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lifications, he will make himself a most compleat Minister of State; not only as highly a greeable to all humane Society, and acceptable to the whole Kingdom, but alfo as humbly grate. ful, faithful, and obedient to the King himself upon the Throne.

VIRTUE, as the holy Text teaches us, is the true Way to Honour and Preferment. By this Means a Man in publick Capacity may come, in Time, not only to fit down among the nobleft Elders, Senators, or Peers of the Realm, with Glory; but also be intrufted in the King's Cabinet, for his good Counfel and Advice in humane Policy; or at last be made as great as General Monk was, for restoring King Charles the Second, and re-establishing that happy Reign. in Peace, by the Power of his Wifdom, whereby we enjoy this at prefent, in full Poffeffion of Profperity. But I forbear carrying this magnifying Remark to a higher Pitch, far from defigning any odious Comparison, for Fear of Immodefty or Offence. 'Tis only to fhew how an inferiour Perfon may fometimes raife himfelf to the greatest Glory, by his Virtue and Falour

ALL virtuous Wives will ever prove fo complaifant, as to endeavour by their Goodnefs, in an inferior Degree, to ennoble their Husbands with the Happiness of this Prince-like Gentleman in the Proverbs. But it is much to be fear'd, on the other Hand, that fome Ladies of Gaiety are more unkind; and readier to do them a Difgrace, Prejudice, or an Injury, than to contrive their Advancement, or ftudy how to raise their Fortunes at Court. How ftately foever fome of them may appear in their fulfome Fafhions, it may not always be for the

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Honour and Felicity of their dubious Sponfes, but for the Sake of gratifying their own ambitious Gallantry.

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VERSE XXVI.

SHE maketh fine Linen, and felleth it; and delivereth Girdles unto the Merchant.

PARAPHRASE.

HIS valuable Wife's Induftry is fuch, fo great and remarkable for Variety, that the makes ufe of feveral lucrative Arts, as well as ingenious Exercifes, to inrich her Family. As for Inftance, the imploys her felf in manufacturing very fine Linen, with embroidered Belts for Men, and Girdles curiously wrought for Women; which fhe trafficks with, and fells to the Phenician Merchant, or other trading Strangers fo that he may juftly be efteem'd as the most ufeful and meritorious of Woman-kind, by en gaging her felf in making fine Linen-Cloth, as I faid, and that of the most curious Make too, for extraordinary Occafions, or courfer for ordinary Service. By this Means, the finds Work enough for the poor Weavers, finishes it up for ready Sale, and furnishes the Drapers with the finest Lawns, Cambricks or Tiffanies, of all forts, that can be made by Art, or wore by Nature. She alfo parts with them all at reafonable Rates, to encourage her Chapwen, and oblige the Comers that deal with her

to come again; upon this Standard, that the Beft of every Thing is abundantly the cheapest; goes fartheft, wears longeft, adorns hand fomeft, and does the greatest Credit to the Seller, as well as Service to the Buyer. Her Goods of this Kind, are all very faleable, and suitable for the Market; if not generally fuperfine alfo, as well as admirable Manufactures. And then again fhe likewife makes Girdles, or other useful Things, for the genteel Wearing of young Men and Maids, or perhaps Bride-grooms and Brides too upon Occafion, according to the Fashion of the Country. She either difpofes of them to the Merchants, or probably merchandises with them Her felf, and makes a confiderable Return of them, for the Reward of her Labour and ingenious Curiofity. For, to be fure, the Girdles of her making are always the fineft, and yet the modefteft, as well as chafteft of that Sort; either to fet-off the Comeliness, preferve the Health, or fecure the Virtue of the Perfons that buy them to wear, as honeftly as they ought to do, without Matrimony or a lawful Solution. a Word, there can be no Deceit in her Girdles; neither any Diffolutene fs, nor Vice unlawfully lurking under any of her juft Dealings.

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REMARK S.

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NTIQUITY fhews us, that the Ufe of Girdles, as well as fine Linen, was not only very commendable, both in their Making and Wearing; but also a famous old Fashion, both among the Grecians and the Romans, Jews and Gentiles, Phanicians and other Merchants. The Romans had their Marriage Girdles in facred Efteem, as the very Badges of Virtue and Cha

ftity: from whence we received fo many excellent Phrafes, relating to the deflouring of Women, or their unlawful Solutions without Wedlock. We often read of Aaron's curious Girdle; of St. Paul's Girdle; the Girdle of Righteousness, and others alfo, frequently mention'd, either really. or metaphorically, in holy Scripture. How often do we find in Hiftory, that Queens and Goddeffes themselves us'd to gird-up their Loyns for honeft Exercife, Diverfion or Paftime? And without doubt, we may learn here, as appears plainly by this Text, that the most fashionable Ladies, in former Days, took no fmall Delight in making fuch ufeful Surcingles or Draperies, either for private or publick Service. Uponwhich Account, as this real Virtuofa in the Proverbs was always a great Work Woman, fo fhe confequently produced Abundance of delicate fine Linens, as well as Silk Girdles, and other nice Curiofities fit for the Wearing of the modefteft, and most graceful Perfons in the World. However yet, fhe is none of the Bona Roba's of this adulterous Age. She manifefts her greater Modefty, by her Works of Innocence; as the moft fedulous Seamftrefs with the Needle, and compleatest Linen maker off the Loom. She cloaths her felf with the finest Silks of Probity, the whiteft Lawns of San&tity, and the pureft Pur ple-Robes of Chastity, according to the Direction of a learned and holy Author; to ufe his own Expreffion. Her Vefture is all made-up of Modefty, Virtue and Glory; of Honefly, Humility and Holiness; both Infide and Ouifide of the greatest Purity. Infomuch that the fometimes plays the bufy Merchant her felf, with her own Manufactures, and difpofes of them to the best Advantage, either by furnishing the fairest Ladies U 3 with

with them at Home, in Order to drefs and gird-up their Bodies with the most refery'd Bafhfulness, and innocent Behaviour in our Her misphere of Beauty; or delivers them to fome other honeft ingenuous Factors, who deal in Foreign Traffick, for an honourable Gain. In short, she may compare with the curious Nuns Abroad for the Nicety of her Handy-works, either in fine Linen, Lawns or Laces; for the has the undeniable Character of the most accomplish'd Millener of good Things in the Univerfe for publick Ufe.

I. HER Ingenuity, as well as Diligence, in this Point, appears very confpicuously remarkable. Behold the artful Inventions of her Mind, how they illuftrate the ingenious Works of her Hands! She has the Reputation of being accounted one of the greatest Incouragers of Trade, Promoters of Traffick, and Propagators of Induftry, as well as Commerce: Of the Truth of which, all the neighbouring Carders, Spinfters, Weavers, Drapers, and other Foreign Merchants the fupplies, are fully convinc'd by Experience, She finds out, by this Means, the wittiest Devices, not only fit for the Service of her Sex, buɛ alfo worthy of their Emulation: always regulating the Superftitions of their finical Dreffing, and rectifying the Indecencies of their gaudy Garbs; either by reforming their interiour Manners of Pride and Vanity, in a great Measure, or re establishing their exteriour Modefty and Moderation, in the beft fashion'd wearing Apparel. But however, he imploys ftill Abundance of diligent Hands; because fhe knows, that many make light Work on't; difpatch Bufinefs apace, and produce a quick Riddance of her valuable Commodities, for the Ufe of the

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