him first,” Illa fuit mentis prima ruina meae. Quid sibi vult pixidum turba, saith [5005]Lucian, “to what use are pins, pots, glasses, ointments, irons, combs, bodkins, setting-sticks? why bestow they all their patrimonies and husbands’ yearly revenues on such fooleries?” [5006]_bina patrimonia singulis auribus_; “why use they dragons, wasps, snakes, for chains, enamelled jewels on their necks, ears?” dignum potius foret ferro manus istas religari, atque utinam monilia vere dracones essent; they had more need some of them be tied in bedlam with iron chains, have a whip for a fan, and hair-cloths next to their skins, and instead of wrought smocks, have their cheeks stigmatised with a hot iron:  I say, some of our Jezebels, instead of painting, if they were well served.  But why is all this labour, all this cost, preparation, riding, running, far-fetched, and dear bought stuff? [5007]"Because forsooth they would be fair and fine, and where nature, is defective, supply it by art.” [5008]_Sanguine quae vero non rubet, arte rubet_, (Ovid); and to that purpose they anoint and paint their faces, to make Helen of Hecuba—­parvamque exortamque puellam—­Europen.[5009]To this intent they crush in their feet and bodies, hurt and crucify themselves, sometimes in lax-clothes, a hundred yards I think in a gown, a sleeve; and sometimes again so close, ut nudos exprimant artus. [5010]Now long tails and trains, and then short, up, down, high, low, thick, thin, &c.; now little or no bands, then as big as cart wheels; now loose bodies, then great farthingales and close girt, &c.  Why is all this, but with the whore in the Proverbs, to intoxicate some or other? oculorum decipulam, [5011]one therefore calls it, et indicem libidinis, the trap of lust, and sure token, as an ivy-bush is to a tavern.

       “Quod pulchros Glycere sumas de pixide vultus,
          Quod tibi compositae nec sine lege comae: 
        Quod niteat digitis adamas, Beryllus in aure,
          Non sum divinus, sed scio quid cupias.”

       “O Glycere, in that you paint so much,
        Your hair is so bedeckt in order such. 
        With rings on fingers, bracelets in your ear,
        Although no prophet, tell I can, I fear.”

To be admired, to be gazed on, to circumvent some novice; as many times they do, that instead of a lady he loves a cap and a feather instead of a maid that should have verum colorem, corpus solidum et succi plenum (as Chaerea describes his mistress in the [5012]poet), a painted face, a ruff-band, fair and fine linen, a coronet, a flower, ([5013]_Naturaeque putat quod fuit artificis_,) a wrought waistcoat he dotes on, or a pied petticoat, a pure dye instead of a proper woman.  For generally, as with rich-furred conies, their cases are far better than their bodies, and like the bark of a cinnamon, tree, which is dearer than the whole bulk, their outward accoutrements are far more precious than their inward endowments.  ’Tis too commonly so.