either in Point of Riches, Knowledge, or Wisdom; either in a moral Senfe, or fome natural Productions and artful Operations, without making a Jeft on't as fome Writers have done in their ignorant Mifreprésentations of Alchymy, or the Adepts in Chymistry. 'Tis not fo ridiculous a Study among wifer Heads. However that be, we must needs own, Neceffity is the Mother of Wit and Invention. The nicest Curiofities of Art have been found-out by its Power. The brightest Performances owe their Original to ingenious Poverty. The rareft Mechanical Works, Machines, Schemes, Projections and Experiments declaré its Efficacy. When a virtuous Man is put to his Trumps, Nature it felf is an Afs to him in Comparifon for acquir'd Parts; for witty Shifts and Contrivances; for Artifice, Excogitation and Ingenuity. Poverty may be religious too, as well as Moral or Phyfical; but fo much by the By, for the Benefit of its industrious Cul tivaters.

RICHES, Ambition and Avarice, without doubt, are the violente ft Corrupters of this Virtue, and the most notorious Öbftructers of doing Juftice in a Nation. Avarice of all Sins, is the most unaccountable; and yet very common, next to univerfal.. There's a ftrong TinAure of it in moft Men, to get Money. But it is most of all ridiculous, when it cheats it felf of the Blessing, and robs it felf of the Benefit of what it has got in the greatest Abundance. The covetous Man is the arranteft Heautontimorumenos in Nature, as Terence calls him, or a felftormenting Monster of Iniquity: and well may it be expected then, he fhould wrong, plague or torment the Reft of Mankind. He defrauds his

own Genius; and well may it be thought, he will much more opprefs others, by griping Extortion or cruel Injuftice. He leads the Life of Tantalus in Hell, up to the Chin in Water, with Apples bobbing about his Mouth, and has not the Power, either to fatisfy his Hunger, or to quench his Thirft. Juft fo does the miferable Mifer fuffer upon Earth; up to the Ears among his Bags, with Guineas in glaring Heaps before his Eyes, and cannot find in his Heart to touch a Peny of it to relieve his Wants; for fear of falling into Poverty, Decay or Neceffity, even amidst his Gold and Silver. The Leech is not more infatiable in fucking fuperfluous Blood, than he is defirous of still getting more and more ufelefs Money: till they both burft, as it were, or die in a Stink one for the Grave, and the other for the Dunghil. In fine, Covetousness may not only be compar'd to the Root, but the whole Tree of all Evil; overshadowing, overfpreading and oppreffing a great Part of the fuffering Earth, by the Malignancy of its Branches; producing nothing but the Fruits of Fraud, Perjury and Pyracy; Treafon and Difcord; Robbery and Rebellion; Pride, Haughtiness and Cruelty, Civil Wars, Publick Tumults, Foreign Broils, Domestick Treacheries, and Cor ruptions even in the very Seats of Judgment, Juftice or Mercy. It can never juftify its own, and much lefs will it ever plead the Caufe of the Poor and Needy.

And thus, in fine, I have finish'd the King's Character in the Proverbs, who being indu'd with all the foregoing Graces, Virtues and Ac complishments, internal as well as external,

ac

acquired as well as natural: becomes in a Fact a Second Solomon, without a Complement, in the Eye of the whole admiring World; or at leaft, the Delight of Christendom!

VERSE X.

WHO can find a virtuous Woman? For her Price is far above Rubies.

PARAPHRASE.

ELL then, my Son Lemuel! after wishing you the Bleffing of all thofe noble Virtues abovemention'd, I would heartily recommend a good Wife to your ferious Choice; whenever you are really in Love, and find your felf maturely inclin'd to marry, or refolv'd to change your fingle Condition in good Earneft for a Better. But then you must be very careful upon whom you fix your Royal Affections, and cautious with whom you chufe to lead your whole Life; to make it unalterably pleafant, peaceable, prudent, honourable and happy, in a continual Scene of flowing Satisfactions, multiplying Pleasures, and accumulative Joys. She ought not only to be a good natur'd, loving, induftrious Woman; but also pious, patient and humble ; a Princess of the best Education and Accomplishments, as well as Birth, Blood or Extraction. She fhould likewife be a fruitful Mother of

Children; tender, indulgent and affectionate to wards them, as well as her Husband; indu'd with the moft excellent Principles of Knowledge, how to command her felf in Publick, as well as govern her Family in Private with Difcretion, Courtefy and Wifdom. She fhould, in fine, be inrich'd with all thofe virtuous Indowments of Mind, and commendable Qualities of Judgment, which will render her far more valuable than the Riches of Ophir or the Indies: furpaffing the most precious Adornments of outward Attire, or external Luftre; with which fine Ladies love to appear in Pomp at Court: where her Virtues ftill make a more fplendid Shew, and fhine-out even in the Dark, or difperfe the Clouds by her brighter Prefence. But alas! Confider yet, fuch a Woman as I would wish you to have for a Wife; to make her a glorious Queen, or to crown her with Majefty: is very rare, and fcarce to be found within a large Circumference of the inquifitive World. She is like a Wonder, that does not often appear in a particular Hemisphere. When fuch a blazing Star happens in a Kingdom, it is fill'd with gazing and Admiration. National Love will follow the Train of this good-foreboding Comet with univerfal Acclamations of the joyful Beholders. Your Royal Marriage with her will always be deem'd fortunate, faithful and felicitating; or esteem'd as Prolifick of prefent Peace, as of future Princes, Plenty and Profperity. But who can meet with that wonderful Lady of Glory, who folely values. her felf upon her Virtue; and efteems the acquir'd Graces of the Mind, far more than the natural Fineness of Shape, Voice, Wit, Beauty, or any

other

other refplendent Qualifications of the Body? Who is virtuous for Virtue's own Sake? Who ftill ftands steadfast against the Shock of the most threat'ning Compulfions, as well as the Tryal of the most deluding Temptations? Who keeps her Integrity, untainted; her Faith, unprophan'd; her Marriage-Vow, inviolable: and defies the Devil in the most ugly or Angelick, the most charming or frightful Appearance? This is fhe, whofe intrinfick Value certainly fome Monarchs and Noblemen both are fo happy as to know to be inexpreffible: whofe Worth is ineftimable, far above the imaginary Excellencies of rich Pearls, or precious Stones; fparkling Diamonds, or lovely Rubies. These are lifelefs Things, and worthless Bawbles in Comparison of her Glories. Who can fet a Price upon her Virtues: whofe Heart is entirely God's, celeftially speaking; and ter reftrially her Spoufe's? This is the, that is the most unvaluable, as well as devout, amiable, admirable Creature upon Earth; next to the Angels them felves in Heaven: the most affable, obedient and indearing of Wives to her lawful Husband in all Respects of Duty, divine or humane: the most worthy of eve ry Thing this World can afford, either of Honours or Dignities; Crowns, Thrones or Scepters; and the greatest Bleffings the other can bestow, except a miraculous Tranflation without Death into the highest Mansions of Blifs. But I forbear to paraphrafe her Merit any farther; for fear of leffening her Charaa ter, by feeming induftrious to magnify it a bove Measure.

REMARKS