ISS DANAE, when Fair and Young
(AS HORACE has divinely fung)
Could not be kept from Jove's Embrace
By Doors of Steel, and Walls of Brass.
The Reason of the Thing is clear;
Would JOVE the naked Truth aver:
CUPID was with Him of the Party;
And fhow'd himself fincere and hearty:
For, give That Whipfter but his Errand;
He takes my Lord Chief Juftice' Warrant:
Dauntless as Death away He walks ;
Breaks the Doors open; fnaps the Locks;
Searches the Parlour, Chamber, Study;
Nor ftops, till He has CULPRIT's Body.
Since This has been Authentick Truth,
By Age deliver'd down to Youth ;
Tell us, mistaken Husband, tell us,
Why fo Mysterious, why fo Jealous?
Does the Restraint, the Bolt, the Bar
Make Us lefs Curious, Her lefs Fair?
The Spy, which does this Treasure keep,
Does She ne'er fay her Pray'rs, nor fleep?
Does She to no Excefs incline?
Does She fly Musick, Mirth, and Wine?
Or have not Gold and Flatt'ry Pow'r,
To purchase One unguarded Hour?
Your Care docs further yet extend:
That Spy is guarded by your Friend
But has This Friend nor Eye, nor Heart?
May He not feel the cruel Dart,
Which, foon or late, all Mortals feel?
May He not, with too tender Zeal,
Give the Fair Pris'ner Caufe to see,
How much He wishes, She were free?
May He not craftily infer
The Rules of Friendfhip too fevere,
Which chain Him to a hated Truft;
Which make Him Wretched, to be Juft?
And may not She, this Darling She,
Youthful and healthy, Flesh and Blood,
Eafie with Him, ill-us'd by Thee,
Allow this Logic to be good?
Sir, Will your Queftions never end?
I trust to neither Spy nor Friend.
In fhort, I keep Her from the Sight
Of ev'ry Human Face. She'll write.
From Pen and Paper She's debarr'd.
Has She a Bodkin and a Card?
She'll prick her Mind.She wilf, You fay:
But how fhall She That Mind convey?
I keep Her in one Room: I lock it:
The Key (look here) is in this Pocket.
The Key-hole, is That left? Most certain.
She'll thrust her Letter thro'-Sir MARTIN.
Dear angry Friend, what must be done?
Is there no Way?—There is but One.
Send Her abroad; and let Her see,
That all this mingled Mass, which She
Being forbidden longs to know,
Is a dull Farce, an empty Show,
Powder, and Pocket-Glafs, and Beau;
A Staple of Romance and Lies,
Falfe Tears, and real Perjuries:
Where Sighs and Looks are bought and fold;
And Love is made but to be told:
Where the fat Bawd, and lavifh Heir
The Spoils of ruin'd Beauty fhare:
And Youth feduc'd from Friends and Fame,
Must give up Age to Want and Shame.
Let Her behold the Frantick Scene,
The Women wretched, falfe the Men:
And when, thefe certain Ills to fhun,
She would to Thy Embraces run;
Receive Her with extended Arms:
Seem more delighted with her Charms:
Wait on Her to the Park and Play:
Put on good Humour; make Her gay:
Be to her Virtues very kind:
Be to her Faults a little blind:
Let all her Ways be unconfin'd:
And clap your PADLOCK on her Mind.
HANS CARVEL, Impotent and Old,
Married a Lafs of LONDON Mould:
Handfome? enough; extreamly Gay:
Lov'd Musick, Company, and Play:
High Flights She had, and Wit at Will:
And so her Tongue lay feldom ftill:
For in all Vifits who but She,
To Argue, or to Repartée?
She made it plain, that Human Paffion Was order'd by Predeftination;
That, if weak Women went aftray,
Their Stars were more in Fault than They:
Whole Tragedies She had by Heart ;
Enter'd into ROXANA'S Part:
To Triumph in her Rival's Blood,
The Action certainly was good.
How like a Vine young AMMON curl'd!
Oh that dear Conqu'ror of the World!
She pity'd BETTERTON in Age,
That ridicul'd the God-like Rage.
She, firft of all the Town, was told,
Where newest INDIA Things were fold:
So in a Morning, without Bodice,
Slipt fometimes out to Mrs. THODY'S;
To cheapen Tea, to buy a Screen:
What else cou'd so much Virtue mean?
For to prevent the least Reproach,
BETTY Went with Her in the Coach.
But when no very great Affair
Excited her peculiar Care;
She without fail was wak'd at Ten;
Drank Chocolate, then flept again:
At Twelve She rofe: with much ado
Her Cloaths were huddl'd on by Two:
Then ; Does my Lady Dine at home?
Yes fure; but is the Colonel come?
Next, how to spend the Afternoon,
And not come Home again too soon;
The Change, the City, or the Play,
As each was proper for the Day;
A Turn in Summer to HYDE-PARK,
When it grew tolerably Dark.
Wife's Pleasure caufes Husband's Pain:
Strange Fancies come in HANS's Brain:
He thought of what He did not name;
And wou'd reform; but durft not blame.
At first He therefore Preach'd his Wife
The Comforts of a Pious Life:
Told Her, how Tranfient Beauty was;
That All muft die, and Flefh was Grafs:
He bought Her Sermons, Pfalms, and Graces;
And doubled down the useful Places.
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