nor Beauty can Tempt him he has his ill-natur'd Pleasure in destroying that Vertue he will not Practise or if that can't be done in blasting the Reputation of it at least and in making the World believe he has made a Conquest tho' he has found a Foil If the Man be the Woman 's Inferior besides all the Dangers formerly mention'd and those just now taken notice of she gives such a Countenance to his Vices as renders her in great measure partaker in them and it can scarce be thought in such Circumstances a Woman cou'd Like the Man if she were not reconcil'd to his Faults Is he her Equal and no unsuitable Match if his Designs are fair why don't they Marry since they are so well pleas'd with each other's Conversation which only in this State can be frequently and safely allow'd Is he her Better and she hopes by catching him to make her Fortune alas The poor Woman is neither acquainted with the World nor her self she neither knows her own Weakness nor his Treachery and tho' he gives ever so much Encouragement to this vain Hope 't is only in order to accomplish her ruin To be sure the more Freedom she allows the more she lessens his Esteem and that 's not likely to encrease a real tho' it may a pretended kindness she ought to fly if she wou'd have him pursue the strictest Vertue and Reserve being the only way to secure him Religion and Reputation are so sure a Guard such a security to poor defenceless Woman that whenever a Man has ill Designs on her he is sure to make a Breach into one or both of these by either endeavouring to corrupt her Principles to make her less strict in Devotion or to lessen her value of a fair Reputation and wou'd perswade her that less than she imagines will secure her as to the next World and that not much regard is to be given to the censures of this Or if this be too bold at first and will not pass with her he has another way to make even her Love to Vertue contribute to it's ruin by perswading her it never Shines as it ought unless it is expos'd and that she has no reason to Boast of her Vertue unless she has try'd it An Opinion of the worst consequence that may be and the most mischievous which seems calculated to feed her Vanity but tends indeed to her utter Ruin For can it be fit to rush into Temptations when we are taught every day to pray against them If the Trials of our Vertue render it Illustrious 't is such Trials as Heaven is pleas'd to send us not those of our own seeking It holds true of both Sexes that next to the Divine Grace a Modest Distrust of themselves is their best Security none being so often and so shamefully Foil'd as those who depend most on their own Strength and Resolution As to the Opinion of the World tho' one cannot say it is always just yet generally it has a Foundation great regard is to be paid to it and very good use to be made of it Others may be in fault for passing their Censures but we certainly are so if we give them any the least just occasion And since Reputation is not only one of the Rewards of Vertue that which always ought and generally does attend it but also a Guard against Evil an Inducement to Good and a great Instrument in the Hand of the Wise to promote the common cause of Vertue the being Prodigal of the one looks as if we set no great value on the other and she who abandons her good Name is not like to preserve her Innocence A Woman therefore can never have too nice a Sense of Honor provided she does not prefer it before her Duty she can never be too careful to secure her Character not only from the suspicion of a Crime but even from the shadow of an Indiscretion 'T is well worth her while to renounce the most Entertaining and what some perhaps will call the most Improving Company rather than give the World a just occasion of Suspicion or Censure For besides the injury that is done Religion which enjoyns us to avoid the very Appearance of Evil and to do nothing but what is of good Report she puts her self too much in a Man's Power who will run such a risque for his Conversation and expresses such a value for him as cannot fail of being made use of to do her a mischief Preserve your distance then keep out of the reach of Danger fly if you wou'd be safe be sure to be always on the Reserve not such as is Morose and Affected but Modest and Discreet your Caution cannot be too great nor your Foresight reach too far there 's nothing or what is next to nothing a little Amusement and entertaining Conversation lost by this but all is hazarded by the other A Man understands his own Merit too well to lose his time in a Woman's Company were it not to divert himself at her cost to turn her into a Jest or something worse And wherever you see great Assiduities when a Man insinuates into the Diversions and Humors of the Lady Liking and Admiring whatever she does tho' at the same time he seems to keep a due Distance or rather exceeds in the profoundest Respect Respect being all he dare at present pretend to when a more than ordinary deference is paid when something particular appears in the look and Address and such an Obsequiousness in every Action as nothing cou'd engage a Man to who never forgets the Superiority of his Sex but a hope to be Observ'd in his turn Then whatever the Inequality be and how sensible soever he seems to be of it the Man has for certain his Engines a Work the Mine is ready to spring on the first opportunity and 't is well if it be not too late to prevent the poor Ladie 's Ruin To wind up this Matter if a Woman were duly Principled and taught to know the World especially the true Sentiments that Men have of her and the Traps they lay for her under so many gilded Complements and such a seemingly great Respect that disgrace wou'd be prevented which is brought upon too many Families Women wou'd Marry more discreetly and demean themselves better in a Married State than some People say they do The foundation indeed ought to be laid deep and strong she shou'd be made a good Christian and understand why she is so and then she will be every thing else that is Good Men need keep no Spies on a Woman's Conduct need have no fear of her Vertue or so much as of her Prudence and Caution were but a due sense of true Honor and Vertue awaken'd in her were her Reason excited and prepar'd to consider the Sophistry of those Temptations which wou'd perswade her from her Duty and were she put in a way to know that it is both her Wisdom and Interest to
