Delight in Disorder

SWEET disorder in the dress
Kindles in clothes a wantonness :

A lawn about the shoulders thrown
Into a fine distractiòn,-

An erring lace, which here and there
Enthrals the crimson stomacher, -
A cuff neglectful, and thereby
Ribbands to flow confusedly, -
A winning wave, deserving note,
In the tempestuous petticoat,-
A careless shoe-string, in whose tie
I see a wild civility, -

Do more bewitch me, than when art Is too precise in every part.

To Julia

H

ER lamp the glow-worm lend thee!
The shooting stars attend thee!
And the elves also,

Whose little eyes glow

Like the sparks of fire, befriend thee!

No Will-o'-the-Wisp mislight thee!
Nor snake nor slow-worm bite thee!
But on! on thy way,

Not making a stay,

Since ghost there's none to affright thee!

Let not the dark thee cumber!

What though the moon does slumber?

The stars of the night

Will lend thee their light,

Like tapers clear without number.