For her sweet sake the loss of time despise;

Sit while she sits, and when she rises rise. But dress not like a fop, nor curl your hair, Nor with a pumice make your body bare. Leave those effeminate and useless toys 572 To eunuchs, who can give no solid joys. Neglect becomes a man: this Theseus found;

Uncurl'd, uncomb'd, the nymph his wishes crown'd.

The rough Hippolytus was Phædra's care;
And Venus thought the rude Adonis fair.
Be not too finical; but yet be clean;
And wear well-fashion'd clothes, like other

men.

Let not your teeth be yellow, or be foul; Nor in wide shoes your feet too loosely roll.

581 Of a black muzzle and long beard beware; And let a skilful barber cut your hair: Your nails be pick'd from filth, and even par'd;

Nor let your nasty nostrils bud with beard. Cure your unsav'ry breath, gargle your throat,

And free your armpits from the ram and goat.

Dress not, in short, too little or too much; And be not wholly French nor wholly Dutch.

Now Bacchus calls me to his jolly rites: Who would not follow, when a god invites? He helps the poet, and his pen inspires, 592 Kind and indulgent to his former fires.

Fair Ariadne wander'd on the shore, Forsaken now; and Theseus loves no more: Loose was her gown, dishevel'd was her hair;

Her bosom naked, and her feet were bare. Exclaiming, in the water's brink she stood; Her briny tears augment the briny flood. She shriek'd, and wept, and both became her face:

600

610

And scudding Satyrs ran before their god.
Silenus on his ass did next appear,
And held upon the mane; (the god was
clear:)

The drunken sire pursues, the dames retire;

Sometimes the drunken dames pursue the drunken sire.

At last he topples over on the plain;

The Satyrs laugh, and bid him rise again. And now the God of Wine came driving on, High on his chariot by swift tigers drawn. Her color, voice, and sense forsook the fair;

Thrice did her trembling feet for flight prepare,

And thrice affrighted did her flight forbear.

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}

Whether below, or equal in degree,
Let him be lord of all the company,
And what he says be seconded by thee.
'Tis common to deceive thro' friendship's

name;

But, common tho' it be, 't is still to blame: Thus factors frequently their trust betray, And to themselves their masters' gains

Act well the lover; let thy speech abound In dying words, that represent thy wound. Distrust not her belief; she will be mov'd; All women think they merit to be lov'd. Sometimes a man begins to love in jest, And, after, feels the torments he profess'd. For your own sakes be pitiful, ye fair; For a feign'd passion may a true prepare. By flatteries we prevail on womankind, 700 As hollow banks by streams are undermin'd.

Tell her, her face is fair, her eyes are sweet;

Her taper fingers praise, and little feet. Such praises ev'n the chaste are pleas'd to hear;

Both maids and matrons hold their beauty dear.

Once naked Pallas with Jove's queen appear'd;

And still they grieve that Venus was preferr'd.

Praise the proud peacock, and he spreads his train;

Be silent, and he pulls it in again.
Pleas'd is the courser in his rapid race; 710
Applaud his running, and he mends his pace.
But largely promise, and devoutly swear;
And, if need be, call ev'ry god to hear.
Jove sits above, forgiving with a smile
The perjuries that easy maids beguile.
He swore to Juno by the Stygian lake;
Forsworn, he dares not an example make,
Or punish falsehood, for his own dear sake.
'Tis for our int'rest that the gods should

be;

Let us believe 'em: I believe they see, 720
And both reward and punish equally-
Not that they live above, like lazy drones,
Or kings below, supine upon their thrones.
Lead then your lives as present in their
sight;

Be just in dealings, and defend the right;
By fraud betray not, nor oppress by might.
But 't is a venial sin to cheat the fair;

All men have liberty of conscience there. On cheating nymphs a cheat is well design'd;

730

'Tis a profane and a deceitful kind. 'Tis said, that Egypt for nine years was dry,

Nor Nile did floods, nor heav'n did rain supply.

A foreigner at length inform'd the king That slaughter'd guests would kindly moisture bring.

The king replied: "On thee the lot shall fall;

Be thou, my guest, the sacrifice for all."
Thus Phalaris Perillus taught to low,
And made him season first the brazen cow.
A rightful doom, the laws of nature cry;
"T is the artificers of death should die.
Thus justly women suffer by deceit;
Their practice authorizes us to cheat.
Beg her, with tears, thy warm desires to
grant;

740

For tears will pierce a heart of adamant.
If tears will not be squeez'd, then rub your

Who might be forc'd, and yet untouch'd depart,

Thank with their tongues, but curse you with their heart.

Fair Phoebe and her sister did prefer
To their dull mates the noble ravisher.

What Deidamia did, in days of yore, 770 The tale is old, but worth the reading o'er. When Venus had the golden apple gain'd,

And the just judge fair Helen had obtain'd; When she with triumph was at Troy receiv'd,

The Trojans joyful while the Grecians griev'd;

They vow'd revenge of violated laws,
And Greece was arming in the cuckold's

And now 't is nature, what before was art.
She strives by force her lover to detain,
And wishes to be ravish'd once again.
This is the sex: they will not first begin,
But, when compell'd, are pleas'd to suffer
sin.

Is there, who thinks that women first should woo?

Lay by thy self-conceit, thou foolish beau. Begin, and save their modesty the shame; 'Tis well for thee, if they receive thy flame.

"T is decent for a man to speak his mind; They but expect th' occasion to be kind. 811 Ask, that thou mayst enjoy; she waits for this;

And on thy first advance depends thy bliss. Ev'n Jove himself was forc'd to sue for love;

None of the nymphs did first solicit Jore. But if you find your pray'rs encrease her pride,

Strike sail awhile, and wait another tide. They fly when we pursue; but make delay, And, when they see you slacken, they will

850

Nor Pylades Hermione embrac'd;
Ev'n Phædra to Perithous still was chaste.
But hope not thou, in this vile age, to find
Those rare examples of a faithful mind:
The sea shall sooner with sweet honey flow,
Or from the furzes pears and apples grow.
We sin with gust, we love by fraud to
gain;

And find a pleasure in our fellows' pain.
From rival foes you may the fair defend;
But, would you ward the blow, beware your
friend:

Beware your brother, and your next of kin;

860

But from your bosom friend your care begin.

Here I had ended, but experience finds That sundry women are of sundry minds; With various crotchets fill'd, and hard to please:

They therefore must be caught by various