 | The Tragedy of Zara |  |
70
EPILOGUE,
Spoke by Mrs. CLIVE.
Here, take a Surfeit, Sirs, of being Jealous;
And shun the Pains, that plague those Turkish Fellows:
Where Love and Death join Hands, their Darts confounding,
Save us, good Heav'n! from this new Way of Wounding!
Curs'd Climate!—where, to Cards, a lone-left Woman
Has only, One of her Black-Guards, to summon!
Sighs, and sits mope'd, with her tame Beast to gaze at:
And, that cold Treat, is all the Game she plays at!
For—shou'd she once, some Abler Hand be trying,
Poignard's the Word!—and, the first Deal is—Dying!
And shun the Pains, that plague those Turkish Fellows:
Where Love and Death join Hands, their Darts confounding,
Save us, good Heav'n! from this new Way of Wounding!
Curs'd Climate!—where, to Cards, a lone-left Woman
Has only, One of her Black-Guards, to summon!
Sighs, and sits mope'd, with her tame Beast to gaze at:
And, that cold Treat, is all the Game she plays at!
For—shou'd she once, some Abler Hand be trying,
Poignard's the Word!—and, the first Deal is—Dying!
'Slife! shou'd the bloody Whim get Ground, in Britain,
Where Woman's Freedom has such Heights, to sit on;
Daggers, PROVOK'D, wou'd bring on Desolation:
And, murder'd Belles un-people half the Nation!—
Where Woman's Freedom has such Heights, to sit on;
Daggers, PROVOK'D, wou'd bring on Desolation:
And, murder'd Belles un-people half the Nation!—
Fain wou'd I help this Play, to move Compassion;
And live, to hunt Suspicion out of Fashion.—
Four Motives, strongly recommend, to Lovers,
Hate of this Weakness, that our Scene discovers:
And live, to hunt Suspicion out of Fashion.—
Four Motives, strongly recommend, to Lovers,
Hate of this Weakness, that our Scene discovers:
First then—A Woman Will, or Won't—depend on't:
If she will do't, she Will:—and, there's an End on't.
But, if she won't,—since safe and sound your Trust is,
Fear is Affront: and Jealousy Injustice.
If she will do't, she Will:—and, there's an End on't.
But, if she won't,—since safe and sound your Trust is,
Fear is Affront: and Jealousy Injustice.
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Next,—He who bids his Dear do, what she pleases,
Blunts Wedlock's Edge; and, all its Torture eases:
For—not to feel your Suff'rings, is the same,
As not to suffer:—All the Diff'rence—Name.
Blunts Wedlock's Edge; and, all its Torture eases:
For—not to feel your Suff'rings, is the same,
As not to suffer:—All the Diff'rence—Name.
Thirdly—The Jealous Husband wrongs his Honour;
No Wife goes Lame, without some Hurt upon Her:
And, the malicious World will still be guessing,
Who, oft, Dines out, dislikes her own Cook's Dressing.
No Wife goes Lame, without some Hurt upon Her:
And, the malicious World will still be guessing,
Who, oft, Dines out, dislikes her own Cook's Dressing.
Fourthly, and lastly—to conclude my Lecture,
If you wou'd FIX th'inconstant Wife—RESPECT her.
She who perceives her Vertues OVER-RATED,
Will fear to have th'Account more justly stated:
And, borr'wing, from her Pride, the Good Wife's Seeming,
Grow REALLY Such—to Merit your Esteeming.
If you wou'd FIX th'inconstant Wife—RESPECT her.
She who perceives her Vertues OVER-RATED,
Will fear to have th'Account more justly stated:
And, borr'wing, from her Pride, the Good Wife's Seeming,
Grow REALLY Such—to Merit your Esteeming.
FINIS.
| The Tragedy of Zara | |