a

than Men: which turns the Satyr upon us, and parcicularly upon the Poet; who thereby makes Compliment, where he meant a Libel If he intended only to exercise his Wit, he has forfeited bis Judgment, by making the one half of his Readers bis mortal Enemies: And amongst the Men, all the happy Lovers, by their own Experience, will difprove his Accufations. The whole World muft allow this to be the Wittieft of his Satyrs; and truly be bad need of all his parts, to maintain with fo much Violence, fo unjust a Charge. I am fatisfied he will bring but few over to his Opinion: And on that Confideration chiefly I ventur'd to tranflate bim. Tho' there wanted not another Reafon, which was, that no one else would undertake it: At least, Sir C. S. who could have done more Right to the Author, after a long delay, at length abfolutely refus'd fo ungrateful an Employment: And every one will grant, that the Work must have been imperfect and lame, if it had appear'd without one of the Principal Members belonging to it. Let the Poet therefore bear the blame of his own Invention; and let me fatisfy the World, that I am not of his Opinion. Whatever his Roman Ladies were, the English are free from all bis Imputations. They will read with Wonder and Abhorrence, the Vices of an Age, which was the moft Infamous of any on Record. They will bless themselves when they behold thofe Examples related of Domitian's time: They will give back to Antiquity thofe Monsters it produc'd: And believe with reafon, that the Species of thofe Women is extinguish'd; or at least, that they were never bere propagated. I may fafely therefore proceed to the Argument of a Satyr, which is no way relating to them: And first obferve, that my Author makes

6

their

their Luft the moft Heroick of their Vices: The reft are in a manner but Digreffion. He skims them over; but he dwells on this: when he seems to have taken his last leave of it, on the fudden he returns to it: 'Tis one Branch of it in Hippia, another in Meffalina, but Luft is the main Body of the Tree. He begins with this Text in the first Line, and takes it up with Intermiffions to the end of the Chapter. Every Vice is a Loader, but that's a Ten. The Fillers, or intermediate ·Parts, are their Revenge; their Contrivances of fecret Crimes; their Arts to hide them; their Wit to excufe them; and their Impudence to own them, when they can no longer be kept fecret. Then the Perfons to whom they are most addicted; and on whom they commonly bestow the last Favours: As Stage-Players, Fidlers, Singing Boys, and Fencers. Those who paft for Chaft amongst them, are not really fo; but only for their vaft Dowries, are rather fuffer'd, than lov'd by their own Husbands. That they are Imperious, Domineering, Scolding Wives: Set up for Learning and Criticism in Poetry; but are falfe Judges. Love to Speak Greek (which was then the Fajhionable Tongue, as French is now with us.) That they plead Caufes at the Bar, and play Prizes at the Bear Garden. That they are Goflips and News-Mongers: Wrangle with their Neighbours abroad, and beat their Servants at home. That they Lie-in for new Faces once a Month, are fluttifh with their Husbands in private; and Paint and Dress in Publick for their Lovers. That they deal with Jews, Diviners, and Fortunetellers: Learn the Arts of Mifcarrying, and Barrenness. Buy Children, and produce them for their own. Murder their Husbands Sons, if they Stand

ftand in their way to his Eftate; and make their Adulterers his Heirs. From hence the Poet proceeds to fhew the Occafions of all thefe Vices, their Original, and how they were introduc'd in Rome, by Peace, Wealth, and Luxury. In conclufion, if we will take the Word of our malicious Author; Bad Women are the general standing Rule; and the Good, but fome few Exceptions to it.

IN' Saturn's Reign, at Nature's early Birth,

IN

There was that thing call'd Chastity on Earth; When in a narrow Cave, their common Shade, The Sheep, the Shepherds, and their Gods were laid: When Reeds and Leaves, and Hides of Beafts were spread) By Mountain-Hufwives, for their homely Bed, And moffy Pillows rais'd, for the rude Husband's Head, Unlike the Nicenefs of our Modern Dames, (Affected Nymphs with new-affected Names :) The Cynthia's and the Lesbia's of our Years, Who for a Sparrow's Death diffolve in Tears. Thofe firft unpolifh'd Matrons, big and bold, Gave fuck to Infants of Gygantick Mold; Rough as their favage Lords who rang'd the Wood, And fat with Acorns belch'd their windy Food. For when the World was buckfom, fresh and young, Her Sons were undebauch'd, and therefore frong; And whether Born in kindly Beds of Earth, Or ftrugling from the teeming Oaks to Birth, Or from what other Atoms they begun, No Sires they had, or if a Sire the Sun. Some thin Remains of Chastity appear'd Ev'n 3 under Jove, but Jove without a Beard;

Before

r In the Golden Age; when | Mankind, before Corn was

Saturn reign'd.

found.

z Acorns were the Bread of

3 When Jove had driven his

Father