The Emulation. A Pindarique Ode Poem by Richard Ames

I.
Ah! tell me why (mistaken Sex) do we
So little real Beauty see
In the admired adored Athenian Deity.
Why do we fain'd Minerva slight,
Despising Knowledge, which we ought to prize?
Must none but the insulting Sex be wise?
Must they be bless'd with Intellectual Light,
Whilst we remain in Ignorances Night?
Wee've Noble Souls as well as they,
And wee've retentive Mem'ries too.
But I suppose, they think wee'll best obey,
And best our servile Business do,
If nothing else we know.
But what concerns a Kitchin or a Field,
And those low things they yield:
As if a rational unbounded Mind
Should be to such low worthless sordid things confin'd.

II.
They'l let us learn to Work, to Dance, to Sing,
Or any other Trivial thing;
But they're unwilling we should know
What sacred Science can impart:
Nor would they have us dive into the Abyss of Art,
Nor in the Labyrinths of Learning go,
Nor have us know the Languages of Schools,
As if they thought to keep us Fools.
That we their boasted Skill the more might prize,
And think them highly wise,
Because we have not Wit their Follies to despise;
For Ignorance doth Wonder breed,
And those who do but little know:
May be persuaded all is Witt indeed
That's spoke by Men, altho' it be not so.
They think their lofty Strains we will admire,
And judge that Mercury did them inspire.
But, should we understand as much as they,
They fear their Empire would decay;
For they know Women heretofore
Gain'd Victories, and envyed Lawrels wore.
And now they fear wee'll once again
Ambitious be to Reign,
And so invade the Territories of the Brain.
And as we did in those Renowned Days,
Rob them of Lawrels, so we may now take their Bays.

III.
But we are peaceful, and will not repine;
They still may keep their Bays, as well as Vine.
We've now no Amazonian Hearts,
Therefore they need not guard their Magazine of Arts.
We will not on their Treasure seize;
A part of it sufficiently will please.
We'll only so much Knowledge have,
As may assist us to Enslave
Those Passions, which we find
Too potent for the Mind;
'Tis o're them only, we desire to Reign,
And we no Nobler braver Conquest wish to gain.

IV.
We only so much Wit desire
As may instruct us how to live above
Those Childish things which most admire,
And may direct us what is fit to love:
We would have Learning for no other end,
But that our Time we may the better spend;
Supposing 'tis below us to converse
Always about our Business or our Dress,
As if to serve our Senses were our Happiness.
Wee'l read the Histories of former Times,
And look with Horrour on their Crimes.
But all their Vertues wee'l with Pleasure view,
And both admire and imitate them too:
Wee'l also study Sciences and Arts,
All that's Ingenuous we will learn;
For to be wise sure is our chief concern,
And therefore we with care should cultivate our Hearts.

V.
But if the Envious Men will still declare,
That 'tis enough for Women to be fair:
Without their leave, we will be wise,
And Beauty, which they value, wee'l despise.
Our Minds, and not our Faces, wee'l adorn;
That's the Imployment for which we were born.
The Muses kindly will their Aids allow,
And to us all their Mysteries shew.
And therefore their Assistance wee'l implore,
Whilst Men inspiring Bacchus do adore;
Without whose Elevating Wine
Wee'l try if we can witty be,
And with the help of the auspicious Nine,
That VVomen are not Fools we'll plainly let them see.