controul, or contradict his unalterable Infti tutions. She can easily diftinguish between the Legislature, and the Legislative Power; between the Act, and the Principle of Acting; between That which is always in Being, and That which may not Be, without either a Royal Confent, or Affent of Prerogative. The One never ceases, the Other may be intermitted from Time to Time; as the wife fupreme Disposer of Things pleases to permit for the Beft. She nicely confiders by whofe Authority they act, and upon what Foundation; but humbly conceives, that every Law of Man made against a manifeft or pofitive Law of God, is, ipfo facto, null and void, and unlawful to all Intents and Purposes. She abfolutely believes, that no Act of any Senate can fuperfede the Bible, or cancel an immutable Law of Nature; and thinks it of very dangerous Confequence, for any inferiour Power, or Authority of a Kingdom, to difpence with a fuperiour Law of Nations: for Fear of deftroying the great End of its Happiness, and involving it in endless Wars, Perils, or StateContrafto's for the future, by their politick Contraventions. But this is none of my Province by the By. In fine, her Heart is continually full of Truth and Wisdom; her Mouth, of good Will and Modefty; her Tongue, of Integrity and Friendship without any Court-Glavering, Flattery, Corruption, Unkindness, or Difloyalty.

VERSE XXVII.

SHE looketh well to the Ways of her Hou bold, and eateth not the Bread of Idleness.

T

PARAPHRASE.

THE Diligence of her Eyes, is no lefs laudable than that of her Hands. But fhe fhews her Prudence and loving Kindness, more especially in her own Houfhold where the narrowly obferves the Motions, and nicely rectifies the Manners of all her Dometicks with the greateft Circumfpection. She fuffers no evil, or idle Ways of getting their Livelihood. She neither allows them to gad Abroad at Difcretion, to loiter within Doors at their Pleasure, nor to labour at their Work without the best Inftructions and Encouragement: but teaches them how to live industriously, as they ought to do, and to earn their Bread by the Sweat of their Brows. Upon which Account, if for no other Reason, the highly deferves what she eats, and juftifies what the injoys, with Satisfaction. Thus her well-manag'd Family thrives, and flourishes through her careful Infpection. She looks into every Creek and Corner of her Houfe, and fets all Things to Rights, in the exacteft Order of Decency, Neatnefs, or Decorum. There are no Slut's-Holes, or Slaggard's-Nefts to be found in her Dwellings; but they are always kept thoroughly clean, by her own Diligence or Direction, and genteely Y

gar.

garnish'd, with the greatest Discretion, or Cu riofity. Her Piety and Prudence, as well as her elegant Cleanliness, makes it an Habitation almoft fit for the Reception and Entertainment of Angels, in their divine Embaffies. She exactly ponders all the Ways of her Inhabitants, Children, or Servants; corrects their Miftakes kindly, fupplies their Omiffions difcreetly, and reforms their Manners of living, as well as labouring, by the most prudential Rules of good Housewif'ry, and wholefome Instruction, either moral or religious. They are constantly as well taught as fed, in her regular Family; and may foon understand, by her commendable Example of Wisdom, Industry, and Frugality, not to eat the Bread of Idleness; not to pamper their lazy loitering Carcafes in Eafe, nor affect the fulfome Indulgences of Food, and Rayment, without taking Pains for it: but to be ever carefully learning, and labouring to get their own Living, and to do their Duties in that Domeftick State of Life; to which fhe has wifely brought them up, by the Bleffing of God, in their feveral Callings, or Vocations of Virtue, and as the her felf has diligently done before them, with the moft incomparable Prudence, and Regularity, as well as Applaufe.

W

REMARKS.

HAT excellent Oeconomy may we not expect to meet with here, in her amiable Dwellings! The Ways of her Houshold are continually under the Care of her curious Eye, and cannot fail of profpering under the Countenance of fuch an admirable Miftrefs, among her menial Servants, by the Verity of the good

old

old Proverb. She is fo nicely circumfpect in the right Ordering of her Affairs, either with a Refpect to her own exemplary Deportment and Behaviour, or the Conduct and Carriage of her Domefticks; that the makes her Manfion not only a Seat of publick Beauty and Delight, or of Virtue, Diligence, and Elegancy; but likewife a private Houfe of Prayer and Devotion, as well as a Family of Love, Kindness, and Hofpitality. Her conftant Abode feems to be in Blifs and Holinefs, by the Devoutnefs of her Mind. 'Tis the greateft Comfort of her Life, to fee her Habitation prudently regulated in all the good Offices of Induftry, and Moderation, according to her difcreet Management; without either impofing any Slavery, on the one Hand; or fuffering any Sluttishness, on the other, in Fact. For fhe is equally an Enemy to downright Drudgery, brutal Servitude, and over-working either her Men or Maid-Servants beyond their Strength, as fhe appears to be to their Slothfulness, and Negligence in her Houshold-Employments. She would neither have them overdo, nor under-do their Duty, by her diligent Circumfpection; but only defires their best Care to maintain the Honour of her Service, preferve the Reputation of her House, and vindi cate it from all Uncleanness, Disorder, or Confufion. She ftill puts them in the wifeft Way of getting their own Livelihood hereafter, without Laziness, or eating the Bread of Idlenefs under her prudent Regulation: if they have the Grace, at leaft, to fquare their Lives according to her inftructive Example; by never defiring to eat a Bit of Bread, or a Morfel of Meat, which they do not deferve, by the faithful Diligence of their Hands, and the laborious Sweat

of their Bodies. In fhort, Idleness is the very Averfion of Virtue, and the unnatural Nourisher of Vice: fo that the discountenances all Sluts, difcards all Slovens, and cashires all Sluggards out of her domeftick Service.

I. THIS virtuous Houfholder ftrictly regulates their Principles; by teaching her hired Servants the true Knowledge of their Duty to their Masters, or Miftreffes, and laying the fureft Foundation of a good Understanding, or lafting Friendship, upon that folemn Family-Relation. She eafily wins their Hearts to a willing Obedience, by the Sweetness of her Temper, or the Lawfulness of her Commands. By her Juftice, and Generofity, fhe quickly engages them to the greatest Faithfulness; far above any Eye-Service, or Breach of Trust, either through neglecting, wafting, defrauding, purloining, or embezelling her Goods. By her Goodness, and Affability, the gently brings them, over to the greatest Submiffion, Patience and Meeknefs, under the Reprehenfons of her juft Difpleafure, without any Surlinefs, fawcy Answers, or rude Replies. By her condefcending Familiarity, good Admonition, edifying Example, tender Inftruction, and indulgent Moderation, in all her Undertakings, fhe charms them to the greatest Diligence, and ftricteft Attendance in their respective Services, without giving them felves up to Sloth, Sluttishness, and Indifferency; to Company-keeping, Gaming, and Gamboling Abroad, or to any other diforderly Course of Life, and Licentioufnefs: which may take them off from the Pursuit of their more neceflary Bufinefs, as well as divert them from the better Practice of their bounden Duty.

themselves

II. THIS