seeks Consolation under Domestick troubles from the Gaieties of a Court from Gaming and Courtship from Rambling and odd Adventures and the Amusements mixt Company affords may Plaister up the Sore but will never heal it nay which is worse she makes it Fester beyond a possibility of Cure She justifies the Injury her Husband has done her by shewing that whatever other good Qualities she may have Discretion one of the Principal is wanting She may be Innocent but she can never prove she is so all that Charity can do for her when she 's Censur'd is only to be silent it can make no Apologies for suspicious Actions An ill Husband may deprive a Wife of the comfort and quiet of her Life may give her occasion of exercising her Virtue may try her Patience and Fortitude to the utmost but that 's all he can do 't is her self only can accomplish her Ruin Had Madam Mazarin's Reserve been what it ought to be Monsieur Herard needed not to have warded off so carefully the nice Subject of the Lady's Honour nor her Advocate have strain'd so hard for Colours to excuse such Actions as will hardly bear 'em but a Man indeed shews the best side of his Wit tho' the worst of his Integrity when he has an ill Cause to manage Truth is bold and vehement she depends upon her own strength and so she be plac'd in a true Light thinks it not necessary to use Artifice and Address as a Recommendation but the prejudices of Men have made them necessary their Imagination gets the better of their Understanding and more judge according to Appearances than search after the Truth of Things What an ill Figure does a Woman make with all the Charms of her Beauty and Sprightliness of her Wit with all her good Humour and insinuating Address tho' she be the best Oeconomist in the World the most entertaining Conversation if she remit her Guard abate in the Severity of her Caution and Strictness of her Virtue and neglect those Methods which are necessary to keep her not only from a Crime but from the very suspicion of one Are the being forbid having Comedies in her House an ill natur'd Jest dismissing of a Servant imposing Domesticks or frequent changing them sufficient Reasons to Authorize a Woman's leaving her Husband and breaking from the strongest Bands exposing her self to Temptations and Injuries from the Bad to the contempt or at the best to the pity of the Good and the just Censure of all A Woman of sense one would think should take little satisfaction in the Cringes and Courtship of her Adorers even when she is single but it is Criminal in a Wife to admit them interested Persons may call it Gallantry but with the modest and discreet it is like to have a harder Name or else Gallantry will pass for a scandalous thing not to be allow'd among Vertuous Persons But Madam Mazarine is dead may her Faults die with her may there be no more occasion given for the like Adventures or if there is may the Ladies be more Wise and Good than to take it Let us see then from whence the mischief proceeds and try if it can be prevented certainly Man may be very happy in a Married State 't is his own fault if he is at any time otherwise The wise Institutor of Matrimony never did any thing in vain we are the Sots and Fools if what he design'd for our Good be to us an occasion of falling For Marriage notwithstanding all the loose talk of the Town the Satyrs of Ancient or Modern pretenders to Wit will never lose its due praise from judicious Persons Tho' much may be said against this or that Match tho' the Ridiculousness of some the Wickedness of others and Imprudence of too many too often provoke our wonder or scorn our indignation or pity yet Marriage in general is too sacred to be treated with Disrespect too venerable to be the subject of Raillery and Buffonery It is the Institution of Heaven the only Honourable way of continuing Mankind and far be it from us to think there could have been a better than infinite Wisdom has found out for us But upon what are the Saytrs against Marriage grounded Not upon the State it self if they are just but upon the ill Choice or foolish Conduct of those who are in it and what has Marriage considered in its self to do with that Let every Man bear his own Burden If through inordinate Passion Rashness Humour Pride Coveteousness or any the like Folly a Man makes an Imprudent Choice Why should Marriage be exclaim'd against Let him blame himself for entering into an unequal Yoke and making Choice of one who perhaps may prove a Burthen a Disgrace and Plague instead of a Help and Comfort to him Could there be no such thing as an happy Marriage Arguments against Marriage would hold good but since the thing is not only possible but even very probable provided we take but competent Care Act like wise Men and Christians and acquit our selves as we ought all we have to say against it serves only to shew the levity or impiety of our own Minds we can only make some flourishes of Wit tho' scarce without Injustice and tho' we talk prettily it is but very little to the purpose Is it the being ty'd to One that offends us Why this ought rather to recommend it to us and would really do so were we guided by Reason and not by Humour or brutish Passion He who does not make Friendship the chief inducement to his Choice and prefer it before any other consideration does not deserve a good Wife and therefore should not complain if he goes without one Now we can never grow weary of our Friends the longer we have had them the more they are endear'd to us and if we have One well assur'd we need seek no farther but are sufficiently happy in Her The love of Variety in this and in other cases shews only the ill Temper of our own Mind we seek for settled Happiness in this present World where it is not to be found instead of being Content with a competent share chearfully enjoying and being thankful for the Good that is afforded us and patiently bearing with the Inconveniences that attend it The Christian Institution of Marriage provides the best that may be for Domestick Quiet and Content and for the Education of Children so that if we were not under the tye of Religion even the Good of Society and civil Duty would oblige us to what that requires at our Hands And since the very best of us are but poor frail Creatures full of Ignorance and Infirmity so that in Justice we ought to tolerate each other and exercise that Patience towards our Companions to Day which we give them occasion to shew towards us to Morrow the more we are accustom'd to any one's Conversation the better shall we understand their Humour be more able to comply with their
