To a LADY who had resolved against MARRIAGE

I Cannot, Madam, but congratulate Your Resolution for a Single-State: Ladies who would live undisturb'd and free, Must never put on Hymen's-Livery. Perhaps its Outside seems to promise fair, Yet underneath is nothing else but Care. If once you let the Gordian-Knot be ty'd, Which turns the Name of Virgin into Bride, That one fond Act your Life's best Scene foregoes, And leads you into Labyrinths of Woes; Whose strange Meanders you may search about, But never find the Clue that leads you out.

The Marry'd Life affords you little Ease, The best of Husbands is so hard to please. This, in Wives careful Faces you may spell, Tho' they dissemble their Misfortunes well, No Plague's so great as an ill-ruling Head, But 'tis a Fate which few young Ladies dread: For Love's insinuating Fire they fan, With sweat Ideas of a God-like Man. Cloe and Phillis glory'd in their Swains, And sung their Praises on the Neighb'ring Plains; O! they were brave, accomplish'd, charming Men, Angels 'till marry'd, but meer Devils then.

Sure some resistless Pow'r with Cupid sides, Or we should have more Virgins, fewer Brides; For Single-lives afford the most Content, Secure and happy as they're Innocent: Bright as Olympus crown'd with endless Ease, And calm as Neptune on the Halcyon-Seas. Your Sleep is broke with no Domestic Cares; No squalling Children to disturb your Pray'rs: No Parting-Sorrows to extort your Tears, No blust'ring Husband to renew your Fears! Therefore, dear Madam, let a Friend advise, Love, and its idle Deity despise: Suppress Wild-Nature, if it durst rebel; There's no such Thing as leading Apes in Hell,