de habenas, optimos vitae dies
Effluere prohibe."

"Why dost thou lie alone, let thy youth and best days to pass away?" Marry
whilst thou mayst, _donec viventi canities abest morosa_, whilst thou art
yet able, yet lusty, [5958]_Elige cui dicas, tu mihi sola places_, make thy
choice, and that freely forthwith, make no delay, but take thy fortune as
it falls. 'Tis true,

[5959] "--calamitosus est qui inciderit
In malam uxorem, felix qui in bonam,"

'Tis a hazard both ways I confess, to live single or to marry, [5960]_Nam
et uxorem ducere, et non ducere malum est_, it may be bad, it may be good,
as it is a cross and calamity on the one side, so 'tis a sweet delight, an
incomparable happiness, a blessed estate, a most unspeakable benefit, a
sole content, on the other; 'tis all in the proof. Be not then so wayward,
so covetous, so distrustful, so curious and nice, but let's all marry,
_mutuos foventes amplexus_; "Take me to thee, and thee to me," tomorrow is
St. Valentine's day, let's keep it holiday for Cupid's sake, for that great
god Love's sake, for Hymen's sake, and celebrate [5961]Venus' vigil with
our ancestors for company together, singing as they did,

"Crasam et qui nunquam amavit, quique amavit, eras amet,
Ver novum, ver jam canorum, ver natus orbis est,
Vere concordant amores, vere nubunt alites,
Et nemus coma resolvit, &c.------
Cras amet," &c.------

"Let those love now who never loved before,
And those who always loved now love the more;
Sweet loves are born with every opening spring;
Birds from the tender boughs their pledges sing," &c.

Let him that is averse from marriage read more in Barbarus _de re uxor.
lib. 1. cap. 1._ Lemnius _de institut. cap. 4._ P. Godefridus _de Amor.
lib. 3. cap. 1._ [5962]Nevisanus, _lib. 3._ Alex. ab Alexandro, _lib. 4.
cap. 8._ Tunstall, Erasmus' tracts _in laudem matrimonii_ &c., and I doubt
not but in the end he will rest satisfied, recant with Beroaldus, do
penance for his former folly, singing some penitential ditties, desire to
be reconciled to the deity of this great god Love, go a pilgrimage to his
shrine, offer to his image, sacrifice upon his altar, and be as willing at
last to embrace marriage as the rest: There will not be found, I hope,
[5963]"No, not in that severe family of Stoics, who shall refuse to submit
his grave beard, and supercilious looks to the clipping of a wife