Wisdom to drink deep as to Reason profoundly a greater proof of Courage and consequently of Understanding to dare the Vengeance of Heaven it self than to stand the rallery of some of the worst of their fellow Creatures Again it may be said if a Wife's case be as it is here represented it is not good for a Woman to Marry and so there 's an end of Human Race But this is no fair Consequence for all that can justly be inferr'd from hence is that a Woman has no mighty Obligations to the Man who makes Love to her she has no reason to be fond of being a Wife or to reckon it a peice of Preferment when she is taken to be a Man's Upper-Servant it is no advantage to her in this World if rightly manag'd it may prove one as to the next For she who Marries purely to do Good to Educate Souls for Heaven who can be so truly mortify'd as to lay aside her own Will and Desires to pay such an intire Submission for Life to one whom she cannot be sure will always deserve it does certainly perform a more Heroic Action than all the famous Masculine Heroes can boast of she suffers a continual Martyrdom to bring Glory to GOD and Benefit to Mankind which consideration indeed may carry her through all Difficulties I know not what else can and engage her to Love him who proves perhaps so much more worse than a Brute as to make this Condition yet more grievous than it needed to be She has need of a strong Reason of a truly Christian and well-temper'd Spirit of all the Assistance the best Education can give her and ought to have some good assurance of her own Firmness and Vertue who ventures on such a Trial and for this Reason 't is less to be wonder'd at that Women Marry off in hast for perhaps if they took time to consider and reflect upon it they seldom wou'd To conclude perhaps I 've said more than most Men will thank me for I cannot help it for how much soever I may be their Friend and humble Servant I am more a Friend to Truth Truth is strong and sometime or other will prevail nor is it for their Honor and therefore one wou'd think not for their Interest to be Partial to themselves and Unjust to others They may fancy I have made some discoveries which like Arcana Imperii ought to be kept secret but in good earnest I do them more Honor than to suppose their lawful Prerogatives need any mean Arts to support them If they have Usurpt I love Justice too much to wish Success and continuance to Usurpations which tho' submitted to out of Prudence and for Quietness sake yet leave every Body free to regain their lawful Right whenever they have Power and Opportunity I don't say that Tyranny ought but we find in Fact that it provokes the Oppress'd to throw off even a Lawful Yoke that sits too heavy And if he who is freely Elected after all his fair Promises and the fine Hopes he rais'd proves a Tyrant the consideration that he was one 's own Choice will not render more Submissive and Patient but I fear more Refractory For tho'it is very unreasonable yet we see 't is the course of the World not only to return Injury for Injury but Crime for Crime both Parties indeed are Guilty but the Aggressors have a double Guilt they have not only their own but their Neighbour's ruin to answer for As to the Female-Reader I hope she will allow I 've endeavour'd to do her Justice nor betray'd her Cause as her Advocates usually do under pretence of defending it A Practice too mean for any to be Guilty of who have the least Sense of Honor and who do any more than meerly pretend to it I think I have held the Ballance even and not being conscious of Partiality I ask no Pardon for it To plead for the Oppress'd and to defend the Weak seem'd to me a generous undertaking for tho' it may be secure 't is not always Honourable to run over to the strongest Party And if she infers from what has been said that Marriage is a very Happy State for Men if they think fit to make it so that they govern the World they have Prescription on their side Women are too weak to dispute it with them therefore they as all other Governors are most if not only accountable for what 's amiss For whether other Governments in their Original were or were not confer'd according to the Merit of the Person yet certainly in this case Heaven wou'd not have allotted the Man to Govern but because he was best Qualify'd for it So far I agree with him But if she goes on to infer that therefore he has not these Qualifications where is his Right If he misemploys does he not abuse it And if he abuses according to modern Deduction he forfeits it I must leave her there A peaceable Woman indeed will not carry it so far she will neither question her Husband 's Right nor his Fitness to Govern but how Not as an absolute Lord and Master with an Arbitrary and Tyrannical sway but as Reason Governs and Conducts a Man by proposing what is Just and Fit And the Man who acts according to that Wisdom he assumes who wou'd have that Superiority he pretends to acknowledg'd Just will receive no injury by any thing that has been offer'd here A Woman will value him the more who is so Wise and Good when she discerns how much he excells the rest of his noble Sex the less he requires the more will he Merit that Esteem and Deference which those who are so forward to exact seem conscious they don't deserve So then the Man's Prerogative is not at all infring'd whilst the Woman's Privileges are secur'd and if any Woman think her self Injur'd she has a Remedy in reserve which few Men will envy or endeavour to Rob her of the Exercise and Improvement of her Vertue here and the Reward of it hereafter The End