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| THE FAIR Pamela came to town, | |
| To London town, in early summer; | |
| And up and down and round about | |
| The beaux discussed the bright new-comer, | |
| With “Gadzooks, sir,” and “Ma’am, my duty,” | 5 |
| And “Odds my life, but ’t is a Beauty!” | |
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| To Ranelagh went Mistress Pam, | |
| Sweet Mistress Pam so fair and merry, | |
| With cheeks of cream and roses blent, | |
| With voice of lark and lip of cherry. | 10 |
| Then all the beaux vow’d ’t was their duty | |
| To win and wear this country Beauty. | |
| |
| And first Frank Lovelace tried his wit, | |
| With whispers bold and eyes still bolder; | |
| The warmer grew his saucy flame, | 15 |
| Cold grew the charming fair and colder. | |
| ’T was “icy bosom”—“cruel beauty”— | |
| “To love, sweet Mistress, ’t is a duty.” | |
| |
| Then Jack Carew his arts essayed, | |
| With honeyed sighs and feignëd weeping. | 20 |
| Good lack! his billets bound the curls | |
| That pretty Pam she wore a-sleeping. | |
| Next day these curls had richer beauty, | |
| So well Jack’s fervor did its duty. | |
| |
| Then Cousin Will came up to view | 25 |
| The way Pamela ruled the fashion; | |
| He watched the gallants crowd about, | |
| And flew into a rustic passion,— | |
| Left “Squire, his mark,” on divers faces, | |
| And pinked Carew beneath his laces. | 30 |
| |
| Alack! one night at Ranelagh | |
| The pretty Sly-boots fell a-blushing; | |
| And all the mettled bloods look’d round | |
| To see what caused that telltale flushing. | |
| Up stepp’d a grizzled Poet Fellow | 35 |
| To dance with Pam a saltarello. | |
| |
| Then Jack and Frank and Will resolved, | |
| With hand on sword and cutting glances, | |
| That they would lead that Graybeard forth | |
| To livelier tunes and other dances. | 40 |
| But who that saw Pam’s eyes a-shining | |
| With love and joy would see her pining! | |
| |
| And—oons! Their wrath cool’d as they looked— | |
| That Poet stared as fierce as any! | |
| He was a mighty proper man, | 45 |
| With blade on hip and inches many; | |
| The beaux all vow’d it was their duty | |
| To toast some newer, softer Beauty. | |
| |
| Sweet Pam she bridled, blush’d, and smiled— | |
| The wild thing loved and could but show it! | 50 |
| Mayhap some day you ’ll see in town | |
| Pamela and her grizzled Poet. | |
| Forsooth he taught the rogue her duty, | |
| And won her faith, her love, her beauty. | |
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