2 1 8 The Duchess of Newcastle 



AGE, WRINKLES, RUIN AND DEATH 



Madam, — ^The Lady C. E. ought not to be reproved 

 for grieving for the loss of her beauty, for beauty is 

 the Hght of our sex, which is ecHpsed in middle age, 

 and benighted in old age, wherein our sex sits in 

 melancholy darkness, and the remembrance of beauty 

 past, is as a displeasing dream. The tnith is, a young 

 beautiful face is a friend, whereas an old withered 

 face is an enemy ; the one causes love, the other aver- 

 sion: yet I am not of Mrs. U. R/s humour, which 

 had rather dye before her beauty, than that her 

 beauty should die before her: for I had rather live 

 with wrinkles, than die with youth; and had rather 

 my face clothed with time's sad mourning, than with 

 death's white hue ; and surely it were better to follow 

 the shadow of beauty, than that beauty should go 

 with the corpse to the grave; and I believe that 

 Mrs. U. R. would do, as the tale is of a woman, that 

 did wish, and pray she might die before her husband, 

 but when death came, she entreated him to spare her, 

 and take her husband; so that she would rather live 

 without him, than die for him. But leaving this sad 

 discourse of age, wrinkles, ruin and death, 



I rest, Madam, 

 Your very faithful friend and servant. 



THE LADY' J. O.'S DAUGHTERS 



Madam, — ^The other day was here the Lady J. O. 

 to see me, and her three daughters, which are called 

 the three Graces, the one is black, the other brown, 

 the third white, all three different coloured beauties; 

 also they are of different features, statures and 



