When First by Gentle Ouse

When first by gentle Ouse I stray’d
Two crimson cheeks my fancy sway’d
But now of flaming red afraid,
 The nymph I love is Brown:
For brown alike in light or shade
Of red or white disdains the aid
Yet while by gentle Ouse I strayed
 The fairest maid was Brown.

In dark the fairest primrose lies
The summer bud’s vermilion flies
But time which dims the rarest dyes
 Improves the worth of Brown:
For far-fam’d red the soldier sighs
The sailor asks an azure prize,
But brown delights a lover’s eyes
 His brightest thought is Brown.

In German Letters supposed to be Thief.