ODE to a Young Lady, Somewhat too sollicitous about her Manner of Expression. William Shenstone Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
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Eighteenth-Century Poetry Archive
Taylor Institution Library St Giles' Oxford OX1 3NA UK info@eighteenthcenturypoetry.org https://www.eighteenthcenturypoetry.org/
Oxford This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License. T131163 K104099.004 Dodsley, Robert, 1703-1764. A Collection of Poems in Six Volumes. By Several Hands. Vol. IV. London printed by J. Hughs, for R. and J. Dodsley 1763 [1st ed. 1758] pp. 335-336. 6v.: music; 8⁰.

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ODE to a Young Lady , Somewhat too sollicitous about her Manner of Expression . By the Same . SURVEY , my fair ! that lucid stream Adown the smiling valley stray ; Would art attempt , or fancy dream , To regulate its winding way ? So pleas'd I view thy shining hair In loose dishevel'd ringlets flow : Not all thy art , nor all thy care Can there one single grace bestow . Survey again that verdant hill , With native plants enamel'd o'er ; Say , can the painter's utmost skill Instruct one flow'r to please us more ? As vain it were , with artful dye , To change the bloom thy cheeks disclose ; And oh may Laura , ere she try , With fresh vermilion paint the rose . Hark , how the wood-lark's tuneful throat Can every study'd grace excel ; Let art constrain the rambling note , And will she , Laura , please so well ? Oh ever keep thy native ease , By no pedantic laws confin'd ! For Laura's voice is form'd to please , So Laura's words be not unkind .