Admiration
Thee, Delia, all that see thee must admire,And mankind in its own despite desire.
As a blind man, restor'd to sudden sight,
Starts in amaze at the first flash of light,
So was I struck, such sudden wonder knew,
When my eyes dazzl'd with the sight of you.
I saw whatever could inflame desire,
Parch up the veins, and set the blood on fire;
From ev'ry charm the pointed lightning came,
And fast as they dispers'd, I caught the flame;
Like stars your glittering eyes were seen to shine,
And roll with motions that are all divine,
Where majesty and softness mingled meet,
And shew a soul at once sublime and sweet;
I gaz'd; and, as I gaz'd, from ev'ry view
New wonders I descried, new passions drew.
Nor were the charms less pow'rful of your tongue,
My ravished soul on ev'ry accent hung,
Glow'd when you spoke, and melted when you sung.
Those lips unopen'd cannot fail to move,
But silently are eloquent in love;
That face and neck, those shoulders, hands, and arms,
Each limb, each feature, has peculiar charms;
Each of itself might singly win a soul,
And never need th' assistance of the whole;
On this one part a poet's praise might dwell,
Did not this other part deserve as well.
Beauty is surely near allied to wit,
Of which none can the just description hit;
By their own selves they may be shewn the best,
And only are, in being seen, exprest.
Beauty's true charms no poem can present,
Which but imperfectly are done in paint;
That, too, comes short of life, and only takes
Faint images of those which nature makes.
