T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
The Forward Love
By Sir Charles Sedley (1639–1701)(Works, 1722) TUSH! never tell me I’m too young | |
| For loving, or too green; | |
| She stays at least seven Years too long, | |
| That’s wedded at Eighteen. | |
| Lambs bring forth Lambs, and Doves bring Doves, | 5 |
| As soon they’ve begotten: | |
| Then why should ladies linger Loves, | |
| As if not ripe till rotten? | |
| Grey Hairs are fitter for the Grave | |
| Than for the bridal Bed, | 10 |
| What Pleasure can a Lover have | |
| In a withered Maidenhead? | |
| Nature’s exalted in our Time, | |
| And what our Grandames then | |
| At Four and Twenty scarce could climb, | 15 |
| We can arrive at Ten. | |