There’s No Disputing with a Man that denies Principles, and there are
certain _Præcognita_ in the Motions of Flesh and Bloud, as well as in
the Philosophy of the Schools: In which Cases, we Understand our Duty
without a Teacher, and Acquit our selves as we Ought to do, without a
Prompter. That is to say, there are some Certain Fundamentals of _Natural
Justice_, that we take for Granted, and Trust One Another for; as in the
Proposition of our Widow here in the Fable, without any Need of Articles
for the Performance of Covenants. The Widow, in short, play’d the Gipsy,
and so did her Confident too, in pretending to Believe her: But there’s
_No Catching Old Birds with Chaff_, for One Woman reads the Heart of
Womankind in her Own Breast. She was a Fool to be Mealy-Mouth’d, where
Nature speaks so Plain. There may be Exceptions ’tis True, to a General
Rule, but none to an Universal. It was No Ill shift however, to come
off withal, that in despite of All her Aversions, she was not yet for
making a Virtue of Necessity. The Publisher of _Mr. Selden’s Table Talk_,
Tells of a Girl that was worth Forty of Our Widow here, and an Honest
Down-right, Plain Dealing Lass it was. The Wench was just newly Marry’d,
and so soon as ever the Job was over, _Pray Mother_, says she, _Must not
I go to Bed now?_ No, No, Child, says _Mamma_, You must take Your Dinner
first: _Oh_, says the Girl, _and_ Then _go to Bed I warrant ye_. No, my
Dear, not yet, says the Mother, You must Dance after Dinner. _Ay, Ay_,
says the Girl again, _and_ Then _to Bed_. No, No, says T’other, You must
Sup first, and Dance again. _Ay, Ay, and_ Then _to Bed_, says the Bride.
This Girl did but speak the Widows Mind; for let Flesh and Bloud pretend
what it will, _to Bed, to Bed_, will be the _Bob_ of the _Song_.