And ’tis most true, many gentlewomen are so nice, they scorn all suitors, crucify their poor paramours, and think nobody good enough for them, as dainty to please as Daphne herself.

[5848] “Multi illum petiere, illa aspernate petentes,
        Nec quid Hymen, quid amor, quid sint connubia curat.”

       “Many did woo her, but she scorn’d them still,
        And said she would not marry by her will.”

One while they will not marry, as they say at least, (when as they intend nothing less) another while not yet, when ’tis their only desire, they rave upon it.  She will marry at last, but not him:  he is a proper man indeed, and well qualified, but he wants means:  another of her suitors hath good means, but he wants wit; one is too old, another too young, too deformed, she likes not his carriage:  a third too loosely given, he is rich, but base born:  she will be a gentlewoman, a lady, as her sister is, as her mother is:  she is all out as fair, as well brought up, hath as good a portion, and she looks for as good a match, as Matilda or Dorinda:  if not, she is resolved as yet to tarry, so apt are young maids to boggle at every object, so soon won or lost with every toy, so quickly diverted, so hard to be pleased.  In the meantime, quot torsit amantes? one suitor pines away, languisheth in love, mori quot denique cogit! another sighs and grieves, she cares not:  and which [5849]Siroza objected to Ariadne,

       “Nec magis Euryali gemitu, lacrymisque moveris,
          Quam prece turbati flectitur ora sati. 
        Tu juvenem, quo non formosior alter in urbe,
          Spernis, et insano cogis amore mori.”

       “Is no more mov’d with those sad sighs and tears,
        Of her sweetheart, than raging sea with prayers: 
        Thou scorn’st the fairest youth in all our city,
        And mak’st him almost mad for love to die:” 

They take a pride to prank up themselves, to make young men. enamoured,—­ [5850]_captare viros et spernere capias_, to dote on them, and to run mad for their sakes,

[5851]  ------“sed nullis illa movetur
Fletibus, aut voces ullas tractabilis audit.”

       “Whilst niggardly their favours they discover,
        They love to be belov’d, yet scorn the lover.”

All suit and service is too little for them, presents too base:  Tormentis gaudet amantis—­et spoliis.  As Atalanta they must be overrun, or not won.  Many young men are as obstinate, and as curious in their choice, as tyrannically proud, insulting, deceitful, false-hearted, as irrefragable and peevish on the other side; Narcissus-like,

[5852] “Multi illum juvenes, multae petiere puellae,
        Sed fuit in tenera tam dira superbia forma,
        Nulli illum juvenes, nullas petiere puellae.”

       “Young men and maids did to him sue,
        But in his youth, so proud, so coy was he,
        Young men and maids bade him adieu.”