From 1825: The Every-Day Book by William Hone

The 1825 edition of The Every-Day Book by William Hone is available via Google Books for free perusal.

On this day, August 5th in 1758, it reports this drama at Vauxhall Gardens, London:

A young lady who was at Vauxhall on Thursday night last, in company with two gentlemen, could not but observe a young gentleman in blue and a gold-laced hat, who, being near her by the orchestra during the performance, especially the last song, gazed upon her with the utmost attention. He earnestly hopes (if unmarried) she will favour him with a line directed to A.D. at the car of the Temple Exchanfe Coffee-house, Temple-bar, to inform him whether fortune, family, and character, may not entitle him upon a further knowledge, to hope an interest in her heart. He begs she will pardon the method he has taken to let her know the sutation of his min, as, being a stranger, he despaired of doing it any other way, or even of seeing he rmore. As his views are founded uypon the most honourable priciples, he presumes to hope the occasion will justify it, if she generously breaks through this trifling formality of the sex, rather than, by a cruiel silence, render unhappy one, who must ever expect to continue so, if debarred from a nearer acquaintance with her, in whose power alone it is to complete his felicity.

Talk about pickup lines! They used to be rather convoluted and involved, didn't they? I doubt he met with much success then as he would today, which is precisely, none. Pithy is what he needed to aim for, not to mention, charming. Even smarmy's better than boring.