Ladies! (I hope there's none behind to hear) <br />I long to whisper something in your ear: <br />A secret, which does much my mind perplex,— <br />There's treason in the play against our sex. <br />A man that's false to love, that vows and cheats, <br />And kisses every living thing he meets; <br />A rogue in mode,—I dare not speak too broad,— <br />One that—does something to the very bawd. <br />Out on him, traitor, for a filthy beast! <br />Nay, and he's like the pack of all the rest: <br />None of them stick at mark; they all deceive. <br />Some Jew has changed the text, I half believe; <br />Their Adam cozened our poor grandame Eve. <br />To hide their faults they rap out oaths, and tear; <br />Now, though we lie, we're too well bred to swear. <br />So we compound for half the sin we owe, <br />But men are dipt for soul and body too; <br />And, when found out, excuse themselves, pox cant them, <br />With Latin stuff, Perjuria ridet amantum. <br />I'm not book-learned, to know that word in vogue, <br />But I suspect 'tis Latin for a rogue. <br />I'm sure, I never heard that screech-owl hollowed <br />In my poor ears, but separation followed. <br />How can such perjured villains e'er be saved? <br />Achitophel's not half so false to David. <br />With vows and soft expressions to allure, <br />They stand, like foremen of a shop, demure: <br />No sooner out of sight, but they are gadding, <br />And for the next new face ride out a padding. <br />Yet, by their favour, when they have been kissing, <br />We can perceive the ready money missing. <br />Well! we may rail; but 'tis as good e'en wink; <br />Something we find, and something they will sink. <br />But, since they're at renouncing, 'tis our parts <br />To trump their diamonds, as they trump our hearts.<br /><br />John Dryden<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/prologue-to-the-princess-of-cleves/
