Miss Bell gave a glance as she often pass'd by;
A preface to Courtship depend on 't;
And as she no more could perform by the eye,
She added a smile at the end on 't.

Too well had she sped the connexion to drop,
As one doubtful corner she'd got by,
She saw me alone, and she enter'd the shop,
To buy a book, or else to--not buy.

Now two people might be imagin'd to smile;
For where is the swain who would doubt it?
I gave her one hug, and two kisses the while--
As to love, we said nothing about it.

She departed well pleas'd, as a gamester who'd won,
Or sycophant promis'd a pension.
'A courtship like this, which so sweetly begun,
A union must be his intention.'

She sent me a note, when three days had pass'd on,
In the stile of a mistress forsaken,
Requesting to know, in imperious tone,
What I meant by the liberties taken.

'Dear Madam, I wonder you start at a kiss,
Three days, at least, after its ended;
You ne'er, at the time, thought I acted amiss;
But by me you'll no more be offended.'

A girl may attempt to strike fire in the dark;
The match, flint, and steel, she may handle;
But who, like Belinda, would put out the spark,
Before she had lighted the candle.