Straight on the tree his eager eyes he bent, 750 As one whose thoughts were on his spouse intent; 755 He cry'd, he roar'd, he storm'd, he tore his hair; Unhappy wife, whose crime was too much love!" "If this be struggling, by this holy light, 765 'Tis struggling with a vengeance, (quoth the Knight), "So heav'n preserve the sight it has restor'd, As with these eyes I plainly saw thee whor'd; 770 "Guard me, good angels!" cry'd the gentle May, "Pray heav'n, this magic work the proper way! Alas, my love! 'tis certain, could you see, You ne'er had us'd these killing words to me: So help me, fates, as 'tis no perfect sight, But some faint glimm'ring of a doubtful light." "What I have said" (quoth he), "I must maintain, For, by th' immortal pow'rs it seem'd too plain-" "By all those pow'rs, some frenzy seiz'd your mind,' (Reply'd the dame,) "are these the thanks I find? Wretch that I am, that e'er I was so kind!” She said; a rising sigh express'd her woe, The ready tears apace began to flow, And as they fell she wip'd from either eye 785 The drops (for women, when they list, can cry). The Knight was touch'd; and in his looks appear'd 790 795 On bare suspicion thus to treat your bride. Thus when from sleep we first our eyes display, So just recov'ring from the shades of night, Your swimming eyes are drunk with sudden light, Strange phantoms dance around, and skim before your sight: "Then, Sir, be cautious, nor too rashly deem; 805 Heav'n knows how seldom things are what they seem! 810 He hugg'd her close, and kiss'd her o'er and o'er, 815 Thus ends our tale, whose moral next to make, Let all wise husbands hence example take; And pray, to crown the pleasure of their lives, 820 THE WIFE OF BATH. FROM CHAUCER. IN 1714, Pope's Wife of Bath, with two translations from the Odyssey (the arrival of Ulysses in Ithaca and the Garden of Alcinous) were published [by Tonson] in a volume of miscellanies, edited by Steele. To this miscellany, Hughes, the author of the Siege of Damascus, &c., sent several pieces, but finding, before publication, that Pope's Wife of Bath and some other pieces, which were inconsistent with his ideas of decency and decorum, had been admitted, he immediately withdrew most of his own, and allowed only two small poems, and those without his name, to appear. Carruthers. The greatest part of the Wife of Bath's Prologue must have been of Chaucer's own invention, though one may plainly see that he had been reading the popular invectives against marriage, and women in general; such as the Roman de la Rose, Valerius ad Rufinum de non ducendâ uxore, and particularly Hieronymus contra Fovinianum. Tyrwhitt. [The Wife of Bath's Tale, to which this is the Prologue, was modernised by Dryden. Happily the latter did not, like Pope, confine himself to the reproduction of Chaucer's humorous and, to modern taste, indecorous pieces.] EHOLD the woes of matrimonial life, BE And hear with rev'rence an experienc'd wife! To dear-bought wisdom give the credit due, I was myself the scourge that caus'd the smart; 5 For, since fifteen, in triumph have I led Christ saw a wedding once, the scripture says, But let them read, and solve me, if they can, Increase and multiply, was heav'n's command, And that's a text I clearly understand. This too, "Let men their sires and mothers leave, "And to their dearer wives for ever cleave." More wives than one by Solomon were try'd, Or else the wisest of mankind's belied. Paul, knowing one could never serve our turn, I grant 'em that, and what it means you know. 35 Pure let them be, and free from taint of vice; 40 45 Full many a Saint, since first the world began, Liv'd an unspotted maid, in spite of man: Let such (a God's name) with fine wheat be fed, And use the copious talent it has giv'n: For me, I'll keep the post assign'd by heav'n, 50 Let my good spouse pay tribute, do me right, And keep an equal reck'ning ev'ry night: Know then, of those five husbands I have had, Three were just tolerable, two were bad. The three were old, but rich and fond beside, 55 And toil'd most piteously to please their bride : But since their wealth (the best they had) was mine, Forswear the fact, tho' seen with both his eyes, 66 'Hark, old Sir Paul!" ('twas thus I us'd to say) Lord! how you swell and rage like any fiend! "If poor (you say) she drains her husband's purse; Then preach till midnight in your easy chair; If rich, she keeps her priest, or something worse; Vapours and pride by turns possess her brain, If fair, then chaste she cannot long abide, If highly born, intolerably vain, Freakish when well, and fretful when she's sick. By pressing youth attack'd on ev'ry side: If foul, her wealth the lusty lover lures, Or else her wit some fool-gallant procures, There swims no goose so grey, but soon or late, "Horses (thou say'st) and asses, men may try, "You tell me, to preserve your wife's good grace, 60 65 70 75 80 85 90 95 100 105 110 Be sure my fine complexion must be prais'd. 115 120 125 If you had wit, you'd say, 'Go where you will, 130 'I know thee for a virtuous, faithful wife.' "Lord! when you have enough, what need you care How merrily soever others fare? 135 Tho' all the day I give and take delight, Doubt not, sufficient will be left at night. 'Tis but a just and rational desire, To light a taper at a neighbour's fire. "There's danger too, you think, in rich array, And none can long be modest that are gay: 140 The Cat, if you but singe her tabby skin, But once grown sleek, will from her corner run, 145 Lo thus, my friends, I wrought to my desires 150 And told 'em false, but Jenkin swore 'twas true. I, like a dog, could bite as well as whine, And first complain'd, whene'er the guilt was mine. When their weak legs scarce dragg'd 'em out of doors; 155 160 |