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The Female Phaeton

By Matthew Prior

Topics: classic

Thus Kitty, beautiful and young, And wild as colt untamed, Bespoke the fair from whence she sprung, With little rage inflamed. Inflamed with rage at sad restraint Which wise mamma ordain'd, And sorely vex'd to play the saint Whilst wit and beauty reign'd. Shall I thumb holy books, confined With Abigails, forsaken? Kitty's for other things design'd, Or I am much mistaken. Must Lady Jenny frisk about, And visit with her cousins? At balls must she make all the rout, And bring home hearts by dozens? What has she better, pray, than I? What hidden charms to boast, That all mankind for her should die, Whilst I am scarce a toast? Dearest mamma, for once let me Unchain'd my fortune try: I'll have my earl as well as she, Or know the reason why. I'll soon with Jenny's pride quit score, Make all her lovers fall: They'll grieve I was not loosed before; She I was loosed at all. Fondness prevail'd, mamma gave way: Kitty, at heart's desire, Obtain'd the chariot for a day, And set the world on fire.

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"Thus Kitty, beautiful and young,..."

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Author:Matthew Prior

"Thus Kitty, beautiful and young,..." by Matthew Prior

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"The Text is taken from Percy's Reliques (1765), vol. i. p. 71, 'given from two MS. copies, transmitted from Scotland.' Herd had a very similar bal"

Matthew Prior

About Matthew Prior

Matthew Prior (1664–1721) was an English poet and diplomat. His poem "Alma: or, The Progress of the Mind" and his epitaph "Nobles and heralds, by your leave" are witty Augustan verse.

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