Poem · Oliver Goldsmith
When Lovely Woman Stoops to Folly
“When Lovely Woman Stoops to Folly” by Oliver Goldsmith: full text of the poem (8 lines, 52 words), quatrains. Public domain.
When lovely woman stoops to folly,
And finds too late that men betray,
What charm can soothe her melancholy,
What art can wash her guilt away?
The only art her guilt to cover,
To hide her shame from every eye,
To give repentance to her lover,
And wring his bosom, is—to die.
Typesetting this poem in a book
| Trim (11 pt) | Characters per line | Longest line |
|---|---|---|
| 5 x 8 in | 55 characters | Fits |
| 5.5 x 8.5 in Digest | 62 characters | Fits |
| 6 x 9 in US Trade | 67 characters | Fits |
| 7 x 10 in Executive | 81 characters | Fits |
Poetry should not wrap mid-line; if it must, indent the turnover. See the poetry collection guide.
More poems by Oliver Goldsmith
Sources & data
- Text from PoetryDB (public domain).