To a Young Lady, Netting

To a Young Lady, Netting

By Thomas Love Peacock 1785–1866
While those bewitching hands combine,
With matchless grace, the silken line,
They also weave, with gentle art,
Those stronger nets that bind the heart.
 
But soon all earthly things decay:
That net in time must wear away:
E’en Beauty’s silken meshes gay
        No lasting hold can take:
 
But Beauty, Virtue, Sense, combin’d,
(And all these charms in thee are join’d)
Can throw that net upon the mind,
No human art can e’er unbind,
        No human pow’r can break.
back to top

RELATED CONTENT

Discover this poem’s context and related poetry, articles, and media.

Poet Thomas Love Peacock 1785–1866

POET’S REGION England

SCHOOL / PERIOD Victorian

Subjects Living, Life Choices, Time & Brevity, Activities, Indoor Activities

Poetic Terms Metaphor, Rhymed Stanza

More about this poem

Biography

Thomas Love Peacock was an accomplished poet, essayist, opera critic, and satiric novelist. During his lifetime his works received the approbation of other writers (some of whom were Peacock’s friends and the targets of his satire), literary critics (many of whom were simply his targets), and a notoriously vocal reading public. Today, Peacock’s reputation rests almost exclusively on the merits of his seven novels, four of . . .

Continue reading this biography

back to top

Poems by Thomas Love Peacock

back to top

Poem Categorization

SUBJECT Living, Life Choices, Time & Brevity, Activities, Indoor Activities

POET’S REGION England

SCHOOL / PERIOD Victorian

Poetic Terms Metaphor, Rhymed Stanza

If you disagree with this poem's categorization, make a suggestion.

Report a problem with this poem

Originally appeared in Poetry magazine.

This poem has learning resources.

This poem is good for children.

This poem has related video.

This poem has related audio.