'Tis for our intereft that the gods fhould be; Let us believe 'em: I believe, they fee, 720 And both reward, and punish equally.
Not that they live above like lazy drones,
Or kings below, fupine upon their thrones.
Lead then
your lives as present in their fight ;
Be juft in dealings, and defend the right; 725
By fraud betray not, nor opprefs by might.
But 'tis a venial fin to cheat the fair;
All men have liberty of confcience there.
On cheating nymphs a cheat is well defign'd;
"Tis a profane and a deceitful kind.
"Tis faid, that Ægypt for nine years was dry, Nor Nile did floods, nor heav'n did rain fupply. A foreigner at length inform'd the king,
That flaughter'd guests would kindly moisture bring.
The king reply'd: On thee the lot shall fall ; 735
Be thou my gueft, the facrifice for all.
Thus Phalaris Perillus taught to low,
And made him feafon firft the brazen cow.
A rightful doom, the laws of nature cry,
"Tis, the artificers of death fhould die.
Thus juftly women fuffer by deceit ;
Their practice authorizes us to cheat.
Beg her, with tears, thy warm defires to grant; For tears will pierce a heart of adamant.
If tears will not be fqueez'd, then rub your eye, Or 'noint the lids, and feem at least to cry. 746
Kifs, if you can: refiftance if fhe make,
And will not give you kiffes, let her take.
Fy, fy, you naughty man, are words of course;
She ftruggles but to be fubdu'd by force. 750
Kifs only foft, I charge you, and beware,
With your hard briftles not to brush the fair.
He who has gain'd a kifs, and gains no more,
Deferves to lose the blifs he got before.
If once the kifs, her meaning is expreft;
There wants but little pushing for the rest:
Which if thou doft not gain, by ftrength or
The name of clown then fuits with thy defert;
'Tis downright dulness, and a shameful part.
Perhaps, the calls it force; but, if she 'scape,
She will not thank you for th' omitted rape. 761
The fex is cunning to conceal their fires;
They would be forc'd e'en to their own defires.
They feem t'accufe you, with a downcaft fight,
But in their fouls confefs you did them right.
Who might be forc'd, and yet untouch'd de-
Thank with their tongues, but curfe
Fair Phoebe and her fifter did prefer
To their dull mates the noble ravisher.
What Deidamia did, in days of yore, The tale is old, but worth the reading o'er.
When Venus had the golden apple gain'd,
And the juft judge fair Helen had obtain’d:
When the 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 cause:
Achilles, by his mother warn'd from war,
Difguis'd his fex, and lurk'd among the fair,
What means acides to fpin and sew ?
With spear and sword in field thy valour fhew;
And, leaving this, the nobler Pallas know.
Why doft thou in that hand the distaff wield,
Which is more worthy to fuftain the shield?
Or with that other draw the woolly twine, 785.
The fame the fates for Hector's thread affign?
Brandish thy falchion in thy pow'rful hand,
Which can alone the pond'rous lance command.
In the fame room by chance the royal maid
Was lodg'd, and, by his feeming sex betray'd,
Close to her fide the youthful hero laid.
I know not how his courtship he began;
But, to her coft, fhe found it was a man. "Tis thought the ftruggled; but withal 'tis
Her wish was to be conquer'd, when the fought.
For when difclos'd, and haft'ning to the field,
He laid his diftaff down, and took the fhield,
With tears her humble fuit fhe did prefer,
And thought to stay the grateful ravisher.
She fighs, the fobs, fhe begs him not to part:
And now 'tis nature, what before was art. 801
She strives by force her lover to detain,
And wishes to be ravifh'd once again.
This is the fex, they will not first begin,
But, when compell'd, are pleas'd to fuffer fin. 805
Is there, who thinks that women firft fhould
Woo?
Lay by thy felf-conceit, thou foolish beau.
Begin, and fave their modesty the shame;
"Tis well for thee, if they receive thy flame.
'Tis decent for a man to speak his mind;
They but expect th' occafion to be kind.
Afk, that thou mayeft enjoy; she waits for this;
And on thy firft advance depends thy blifs.
E'en Jove himself was forc'd to fue for love;
None of the nymphs did first folicit Jove.
But if you find your prayers increase her
Strike fail awhile, and wait another tide.
They fly when we pursue; but make delay,
And, when they fee you flacken, they will stay.
Sometimes it profits to conceal
Name not yourself her lover, but her friend.
How many skittish girls have thus been caught?
He prov❜d a lover, who a friend was thought.
Sailors by fun and wind are swarthy made; A tann'd complexion beft becomes their trade.
'Tis a difgrace to ploughmen to be fair ; Bluff cheeks they have, and weather-beaten
Th' ambitious youth, who feeks an olive crown, Is fun-burnt with his daily toil, and brown. But if the lover hopes to be in grace,
Wan be his looks, and meagre be his face.
That colour from the fair compaffion draws:
She thinks you fick, and thinks herself the cause.
Orion wander'd in the woods for love:
His palenefs did the nymphs to pity move; 835
His ghaftly vifage argued hidden love.
Nor fail a night-cap, in full health, to wear;
Neglect thy drefs, and difcompose thy hair.
All things are decent, that in love avail :
Read long by night, and ftudy to be pale: 840
Forfake your food, refuse your needful reft;
Be miferable, that you may be bleft.
Shall I complain, or fhall I warn you moft? Faith, truth, and friendship in the world are loft;
A little and an empty name they boast. 845 Truft not thy friend, much lefs thy mistress praise :
If he believe, thou mayft a rival raise.
'Tis true, Patroclus, by no luft misled, Sought not to ftain his dear companion's bed. Nor Pylades Hermione embrac'd;
E'en Phædra to Pirithous ftill was chafte.
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