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THE SECOND PART.

WHEN I confider well of this,
It fore doth vexe my minde;
O then I thinke what tis to miffe
A wife that's true and kinde,
There's many men like me that haue
Good wiues, yet wish for neater,
And faine would fend the old toth' graue,
In hope they fhall haue better.

But that doth feldome come to paffe,
Though many hope it will:

Therefore let him that has a good laffe,

Defire to keep her fill:

Nay, though fhe hath some small defect,

To chide when he doth fret her, Yet let him not her loue neglect, For feldome comes the better. P

Some thinke that were their old wiues dead,

Such are there fickle mindes,

They fhould get richer in their fleade,
But few or none that findes
Their expectation answered.
Suppofe the portion's greater,
Yet he may fay as I have fed,
That feldome comes the better.

There's many lads and laffes

That in good feruice light,

young,

And yet they thinke that they haue wrong To ferue their time out quite:

They loue to shift from place to place,

Toth' little from the greater,

Till at laft they fay, in woefull cafe,
Faith, feldome comes the better.

Change of pasture makes fat calues,
This isa prouerb vs❜d,
Which fore another like it falues,
And helpes the first abus'd.

A roling stone ne're gathers moffe:

So hee that is a flitter

From house to house, shall find with loffe, That feldome comes the better.

Likewife fome men and women both,
When they haue feruants true,
To keepe them ouer-long th' are loth,
But ftill they wish for new:
And hauing put the old away,

They take fome farre vnfitter,
Which being tride, at laft they fay,
Faith, feldome comes the better.

And he that hath a perfect friend,
Let him retaine his loue,
Left lofing th' old, the new ith' end
A feigned friend doe proue:
And so it happens many times,
As fome can tell that yet are
Aliue, and doe lament their crimes,
With feldome comes the better.

Therefore let all, both men and wiues,
Seruants and mafters all,

Thinke on this prouerbe all their liues,
The vfe on't is not fmall:
If you are well, yourfelues fo keepe,
And ftriue not to be greater;
Be fure to looke before you leape,

For feldome comes the better.

P 2

AURA AND ALEXIS.

FA

AR diftant from the bufy train
A beauteous pair refide;

The faireft nymph on all the plain,
And he the fhepherd's pride.

On Aura blooming health beftows
Charms unimprov'd by art;
Her cheek like modeft rofes glows,
To captivate the heart.

The lilies, in her bofom plac'd,
Forget their native bed;

And fnow-drops, by that bofom grac'd,
A new-born sweetness fhed.

Alexis, oft in foft-tun'd lays,

His Aura's beauties fings;

The neighb'ring foreft with her praise
In anfw'ring echoes rings.

At noon, befide the gurgling ftream,
She hears his artlefs tale;

Or liftens to his love-fick theme,
In fome fequefter'd vale.

Thus bleft, and blessing each, they dwelt,

With virtuous paffions burn'd; And, with an heart-felt rapture, felt That virtuous flame return'd.

But ah! how fleeting are our joys,
How fubject to decay!
Corroded by unfeen alloys,
They tranfient pass away.

Near Aura's cot a mansion flood,
And rear'd its lofty head
Amidst the cloud-afpiring wood,
Which far its branches fpread.

Alonzo, of a noble race,
Poffefs'd this ftately pile;

A youth adorn'd with every grace
That might the heart beguile.

As paffing by one day by chance,
Where lovely Aura ftray'd,
He view'd her various charms askance,
And all her form furvey'd.

He view'd her lips, of rubies made,
Her gloffy nut-brown hair,

Whofe ringlets caft a pleasing shade,
And made her neck more fair.

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