Thus the she-tyrant reigns, till pleas'd with change, Her wild affections to new empires range: Divorc'd from him, the to the first retires, 325 Her mother living, hope no quiet day; She fharpens her, instructs her how to flea Her husband bare, and then divides the prey. She takes love-letters, with a crafty fmile, And, in her daughter's anfwer, mends the style. In vain the husband fets his watchful fpies; 331 She cheats their cunning, or the bribes their eyes. The doctor's call'd; the daughter, taught the trick, 335 Pretends to faint; and in full health is fick. No caufe is try'd at the litigious bar, But women plaintiffs or defendants are, They form the procefs, all the briefs they write ; The topics furnish, and the pleas indite; 344 And teach the toothlefs lawyer how to bite. They turn viragos too; the wreftler's toil They try, and fmear their naked limbs with oil: 350 355 Against the poft their wicker fhields they crush, 360 365 Her coats tuck'd up; and all her motions just, rife, 370 Would grin to fee their daughters play a prize. Befides, what endless brawls by wives are bred: The curtain-lecture makes a mournful bed. Then, when he has thee fure within the fheets, 375 Her cry begins, and the whole day repeats. Confcious of crimes herfelf, fhe teizes firft; Thy fervants are accus'd; thy whore is curst; She acts the jealous, and at will she cries; 379 For women's tears are but the fweat of eyes. Poor cuckold-fool, thou think'ft that love fin cere, And fuck'ft between her lips the falling tear: face: 385. And yet ev❜n then she cries the marriage-vow A mental refervation must allow ; And there's a filent bargain ftill imply'd, 390 The parties should be pleas'd on either fide: And both may for their private needs provide. Though men yourselves, and women us you call, Yet homo is a common name for all, There's nothing bolder than a woman caught; Guilt gives them courage to maintain their fault. 396 You ask from whence proceed these mon ftrous crimes? Once poor, and therefore chaste, in former times, And frugal fleep fupply'd the quiet night, While pinch'd with want, their hunger held 'em ftraight; 405 When Hannibal was hov'ring at the gate: arms. Ver. 404. Hannibal] A famous Carthaginian captain; who was upon the point of conquering the Romans. No crime, no luftful poftures are unknown; Since Poverty, our guardian god, is gone: 410 Pride, laziness, and all luxurious arts, Pour like a deluge in, from foreign parts: Since gold obfcene, and filver found the way, Strange fashions with strange bullion to con vey, And our plain fimple manners to betray. 415 What care our drunken dames to whom they fpread? Wine no diftinction makes of tail or head. vance, And double tapers on the tables dance. Now think what bawdy dialogues they have, What Tullia talks to her confiding flave, 425 At Modefty's old ftatue; when by night They make a stand, and from their litters light: The good man early to the levee goes, And treads the nafty paddle of his spouse. The fecrets of the goddess nam'd the Good, Are ev'n by boys and barbers understood : 431 Ver. 430. The Good goddess.] At whose feasts no men were to be prefent. |