Dear all,
If you take the time to read these stanzas by Matthew Prior, you will have had a delightful experience. Although condescending, it's clear how much affection Prior had for a woman who was his housekeeper and (the two went together often in the 18th century, often the first term just an euphemism) and mistress. We know she ws with him at the Hague frmo 1696-97 and in Paris 1698-9. She's one of those truly countless woman erased from history who was important in herself and her life, and who somehow is glimpsed in the records because of their sexual or familial relationship to a man.
What makes it good is the rhyme scheme, prosody and use of language, and of course the humanity of the sentiments and pictures of daily life.
"Jinny the Just" (1704? first published 1907?)
by Matthew Prior
1 Releas'd from the noise of the Butcher and Baker
2 Who, my old Friends be thanked, did seldom forsake her
3 And from the soft Duns of my Landlord the Quaker
4 From chiding the Footmen and watching the Lasses,
5 From Nell that burn'd Milk, and Tom that broke Glasses
6 (Sad mischiefs thro which a good housekeeper passes!)
7 From some real Care but more fancy'd vexation
8 From a life party Colour'd half reason half passion
9 Here lies after all the best Wench in the Nation
10 From the Rhine to the Po, from the Thames to the Rhone
11 Joanna or Janneton, Jinny or Joan
12 Twas all one to her by what name She was known
13 For the Idiom of words very little She heeded
14 Provided the Matter She drove at succeeded
15 She took and gave Languages just as She needed
16 So for Kitching and Market, for bargain & Sale
17 She paid English or Dutch or french down on the Nail
18 But in telling a Story she sometimes did fail
19 Then begging Excuse as She happen'd to Stammer
20 With respect to her betters but none to her Grammer
21 Her blush helpt her out and her Jargon became her
22 Her Habit and Mein she endeavor'd to frame
23 To the different Gout of the place where She came
24 Her outside stil chang'd, but her inside the same
25 At the Hague in her Slippers & hair as the Mode is
26 At Paris all Falbalow'd fine as a Goddess
27 And at censuring London in smock sleeves and Bodice
28 She order'd Affairs that few People cou'd tell
29 In what part about her that mixture did dwell
30 Of Vrough or Mistress, or Medemoiselle
31 For her Sirname and race let the Heraults e'en Answer
32 Her own proper worth was enough to advance her
33 And he who lik'd her, little valu'd her Grandsire.
34 But from what House so ever her lineage may come
35 I wish my own Jinny but out of her Tomb,
36 Tho all her Relations were there in her Room
37 Of such terrible beauty She never cou'd boast
38 As with absolute Sway o'er all hearts rules the roast
39 When J--- bawls out to the Chair for a Toast
40 But of good Household Features her Person was made
41 Nor by Faction cry'd up nor of Censure afraid
42 And her beauty was rather for Use than Parade
43 Her Blood so well mix't and flesh so well Pasted
44 That tho her Youth faded her Comliness lasted
45 The blew was wore off but the Plum was well tasted
46 Less smooth then her Skin and less white than her breast
47 Was this pollisht stone beneath which she lyes prest
48 Stop, Reader and Sigh while thou thinkst on the rest.
49 With a just trim of Virtue her Soul was endu'd
50 Not affectedly Pious nor secretly lewd
51 She cut even between the Cocquet and the Prude.
52 Her Will with her Duty so equally stood
53 That seldom oppos'd She was commonly good
54 And did pritty well, doing just what she wou'd.
55 Declining all Pow'r she found means to perswade
56 Was then most regarded when most she Obey'd
57 The Mistress in truth when she seem'd but the Maid
58 Such care of her own proper Actions She took
59 That on other folks lives She had no time to look
60 So Censure and Praise were struck out of her Book
61 Her thought stil confin'd to its own little Sphere
62 She minded not who did Excell or did Err
63 But just as the matter related to her
64 Then too when her Private Tribunal was rear'd
65 Her Mercy so mix'd with her judgment appear'd
66 That her Foes were condemn'd & her friends always clear'd
67 Her Religion so well with her learning did suite
68 That in Practice sincere, and in Controverse Mute
69 She shew'd She knew better to live then dispute
70 Some parts of the Bible by heart She recited
71 And much in historical Chapters delighted
72 But in points about Faith She was something short sighted
73 So Notions and modes She refer'd to the Schools
74 And in matters of Conscience adher'd to Two Rules
75 To advise with no Biggots, and jest with no Fools
76 And scrupling but little, enough she believ'd
77 By Charity ample smal sins She retriev'd
78 And when she had New Cloaths She always receiv'd
79 Thus stil whilst her Morning unseen fled away
80 In ord'ring the Linnen and making the Tea
81 That she scarce cou'd have time for the Psalms of the Day
82 And while after Dinner the Night came so soon
83 That half she propos'd very seldom was done
84 With twenty god bless Me's how this day is gone
85 While she read and Accounted & payd & abated
86 Eat and drank, Play'd & Work't, laught & Cry'd, lov'd & hated,
87 As answer'd the end of her being Created.
88 In the midst of her Age came a cruel Desease
89 Which neither her Julips nor recepts cou'd appease
90 So down dropt her Clay, may her Soul be at peace
91 Retire from this Sepulchre all the Prophane
92 You that love for Debauch or that marry for gain
93 Retire least Ye trouble the Manes of J---
94 But Thou that know'st Love above Intrest or lust
95 Strew the Myrtle and Rose on this once belov'd Dust
96 And shed one pious tear upon Jinny the Just
97 Tread soft on her Grave, and do right to her honor
98 Let neither rude hand nor ill Tongue light upon her
99 Do all the smal Favors that now can be done her
100 And when what Thou lik't shal return to her Clay
101 For so I'm perswaded she must do one Day
102 What ever fantastic J---- Asgil may say
103 When as I have done now, thou shalt set up a Stone
104 For something however distinguisht or known
105 May some Pious Friend the Misfortune bemoan
106 And make thy Concern by reflexion his own.
Ellen
