These truths with his example you difprove, Who with his wife is monftroufly in love: 206 But know him better; for I heard him fwear, "Tis not that fhe's his wife, but that she's fair. Let her but have three wrinkles in her face, Let her eyes leffen, and her skin unbrace, 210 Soon you will hear the faucy fteward fay, Pack up with all your trinkets, and away; You grow offenfive both at bed and board: Your betters must be had to please my lord. Mean time fhe's abfolute upon the throne: And, knowing time is precious, lofes none: 216 She must have flocks of fheep, with wool more fine Than filk, and vineyards of the noblest wine: Or others have abroad, the wants at home. a wife who brings a large dowry may do what the pleases, and has all the privileges of a widow. Ver. 227. Berenice's ring] A ring of great price, which Herod Agrippa gave to his fifter Berenice. He was king of the Jews, but tributary to the Romans. And infamously dear: a brother's bribe, Ev'n God's anointed, and of Judah's tribe: 230 Where barefoot they approach the facred fhrine, And think it only fin to feed on swine. But is none worthy to be made a wife In all this town? Suppofe her free from ftrife, Rich, fair, and fruitful, of unblemish'd life ; 235 Chafte as the Sabines, whofe prevailing charms Difmifs'd their husbands', and their brothers' arms: Grant her, befides, of noble blood, that ran A wife, fo hung with virtues, fuch a freight, What mortal fhoulders could fupport the weight! Some country-girl, fcarce to a curt'sey bred, :> Ver. 245. Cornelia] Mother to the Gracchi, of the family of the Cornelii; from whence Scipio the African was defcended, who triumphed over Hannibal. O Pæan, cries Amphion, bend thy bow 251 Against my wife, and let my children go: But fullen Pæan fhoots at fons and mothers too. His Niobe and all his boys he loft ; Ev'n her who did her num'rous offspring boaft, She still infults, and you must still adore; 260 265 Some faults, though fmall, intolerable grow; Their fashion, breeding, language, must be Ver. 251. O Paan, &c.] He alludes to the known fable of Niobe in Ovid. Amphion was her husband: Pæan, is Apollo, who with his arrows killed her children, because the boasted that the was more fruitful than Latona, Apollo's mother. Ver, 257. The thirty pigs &c.] He alludes to the white fow in Virgil, who farrowed thirty pigs. the Grecian cant?] Women then learnt Ver. 267.- But raw, in all that does to Rome belong, 270 They raise the dead, and mount him with a touch. 284 But all provocatives from thee are vain: Wine and deferts, and fweet-meats to digest? For though, perhaps, fhe loves with equal fires, Joys in the spoils, and triumphs o'er thy purse; 306 Go drag that flave to death: Your reafon, why Should the poor innocent be doom'd to die? What proofs? For, when man's life is in de bate, 310 The judge can ne'er too long deliberate. 315 Ver. 303. All the Romans, even the most inferior, and moft infamous fort of them, had the power of making wills. Ver. 308. Go drag that fave &c.] Thefe are the words of the wife. Ibid. band. Your reason, why &c.] The anfwer of the huf Ver. 312. Call'st thou that Aave a man?] The wife again. |