Yet one precaution to this rule belongs;
Let us at moft fufpcct, not prove our wrongs.
Sometimes, your lover to incite the more,
Pretend your husband's spies befet the door :
Though free as Thais, fiill affect a fright;
For feeming danger heightens the delight.
Oft let the youth in through your window steal,
Though he might enter at the door as well;
And fometimes let your maid furprize pretend,
And beg you in fome hole to hide your
Yet ever and anon difpel his fear,
And let him tafte of happiness fincere ;
Left, quite difhearten'd with too much fatigue,
He should grow weary of the dull intrigue.
But I forget to tell how you may try
Both to evade the husband, and the spy.
That wives fhould of their husbands ftand in
Agrees with juftice, modefty, and law:
But, that a miftrefs may be lawful prize,
None but her keeper, I am sure, denies ;
For fuch fair nymphs thefe precepts are defign'd,
Which ne'er can fail, join'd with a willing mind.
Though ftuck with Argus' eyes your keeper were,
Advis'd by me, you fhall clude his care.
When you to wash or bathe retire from fight,
Can he obferve what letters then you write?
Or, can his caution against such provide,
Which, in her breast, your confident may
Can he the note beneath her garter view,
Or that, which, more conceal'd, is in her shoe?
Yet, thefe perceiv'd, you may her back undrefs,
And, writing on her fkin, your mind exprefs.
New milk, or pointed fpires of flax, when green,
Will ink fupply, and letters mark unfeen.
Fair will the paper fhew, nor can be read,
Till all the writing 's with warm afhes fpread.
Acrifius was, with all his care, betray'd;
And in his tower of brafs, a grandfire made.
Can fpies avail, when you to plays refort,
Or in the Circus view the noblo fport?
Or, can you be to Ifis' fane purfued,
Or Cybele's, whofe rites all men exclude?
Though watchful fervants to the bagnio come,
They 're ne'er admitted to the bathing-room.
Or, when fome fudden fickness you pretend,
May you not take to your fick-bed a friend?
Falfe keys a private paffage may procure,
If not, there are more ways befides the door.
Sometimes, with wine, your watchful follower treat;
When drunk, you may with eafe his care defeat:
Or, to prevent too-fudden a furprize,
Prepare a fleeping-draught to feal his eyes:
Or let your maid, ftill longer time to gain,
An inclination for his perfor feign;
With faint refiftance let her drill him on,
And, after competent delays, be won.
But what need all these various doubtful wiles,
Since gold the greateft vigilance beguiles?
Believe me, men and gods with gifts are pleas'd;
Ev'n angry Jove with offerings is appeas'd.
With prefents, fools and wife alike are caught,
Give but enough, the husband may be bought.
But let me warn you, when you bribe a spy,
That you for ever his connivance buy;
Pay him his price at once, for with fuch men
You'll know no end of giving now and then.
Once, I remember, I with cause complain'd,
Of jealoufy occafion'd by a friend.
Believe me, apprehenfions of that kind,
Are not alone to our falfe fex confin'd.
Truft not, too far, your fhe-companion's truth,
Left the fometimes fhould intercept the youth:
The very confident that lends the bed,
May entertain your lover in your stead,
Nor keep a fervant with too fair a face,
For fuch I 've known supply her lady's place.
But whither do I run with heedlefs rage,
Teaching the foe unequal war to wage?
Did ever bird the fowler's pet prepare?
Was ever hound inftructed by the hare?
But, all felf-ends and interest set apart,
I'll faithfully proceed to teach my art.
Defenceless and unarm'd expofe my life,
And for the Lemnian ladies whet the knife.
Perpetual fondnefs of your lover feign,
Nor will you find it hard, belief to gain;
Full of himself he your defign will aid:
To what we wish, 'tis easy to perfuade.
With dying eyes his face and form furvey,
Then figh, and wonder he fo long could stay :
Now drop a tear your forrows to assuage,
Anon reproach him, and pretend to rage.
Such proofs as thefe will all diftruft remove,
And make him pity your exceifive love.
Scarce to himself will he forbear to cry,
"How can I let this poor fond creature die ?"
But chiefly, one, fuch fond behaviour fires,
Who courts his glafs, and his own charms admires.
Proud of the homage to his merit done,
He'll think a goddess might with ease be won.
Light wrongs, be fure, you still with mildness bear, Nor ftrait fly out, when you a rival fear.
Let not your paffion o'er your fenfe prevail,
Nor credit lightly every idle tale.
Let Procris' fate a fad example be
Of what effects attend credulity.
Near where his purple head Hymettus shows,
And flowering hills, a facred fountain flows;
With foft and verdant turf the foil is spread,
And fweetly-fmelling fhrubs the ground o'ershade.
There rosemary and bay their odours join,
And with the fragrant myrtle's scent combine.
There tamarisks with thick-leav'd box are found,
And cytiffus and garden-pines abound.
While through the boughs soft winds of Zephyr pass,
Tremble the leaves, and tender tops of grass.
Hither would Cephalus retreat to reft,
When tir'd with hunting, or with heat opprest:
And thus to Air the panting youth would pray,
Come, gentle Aura, come, this heat allay."
But fome tale-bearing too officious friend,
By chance o'er-heard him as he thus complain'd;
Who with the news to Procris quick repair'd,
Repeating word for word what she had heard.
Soon as the name of Aura reach'd her cars,
With jealoufy furpriz'd, and fainting fears,
Her rofy colour fled her lovely face,
And agonies, like death, fupply'd the place;
Pa e fhe appear'd as are the falling leaves,
When firft the vine the winter's blaft receives.
Of ripen'd quinces, fuch the yellow hue,
Or, when unripe, we cornel-berries view.
Reviving from her fwoon, her robes she tore,
Nor her own faultlefs face to wound forbore.
Now, all dishevel'd, to the wood she flies,
With Bacchanalian fury in her eyes.
Thither arriv'd, fhe leaves below her friends
And all alone the fhady hill afcends.
What folly, Procris, o'er thy mind prevail'd?
What rage, thus fatally to lie conceal'd?
Whoe'er this Aura be, (fuch was thy thought)
She now shall in the very fact be caught.
Anon, thy heart repents its rafh defigns,
And now to go, and now to ftay inclines:
Thus love with doubts perplexes ftill thy mind,
And makes thee feek what thou must dread to find
But ftill thy rival's name rings in thy ears,
And more fufpicious ftill the place appears :
But more than all, exceffive love deceives,
Which, all it fears, too safily believes.
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