A
Gentleman's
Request
to
the
Author
on
Reading
The
Happy
Husband
and
the
Old
Batchelor
:
Great
Soul
!
and
good
!
Unequal'd
Poetrix
!
The
Phoenix
of
your
Age
,
Station
and
Sex
!
Resume
the
Quill
;
And
let
us
see
display'd
The
Happy
Wife
—
And
discontented
Maid
.
So
by
your
Strong
persuasives
you
may
win
Virgins
to
fix
their
love
on
Virtuous
Men
.
HER
ANSWER
.
Your
Compliments
return'd
,
for
I
protest
I
truly
think
that
you
deserve
them
best
,
And
to
Obey
Shou'd
be
my
Humble
aim
,
Only
I
fear
'twill
prove
a
barren
Theme
:
Most
Men
are
now
so
viciously
inclin'd
That
happy
Wives
are
very
hard
to
find
;
And
as
for
discontented
Maids
I
own
,
Any
Such
persons
are
to
me
Observe
the
Author
is
herself
an
Old
Maid
.
unknown
,
Nor
can
persuasives
be
of
any
use
,
Virgins
I
think
for
Virtuous
Men
would
chuse
,
Only
there
are
so
very
few
of
late
,
Maids
will
grow
old
,
if
they
for
Such
should
wait
.
So
Rev'rend
Sir
,
I
hope
you
will
excuse
The
ignorance
,
And
freedom
of
the
Muse
.