The Fourth Volume of the Writings Of the Author of the London-Spy Prose and Verse [by Edward Ward] |
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A Good Wife the greatest Happiness:
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 | The Fourth Volume of the Writings Of the Author of the London-Spy |  |
A Good Wife the greatest Happiness:
Or, the Real Comforts of Matrimony, with a Check to a Libertine.
How foolish and how vain when young
Was I (alass!) to live so long,
Without the Charms and Blessings of a Bride,
By Rakes and Libertines misled,
To falsly think a Marriage-Bed,
A dull Confinement to a Woman's Side.
But now in honour to the Fair.
Experience moves me to declare,
I ne'er could truly tast a happy Life,
Without the kInd Endearments of a Wife.
Was I (alass!) to live so long,
Without the Charms and Blessings of a Bride,
By Rakes and Libertines misled,
To falsly think a Marriage-Bed,
A dull Confinement to a Woman's Side.
185
Experience moves me to declare,
I ne'er could truly tast a happy Life,
Without the kInd Endearments of a Wife.
The Freedom of a single State,
Of which young Beaus and Blockhesds prate.
What is that pretious Liberty they boast,
But Beastly Drinking till they're Drunk,
And Whoring on with e'ery Punk;
Till ruin'd at their own Excessive Cost
Pox'd by those Ladies they admire,
Who prostitute their Charms for Hire;
And then consuming in Venereal Flames,
Curse the warm Favours of their Beauteous Dames.
Of which young Beaus and Blockhesds prate.
What is that pretious Liberty they boast,
But Beastly Drinking till they're Drunk,
And Whoring on with e'ery Punk;
Till ruin'd at their own Excessive Cost
Pox'd by those Ladies they admire,
Who prostitute their Charms for Hire;
And then consuming in Venereal Flames,
Curse the warm Favours of their Beauteous Dames.
Falsly accuse the Female Race,
As if they, all alike, were base,
Because their Vicious Selves have only known
Such Harlots who were bred in Stews,
And taught by Panders to diffuse
Their early Favours thro the Lustful Town.
Thus from their Impudence infer,
That all the Sex as wicked are.
So those whose Eves the Jaundice overflow,
Think others Yellow, cause themselves are so.
As if they, all alike, were base,
Because their Vicious Selves have only known
Such Harlots who were bred in Stews,
And taught by Panders to diffuse
186
Thus from their Impudence infer,
That all the Sex as wicked are.
So those whose Eves the Jaundice overflow,
Think others Yellow, cause themselves are so.
Thus do vain Fops their Youth deceive,
And from their own ill Lives believe,
That all Mankind are in their Natures Lewd;
Well may they fancy so who see,
No Scenes but of Debauchery,
And Live such Strangers to the wise and good.
The Negro who has never seen,
A Christian Race of Whiter Men,
From his own Colour judges by Mistake,
That all the distant World, like him, are black.
And from their own ill Lives believe,
That all Mankind are in their Natures Lewd;
Well may they fancy so who see,
No Scenes but of Debauchery,
And Live such Strangers to the wise and good.
The Negro who has never seen,
A Christian Race of Whiter Men,
From his own Colour judges by Mistake,
That all the distant World, like him, are black.
Unhappy Fools to be misled,
By e'ery Common Jilt and Jade,
To think the nauseous Favours they impart,
Can more than equal that Delight
The Marriage-Bed affords at Night,
Unstain'd with Sin, and unimprov'd by Art,
But where sweet Innocence unknown
To all the World but me alone,
With open Arms receives me in her Breast,
And yields those Joys too great to be exprest.
By e'ery Common Jilt and Jade,
To think the nauseous Favours they impart,
187
The Marriage-Bed affords at Night,
Unstain'd with Sin, and unimprov'd by Art,
But where sweet Innocence unknown
To all the World but me alone,
With open Arms receives me in her Breast,
And yields those Joys too great to be exprest.
Marriage, with Rev'rence name the State,
'Tis honour'd by the Good and Great.
Mankind without it would to Brutes decline.
Incest and Sodomy arise
From those foul Leachers who despise
That Ordinance so sacred and divine.
The Wise would Wed, if but to see
A sprightly Lawful Progeny.
For what on Earth can equal the Delight
Of Babes, like Angels, sporting in our sight.
