Belinda_ (for thou know'st I'm Young,
Unskill'd in Arts that to our Sex belong)
Thy wiser Counsels to my Youth impart;
Teach me at once to _Love_, and _Guard_ my Heart;
That I have _Wit_, can _Sing_ and _Dance_ you know,
And the Men tell me I am Pretty too;
I now have Fifteen pleasing Summers seen,
And have been Courted by twice Fifteen Men;
Still fresh Pretenders do my Peace Invade,
They _Write_, they _Visit, Sigh_ and _Serenade_,
And try allways to Catch a Harmless Maid.

Then since our Virgin Thoughts are apt to Rove,
And few escape that Noble Passion _Love_,
Teach me, _Belinda_, by thy Arts to Chuse
What Suiters to Admit, and which Refuse._

_Belinda._

_Melissa_, I am glad you're so Discreet, }
For, that to more Experience you'll submit, }
Argues your want of _Vanity_, not _Wit_. }

And yet, my Dear, 'tis difficult t' Advise, }
_Fools_ are so Plenty, and so Scarce the _Wise_: }
To judge of Men, we shou'd not Trust our Eyes; }
Outward Appearance may Delude the Sight;
Nor is it good to gaze too near the Light:
For tho' your _Beauty_, like a Painted Scene,
May Dang'rous prove to the Vile Race of Men,
Who at the greater distance do Admire,
And shun the heat of Love's Important Fire.
Whose _Little God_, like lesser Thieves, unseen, }
Steals to our Hearts, we scarce know how or when, }
His _Standard_ hoists and Guards the Fort Within; }
Then like a Tyrant does our Peace Controul,
And absolutely Lords it o'er the Soul:
Thus, with your _Heart_, your _Fortune_ he'll Dispose:
He does the _Man_, you but the _Husband_ chuse.
And tho' a _Fool_, you must the _Wretch_ receive;
For where we _Love_, we soon our Persons give.

Therefore, _Melissa_, wisely Guard your Heart;
What _Nature_ won't defend, defend by _Art_:

Shun, I advise you, most Devoutly shun,
Those _Servile Apes_ that swarm about the Town;
_Pert, Noisie Coxcombs, Self-admiring Beaux_,
Known by their _want_ of _Wit_, and _Gawdy Cloaths_:

Of all the Creatures Nature does provide,
To stock the World from _Ignorance_ to _Pride_;
Of all that from her various Bosom spring,
A _Beau_ I think the oddest kind of thing;
A selfish Compound, singular, and Vain,
Half _Ass_, half _Puppet_, and the least of _Man_;
One that seems just for Nature's Pastime made,
A _Gawdy_ Carcass, with an _Empty Head_;
Whose only _Knowledge_ lies in _modish Dress_,
And seldom looks much further than his Glass.
A Creature only Govern'd by his Will;
And n