VERSE XVIII.

SHE perceiveth that her Merchandise is good: her Candle goeth not out by Night.

PARAPHRASE.

OW fhe comes to tafte (as the Hebrew Word fignifies) the Sweets of her Labour, and begins to wipe-off her Sweat. She finds, by joyful Experience, not only how wholesome and healthful it is to her Body; but also how helpful and happy to her Mind. She wifely confiders, what great Profit her Vigilancy yields at Home, and her Traffick returns from Abroad: fo that she does not always conclude her Work with the Day-Light, nor finish her Travails betwixt Sun and Sun; but continues them as much as poffible in the Night, and as long alfo by CandleLight as can reafonably be fpar'd from her neceflary Sleep, Reft or Refreshment. The prodigious Advantages of her vigilant Handy-Works, make her far more in Love with Labour, than in Sleeping any longer than needs muft, or is requir'd to fupport her Strength and maintain her Power in its continu'd Progreffion; I will not fay, perpetual Motion. How far her Virtue may be extended, when she has any Work in Hafte, and it demands Difpatch, (as fome expound this Verfe) cannot be determin'd either by Night or Day; upon the Rifing or the Setting of the Sun, There is no ftinting of her studious

ftudious Thoughts, penfive Actions and painful Tasks, either to late or early Hours, by her fedulous and fevere Pernoctations. Her daily Deeds are all as bright and active as the Morning-Luftre, or as ferene and beautiful as the Evening-Light. Knowing the Goodness of her Works, and the Excellency of her Merchandife, the wifely purfues the honeft Gain of her Hands with elaborate Diligence. She plainly perceives the Utility of her righteous Dealings; and quickly finds, that it turns to very great Intereft at the Foot of the Account. She takes the more Pains, the more fhe difcovers the Profit of her good and merchantable Wares, by going off well, and pleafing her numberlefs CuItomers. They never ftick upon her ingenuous Hand for Want of Trade and Incouragement. The Virtue and honefty of her Commerce, procure her the beft Correfpondents, and recommend her laudable Character, as well as her ineftimable Merchandife, to the whole World. Infomuch that her Industry neither loiters by Day, nor lets her Candle go out by Night. Her Arms know no Ceffation. She works and ftudies without any unneceffary Intermiffions or idle Relachements of Life: ftill in pursuit of getting a compétent Maintenance by her own vigilant Power, and of obtaining the richest Prize by her own gainful Prowess. Her Houfe-Affairs profper; her Land proves fertile; and her Vineyard flou rifhes by her good Conduct and Cultivating. Her nocturnal Lucubrations are all full of Virtue, Piety and Religion; or of divine as well as hu mane Pleafures, Profits and Productions: fo that fhe may be defervedly faid to take the greatest Care of her Candle, and to make the best Use on't, by her Day-Works and Night-Watches,

for

for the Advancement of her Family, to the highest Pitch of Felicity in her earthly Paradise.

H

REMARK S.

APPY Woman of a virtuous Wife! Her Merchandise always takes Effect, and proves highly inviting, as well as agreeable to all Mankind in Amour with her Conduct and Management. They know it must be good, if it comes from her curious Hands; for nothing can excel her Handy-Work but lawful Wedlock. All People court her Correfpondence, as well as Acquaintance, Familiarity and Converfation. She deals in no contraband Goods, either at Home or Abroad. If they are prohibited by Law, they do not lie in the Way of her Bufinefs, nor in the View of her Practice of Purity and Profeffion of Integrity. She will not incur the Displeasure of the Higher Powers, nor run the Rifque of the Penalties of any juft, legal or reasonable Prohibition. She will neither buy nor fell any forbidden Fruits. Her Hands must be clean of all fordid Gain, and clear of all finifter Dealings. Her nocturnal Watchings are of another Nature, than either to cozen and cheat her Spoufe; defraud and impofe upon Her felf; or abafe and trick her Cuftomers, by any adulterating of her vendible Wares, and making them unfit for future Sale. Her whole Business anights, is how to render, her own Merchandise intirely good, and really acceptable to her obliged, as well as obliging Chapmen: and fhe ftudies at all Times only how to traffick, either by buying, felling or bartering, with the trueft Fidelity and fairest Dealing Above-Board.

1. IF the buys: It is done with the exacteft Judgment. It is manag'd with the nicest Curiofity. It is the rare Quality of the Thing the regards, not the large Quantity, for her Money. She weighs all her Penyworths by her Prudence, and ballancing of them in the Scale of DifcretiThe intrinfick Goodness of the Commo

dity must make her a Buyer, at the best Hand, or the Fountain-Head of Commerce. She will buy no foolish Trash of great Expence or gross Digestion; no useless Trinkets of gaudy Glaire; and no fuperfluous Trifles only of extrinfick Worth; but the beft of every Thing,that is most useful, and the fittest for Service; well-knowing the Truth of the old Proverb, and practifing according to the Wisdom of it: That Best is beft Cheap ftill, in all the Markets of the Universe, and will be fo to the End of the World. But then he never depreciates her Bargains, cost what they will; nor belies her Pockets. She cordially loves Truth, and values Fair-Dealing at her Heart. It is her constant Practice to diftinguish, with the most judicious Nicety, between Lofs and Gain. Both Debtor and Creditor will call her the faithfulleft BookKeeper, and find her the most just, exact, expeditious Trader, in fettling her Husband's or her Merchant's Accounts. In all honeft Dealing fhe would have her Neighbour that she lays-out her Money with, get a fufficient living Profit, and herself to be no Lofer by the Bargain, thro' any Trick in Trade or cunning Impofition, She neither defires to impofe upon others, nor to be over-reach'd herfelf in any private Sale or publick Auction. Live and let live, is her remarkable Motto in Buying and much Good may it do the greater Gainer! But she has more

Wit than to part with her ready Money for future Uncertainties, or to throw away her real Coyn upon any imaginary Merchandise and whimsical Chimara's; which can never countervail a prefent Certainty in Poffeffion. There is no fetting a Price upon vain Hope. It is of no Value, nor worth asking for. She knows nothing of the fashionable Way of buying a Pig in a Poke; ftriking of Bargains, unfight-unfeen, as the Vulgar fay; or felling of Bear-Skins, and raising golden Mountains in the Air: as fome crafty Merchant-Adventurers of Money-Bubbles understand well enough about Change- Alley, to their own Sorrow or Shame. But after All, it ought to be a standing Rule; No Purchase, no Pay! For how can any one buy an airy Phantome, a noify Sound, or an empty Nothing? Nothing in View, but by fruitless Dealing, frivolous Speculation, and fanciful Stock-Fobbing? This has been the common Brokage and Bite of the Town lately among unwary Buyers.

II. IF fhe fells: It is done with the greatest Honour and Credit as well as Honefty. What Merchandise foever fhe deals in, or difpofes of, may be depended upon for the very best of the Kind, Make or Manufacture. For as the always bought the most valuable Goods, she must needs alfo vend the fame in Perfection: whether we confider the natural Quality and intrinfick Worth of her Wares, or their artificial Excellency and admirable Workmanship. Whoever has the Happiness to deal with her, is fure to make a good Bargain, with great Advantage and univerfal Approbation. Her Veracity and Probity will not fuffer her to put an ill Thing into any Customer's Hand, or to fell him any damag'd Commodities. She fcorns all Extortion,

Ufury,