To A Beautiful Young Lady Poem by Samuel Bowden

On Her Conveying a Viper into a Clergyman's Pocket, at the Earl of Orrery's, at Marston-House, Aug. 1744.

Possest with such resistless charms,
Why should you covet other arms?
Why any foreign aid explore,
You who cou'd wound too fast before?
With Cupid's whole artillery clad,
'Twas barbarous, poison'd darts to add.


In other foes 'tis deem'd unfair,
With venom'd arms to wage a war,
Achilles, or fam'd Pella's lord,
In poison never dipt their sword.
Tyrants, of high despotic views,
Will arbitrary weapons use.
Sure you are some tyrannic maid,
To call in Vipers to your aid,
And make us run still further risque;
You, who have eyes of Basilisk.
But as of old, in Eden's ground,
Serpents in flow'ry fields were found:
So hence this Moral we may take,
No Paradise without a Snake.


'Twas well a grave and reverend Seer
You thus inspir'd with mortal fear;
For men of sanctity, they say,
With spells can conjure harm away:
But ah! no spells can exorcise
The fatal magic of your Eyes;
Eyes that at every glance can kill,
And baffle Mead's, and Galen's skill.