To lend a wife, few here would fcruple make,

But

pray which of you all would take her back?
Tho' with the Stoick Chief our stage may ring.
The Stoick Hufband was the glorious thing.
The man had courage, was a fage, 'tis true,
And lov'd his country-but what's that to you?
Thofe ftrange examples ne'er were made to fit ye,
But the kind cuckold might instruct the city :
There, many an honest man may copy Cato,
Who ne'er faw naked fword, or look'd in Flate.
If, after all, you think it a disgrace,

That Edward's Mifs thus perks it in your face,
To fee a piece of failing flesh and blood,
In all the reft fo impudently good;

Faith, let the modeft matrons of the town

Come here in crowds, and ftare the ftrumpet down..

A

The ARGUMENT.

Belard and Eloifa flourish'd in the twelfth Cen tury; they were two of the most diftinguish'd perfons of their age in learning and beauty, but for nothing more famous than for their unfortunate paffion. After a long courfe of calamities, they retired each to a feveral convent, and confecrated the remainder of their days to religion. It was many years after this feparation, that a letter of Abelard's to a friend which contain'd the hiftory of his misfortunes, fell into the hands of Eloifa. This awakening all her tenderness, occafion'd thofe celebrated letters (out of which the fol lowing is partly extracted) which give fo lively a picture of the struggles of grace and nature, virtue and paffion..

ELOISA

ELOISA

ΤΟ

ABELARD.

N thefe deep folitudes and awful cells,

I

Where heav'nly-penfive, contemplation dwells,

And ever-mufing melancholy reigns;

What means this tumult in a veftal's veins ?
Why rove my thoughts beyond this last retreat?
Why feels my heart its long-forgotten heat?
Yet, yet I love!-From Abelard it came,

And Elifa yet muft kifs the name.

Dear fatal name! reft ever unreveal'd, Nor pafs thefe lips in holy filence feal'd.