She a forfaken Bed muft often bear,

While he can never fail to find her there,
And therefore lefs excus'd to range elsewhere.
Yet this fhe ought to fuffer and submit:

But when no longer for each other fit,
If Usage base fhall juft Refentment move,
Or what is worse, Affronts of wand'ring Love;
No Obligation after that remains,

'Tis mean, not juft, to wear a Rival's Chains.
Yet Decency requires the wonted Cares
Of Int'reft, Children, and remote Affairs;
But in her Love, that dear Concern of Life,
She all the while may be another's Wife:

m

Heav'n that beholds her wrong'd and widow'd Bed, Permits a Lover in her Husband's ftead.

I flung me at his Feet, his Robes would kifs,

And cry'd,-

Ev'n our bafe World is juft in this ;

Amidft our Cenfures, Love we gently blame;

And Love sometimes preserves a Female Fame.

What Tie lefs ftrong can Woman's Will restrain? When Honour, Checks,and Confcience plead in vain; When Parents Threats, and Friends Perfuafions fail, When Int'reft and Ambition scarce prevail,

To bound that Sex when nothing elfe can move ;
They'll live referv'd to please the Man they love!
The Spirit then reply'd to all I faid,

She may be kind, but not till thou art dead,
Bewail thy Memory, bemoan thy Fate,

Then she will love, when 'tis alas too late :
Of all thy Pains fhe will no Pity have,

Till fad Despair has fent thee to the Grave.

Amaz'd, I wak'd in hafte,

All trembling at my Doom;
Dreams oft repeat Adventures past,
And tell our Ills to come.

HELEN

HELEN to PARIS,

FROM

O V ID.

Tranflated by the Earl of MULGRAVE, and Mr. DRYDEN.

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