Dress, and Good Breeding.
Be not too finical, but yet be clean,
And wear well fashion’d Cloths, like other Men.
Nor sputt’ring speak, nor let your Teeth be foul,
Nor in wide Shoes your Feet too loosely roul.
Of a black Muzzle, and black Beard beware,
And let a skilfull Barber cut your Hair.
Your Nails be pick’d from Filth, and even par’d;
Nor let your nasty Nostrils bud with Beard:
Cure your unsavoury Breath; gargle your Throat;
And free your Arm–Pits from the Ram and Goat.–
Beauty’s the Gift of Gods, the Sex’s Pride!
Yet to how many is that Gift deny’d!
Art helps a Face: a Face tho’ heav’nly fair,
May quickly fade for want of needful Care.–
Let not the Nymph with Pendants load her Ear,
Nor in Embroidery, or Brocade, appear:
Too rich a Dress may sometimes check Desire,
And Cleanliness more animates Love’s Fire.
The Hair dispos’d, may gain or lose a Grace,
And much become, or misbecome the Face.
What suits your Features of your Glass enquire,
For no one Rule is fix’d for Head Attire.–
A Face too long should part and flat the Hair,
Least, upward comb’d, the Length too much appear:
So Laodamia dress’d. A Face too round
Sould shew the Ears, and with a Tow’r be crown’d.
On either Shoulder, one, her Locks displays,
Adorn’d like Phoebus when he sings his Lays:
Another, all her Tresses ties behind;
So dress’d, Diana hunts the fearful Hind.
Dishevell’d Locks most graceful are to some:
Others the binding Fillets more become:
Some plat, like spiral Shells, their braded Hair:
Others the loose and waving Curl prefer.–
Many there are who seem to slight all Care,
And with a pleasing Negligence ensnare:
Whole Mornings oft, in such a Dress are spent,
And all is Art, that looks like Accident.–
As Fields you find with various Flow’rs o’erspread,
When Vineyards bud, and Winters Frost is fled:
So various are the Colours you may try,
Of which the thirsty Wool imbibes the Dye.
Try ev’ry one, what best becomes you, wear:
For no Complexion all alike, can bear.
If fair the Skin, black may become it best;
In black the lovely fair Brise
(Henry Baker)
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Based on Topics: Love Poems, Man Poems, God Poems, Faces Poems, Fairness Poems, Fire Poems, Beauty Poems, Art Poems, Hair Poems, Charity Poems, Pride PoemsBased on Keywords: sould, imbibes, roul, skilfull, unsavoury, finical, brisé, arm-pits, gargle, laodamia, braded
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