HISTORY

O F

PORT I A.

WRITTEN by a LADY.

What's female beauty but an air divine,
Through which the mind's all gentle graces
fhine?

Thefe, like the fun, irradiate all between;
The body charms because the foul is seen:
Hence men are often captives of a face,
They know not why, of no peculiar grace.
Some forms, though bright, no mortal man can
bear;

Some none refift, though not exceeding fair.

Dr. Young's Univers. Paff.

Vol. II.

LONDON:

Printed for R. WITHY, at the Dunciad in Cornhill;
J. POTTINGER, in Great Turnstile, Holborn;
J. WILKIE, in St. Paul's Church-Yard; and
J. Cook E, in Queen-Street, May-Fair.

MDCCLIX.

250. q. 207.

W

HEN this fubject came first under my confideration, among the many circumftances of advantage which, in my opinion, resulted evidently from a diligent use of it, there were none that engaged my attention fo closely, as the happiness my fair countrywomen were by this means likely to derive from the conjugal ftate; in regard to which, all the reft may be efteemed as little more than a kind of prelude, confifting however of a great variety of parts, that ought to be played over with the utVOL. II.

B

most