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Gentlewoman, in her Opinion, to prepare Rock full of Tow, Flax or Wool, either for the Work of her own Hands, or the Task of her Maid-Servants; who cannot be half fo well imploy'd in any other useless Vanities, or newfashion'd Fooleries. What Harm can there be in making ready fuch notable homely Utensils, fit for Bufinefs in Families? Carding, Spinning or Weaving, &c. are no fuch difgraceful Operations. They will neither fpoil their Beauties, nor hinder their Marriages. A well-furnish'd Rock heretofore in a Woman's Breaft, was efteem'd a good Guard against Idlenefs, and us'd to be reckon'd in former Days, an honourable Badge of her Induftry and Virtue. It was thought a noble Mark of her honest Housewif'ry, as well as the Innocency of her Imployment. It was an ocular Demonftration of her Humility and Submiffion of Mind. In the Action it felf, fhe has an excellent Leffon of Wifdom, as well as a Task of Work fet her by the Undertaking. She may, in fome Measure, read her own Destiny by its Meditation. It is a fort of an Oracle, to awake her into a Watchfulness of her Duty. It puts her in mind both of Morality and Religion. It calls to her Remembrance, her precious Time, paft, prefent and to come; how it has been, or is, or ought to be spent for the future in good Works. It is a perfect Embleme of accomplishing all our Labours and finishing our Lives. It makes her continually ruminate upon the Fable of the Three Sifter-Ladies of Fate; Lachefis, for holding the Diftaff of Life; Clotho, for managing the Spindle of it; and Atropos, for cutting-off the Thread that is Spun or at leaft it puts her upon ftudying how to make her felf the happy Moral

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of it; by avoiding any fatal Miscarriages, and Spinning out her Days to the greatest Length. For while the pulls out the Threads at Work, fhe cannot but confider the Shortnefs of humane Life; and that it is foon broken-off from the Distaff by any little Accident, without the strictest Regard and niceft Care. And again, while fhe turns the Spinning-Wheel, fhe cannot but recollect the various Chances, Changes, and Circulations of fickle Fortune, whirling about in a continual Round of Ups and Downs in the World: and who knows but fhe may be better provided for before fhe dies, by her remarkable Diligence. In fine, they are Both the best Memorandums, either of prolonging her Life, or making her own Fortune and Preferment. But the wonderful different Motions, Movements and Viciffitudes of fublunary Things, eafily perfwade her to fix her Thoughts upon Better, or more permanent Bleflings above the Moon.

II. A Perfon of more than ordinary Worth alfo, as a prudent Mother of a Family, need not be afham'd of taking the Spindle into her curious Hand. It can be deem'd no Difgrace to her Honour and Excellency, to imploy Her Self or handy Servant-Maids in fpinning either Linen or Woollen-Garments, neceffary for her Houfhold; or in making fome finer Things fit for her own Wearing and modeft Attire. Nothing can be more useful or ferviceable, than home-made Cloth; let the Admirers of Foreign Stuff fay what they will, to please their Fancies. Where's the Difficulty; where's the Difadvantage; where's the Difhonour at laft of fich beneficial Handy-Crafts? Let common Reafon determine the Question. Will the Spindle hurt either their Maid's tender Hands or delicate

Faces?

Faces? Will it deprave them; will it defile them; will it depreciate them in the Event? No; fuch nice Handy-works as may be done, either with the Spindle or the Needle, will rather recommend them to better Fortune. Let our lazy Servants confider. Did Spinning ever impoverish any working Woman? Did it ever diftemper her Body, difturb her Mind, or debauch her Morals? It rather keeps her out of Idleness, which is the very Mother of most Mifchiefs, Misfortunes and ill Manners. However, our virtuous Spinfter, well remembring the Story of the afore-mention'd fatal Deftinies, moralizes the Fiction; and thinks the Meannefs of the Office no Difcouragement, from undertaking fo good a Manufacture, or promoting fo great a Trade at Home; neither does he look upon it to be any Degradation of her Dignity, or Difgrace fufficient to fully her fuperiour Glories. But he will be ftill doing fome fuch fort of ingenious Work or other, to make a right Use of her Life; like the laborious SilkWorm, one of the greatest Wonders of the Creation, as well as a lively Embleme of the laft glorious Refurrection: perpetually Spinning out her own Bowels, to cover the Nakedness of her Family, and cloath her Children with the richest Attire fhe can afford to adorn their Bodies, or beautify their perfonal Appearance.

ALL Mifconftruction apart! Far be it from my Design here to prefcribe any mechanical Practices, Profeffions or Servilities to Ladies of the greatest Eminence, Honour and Nobility! How ridiculous would it be to imagine, that Perfons of the highest Quality by Birth; defcended peradventure from fome Royal Race, of famous Extract and memorable Antiquity; fhould

fhould ever condefcend to the vulgar Exercises of the Distaff and Spindle! Such vile paltry Vocations are below their Virtues, and proper only for their Vaffals. Thofe dull heavy Arts would never fuit their Delicacies of Nature, Tendernesses of Nurture, or Softne fles of Conftitution. It is none of my Business, either to direc their Excellencies, or correct their Indolences of domestick Adminiftration. Their Government is above our private Sphere. But however, with Submiffion, they might incourage fuch useful Occupations more in their Families among their idle Servants, without any Reflection. Honest Manufactures of any ferviceable Kind, for publick Ufe, would keep them well imploy'd. Better Instruction, and more Experience in fpinning, or making of Cloth for several Sorts of Apparel, would do their Understandings no Harm. It would neither impair their Health, nor destroy their Strength; neither prejudice their Judgments, nor corrupt their Virtues, nor fpoil their Fortunes: but only ingage the ufelefs Part of their Lives, in improving and advancing the Products of our Native Country, into the beft Handy-Works, from the Spinner's Those comWheel, or the Weaver's Loom.

mendable Operations are neither improper for inferiour Perfons, nor impracticable. They have Time enough to fpare, which ought to be spent in fuch valuable Productions, or fome other profitable Imployments for the publick Good.

VERSE

VERSE XX.

SHE ftretcheth out her Hand to the Poor; yea, she reacheth forth her Hands to the Needy.

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PARAPHRASE.

Y this we fee, that Virtue does not only put her upon getting all the Wealth fhe can by her excellent Handy Works, but likewise upon giving out of her honeft Gains to the Poor, with the greatest Liberality. . Her forwardness appears no lefs confiderable in relieving indigent People abroad, than it does by inriching those of her own Houfhold. She fupplies all their Wants, with Bounty and Chearfulness, to the utmost of her Power and her Charity does not only fuccour thofe needy Souls that live near her Perfon, but reaches thofe alfo, that are at a remoter Distance from her Habitation. Her kind Hand is always ftretched out to help them upon Sight, as the most moving Objects of her fingular Goodness and Compaffion. She puts her Arm remarkably upon the Stretch, for their prefent and immediate Relief; which fhews the Readiness of her Mind, to fupport thofe poor helpless Creatures. Nay, The often reaches forth both her bountiful Hands, far and near, to affift the Diftreffed: extending them abfolutely out of an Eagernefs of Zeal, and a paffionate Regard for their Miferies; either to comfort their Sorrows, heal their Sores,

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