To One Persuading A Lady To Marriage

Forbear, bold youth; all 's heaven here,

And what you do aver

To others courtship may appear,

'Tis sacrilege to her.

She is a public deity;

And were 't not very odd

She should dispose herself to be

A petty household god?

First make the sun in private shine

And bid the world adieu,

That so he may his beams confine

In compliment to you:

But if of that you do despair,

Think how you did amiss

To strive to fix her beams which are

More bright and large than his.