XII.

But, all the while,

Her beauties smile,

And tempt the lover's care:
A year consumes,

Another comes;

And Phyllis still is fair.

XIII.

To all one date

Assigns not fate,

As plain, too plain, appears ;
Your glories live,

Days four or five,

But hers as many years.

XIV.

Yet, gentlest race,

Your fleeting grace

To blooming Phyllis lend:

And, as you fade,

Remind the maid,

That years like days must end.

XII.

Sed florescere

Cernit eâdem

Phyllida formâ,

Quique recedit,

Quique supervenit,

Alter et alter.

XIII.

Non datur ætas

Omnibus una,

Nec decet omnes

Una superbia;

Cedite Phyllidi,

Cedite, flosculi.

XIV.

Cedite, sed ce

dendo dierum

Quo fuga ritu

Pergit, eodem

Dicite et annos

Ire, perire.

L

IF, friend, a wife you mean to wed,

Worthy of your board and bed,
That she be virtuous, be your care,
Not too rich, and not too fair:

One who nor labours to display
New complexions every day,
Nor, studying artificial grace,

Out of boxes culls a face.

Nor live-long hours for dressing spares,
Placing to displace her hairs,

And straight replace; an idle pin

Ten times shifting out and in.

Nor daily varies, vainly nice,

Thrice her silks, and colours thrice:
Fond o'er and o'er her suits to range,
Changing still, and still to change.

MELISSA.

HANC, Marce, cum ducetur uxor, elige Mensæque consortem et tori:

Bene moribus morata, quæ formâ placet, Nec dote dotatur nimis.

Non elaborat illa, de die in diem,

Se fingere et refingere ;

Vultumve curiosa sumit artifex

Ab hac, ad illâ pyxide.

Nec dislocandis et locandis crinibus,
Quos iterum et iterum dislocet,

Absumit horas, unam ineptulam aciculam

Deciesque figens et movens.

Nec exuendis induendis vestibus,

Diversa ter, ter discolor,

Jubar evehit cum Phoebus, et cum devehit,

Mutatur et mutabitur.

J

Nor gads to pay, with busy air,
Trifling visits here and there;
Long rapping at each door aloud,
Nuisance to a neighbourhood.

If e'er a play she deign to see,
(Very rarely shall it be)

She likes not wit in lewdness shown,
Jests ill-manner'd for a clown;
But hears, with ignorance or rage,
Double meanings of the stage.
Her spotless mind, the lustful tale
Nauseates in the nicest veil.

She ne'er is found in crowds unclean,
Ent'red mysteries obscene;

Nor seeks in mask, and antic dress,
Unconfin'd lasciviousness:

Nor pale, and angry, gaming high,
Rattles the unlucky die.

Till sun-rise restless vigils keeps,
Light consuming in her sleeps ;
Inverting nature, turns with play

Day to night, and night to day.