448
HUDIBRAS.
[THE LADY'S
While all the favours we afford 345
Are but to girt you with the sword,
To fight our battles in our steads,
And have your brains beat out o' your heads;
Encounter, in despite of nature,
And fight, at once, with fire and water, 350
With pirates, rocks, and storms, and seas,
Our pride and vanity t' appease;
Kill one another, and cut throats,
For our good graces, and best thoughts;
To do your exercise for honour, 355
And have your brains beat out the sooner;
Or crack'd, as learnedly, upon
Things that are never to be known:
And still appear the more industrious,
The more your projects are prepost'rous; 360
To square the circle of the arts,
And run stark mad to show your parts;
Expound the oracle of laws,
And turn them which way we see cause;
Be our solicitors and agents, 365
And stand for us in all engagements.
And these are all the mighty pow'rs
You vainly boast to cry down ours:
And what in real value's wanting,
Supply with vapouring and ranting: 370
Because yourselves are terrified,
And stoop to one another's pride:
Believe we have as little wit
To be out-hector'd, and submit:
By your example, lose that right 375
In treaties, which we gain'd in fight:[1]
And terrified into an awe,
Pass on ourselves a Salique law;[2]
Are but to girt you with the sword,
To fight our battles in our steads,
And have your brains beat out o' your heads;
Encounter, in despite of nature,
And fight, at once, with fire and water, 350
With pirates, rocks, and storms, and seas,
Our pride and vanity t' appease;
Kill one another, and cut throats,
For our good graces, and best thoughts;
To do your exercise for honour, 355
And have your brains beat out the sooner;
Or crack'd, as learnedly, upon
Things that are never to be known:
And still appear the more industrious,
The more your projects are prepost'rous; 360
To square the circle of the arts,
And run stark mad to show your parts;
Expound the oracle of laws,
And turn them which way we see cause;
Be our solicitors and agents, 365
And stand for us in all engagements.
And these are all the mighty pow'rs
You vainly boast to cry down ours:
And what in real value's wanting,
Supply with vapouring and ranting: 370
Because yourselves are terrified,
And stoop to one another's pride:
Believe we have as little wit
To be out-hector'd, and submit:
By your example, lose that right 375
In treaties, which we gain'd in fight:[1]
And terrified into an awe,
Pass on ourselves a Salique law;[2]
- ↑ England, in every period of her history, has been thought more successful in war than in negotiation. Congreve, reflecting upon Queen Anne's last ministry, in his epistle to Lord Cobham, says:Be far that guilt, be never known that shame, That Britain should retract her rightful claim,
Or stain with pen the triumphs of her sword! - ↑ The Salique law bars the succession of females to some inheritances.
