Arthur Quiller-Couch, ed. 1919. The Oxford Book of English Verse: 1250–1900.
William Congreve. 16701729432. A Hue and Cry after Fair Amoret
FAIR Amoret is gone astray— | |
Pursue and seek her, ev’ry lover; | |
I’ll tell the signs by which you may | |
The wand’ring Shepherdess discover. | |
Coquette and coy at once her air, | 5 |
Both studied, tho’ both seem neglected; | |
Careless she is, with artful care, | |
Affecting to seem unaffected. | |
With skill her eyes dart ev’ry glance, | |
Yet change so soon you’d ne’er suspect them, | 10 |
For she’d persuade they wound by chance, | |
Tho’ certain aim and art direct them. | |
She likes herself, yet others hates | |
For that which in herself she prizes; | |
And, while she laughs at them, forgets | 15 |
She is the thing hat she despises. |