'Tis honour'd by the Good and Great.
Mankind without it would to Brutes decline.
Incest and Sodomy arise
From those foul Leachers who despise
That Ordinance so sacred and divine.
The Wise would Wed, if but to see
A sprightly Lawful Progeny.
For what on Earth can equal the Delight
Of Babes, like Angels, sporting in our sight.
A Man's but in a Vagrant State,
Till coupl'd with a Female Mate.
Loose and Dissettld is his wand'ring Life.
O'er flowing Bowls he rants and roars,
Reels from his Bottles to his Whores,
Unknown to th'Blessings of a Virtuous Wife.
This is the Freedom giddy Fools,
Who're deaf to Reason and to Rules,
Value so much, tho all the Grave and Wise
Condemn their Practice, and their Joys despise.
Till coupl'd with a Female Mate.
188
O'er flowing Bowls he rants and roars,
Reels from his Bottles to his Whores,
Unknown to th'Blessings of a Virtuous Wife.
This is the Freedom giddy Fools,
Who're deaf to Reason and to Rules,
Value so much, tho all the Grave and Wise
Condemn their Practice, and their Joys despise.
If Happiness consists alone
In being speedily undone,
And true Enjoyment in Excess is found,
That real Pleasures only dwell,
In aching Head and flaming Tail;
Let Whore and Bottle then all Night go round.
If such severe effects as these,
Instead of punishing can please.
Then Blockheads, Rakes and Beaus are only Blest,
And Marriage ought to be esteem'd a Jest.
In being speedily undone,
And true Enjoyment in Excess is found,
That real Pleasures only dwell,
In aching Head and flaming Tail;
Let Whore and Bottle then all Night go round.
If such severe effects as these,
Instead of punishing can please.
Then Blockheads, Rakes and Beaus are only Blest,
And Marriage ought to be esteem'd a Jest.
189
But if a sober vertuous Life,
Fine Children and a faithful Wife,
Credit, Respect, Alliance and Repute,
Are real Blessings that the Wise
Believe they have just Cause to prize.
Then he that rails at Wedlock is a Brute:
For these Delights are no where known
But in that happy State alone,
Which single Libertines like Fools disdain,
For Sinful Pleasures mix'd with costly Pain.
Fine Children and a faithful Wife,
Credit, Respect, Alliance and Repute,
Are real Blessings that the Wise
Believe they have just Cause to prize.
Then he that rails at Wedlock is a Brute:
For these Delights are no where known
But in that happy State alone,
Which single Libertines like Fools disdain,
For Sinful Pleasures mix'd with costly Pain.
Then you that boast your Wandring State,
And think your Happiness so great,
Suspend your Censure of a Marry'd State,
Till Woman tempts you to be Blest;
Then tell me truly which is best,
A Rakish Freedom or a Loving Wife.
You've now a quite mistaken Sence,
For want of Sweet Experience.
But when the Heavenly Station you have try'd,
You'll Bless the Gods for giving you a Bride.
And think your Happiness so great,
Suspend your Censure of a Marry'd State,
Till Woman tempts you to be Blest;
Then tell me truly which is best,
A Rakish Freedom or a Loving Wife.
You've now a quite mistaken Sence,
For want of Sweet Experience.
But when the Heavenly Station you have try'd,
You'll Bless the Gods for giving you a Bride.
190
For Marriage has a thousand Joys,
One tempts us as another cloys,
As some are fading others fresh appear.
'Tis like the fragrant Orange-tree,
On whose delightful Boughs we see
Ripe charming Fruit and Blossoms all the Year.
Our prattling Babes and pregnant Wives
Add daily Comforts to our Lives.
And tho the Bark's full fraighted, yet at Night
'Twill kindly yield fresh Stowage for Delight.
One tempts us as another cloys,
As some are fading others fresh appear.
'Tis like the fragrant Orange-tree,
On whose delightful Boughs we see
Ripe charming Fruit and Blossoms all the Year.
Our prattling Babes and pregnant Wives
Add daily Comforts to our Lives.
And tho the Bark's full fraighted, yet at Night
'Twill kindly yield fresh Stowage for Delight.
| The Fourth Volume of the Writings Of the Author of the London-Spy | |