Alexander Brome

Advice to Caelia

1.

MY lovely Caelia, while thou dost enjoy
Beauty and youth, be sure to use 'um,
And be not fickle, be not coy,
Thy self or Lovers to destroy.
Since all those Lillies and those Roses,
Which Lovers find, or love supposes,
To flourish in thy face,
Will tarry but a little space;
And youth and beauty are but only lent
To you by nature, with this good intent,
You should enjoy, but not abuse 'um,
And when enjoyments may be had, not fondly to re∣fuse 'um.

2.

Let lovers flatt'ry ne'r prevail with thee;
Nor their oyl'd complements deceive thee,
Their vows and protestations be
Too often meer Hypocrisie:
And those high praises of the witty
May all be costly, but not fit ye,
Or if it true should be
Now what thy lovers say of thee,
Sickness or age will quickly strip away
Those fading glories of thy youthful May;
And of thy graces all bereave thee;
Then those that thee ador'd before will slight thee, and so leave thee.

3.

Then while thou'rt fair and yonng, be kind, but wise,
Doat not, nor proudly use denying;
That tempting toy thy beauty lies
Not in thy face, but lovers eyes.
And he that doats on thee may smother
His love, 'ith beauty of another,
Or flying at all game
May quench, or else divert his flame.
His reason too may chance to interpose,
And love declines as fast as reason grows.
There is a knack to find loves treasures
Too young, too old, too nice, too free, too slow, destroys your pleasures.