which, like a firm and folid Bafis, muft fupport all various Events, all changes of their Condition or Relations. And fecondly, we fhall confider them in thofe changes; track them through the feveral ftages and Periods of Life, through those several States which create the most confiderable mutations to them; and in each of thofe, confider what are the new and proportionate Acceffions of Duty.

6. As in the outward Accommodations of Life, the things of moft dayly and indispensible use, deserve the greateft value; fo in Moral or Divine Endowments, the benefit of poffeffing is best measured by the mifery of wanting them. This first rank therefore of Female Vertues which we are to treat of, will have that to recommend them; they being fo ftrictly neceffary, that their abfence is not only a privative ill, but also expofes to a deluge of all pofitive mischiefs confequent to that Priva

tion.

7. THIS will be found true in all the severals we are to pass through, but in none more eminently than in that we fhall chofe to begin with, the Vertue of Modefty; which may be confidered in a double notion, the one as it is opposed to Boldnefs and Indecency, the other to Lightness and Wantonnefs. In the first Acception Zeno has not ill defin'd it, to be the Science of decent Motion, it being that which guides and regulates the whole Behaviour,

checks

checks and controlls all rude exorbitances, and is the great Civilizer of Conversation. It is indeed a Vertue of general influence, do's not only ballaft the mind with fober and humble thoughts of ones felf, but also fteers every part of the outward frame. It appears in the face in calm and meek looks, where it fo impreffes it felf, that it seems thence to have acquir'd the name of Shamefac'dness. Certainly, (whatever the modern opinion is) there is nothing gives a greater luftre to a Feminine Beauty: fo that St. Paul feems not ill. to have confulted their Concerns in that Point, when he fubftituted that as a fuppletory Ornament to the deckings of Gold and Pearl and coftly Array, 1 Tim. 2. But I fear this will be now thought too antiquated a drefs, and an Apoftle be esteemed no competent Judge in this Science; which is now become fo folemn a thing, that certainly no Academy in the world can vie numbers with the Students of this Myftery. Yet when they have ftrain'd their Art to the highest pitch, an innocent Modefty, and native fimplicity of Look, fhall eclipfe their Glaring Splendor, and triumph over their Artificial Handfomness. On the other fide, let a Woman be decked with all the embellishment of Art, nay, and care of Nature too; yet if boldness be to be read in her Face, it blots all the lines of beauty, is like a cloud over the Sun, intercepts the view of all that

was

was otherwise Amiable, and renders it's blacknefs the more obfervable, by being plac'd near fomewhat that was apt to attract the eyes.

8. BUT Modefty confines not it self to the Face, fhe is there only in fhadow and effigie, but is in life and motion in the words, whence the banishes all Indecency and Rudenefs, all infolent Vauntings, and fupercilious Difdains, and whatever elle may render a Pert fon troublesome, or ridiculous to the Company. Nor do's fhe only refine the Language, but the tunes it too, modulates the tone and accent, admits no unhandfom earneftnefs, or loudness of difcourfe, the latter whereof was thought fo undecent in Carneades, (tho' in his publick Lectures) that the Gymnafiarch re prov'd him for it. And fure if it were not allowable in a Philofopher in his School, 'twill lefs become a Woman in ordinary converse; and if we confult Prov. 7. 11. and 9. we fhall find loudnefs and clamour in Women, coupled with fuch other Epithets, as will furely not much recommend it. A Womans tongue should indeed be like the imaginary Mufick of the Spheres, fweet and charming; but not to be heard at a diftance,

"

9. AND as Modefty prescribes the manner, fo it do's also the measure of fpeaking, restrains all exceffive talkativeness, a fault incident to none but the bold; the monopolizir

dif

.

courfe being one of the greateft affumings imaginable, and fo rude an impofing upon the company, that there can fearce be a greater indecency in converfation. This is ingeniously expreft by our divine Poet Herbert:

A Civil Gueft, Will no more talk all, than eat all the Feast.

He that ingroffes the talk, enforces filence upon the reft, and fo is prefum'd to look on them only as his Auditors and Pupils, whilft he magifteriously dictates to them: which gave occafion to Socrates to fay, It is arrogance to Speak all, and to be willing to hear nothing. It is indeed univerfally an infolent unbecoming thing, but moft peculiarly fo in a Woman.

IO. THE ancient Romans thought it fo much fo, that they allowed not that Sex to fpeak, publickly, tho it were in their own neceffary defence; infomuch, that when Amefia ftood forth to plead her own caufe in the Senate, they lookt on it as fo prodigious a thing, that they fent to confult the Oracle what it portended to the State. And tho' these first feverities were foon loft in the fucceffes of that Empire, Valerius Maximus could find but two more, whofe either neceffity or impudence, perfwaded them to repeat this unhandsome attempt.

11. AND this great indecency of Loquacity in Women, I am willing to hope is the rea

fon why that Sex is fo generally charged with it; not that they are all guilty, but that when they are, it appears fo unhandfome, as makes it the more eminent and remarkable. Whether it were from the ungracefulness of the thing, or from the propenfion Women have to it, I fhall not determine; but we find the Apostle very earnest in his cautions against it. 1 Cor. 14. 34. he exprefly enjoyns Women to keep filence in the Church and v. 35. he affirms it is a Jhame for them to speak there. And tho' this feems only reftrain'd to the Ecclefiaftical Affemblies, yet even fo it reaches home to the gifted Women of our Age, who take upon them to be Teachers; whereas he allowed them not to speak the Church, no not in order to learning, tho' a more modeft defign than that of teaching. But befides this, he has a more indefinite pre fcription of filence to Women, 1 Tim. 2. 11i Let the woman learn in filence; and again, v. 12. to be in filence. The Apostle feems to ground the Phrase, not only on the inferiority of the Woin regard of the creation and firft fin, v. 13, 14. but alfo on the prefumption that they needed inftruction, towards which filence, has always been reckoned an indifpenfible qualification, the introductory precept in all Schools, as that wherein all attention is founded. If fome Women of our Age think they have out-gone that novice-ftate the Apoftle fuppofes, and want no teaching; I muft

man,

B

I

crave