Mary Wortley Montagu (Мэри Уортли Монтегю)

Answered, for Lord William Hamilton

Good Madam, when ladies are willing,
A man must needs look like a fool;
For me, I would not give a shilling
For one who would love out of rule.
You should leave us to guess by your blushing,
And not speak the matter so plain;
'Tis ours to write and be pushing,
'Tis yours to affect a disdain.
That you're in a terrible taking,
By all these sweet oglings I see;
But the fruit that can fall without shaking,
Indeed is too mellow for me.

Mary Wortley Montagu’s other poems:

  1. Town Eclogues: Wednesday; the Tête à Tête
  2. Epilogue to Mary Queen of Scots
  3. To Mr. ——
  4. Impromptu, to a Young Lady Singing
  5. Epistle to Lord Hervey on the King’s Birthday from the Country




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