Girdle or
_Cestus_ which was made for her by _Vulcan's_ Art, in which were
interwoven all bewitching Ingredients of an amorous Medicament, and that
she put this on whenever she went to bed to her Husband.

_Xa._ I hear a Fable.

_Eu._ It is true: But hear the Moral of it.

_Xa._ Tell it me.

_Eu._ That teaches that a Wife ought to use all the Care imaginable to
be so engaging to her Husband in conjugal Embraces, that matrimonial
Affection may be retain'd and renew'd, and if there has been any
Distaste or Aversion, it may be expell'd the Mind.

_Xa._ But where can a Body get this Girdle?

_Eu._ There is no Need of Witchcrafts and Spells to procure one. There
is no Enchantment so effectual as Virtue, join'd with a Sweetness of
Disposition.

_Xa._ I can't be able to bring myself to humour such a Husband as I have
got.

_Eu._ But this is for your Interest, that he would leave off to be such
a bad Husband. If you could by _Circe_'s Art transform your Husband into
a Swine or a Bear, would you do it?

_Xa._ I can't tell, whether I should or no.

_Eu._ Which had you rather have, a Swine to your Husband, or a Man?

_Xa._ In Truth, I had rather have a Man.

_Eu._ Well, come on. What if you could by _Circe_'s Arts make him a
sober Man of a Drunkard, a frugal Man of a Spendthrift, a diligent Man
of an idle Fellow, would you not do it?

_Xa._ To be sure, I would do it. But how shall I attain the Art?

_Eu._ You have the Art in yourself, if you would but make Use of it.
Whether you will or no he must be your Husband, and the better Man you
make him, the more you consult your own Advantage. You only keep your
Eyes fix'd upon his Faults, and those aggravate your Aversion to him;
and only hold him by this Handle, which is such a one that he cannot be
held by; but rather take Notice of what good Qualities he has, and hold
him by this Handle, which is a Handle he may be held by: Before you
married him, you had Time of considering what his Defects were. A
Husband is not to be chosen by the Eyes only, but by the Ears too. Now
'tis your Time to cure him, and not to find Fault with him.

_Xa._ What Woman ever made Choice of a Husband by her Ears?

_Eu._ She chuses a Husband by her Eyes, which looks at nothing else but
his Person and bare Outside: She chuses him by her Ears, who carefully
observes what Reputation he has in the World.

_Xa._ This is good Advice, but it is too late.

_Eu._ But it is not too late to endeav