Publick, as well as her own private Family No Hand needs be idle, and unimploy'd about her House, or within the View of the Vicinage where he lives, by her ingenious Profef fion. For fhe fets all People at Work, as fat as lies in her Power, who are willing to ta Pains for an honest Livelihood, and deserve their Bread. They cannot complain of Poverty near her Perfon, for Want of Imployment.

II. HER Usefulness appears likewife as evidently obfervable, to a Degree of Eminency, in all her Works, as well as in making of fine or courfe Linen Cloth, for the Service of the World. She is continually acting for the general Good of Mankind; ftill doing fomething, that other People may be the better for't: as fhe thinks it her Duty, not only to ftock her own Houshold with Table-Linen, Sheets, Shirts, Napkins, or Towels, &c. in particular; but likewife makes them for publick Profit, either by Whole-fale or Retail Trade, and supplies the Merchants with great Quantities of White-Cloth, for the Benefit of the Reft of Mankind in General. She furnishes them with the most pfeful and fubftantial Things; not Toys, or GemGams, or trifling Wares; but fuch folid Goods, I mean, as are the most serviceable of all others in a Family, as well as neceflary for common Decency and Cleanlinefs. How convenient then, and becoming is it for all People to stock themfelves well with this Sort of agreeable Drapery, either for Bed or Board! But, it is almoft im. poffible, to enumerate the many excellent Commodities that proceed from the Operation of her expert Hands, befides fine Linens; which, perhaps, far outdo Holland, Cambray, Arras, &c. or furpass thofe of Sidon it felf, in Fineness of Work

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Workmanship. To fay nothing of Marriage Girdles, Ribbands or Ruffles, Hoods or Scarfs, Neckcloths or Night-Rails, now out of Fashion, and other curious Things more in Use: All which fhew this virtnous Manufacturer, as well as Mera chandifer, to be the most useful of Women in her, Generation, and the Productions of her Ingenuity. 'Tis a peculiar Excellency; her Inventions are always fo Rare, as well as New; that her Wares, like Virtue it felf, never grow obfolete, or wax out of Fashion.

VERSE XXV.

her'

STRENGTH and Honour are
Cloathing, and he shall rejoyce in Time to

come.

PARAPHRASE..

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HUS is this virtuous Lady's Di ligence, and Industry, glorify'd by the Text, accompany'd with the following Bleffings! Her principal Ornaments appear to be

approv'd of here, by the Firmnefs, Vigour, and Conftancy of her curious Mind confirm'd by the modeft, comely, and decent Behaviour of her active Body; and finally accomplish'd by the genteel, generous, and honourable Way of her perfonal Dealing with all Mankind. Her civil, well-bred Treatment of others, is all of a Piece with her own excellent Talents of Virtue, Courtely, and Affability; of

Com

Complaifance, Humility, and Condefcenfion. Thefe Qualifications render her fo compleatly happy at prefent, that they free her from all fear of future Apprehenfions; either of ill Report, Cafuality, Misfortune, Difappointment, or inevitable Neceffity. She is never afraid of what may happen hereafter, come what will; but always wellprepar'd to meet even Old Age with Chearfulnefs, and to look Death it felf boldly in the Face with joyful Satisfaction, or Tranquillity. of Soul.

She rejoyces in the State of Futurity,. as a natural Change only for the Better. But fo long as fhe lives upon Earth, to blefs it with her Prefence, she may eafily be distinguish'd among the Multitude of ordinary Women, by her internal Virtues, as well as external Attire. You may know her almost at the first View, not only by her healthful Countenance, vigo rous Conftitution, and the Comelinefs of her outward Habit; but alfo by the vifible Graces, tranfparent Beauties, and fhining Glories of her inward Honour, and Happiness: infomuch that Health, Strength and Vigour, are her neverfailing Adornments, and the perpetual Cloathing. of her admirable Perfon. Her Garments are all made up of Goodness. Her conftant Dreffes and Addreffes, are all exactly adjusted to the ftri&teft Morality in fecular Affairs, and Religion in fpirituals. To be brief, her whole Habit, both of Body and Soul together, are curioufly display'd with Love, Peace and Righteoufnefs; with Honour, Prudence, and Loyalty towards her Lawful, Princely, or Royal Confort. And the Time will come, when fhe fhall have the greatest Reason to rejoyce exceedingly, upon the Consciousness of her own Merit, as well as Reward. She will then be felf-convinc'd, and fur

priz'd with Joy at the Dignity of her virtuous Array in Robes of State, or other popular Honours, fufficient to crown the Happiness of her Husband, and procure her self the richeft Diadem of Glory. Upon this honourable Marriage, like that of Solomon's with King Pharaoh's Daughter, they will affuredly both live afterwards like noble Princes indeed, in everlasting Transports of temporal Felicity, or humane Satisfaction: till they die lamented, and intail their Beatitudes upon all future Ages, their latest Pofterity, and even Time it felf to come, through an uninterrupted, and endlefs Injoyment of them fucceffively in this World.

STR

REMARK S,

TRENGTH and Honour, without all doubt, are Two great Bleffings of Humanity. That may be taken for natural or political, in-bred or acquir'd; even to fignify any fecular Intereft, Power and Popularity, as well as bodily Force, perfonal Valour, and corporeal Vigour. This alfo may be interpreted, either civilly, morally, or naturally; to fignify any fingular Virtue, intrinfick Value, and real Applaufe, as well as magnificent Titles, either gi ven, taken, or deferv'd, by Principles of Integrity, and glorious Tranfactions. Glory and Renown, when they are not fo ambitionfly fought for, as highly merited, or unwillingly receiv'd, magnify the Fame, and brighten the Character of the greatest Heroes. We ought not to feek for Praife and Preferment, by private Pride or Prefumption, but by publick Profit and Advantage, We should defire nothing but what we are able to perform, for the general Good of all Go

vernment, and humane Society. Every Man of us becomes Blame-worthy, who undertakes that which is above his Strength, Honesty and Uprightness to accomplish. An ill-guarded Ambition, is a dangerous Point, as well as impolitick. Cicero hints it to be a miferable Felo de fe, or Self-murderer. Justice is frequently forgotten, where it reigns in Triumph. It has been the Bane of many Kingdoms, as well as Perfons, Princes or Potentates. It may make a Phaethon of a Man, but never a Philosopher. His Honour was all in a Blaze, and fet the World on Fire. Timon calls it the very Element of Malice and Mischief. It ruin'd both the Romans and Grecians in former Days: to fay nothing of the prefent State of Great-Britain, France, or other Countries. Witnefs the fad Party-Difafters of Cafar and Pompey; who could fuffer no Equal, no Superiour in Glory: the factious Devastations of Marius and Sylla, who could endure no Rivals in Greatnefs: the fatal Destructions of 0Etavius, Antonius, and Lepidus; who could bear no Contenders with their triple Sovereignty, by their cruel ambitious Arms, till they loft it for a better Monarchy. There are infinite Examples of its Fatality in all Hiftories, both Ancient and Modern: in all Duumvirates, Triumvirates, Decemvirates, Quindecimvirates, Vigintivirates; Com mon-wealths, Pluralities of Hotch-Potch-Authority, or fuch fuch like Gallimamfries of Government, and Ufurpation. But the true Way of afpiring to Honour and Greatnefs, is by Peace, Juftice and Mercy; Truth and Righteoufnefs. A happy Life, as Seneca fays, does not confift in following the Fashion, or the Multitude, in Choice pf Kain Glories; but in defpifing the popular Praife, Pride, and Grandeur of the World.

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