IF, friend, a wife you mean to wed,
Worthy of your board and bed,
That she be virtuous, be your care,
Not too rich, and not too fair:
One who nor labours to display
New complexions every day,
Nor, studying artificial grace,
Out of boxes culls a face.
Una superbia;
Cedite Phyllidi,
Cedite, sed ce
dendo dierum
Quo fuga ritu
Pergit, eodem
Dicite et annos.
Ire, perire.
HANC, Marce, cum ducetur uxor, elige
Mensæque consortem et tori:
Bene moribus morata, quæ forma placet,
Nec dote dotatur nimis.
Non elaborat illa, de die in diem,
Se fingere et refingere ;
Vultumve curiosa sumit artifex
Ab hac, ab illa pyxide,
Nor live-long hours for dressing spares,
Placing to displace her hairs,
And straight repl ce: an idle pin
Ten times shifting out and in.
Nor daily varies, vainly nice,
Thrice her silks, and colours thrice:
Fond o'er and o'er her suits to range,
Changing still, and still to change.'
Nor gads to pay, with busy air,
Trifling visits here and there ;
Long rapping at each door aloud,
Nuisance to a neighbourhood.
If e'er a play she deign to see,
(Very rarely shall it be)
She likes not wit in lewdness shown,
Jests ill-manner'd for a clown ;*~
But hears, with ignorance or rage,
Double meanings of the stage.
Her spotless mind, the lustful tale
Nauseates in the nicest veil.
She ne'er is found in crowds unclean,
Entred mysteries obscene;
Nor seeks in mask, and antick dress,
Unconfin'd lasciviousness:
Nor pale, and angry, gaming high,
Rattles the unlucky die.
Till sun-rise restless vigils keeps,
Light consuming in her sleeps ; Inverting nature, turns with play
Day to night, and night to day.
Nec dislocandis et locandis crinibus,
Quos iterum et iterum dislocet,
Absumit horas, unam ineptulam aciculam
Deciesque figens et movens.
Nec exuendis, induendis, vestibus,
Diversa ter, ter discolor,
Jubar evehit cum Phoebus, et cum devehit,
Mutatur et mutabitur. .
Nec visitando pulsat has et has fores,
Ut portet importunum ave,
Meam inquietans et tuam viciniam
Ineptiis et otio.
Si forte spectatrix theatris interest,
(Et interest rarissima)
Illiberales nescit infacetias,
Et non verecundos sales
Audire patiens; omnis immodestiæ
Perosa turpitudinem ;
Sensusque dubii et involuti ambagibus
Impura nauseat abdita.
Nec initiatur mysticis congressibus,
Noctisque cæremoniis,
Vel induens larvam, vel obnubens caput,
Lasciviat ut audentior.
Nec, invenustis ut fritillis increpet,
Et aleis impalleat,
Tenebras ad usque solis ortum vigiliis,
Lucemque dat soporibus;
Dulces diei et noctis invertens vices,
Ratasque leges temporum.
This round of follies let her choose,
Flitting life who likes to lose,
And lets her quickly-ending days
Pass, and perish, as they pass.
The time that vulgar maids despise,
Careless, thoughtless, how it flies,
Melissa wise, esteems, and knows
Well to use it, ere it goes.
If e'er Melissa wed my friend,
With her ent'ring shall attend
Virtues and Graces by her side,
Bride-maids fit for such a bride :
Neat Beauty without art display'd,
Rosy Health with native red;
With her bright Innocence shall go,
Purer than the falling snow;
Quiet, that far from quarrels flies ;
Mirth and Pleasure, Love and Joys :
Firm Faith, that plighted promise keeps,
Silence watching o'er her lips :
Prudence, that ponders all events,
Wealth-increasing Diligence:
Religion, mindful what is ow'd
To herself and to her God.
Patient to bear, to pardon free,
Loveliest grace Humanity!
If erring nature chance to fail,
Feeble, inadvertent, frail :
Who hates low-whisper'd spite conceal'd,
Scandal yet to few reveal'd ; .
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