The Meat was ferv'd, the Bowls were crown'd,

Catches were Sung, and Healths went round:
Barbados Waters for the Clofe,

'Till Hans had fairly got his Dofe:

The Colonel toated to the best,

The Dame mov'd off, to be undreft:

2

The Chimes went Twelve, the Guefts withdrew,

But when or how, Hans hardly knew.

Some Modern Anecdotes aver,

He nodded in his Elbow Chair:

From thence was carry'd off to Bed;

John held his Heels, and Nan his. Head.
My Lady was disturb'd, new Sorrow;
Which Hans must answer for to Morrow.

In Bed then view this happy Pair,
And think how Hymen Triumph'd there.
Hans, faft afleep, as foon as laid,

The Duty of the Night unpaid:

The waking Dame, with Thoughts oppreft,
That made her hate both Him and Reft;

By fuch a Husband, such a Wife;
'Twas Acme's and Septimius' Life.

1

The

The Lady figh'd, the Lover fnor'd;

The punctual Devil kept his Word:
Appear'd to honeft Hans again,
(But not at all by Madam feen,)
And giving him a Magick Ring,
Fit for the Finger of a King:

Dear Hans, faid he, this Jewel take,
And wear it long, for Satan's fake;
'Twill do your Business to a Hair:
For long as you this Ring fhall wear,
As fure as I look over Lincoln,

That ne'er fhall happen which you think on.

Hans took the Ring with Joy extream,

(All this was only in a Dream,)

And thrusting it beyond his Joint, 10

'Tis done, he cry'd, I've gain'd my Point

What Point, faid fhe, you ugly Beast?

You neither give me Joy nor Reft:

'Tis dore,

What's done, you drunken Bear?

You've thrust your Finger Gd knows where.

PAULO PURGANTİ

His

AND

WIFE:

An Honest, but a Simple Pair.

Eft enim quiddam, idque intelligitur in omni Virtute, quod Deceat: quod Cogitatione magis à Virtute poteft quam Re feparari.

B

Cic. de Officiis. Lib, i.

Eyond the fix'd and fettl'd Rules

Of Vice and Virtue in the Schools;

Beyond the Letter of the Law,

Which keeps our Men and Maids in Awes
The better Sort fhould fet before 'em
A Grace, a Manner, a Decorum;
Something, that gives their Acts a Lights
Makes 'em not only juft, but bright,
And fets 'em in that open Fame,

Which witty Malice cannot blame.

For

For 'tis in Life, as 'tis in Painting,

Much may be Right, yet much be Wanting:
From Lines drawn true, our Eye may trace
A Foot, a Knee, a Hand, a Face:
May juftly own the Picture wrought
Exact to Rule, exempt from Fault:
Yet, if the Colouring be not there,
The Titian Stroke, the Guido Air,
To niceft Judgment fhow the Piece,
At beft 'twill only not displease:
It would not gain on Jerfey's Eye,
B-d-d would fcold, and fet it by.

Thus, in the Picture of our Mind,
The Action may be well defign'd;
Guided by Law, and bound by Duty;
Yet want this Je ne fcay quoy of Beauty:
And, tho' its Error may be fuch,
As Knags and Burgess cannot hit,
It yet may feel the nicer Touch
Of Wicherley's or Congreve's Wit.

What is this Talk? replies a Friend::
And where will this dry Moral end?

The Truth of what you here lay down.
By fome Example fhould be shown:
With all my Heart,

for once,-read on.

An Honest, but a Simple Pair,
(And Twenty other I forbear)
May serve to make this Thefis clear.

A Doctor of great Skill and Fame,
Paulo Purganti was his Name,
Had a good, comely, virtuous Wife:
No Woman led a better Life:

She to Intreagues was ev'n hard-hearted;
She chuckl'd when a Bawd was carted:
And thought the Nation ne'er wou'd thrive,
'Till all the Whores were burnt alive.

On marry'd Men, that dare be bad, She thought no Mercy fhould be had;

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