friend, and Mistress art,
With Love, and Faith, to gain, and keep a Heart;
Who Pleasure dost of either Kind afford,
The best Companion art, at Bed, and Board;
We Two, by thy Twin-Sex, may make up Three,
But better Company, than Two to be,
I neither way, can weary prove of Thee;
Who art at once, my Mistress, and my Friend,
Which Thee does not disparage, but commend;
So, for thy Credit, not thy Shame, is it,
Thou art a sociable Hermaphrodite;
Canst entertain the Body, and the Mind,
At once to Two, canst Loving prove, and Kind,
An Am'rous Mistress be, and Faithful Friend;
Can both oblige, but neither can Offend:
At once a Woman, and a lovely Boy,
To double with thy Double-Sex, our Joy;
If a Fair Maid's Variety of Charms,
Entices more, brisk Lovers, to her Arms;
What must Variety of Sexes do?
To make a Man your Friend, and Gallant too;
Thou, Kind She! Dear Sir! hast a Remedy,
Nay, th'only One, for Man's Inconstancy,
To make Thee, to both Kinds, best Company;
Who hast alone, Variety in Thee,
Such, as in none, of either Sex, can be;
Variety, which no one Woman can,
Afford, in Love, or Friendship, to one Man;
Masculine Sense, and Truth, in Thee, we find,
Not to be found in single Woman-kind;
And with them too, soft Female Arts are join'd;
At once Man's Friendship, Woman's Love, to gain,
Nay Friendship, after Love too, to maintain;
Which, in the Man's Use, of a Mistress, ends,
At once you please your Lovers, and your Friends,
Your Wit, makes for Loves Follies, still Amends;
When all your Woman's Parts, may tedious grow,
Your Manly Parts, will keep us true to you;
No Love, or Sense, is by Thee, pall'd, or tir'd,
In Thee, a Friend, and Mistress, I've acquir'd,
By Friendship to be sought, by Love desir'd;
None (with Love sated) need leave Thee, to find
A good Companion, or a dear She-Friend;
Since in Thee, they may still have both in One,
Thy Charms remain, when thy Loves Joys are done;
You thus intirely captivate both Kinds,
In whom each, various Satisfaction finds;
The Double-Sex then, shou'd not be thy Shame,
Securing thy Male-Honour, Female-Fame;
Which makes Thee, sociable, dear Twin! to prove,
As fit for Friendship, as Thou art for Love;
Thou! the just Wonder then, of Nature art,
Male, in Thy Sense, yet Female in Thy Heart:
Woman in Body, Man in Sense, or Mind,
Tho' Female, Faithful, tho' a Man, a Friend;
Thus of each others Company, shall we,
Tho' still together, but less weary be,
Who, shall be more all One, for being Three;
Since 'tis, but our Love of Variety,
Makes one to t'other, better Company;
Thou art, my Mistress, and my Rival so,
My Love's Temptation, and its Hind'rance too,
Riddle of Nature, which, like Riddles, we
Admire, till known, and what thou art, we see;
For other Women to be felt is Shame,
Thy letting no one feel Thee, turns Thy Blame;
So that, if you wou'd for a Woman go,
Then, for your Honour let me lie with you:
Since a true Woman, wou'd more Scandal gain,
To be thought Man sure, than, to make a Man;
Then, Dear Sir-Madam! for your Honour, let
Me lie with you, a Bastard to beget;
Your Fame, as Woman, but to justifie,
Lest, Men shou'd think Man, with you, cou'd not lie,
Which wou'd be, much more, to your Infamy;
Since we Men, Women, but for that esteem,
But hate 'em, when we cannot lie with them;
When that, we find, (as 'twere,) a Rival has,
To keep us out, possess'd before, the Place;
Which hind'ring any Man, with them to lie,
But keeps 'em Chast, more to their Infamy.