Felicity does not depend upon pompous Titles, wealthy Offices, or lofty State-Preferments. Such Vanities are only the falfe Shadows of true Virtue. Wifdom glories in nothing but her Robes, Riches, or Places of Promotion. 'Tis granted, according to Pindar, that Glory makes Pains feem naturally pleasant; and Travel, virtually tolerable. Tis true, according to Tully, that it is the Property of a Stone, not to have any Feeling of the Difference between Praife and Difpraise but then to forfeit one's Duty or Prudence by either, must be deem'd a most dishonourable Action. To facrifice Virtue for worldly Honour, is like Ixion's hugging a fplendid Cloud instead of Juno, and making Centaurs of Mankind. 'Tis only grafping at a glaring Glow-worm, or catching at an Ideal Nothing. The Romans wifely joyn'd the Temples of Virtue and Honour together; fo that there was no Paffage into the Latter of Course, but through the Courtefies of the Former, to make them feem incorporated into one intire Compofition, That Excellency which proceeds from Wifdom, and good Inftruction, is the first Step to true Honour, and afcends by Degrees to the highest Pitch of Glory, or Advancement in Virtue. This was reckon'd the noblest Emulation among the Ancient Moralifts; as Hefiod afferts

ayati ♪ Epes fe Begin, to rival one another, .who fhould be most virtuous, valiant or magnanimous. No other Contention for Fame, Honour, and Authority, can be lawful or Praifeworthy. Thus Themistocles, the noble, ftrove ftill to excel Miltiades, for his famous Victory obtain'd in the Plains of Marathon, by fome more glorious Exploit. Thus Pompey, the Great, treated his Captive King Tigranes honourably;

by

by pardoning and preferring him, whom he had vanquish'd in Battle, with the trueft Magnanimity. Thus Agathocles, the humble, being a Potter's Son by Birth, would be ferv'd at his own Royal Table with earthen, not golden Ves fels, in Contempt of Vain-glory; to fhew the mean original Extract of his Kingship. Thus Abdolonymus, the meek-fpirited Prince, was never fo puft-up with Pride and Haughtiness, as to forget the Garden, or deny the meanest Offices of the Corn, Turnip, or Peafe-Field, from whence he came to the Throne, by Virtue and good Husbandry. But the wealthy Craffus made himself the most contemptible at laft by his unbounded Ambition, as well as calamitous by his arbitrary Competition with other Princes; and fpoil'd all his Glory, by his odious afpiring Covetoufnefs.

CASTALIO, the elegant Tranflator, feems to have understood this Verfe ingenuously enough in the following Senfe; that, A virtuous Woman being thus amply provided for, and well fortify'd bodily (as it were) against all external Accidents, or fudden Misfortunes, need not fear any Want in future Times, or Adverfity in After-Ages. But, with Submiffion, I rather chufe to take Strength and Honour here, to fignify the excellent Qualities, and principal Ornaments of her Mind; to fet forth the internal Beauty, as well as Virtue of her Understanding. And this Interpretation may be abundantly justify'd by the Pra &tice of the Hebrews, who frequently us'd to exprefs that which peculiarly adorns any Perfon, and properly illuftrates his Profeffion, by the metaphorical Name of Cloathing; as it is in Pfal. cxxxii. Ver. 9, 10. Let thy Priests be cloath ed with Righteousness: and let thy Saints fhaut

"

for

for Foy. For thy Servant David's Sake, turn not away the Face of thine Anointed. And fo on Ver. 16. I will also cloath her Prefts with Salvation: But, Ver. 18. His Enemies, will I cloath with Shame, but upon himself, shall his Crown flourish: fo that Cloathing muft either fignify Glory or Difgrace, figuratively speaking, in a different Acceptation.

