FINIS.

THE Ladies Choice: 
A POEM.

LONDON

Printed, and Sold by J.  How, and B.  Bragg, at the Blew-Ball in Avemary-Lane, next Ludgate-Street, 1702.

THE LADIES CHOICE.

    Melissa Belinda.

  Melissa.

Prithee, Belinda (for thou know’st I’m Young,
Unskill’d in Arts that to our Sex belong)
Thy wiser Counsels to my Youth impart;
Teach me at once to Love, and Guard my Heart;
That I have Wit, can Sing and Dance you know,
And the Men tell me I am Pretty too;
I now have Fifteen pleasing Summers seen,
And have been Courted by twice Fifteen Men;
Still fresh Pretenders do my Peace Invade,
They Write, they Visit, Sigh and Serenade,
And try allways to Catch a Harmless Maid.

Then since our Virgin Thoughts are apt to Rove,
And few escape that Noble Passion Love,
Teach me, Belinda, by thy Arts to Chuse
What Suiters to Admit, and which Refuse._

  Belinda.

Melissa, I am glad you’re so Discreet, } For, that to more Experience you’ll submit, } Argues your want of Vanity, not Wit. }

And yet, my Dear, ‘tis difficult t’ Advise, }
Fools are so Plenty, and so Scarce the Wise:  }
To judge of Men, we shou’d not Trust our Eyes; }
Outward Appearance may Delude the Sight;
Nor is it good to gaze too near the Light: 
For tho’ your Beauty, like a Painted Scene,
May Dang’rous prove to the Vile Race of Men,
Who at the greater distance do Admire,
And shun the heat of Love’s Important Fire. 
Whose Little God, like lesser Thieves, unseen, }
Steals to our Hearts, we scarce know how or when, }
His Standard hoists and Guards the Fort Within; }
Then like a Tyrant does our Peace Controul,
And absolutely Lords it o’er the Soul: 
Thus, with your Heart, your Fortune he’ll Dispose: 
He does the Man, you but the Husband chuse. 
And tho’ a Fool, you must the Wretch receive;
For where we Love, we soon our Persons give.

Therefore, Melissa, wisely Guard your Heart;
What Nature won’t defend, defend by Art: 

Shun, I advise you, most Devoutly shun,
Those Servile Apes that swarm about the Town;
Pert, Noisie Coxcombs, Self-admiring Beaux,
Known by their want of Wit, and Gawdy Cloaths: