GetPassage urn:cts:latinLit:phi0959.phi001.perseus-eng2:3.1.21-3.1.40 urn:cts:latinLit:phi0959.phi001.perseus-eng2:3.1.21-3.1.40

She first; "Must love for ever tune thy voice,Fond idle bard, and trifling in thy choiceThy wanton songs employ the drunkard's tongue,In ev'ry street thy ribald lays are sung;The finger marks thee in thy passing by,'Behold, where goes the slave of love,' they cry.Thy lewd exploits, thou profligate, are grownThe public theme, and talk of all the town;Whilst unconcern'd, and lost to sense of shame,Thou still runn'st on nor mind'st thy ruin'd fame.Enough thou'st told the plaints of fond desire,Now let a nobler inspiration fire;Thy matter cramps thy genius, learn to findA manly subject, and exert thy mind.In songs for girls, fond toys, and idle play,Thy muse has wanton'd all her hours away.But youth at length has fill'd its measure up;My friend, 'tis time to taste of t'other cup.Now in my service let thy force be shown,Assert my honour, and retrieve thy own;