The ART of COQUETTRY. Charlotte Lennox (née Ramsay) Alexander Huber Editor Bodleian Libraries, University of Oxford
Broad Street Oxford OX1 3BG UK
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. T139692 K110146.000 Lennox, Charlotte, ca. 1729-1804. Poems on Several Occasions. Written by a Young Lady. London printed for, and sold by S. Paterson 1747 pp. 61-67. [8],88p.; 8⁰.

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The ART of COQUETTRY . YE lovely Maids , whose yet unpractis'd Hearts Ne'er felt the Force of Love's resistless Darts ; Who justly set a Value on your Charms , Power all your Wish , but Beauty all your Arms : Who o'er Mankind wou'd fain exert your Sway , And teach the lordly Tyrant to obey . Attend my Rules to you alone addrest , Deep let them sink in every female Breast . The Queen of Love herself my Bosom fires , Assists my Numbers , and my Thoughts inspires . Me she instructed in each secret Art , How to enslave , and keep the vanquish'd Heart ; When the stol'n Sigh to heave , or drop the Tear , The melting Languish , the obliging Fear ; Half-stifled Wishes , broken , kind Replies , And all the various Motions of the Eyes . To teach the Fair by different Ways to move The soften'd Soul , and bend the Heart to Love . Proud of her Charms , and conscious of her Face , The haughty Beauty calls forth every Grace ; With fierce Defiance throws the killing Dart , By Force she wins , by Force she keeps the Heart . The witty Fair one nobler Game pursues , Aims at the Head , but the rapt Soul subdues . The languid Nymph enslaves with softer Art , With sweet Neglect she steals into the Heart ; Slowly she moves her swimming Eyes around , Conceals her Shaft , but meditates the Wound : Her gentle Languishments the Gazers move , Her Voice is Musick , and her Looks are Love . Tho' not to all Heaven does these Gifts impart , What's theirs by Nature may be yours by Art . But let your Airs be suited to your Face , Nor to a Languish tack a sprightly Grace . The short round Face , brisk Eyes , and auburn Hair , Must smiling Joy in every Motion wear ; Her quick unsettled Glances deal around , Hide her Design , and seem by Chance to wound . Dark rolling Eyes a Languish may assume , And tender Looks and melting Airs become : The pensive Head upon the Hand reclin'd , As if some sweet Disorder fill'd the Mind . Let the heav'd Breast a struggling Sigh restrain , And seem to stop the falling Tear with Pain . The Youth , who all the soft Distress believes , Soon wants the kind Compassion which he gives . But Beauty , Wit , and Youth may sometimes fail , Nor always o'er the stubborn Soul prevail . Then let the fair One have recourse to Art , And , if not vanquish , undermine the Heart . First form your artful Looks with studious Care , From mild to grave , from tender to severe . Oft on the careless Youth your Glances dart , A tender Meaning let each Look impart . Whene'er he meets your Looks with modest Pride , And soft Confusion turn your Eyes aside , Let a soft Sigh steal out , as if by Chance , Then cautious turn , and steal another Glance . Caught by these Arts , with Pride and Hope elate , The destin'd Victim rushes on his Fate : Pleas'd , his imagin'd Victory pursues , And the kind Maid with soften'd Glances views ; Contemplates now her Shape , her Air , her Face , And thinks each Feature wears an added Grace ; 'Till Gratitude , which first his Bosom proves , By slow Degrees is ripen'd into Love . 'Tis harder still to fix than gain a Heart ; What's won by Beauty , must be kept by Art . Too kind a Treatment the blest Lover cloys , And oft Despair the growing Flame destroys : Sometimes with Smiles receive him , sometimes Tears , And wisely balance both his Hopes and Fears . Perhaps he mourns his ill-requited Pains , Condemns your Sway , and strives to break his Chains ; Behaves as if he now your Scorn defy'd , And thinks at least he shall alarm your Pride : But with Indifference view the seeming Change , And let your Eyes after new Conquests range ; While his torn Breast with jealous Fury burns , He hopes , despairs , hates , and adores by Turns ; With Anguish now repents the weak Deceit , And powerful Passion bears him to your Feet . Strive not the jealous Lover to perplex , Ill suits Suspicion with that haughty Sex ; Rashly they judge , and always think the worst , And Love is often banish'd by Distrust . To these an open free Behaviour wear , Avoid Disguise , and seem at least sincere . Whene'er you meet affect a glad Surprize , And give melting Softness to your Eyes : By some unguarded Word your Love reveal , And anxiously the rising Blush conceal . By Arts like these the Jealous you deceive , Then most deluded when they most believe . But while in all you seek to raise Desire , Beware the fatal Passion you inspire : Each soft intruding Wish in Time reprove , And guard against the sweet Envader Love . Not for the tender were these Rules design'd , Who in their Faces show their yielding Mind : Eyes that a native Languishment can wear , Whose Smiles are artless , and whose Blush sincere ; But the gay Nymph who Liberty can prize . And vindicate the Triumph of her Eyes : Who o'er Mankind a haughty Rule maintains , Whose Wit can manage what her Beauty gains : Such by these Arts their Empire may improve , And what they lost by Nature gain by Love .