HOW much more elegantly fine and florid does this Tranfition of the Text appear from the Apparel of her Body, to the bright Array, and glorious Adornments of her Mind! She cultivates this nobler Part to Perfection. There is nothing wanting in her Virtues, to confummate the Royal Character of a Queen. The rare Qualifications of her Wisdom and Piety, her Charity and Devoutnefs, her Modefty and Refervedness; as well as her majestick Meen, graceful Gefture, polite Stature, exact Symmetry, amiable Complexion, and ferene Afpect: All are inimitably illuftrious, and far furpass the brightest Beauties in outward Habit, or another Element of Glory. She profeffes all the good, Gifts, and practifes all the defirable Graces of Nature, in the highest Degree of Honour and Veneration. She makes her felf a compleat Mistress of all useful Arts and Sciences, proper for her Sex, and the Accomplishments of her Understanding: being well read in the Books of Wifdom, Divinity, and Devotion; well-acquainted with the Writings either in facred, moral, or fecular Hiftory; well inftructed in the Works of Truth, Integrity, or Righteoufnefs; to perfect her wonderful Acquirements, and fet-off her natural Knowledge, as well as her incomparable Wit, most agreeably in Converfation What fuperlative Excellencies foever,

the

the Heathen Goddeffes of Old could boast of in Fiction only, or by the Complaisance of the Poets, the actually poffeffes in Reality, without a Complement. Her refin'd Parts, improv'd Faculties, or finish'd Inventions, all verify this Character: fo that, in fine, Learning and Philofo phy may be faid to be her Cloathing, as well as Honour and Virtue.

I. HEREBY, the Strength of her Body becomes wonderfully reputable, as well as remarkable to the Eye of every Beholder; whether we confider the Vivacity, Vigour, or Validity of it, throughout the various Movements, either of Bufinefs or Diverfion in the World. She is vifibly strong, lively, and laborious in her Enterprizes; by exerting her felf briskly in all the peculiar Powers of Industry, prudent Acts of Continency, or harmless Exercifes of Health She is apparently chearful, fprightly, and indefatigable; by fhewing her great Diligence, in the most useful Occupations of her Ingenuity, or profitable Operations of her active Hands. She is molt eminently virtuous at last, as well as vigorous; by nobly maintaining her Honour and Integrity, in the most trying Conjunctures, either of Delufion or Defpair, under the worst of Fortunes. Thus, by Innocence and Alacrity, fhe furmounts all Difficulties. Thus fhe ftrengthens her Conftitution, and fortifies her impregnable Castle of Virtue against all Attempts, Attacks, or Infults of Sickness, Adverfity, Disgrace, Dishonour, and the Violence of Foreign Enemies, as well as other domeftick incroaching Powers, that would ufurp upon her excellent Government. In fhort, by preferving her Chastity ftill inviolable, the confequently always injoys a firm State of Health, and an infuperable Strength of

Body:

Body: never weaken'd by any flothful Effeminacies; never impair'd by any fordid Intemperances; never tainted by any fcandalous Corruptions; never adulterated by any enervating Iniquities; nor debauch'd, by any infectious Licentiousnesses of Life.

II. HEREBY, the Nobleness of her Mind appears furprizingly great and glorious. What can be more admirably Honourable, than to fee her frequently afpiring up to Heaven in Thought, elevated in Expreffion, and foaring above little fublunary Things in all her Actions? She first divinely fixes her devout Eye upon God Above in Faith, and then cafts her delighted Heart upon the King her Spouse below in Love. Her pious Inclinations towards Both, are as unalienable and unalterably virtuous, as their Object is immutable, and ineffably gracious. By ftrictly ferving, worshipping, and adoring her Maker, fhe glorifies her Marriage, and confummates the Blifs of it upon Earth. After the Performance of her indifpenfable Duties and Devotions, with no lefs Truth than Spirit, nothing interposes with the Care of cultivating her Royal Confort's Glory, and Felicity, next to fanctifying his Life in this World, by her great Virtue, Veneration, Veracity, Fidelity, and Affection. Nothing can interrupt her Conftancy, and Perfeverance. Nothing elfe can interfere, or come in Competition with her conjugal Duty, but the Deity it felf; who gave them both their Being, and made them One by a myftical, as well as indiffoluble Union. An Union of Soul and Body, that cannot be broken off, but only by Death. Two fuch entire Lovers, as can never feparate upon any difhonourable Account! Such a happy Pair, as have feldom been

known