397. 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;	5
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,	10
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	15
More bright and large than his.