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(From Rawlinson MS., Poet. 94)
NAY, Silvia, now you’re cruel grown; | |
| I’ll swear you most unjustly frown. | |
| I only asked (in vain) to taste | |
| What you denied with mighty haste; | |
| I asked—but I’m ashamed to tell | 5 |
| What ’twas you took so wondrous ill— | |
| A kiss. But with a coy disdain | |
| You view’d my sighings and my pain: | |
| ’Twas but a civil small request, | |
| Yet with proud looks and hand on breast, | 10 |
| You cried “I’m not so eager to be kiss’d.” | |
| But case that I had loosed your gown, | |
| And then by force had laid you down, | |
| And with unruly hands had teased you,— | |
| Too justly then I had displeased you. | 15 |
| Or had I (big with wanton joys) | |
| Engaged you for a brace of boys, | |
| Then basely left you full of nature,— | |
| This would have been provoking matter. | |
| But I, poor harmless civil I, | 20 |
| Begg’d for the meanest coolest joy, | |
| And saw denial in your eye; | |
| For with a squeamish glance you cried, | |
| “I hate the nauseous bliss.” | |
| “’Tis well,” said I; “since I’m denied, | 25 |
| For rocks of diamonds I’ll not kiss.” | |
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