Let him not dare to vent his dang'rous thought, A noble fool was never in a fault.

165

This, Sir, affects not you, whose ev'ry word
Is weigh'd with judgment, and befits a Lord:
Your will is mine; and is (I will maintain)
Pleafing to God, and should be so to Man;
At least, your courage all the world must praise,
Who dare to wed in your declining days.
Indulge the vigour of your mounting blood,
And let fools be indolently good,
grey

171

Who, past all pleasure, damn the joys of sense, With rev'rend dulness and grave impotence. 175

Justin, who filent fate, and heard the man, Thus, with a Philofophic frown, began.

A heathen author, of the first degree, (Who, tho' not Faith, had Sense as well as we) Bids us be certain our concerns to trust 180 To thofe of gen'rous principles, and just. The venture's greater, I'll prefume to say, To give your person, than your goods away : And therefore, Sir, as you regard your reft, First learn your Lady's qualities at least : 185 Whether she's chaste or rampant, proud or civil ; Meek as a faint, or haughty as the devil; Whether an easy, fond, familiar fool,

Or fuch a wit as no man e'er can rule.

'Tis true, perfection none must hope to find 190
In all this world, much lefs in woman-kind;
But if her virtues prove
the larger share,
Bless the kind fates, and think your fortune rare.
Ah, gentle Sir, take warning of a friend,
Who knows too well the state you thus commend;
And spight of all his praises must declare, 196
All he can find is bondage, coft, and care.
Heav'n knows, I fhed full many a private tear,
And figh in filence, left the world should hear:
While all my friends applaud my blissful life, 200
And swear no mortal's happier in a wife;
Demure and chafte as any veftal Nun,

The meekeft creature that beholds the fun!
But, by th' immortal powers, I feel the pain,
And he that smarts has reason to complain. 205
Do what you lift, for me; you must be fage,
And cautious fure; for wisdom is in Age:
But at these years to venture on the fair!
By him, who made the ocean, earth, and air,
To please a wife, when her occafions call, 210
Would busy the most vig'rous of us all.
And trust me, Sir, the chastest you can chuse
Will afk obfervance, and exact her dues.

If what I fpeak my noble Lord offend,
My tedious fermon here is at an end.

215

'Tis well, 'tis wondrous well, the Knight replies, Moft worthy kinsman, faith you're mighty wife! We, Sirs, are fools; and must refign the cause To heath'nish authors, proverbs, and old faws, He spoke with scorn, and turn'd another way :--What does my friend, my dear Placebo fay? 221

I fay, quoth he, by heav'n the man's to blame, To flander wives, and wedlock's holy name.

At this the council rofe, without delay; Each, in his own opinion, went his way; 225 With full confent, that, all difputes appeas'd, The knight should marry, when and where he pleas'd.

Who now but January exults with joy?
The charms of Wedlock all his foul employ :
Each nymph by turns his wav'ring mind possest,
And reign'd the short-liv'd tyrant of his breast;
Whilst fancy pictur'd every lively part,

And each bright image wander'd o'er his heart.
Thus, in fome publick Forum fix'd on high,
A Mirrour shows the figures moving by ; 235
Still one by one, in fwift fucceffion, pass
The gliding shadows o'er the polish'd glass.
This Lady's charms the nicest could not blame,
But vile fufpicions had afpers'd her fame;

That was with fenfe, but not with virtue, bleft:
And one had grace, that wanted all the rest. 241
Thus doubting long what nymph he should obey,
He fix'd at last upon the youthful May.

Her faults he knew not, Love is always blind,
But ev'ry charm revolv'd within his mind: 245
Her tender age, her form divinely fair,
Her eafy motion, her attractive air,
Her sweet behaviour, her enchanting face,
Her moving foftnefs, and majestic grace.

249

Much in his prudence did our Knight rejoice, And thought no mortal could dispute his choice Once more in hafte he summon'd ev'ry friend, And told them all, their pains were at an end. Heav'n, that (faid he) inspir'd me first to wed, Provides a confort worthy of my bed: Let none oppofe th' election, fince on this Depends my quiet, and my future bliss.

255

A dame there is, the darling of my eyes, Young, beauteous, artlefs, innocent, and wife; Chaste, tho' not rich; and tho' not nobly born, Of honeft parents, and may ferve my turn. 261 Her will I wed, if gracious heav'n so please; To pass my age in fanctity and ease:

And thank the pow'rs, I may poffefs alone

my

The lovely prize, and share blifs with none ! If you, my friends, this virgin can procure, 266 My joys are full, my happiness is fure.

One only doubt remains: Full oft, I've heard, By cafuifts grave, and deep divines averr'd; That 'tis too much for human race to know 270 The blifs of heav'n above, and earth below. Now should the nuptial pleasures prove so great, To match the bleffings of the future state, Those endless joys were ill exchang'd for these; Then clear this doubt, and fet my mind at ease.

This Justin heard, nor could his spleen con

troul, 276 Touch'd to the quick, and tickled at the foul. Sir Knight, he cry'd, if this be all you dread, Heav'n put it past your doubt, whene'er you wed; And to my fervent pray'rs fo far confent, 280 That ere the rites are o'er, you may repent! Good heav'n, no doubt, the nuptial state approves, Since it chaftifes ftill what best it loves.

Then be not, Sir, abandon'd to despair ; Seek, and perhaps you'll find among the fair, One, that may do your business to a hair; 286

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