Page:Oration on the virtues of the old women, and the pride of the young (1).pdf/4

 wife, comely as Diana, chaſte as Suſanna, yet the whole of their toil is the trimming of their rigging, tho' their hulls be everlaſtingly in a laking condition; their backs and their bellies are box'd about with the fins of a big fiſh, ſix petticoats, a gown, and apron, beſides a ſide ſark down to the anclebones, ah what monſtrous rags are here, what a cloth is conſumed for a covering of one pair of buttocks; I leave it to the judgement of any ten taylors in the town, if thirty pair of men's breeches may not be cut from a little above the eaſing of Beſſy's bum, and this makes her a motherly woman, as ſtately a fabric as even ſtrade to market or mill.

But when ſhe's married, ſhe turns a madam, her miſtreſs did not work much, and why ſhould ſhe? Her mother tell'd ay ſhe wad be a lady, but cou'd never ſhow where her lands lay; but when money is all ſpent, credit broken, and conduct out of keeping, a when babling bubly bairns crying piece ninny, porrech minny, the witleſs wanton waſter is at her wit's end. Work now or want, and do not ſay that the world has war'd you; but lofty Nodle, your giddy-headed mother has led you aſtray, by learning you to be a lady before you was fit to be a ſervant-laſs, by teaching you lazineſs inſtead of hard labour, by giving you ſuch a high conceit of yourſelf, that nobody thinks any thing of you now, and you may judge yourself to be one of thoſe that wiſe people call Little-worth; but after all, my dear dirty-face, when you begin the world again, be perfectly rich before you be gentle, work hard for what you gain, and you'll ken better how to guide it, for pride is an unperfect fortune, and a ludicrous life will not laſt long.

Another ſort I fee, who has got more ſilver than ſenſe, more gold than good nature, more muſlins and means than good manners; tho' a ſack can hold their ſilver, fix houſes and an half cannot contain their ambitious deſires. Fortunatus' wonderful purſe would fail in fetching in the forth part of their worldly wants, and the children imitate their mother's chattering like hungry Cranes, crying ſtill, I want, I want,