All who approach them their own ends pursue; Hence oft from Reason heedless Beauty strays, What is your sex's earliest, latest care, Nor make to dangerous wit a vain pretence, Of those who claim it, more than half have none; Be still superior to your sex's arts, Nor think dishonesty a proof of parts: Seek to be good, but aim not to be great: To rougher man Ambition's task resign: 'Tis ours in senates or in courts, to shine, To labour for a sunk, corrupted state, Or dare the rage of Envy, and be great. One only care your gentle breasts should move, Th' important business of your life is love; To this great point direct your constant aim, This makes your happiness, and this your fame. Be never cool reserve with passion join'd; With caution choose; but then be fondly kind. The selfish heart, that but by halves is giv❜n, Shall find no place in Love's delightful heav'n ; Here sweet extremes alone can truly bless: The virtue of a lover is excess. A maid unask'd may own a well-plac'd flame; Not loving first, but loving wrong, is shame. Contemn the little pride of giving pain, Nor think that conquest justifies disdain. Short is the period of insulting pow'r: Offended Cupid finds his vengeful hour; Soon will resume the empire which he gave, And soon the tyrant shall become the slave, Blest is the maid, and worthy to be blest, And asks no pow'r, but that of pleasing most: But, lest harsh care the lovers peace destroy, Venus in vain the wedded pair would crown, Soon will the flatt'ring dream of bliss be o❜er, Yet may you rather feel that virtuous pain, E'en in the happiest choice, where fav'ring Heav'n Has equal love and easy fortune giv❜n, Think not, the husband gain'd, that all is done: The prize of happiness must still be won : And oft, the careless find it to their cost, The lover in the husband may be lost. The Graces might alone his heart allure; They and the Virtues meeting must secure. Let e'en your prudence wear the pleasing dress Of care for him, and anxious tenderness. From kind concern about his weal or wo, Let each domestic duty seem to flow. The household sceptre if he bids you bear, Make it your pride his servant to appear: Endearing thus the common acts of life, The mistress still shall charm him in the wife; And wrinkled age shall unobserv'd come on, Before his eye perceives one beauty gone; E'en o'er your cold, your ever sacred urn, His constant flame shall unextinguish'd burn. Thus I, Belinda, would your charms improve, LORD LYTTLEton. GOVERNMENT OF THE TEMPER. PEEVISHNESS, though not so violent and fatal in it's immediate effects, is still more unamiable than passion, and, if possible, more destructive of happiness, inasmuch as it operates more continually. Though the fretful man injures us less, he disgusts us more than the passionate one, because he betrays a low and little mind, intent on trifles, and engrossed by a paltry self love; which knows not how to bear the very apprehension of any inconvenience. It is self-love, then, which we must combat, when we find ourselves assaulted by this infirmity; and, by voluntarily enduring inco: eniences, we shall habituate ourselves to bear them with ease and good humour, when occasioned by others. Perhaps this is the best kind of religious mortification, as the chief end of denying ourselves any innocent indulgences must be to acquire a habit of command over our passions and inclinations, particularly such as are likely to lead us into evil. And though the aged and infirm are most liable to this evil (and they alone are to be pitied for it); yet we sometimes see the young, the healthy, and those who enjoy most outward blessings, inexcusably guilty of it. Ꭰ The smallest disappointment in pleasure, or difficulty in the most trifling employment, will put wilful young people out of temper; and their very amusements frequently become sources of vexation and peevishness. How often have I seen a girl, preparing for a ball, or for some other public appearance, unable to satisfy her own vanity, fret over every ornament she put on, quarrel with her maid, with her clothes, her hair; and, growing still more unlovely as she grew more cross, be ready to fight with her looking-glass for not making her as handsome as she wished to be! She did not consider, that the traces of this ill humour on her countenance would be a greater disadvantage to her appearance, than any defect in her dress, or even than the plainest features, enlivened by joy and good humour. There is a degree of resignation necessary even to the enjoyment of pleasure; we 'must be ready and willing to give up some part of what 'we could wish for, before we can enjoy that which is indulged to us. I have no doubt, that she, who frets all the while she is dressing for an assembly, will suffer still *greater uneasiness when she is there. The same craving, restless vanity will there endure a thousand mortifications, which, in the midst of seeming pleasure, will secretly corrode her heart; while the meek and humble generally find more gratification than they expected, and return home pleased and enlivened from every scene of amusement, though they could have staid away from it with perfect ease and contentment. MRS. CHAPONE. INSUFFICIENCY OF BEAUTY. SAY why are beauties prais'd and honour'd most, |