Deserving truly, something less forlorn,
And seemingly intended to possess
What Hymen best in store has got to bless;
For I was thought by all the world around,
Most worthy ev’ry bliss in wedlock found.
Yetthings took quite another turn with me
In
tune my husband never proved to be,
Except
a feast or two throughout the year;
From
Pagamin I met a diff’rent cheer;
Another
lesson presently he taught;
The
life’s sweet pleasures more the pirate brought,
In
two short days, than e’er I had from you
In
those four years that only you I knew.
Prayleave me husband:—let me have my will
Insist
not on my living with you still;
No
calendars with Pagamin are seen—
Far
better treated with the man I’ve been.
My
other friends and you much worse deserved:
The
spouse, for taking me when quite unnerved,
And
they, for giving preference base to gold,
To
those pure joys—far better thought than
told.
But
Pagamin in ev’ry way can please;
And
though no code he owns, yet all is ease;
Himself
will tell you what has passed this morn,
His
actions would a sov’reign prince adorn.
Such
information may excite surprise,
But
now the truth, ’twere useless to disguise,
Nothing
will gain belief, we’ve no one near
To
witness our discourse:—adieu, my dear,
To
all your festivals—I’m flesh and blood:—
Gems,
dresses, ornaments, do little good;
You
know full well, betwixt the head and heel,
Though
little’s said, yet much we often feel.
On
this she stopt, and Richard dropt his chin,
Rejoiced
to ’scape from such unwelcome din.
Bartholomea,
pleased with what had passed;
No
disposition showed to hold him fast;
The
downcast husband felt such poignant grief,
With
ills where age can scarcely hope relief,
That
soon he left this busy stage of life,
And
Pagamin the widow took to wife.
The
deed was just, for neither of the two
E’er
felt what oft in Richard rose to view;
From
feeling proof arose their mutual choice;
And
’tween them ne’er was heard the jarring
voice.
Beholda lesson for the aged man;
Who
thinks, when old, to act as he began;
But,
if the sage a yielding dotard seems,
His
work is done by those the wife esteems;
Complaints
are never heard; no thrilling fears;
And
ev’ry one around at ease appears.