The Virginia Gazette

POET'S CORNER.

Recipe to Soften the hardest FEMALE HEART.

Take a Youth that's genteel, no Matter for Face,
And season him well with an Air and a Grace;
One Grain of Sincerity you may bestow,
But enough of Assurance be sure to allow;
With Flatteries and Sighs, Assiduities, Fears,
Insignificant Smiles, significant Leers;
With Passion and Raptures to give it a Zest,
A Sprinkling of Folly to give it a Taste;
Some Pieces of Songs, and some Spoutings of Plays,
And Fashion and Frolicks, and whimsical Ways;
All mix'd well together, with Art and Deceit,
And with Nicety dress'd, to make it complete,
This Medicine the Patient should take every Day,
And the Flint in her Heart will soon melt away.
Sometimes a few Days the Complaint may remove,
Sometimes a few Weeks ineffectual may prove;
But seldom an Instance can any produce,
Where this choice Panacea has fail'd of its Use.
The Heart that's obdurate, when this has been try'd,
Has surely Discernment and Sense within side;
With the Seeds of Contempt, which next will appear,
When these Symptoms are seen (which are wondrous rare)
This Medicine is useless, 'twill ne'er reach the Heart,
Which, harden'd by Virtue, will baffle all Art.