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(From The Mistress, 1668)
1. THOU worst estate ev’n of the sex that’s worst; | |
| Therefore by Nature made at first, | |
| T’ attend the weakness of our birth! | |
| Slight outward Curtain to the Nuptial Bed! | |
| Thou Case to buildings not yet finished! | 5 |
| Who like the Center of the Earth, | |
| Dost heaviest things attract to thee, | |
| Though Thou a point imaginary be. | |
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2. A thing God thought for Mankind so unfit, | |
| That his first Blessing ruin’d it. | 10 |
| Cold frozen Nurse of fiercest fires! | |
| Who, like the parched plains of Africk’s sand, | |
| (A sterile and a wild unlovely Land) | |
| Art always scorch’d with hot desires, | |
| Yet barren quite, didst thou not bring | 15 |
| Monsters and Serpents forth, thy self to sting! | |
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3. Thou that bewitchest men, whilst thou dost dwell | |
| Like a close Conjurer in his Cell! | |
| And fear’st the day’s discov’ring Eye! | |
| No wonder ’tis at all that thou shouldst be | 20 |
| Such tedious and unpleasant Company, | |
| Who liv’st so Melancholily! | |
| Thou thing of subtle, slippery kind, | |
| Which Women lose, and yet no Man can find. | |
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4. Although I think thou never found wilt be, | 25 |
| Yet I’m resolv’d to search for thee; | |
| The search it self rewards the pains; | |
| So, though the Chymick his great secret miss, | |
| (For neither it in Art nor Nature is) | |
| Yet things well worth his toil he gains: | 30 |
| And does his Charge and Labour pay | |
| With good unsought experiments by the way. | |
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5. Say what thou wilt, Chastity is no more | |
| Thee, than a Porter is his Door. | |
| In vain to honour they pretend, | 35 |
| Who guard themselves with Ramparts and with Walls; | |
| Them only Fame the truly valiant calls, | |
| Who can an open breach defend. | |
| Of thy quick loss can be no doubt, | |
| Within so Hated, and so Lov’d without. | 40 |
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