T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.
The Bashful Lover
By Lewis Theobald (16881744)(From The Lady’s Triumph, c. 1729) ON a Bank of Flowers in a Summer’s Day, | |
Inviting and undressed, | |
In her Bloom of Years bright Celia lay, | |
With Love and Sleep oppress’d; | |
When a youthful Swain with admiring Eyes | 5 |
Wish’d he durst the fair Maid surprise, | |
With a Fa, la, la, &c. | |
But feared approaching Spies. | |
As he gazed, a gentle Breeze arose, | |
That fanned her Robes aside; | 10 |
And the sleeping Nymph did the Charms disclose, | |
Which, waking, She would hide, | |
Then his Breath grew short, and his Pulse beat high, | |
He longed to touch what he chanced to spy; | |
With a Fa, la, la, &c. | 15 |
All amazed he stood, with her Beauties fired | |
And blessed the courteous Wind; | |
Then in Whispers sighed, and the Gods desir’d, | |
That Celia might be kind, | |
Then with Hope grown bold, he advanced again; | 20 |
But she laughed loud in a Dream, and, again, | |
With a Fa, la, la, &c. | |
Repell’d the tim’rous Swain. | |
Yet when once Desire has inflamed the Soul, | |
All modest Doubts withdraw; | 25 |
And the God of Love does each Fear control, | |
That would the Lover awe. | |
Shall a Prize like this, says the vent’rous Boy, | |
’Scape, and I not the Means employ, | |
With a Fa, la, la, &c. | 30 |
To seize the proffer’d Toy? | |
Here the glowing Youth, to relieve his Pain, | |
The slumb’ring Maid caressed; | |
And with trembling Hands (O the simple Swain!) | |
Her glowing Bosom pressed: | 35 |
When the Virgin waked, and affrighted flew, | |
Yet looked, as wishing he would pursue, | |
With a Fa, la, la, &c. | |
But Damon miss’d his Cue. | |
Now, repenting that he had let her fly, | 40 |
Himself he thus accused; | |
What a dull and stupid Thing was I | |
That such a chance abused? | |
To my Shame ’twill now on the Plains be said, | |
Damon a Virgin asleep betrayed, | 45 |
With a Fa, la, la, &c. | |
Yet let her go a Maid. | |