II. THIS excellent Housewife alfo, as wifely overfees, and pries into their private Tranfactions, or clandeftine Practices: if it is poffible' for them to turn Ingrates after fuch gracious Ufage, or be guilty of any Frauds and Infidelities, after fuch virtuous Inftructions. She will ever be looking circumfpectly into her own Ways, and, in all Reafon, expects the fame Regard from the Eyes, or at the Hands of her juft, faithful, and obedient Servants. Infomuch that this incomparable Lady, at last, becomes fo curious, and fo difcerning a Houfe-Keeper; that, fuppofing her to be a Queen, fhe would manage her Houfhold fo well, as not to let the King's Cheese go balf a way in Parings at Court, as the Proverb expreffes it, for Want of due Care, Conduct, and good Looking-after. She would not fuffer her Palace to be impair'd, or the Crown impoverish'd,by any exorbitant Grants, or Foreign Gratuities: not willingly allow the best Jewels of it to be embezelled, nor the glorious Prerogative it felf to be leffen'd, or made little by any inglorious Practices, profufe Conceffions, or improvident Liberalities: provided it was in her Power to prevent fuch Extravagances, to take Reprifals, and to make Reaffumptions, for the better Service, Honour, or Intereft of her Royal Confort. However yet, in her own private Family, fhe admits of no 0verfights, or Male-Adminiftration of her civil Affairs: never overlooking any Bufinefs, either of greater or fmaller Account, for the Benefit and Welfare of her Houthold-Concerns. But, and if her idle Servants, after All, prove either refractory or unfaithful, fhe will take Care to dif grace them, with the most prudential Severities, and gentle Corrections; in Order to regulate

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gulate their Lives for the future, and reform their Manners for the better. If fhe finds them visibly cheating her Spouse, or emptying his Coffers to fill their own Pockets, and inrich their own Families; why, then it is but common Juftice to make them refund their ill-gotten Plunder, and to bring the thievifh, treacherous, or untrufty Perfons, to condign Punishment. For why fhould the induftrionfly wink at their Crimes, or tamely acquiefce in feeing both her Husband and Houfhold moft palpably wrong'd before her Eyes, by fuch barefac'd Robbers, and ungrateful, Pilferers?

VERSE XXVIII.

HER Children arife up, and call her Blef fed; her Husband also, and he praiseth her.

PARAPHRASE.

APPY is the Progeny of fuch a deferving Parent! Her tender Care, H both of their good Education, and daily Provifion, excites in her Sons

and Daughters, the greateft Veneration for their indulgent Mother's Virtues. As they grow-up in Years to Maturity of Judgment, they will be still extolling her fingular Excellencies. Happy is the Husband of fuch a blesfed Wife, whofe glorious Endowments of Mind he can never fufficiently commend: but when he has faid all he can, in reciting her particu lar Praifes, he muft abruptly refolve himself at

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Iast, either into a profound Silence, or imperfect Eulogies. Her dear Children think it the greatest Felicity of their Lives; that ever they' were born of fuch a nurfing, obliging, and af fectionate Mother! They muft needs rise-up with Prayers, as well as Praifes in their Mouths, at all Times, for the Prefervation of her good Health, and long Life. They must call her the moft Blessed of Women here below, for the faithful Nurture of their Infancy, the careful Tuition of their Childhood, and the prudent Inftruction of their riper Years. They cannot, in common Reafon, leave their Beds in a Morning, without blefling God Almighty for their Happiness of having fo illuftrious an Example of Grace, Goodnefs, and Benediction before their Eyes, to imitate, as well as admire almoft to Superftition, in the future Actions of their Lives, and regulation of their Manners. Her beloved Spouse alfo, and he is happily indear'd by her charming Beauties, or tranfported with her ravishing Tendernesses beyond Expreffion. His Glories are all only loud Panegyricks of her Virtues. The mutual Emulation of their pious Minds, raifes their Fortune with Honour, and Riches, ennobles their Marriage with Popularity and Renown; and renders them the most celebrated Conforts, little inferiour to the Royal Pair here mention'd, either for Dignity, Devoutnefs, Religion, Fidelity, or Affection. He worthily praifes her Oeconomy, Conduct, and Wisdom to the Skies, from whence the came in Peace upon Earth for its Benefit; he bleffes kind Heaven for her happy. Birth; and loves her next after God, who created them both for the nobleft Ends of his divine Complacency in gracioufly vouchfafing to give him

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fuch an ineftimable Bleffing, and beftowing upon her the most ineffable Comforts of the Creation, in a conjugal State of Life.

REMARKS.

BSERVE then how this praife-worthy Princefs, in the Text, has not only the Satisfaction of being bleft by her obedient Chil dren, and extoll'd by her loving Spouse; but alfo obtains the Happiness of an univerfal Applaufe, as well as the voluntary Recommendation of her honourable Character among the Virtuous, all over the World. She is, confeffedly, not only the Darling of her own faithful Family, and native Country, but likewife the Favourite of Foreign Kingdoms, and far diftant Dominions. Her very Perfon naturally requires the Beholder's Love and Admiration; her Prefence demands his Modesty and Reverence; and her Majesty commands his Awe and Veneration, upon any curious Approach. The Courtefy of her Mind, the Humility of her Meen, and the Magnificence, as well as Referv'dness of her inacceffible Virtue, ftrike the boldest Strangers with Astonishment, and bring her most invidious, or inveterate Enemies, to Submiffion upon Sight. They are all presently charm'd into Converfion, and recognize her Glories. They cannot afterwards forbear declaring her Affability, extolling her Graces, and proclaiming her Praifes to the uttermoft Parts of their Travels, with the jufteft Acknowledgement. But the becomes most remarkably honour'd after all, not only for kindly cherishing and obliging her Husband; but also carefully educating her Children, and

difcreetly providing for her Family's Welfare, in all Points of conjugal Duty.

EDUCATION of Youth, fuppofing it to be good, according to the wife Sentiments of Socrates, Plato, Plutarch, &c. is the chief Foundation of their future Happiness. 'Tis the greateft Duty of Chriftian Parents, next to their own everlasting Security, or Salvation. Children therefore ought to be train'd-up from their Infancy, to Learning, Religion, and Morality. As they are born, bred, and brought-up, fo will they end their Days, according to the holy Scriptures; either miferably vicious, or happily virtuous, in the Event of their Lives. As the Plant is impregnated at first, so will the Tree, prove afterwards, and accordingly produce the fame Fruit. To be brief then, Inftruction will be abfolutely neceffary for the Melioration of Nature, as well as rectifying their Manners: 1st, By fhewing them how to honour, worship, and glorify God, the great Creator, and Preferver of all Beings in Life, Motion, or Ability; who fuffers no evil Work to go unpunish'd, through his infinite Juftice; and no good One unrewarded, through his fpecial Grace and Favour; which they must always be imploring, either for their Affiftance as to the One, or Prevention as to the Other, in all their Undertakings and Performances: 2dly, By teaching them how to transport their Love of temporal Things, as Honour, Beau ty, Riches, Pleasures, &c. to that of eternal Satisfactions, with Contempt, in Comparison of Wisdom, Knowledge, and Virtue, which can only intitle them to true Tranquillity in their Life-Time, and permanent Glory after Death: 3dly, By letting them know, through other Men's Misfortunes, how to fhun the Dangers of