,,books written by the same ,author1 and sold by ,,william ,,parker1 at the ,king's-,head in ,st4 ,paul's ,church-,yard4 ,the ,christian ,religion1 as ,profess'd by a ,,daughter of the ,church of ,england4 ,the ,third ,edition4 ,shewing1 the due ,behaviour of ,women1 the ,vices they ought to ,shun1 and the ,virtues they ought to ,practice4 ,a ,treatise very necessary1 in this degenerate ,age1 to confirm the ,ladies in their ,religious ,principles1 and to instruct them in what they ought to believe and practise1 in order to their ,eternal ,salvation4 ,a ,serious ,,proposal to the ,,ladies for the ,advancement of their true and greatest ,interest1 ,part ,i4 ,the ,fourth ,edition4 ,a ,serious ,,proposal to the ,,ladies1 ,part ,,ii4 ,wherein a ,method is offered for the ,improvement of their ,minds4 ,,letters concerning the ,,love of ,,god1 between the ,author of the ,proposal to the ,ladies1 and ,mr4 ,john ,norris3 ,wherein his late ,discourse1 shewing1 that it ought to be intire and exclusive of all other ,loves1 is farther cleared and justified4 ,the second ,edition4 ,an ,,enquiry after ,,wit3 ,wherein the trifling ,arguing1 and impious ,raillery of the late ,earl of ,shaftsbury1 in his ,letter concerning ,enthusiasm2 and other profane ,writers1 are fully ,answer'd and justly ,exposed4 ,the ,second ,edition4 ,,moderation truly stated3 ,or a ,review of a late ,pamphlet1 intitled1 ,moderation a ,vertue4 ,with a ,prefatory ,discourse to ,dr4 ,d',avenant1 concerning his late ,essays on ,peace and ,war4 #dto4 ,,some ,,reflections ,,upon ,,marriage4 ,with ,,additions4 ,the ,,fourth ,,edition4 ,illustration ,,london3 ,printed for ,,william ,,parker1 at the ,king's ,head in ,st4 ,paul's ,church-,yard4 ,m4,,dcc4,,xxx4 ,illustration ,,advertisement4 ,these ,reflections being made in the ,country1 where the ,book that occasion'd them came but late to ,hand1 the ,reader is desir'd to excuse their ,unseasonableness as well as other ,faults2 and to believe1 that they have no other ,design than to ,correct some ,abuses1 which are not the less because ,power and ,prescription seem to authorize them4 ,if any is so needlesly curious as to inquire from what ,hand they come1 they may please to know1 that it is not good ,manners to ask1 since the ,title ,page does not tell them3 ,we are all of us sufficiently ,vain1 and without doubt1 the celebrated ,name of ,author1 which most are so fond of1 had not been avoided but for very good ,reasons3 ,to name but one2 ,who will care to pull upon themselves an ,hornet's ,nest8 ',tis a very great ,fault1 to regard rather ,who it is that speaks1 than ,what is spoken2 and either to submit to ,authority1 when we should only yield to ,reason2 or if ,reason press too hard1 to think to ward it off by ,personal ,objections and ,reflections4 ,bold ,truths may pass while the ,speaker is ,incognito1 but are seldom endur'd when he is known2 few ,minds being strong enough to bear what contradicts their ,principles and ,practices1 without recriminating when they can4 ,and though to tell the ,truth be the most ,friendly ,office1 yet whoever is so hardy as to venture at it1 shall be counted an ,enemy for so doing4 ,the ,,preface in the last ,edition being extended to an uncommon ,length1 is now printed at the latter ,end1 as an ,,appendix4 ,,errata4 ,page #ab4 line #ae4 read your2 p4 #ad4 l4 #e4 r4 sufficient2 p4 #ba4 l4 #aj4 dele in that2 p4 #ig4 l4 #aj4 after oppose add to2 p4 #acj4 #a4 #f4 r4 ,adulterer2--l4 #bc4 r4 humbled2 p4 #aca4 l4 #b4 for than read as2 p4 #aef4 l4 #ad4 for was r4 is4 ,books ,sold by ,w4 ,,parker4 ,archbishop ,sharp's ,sermons4 #d ,vols4 ,bishop ,moor's ,sermons4 #b ,vols4 ,a ,collection of above three hundred ,receipts in ,cookery1 ,physick1 and ,surgery1 for the ,use of all good ,wives1 tender ,mothers1 and careful ,nurses4 ,by several ,hands4 ,the ,fourth ,edition3 ,to which is added1 a second ,part1 containing a great ,number of excellent ,receipts1 for ,preserving and ,conserving of ,sweet-,meats1 c4 ,a ,dissertation of the ,extreme ,folly and ,danger of ,infidelity2 occasioned by a late virulent ,book1 intitled1 ,a ,discourse on the ,grounds and ,reasons of the ,christian ,religion4 ,by ,thomas ,curteis1 ,rector of ,wrotham in ,kent4 ,second ,edition4 ,pr4 #bs4 ,an ,inquiry whether a general ,practice of ,virtue tends to the ,wealth or ,poverty1 ,benefit or ,advantage of a ,people8 ,in which the ,pleas offered by the ,author of the ,fable of the ,bees1 or1 ,private ,vices1 ,publick ,benefits1 for the ,usefulness of ,vice and ,roguery1 are considered2 with some ,thoughts concerning a ,toleration of ,publick ,stews4 ,by the late ,mr4 ,bluett4 ,pr4 #bs4 #f;d4 ,the ,history of the ,life and ,sufferings of the ,reverend and ,learned ,john ,wickliff1 ,d4 ,d4 ,warden of ,canterbury ,hall1 and ,publick ,professor of ,divinity in ,oxford1 and ,rector of ,lutterworth in ,leicestershire1 in the ,reign of ,king ,edward ,,iii4 and ,richard the ,,ii42 together with a ,collection of ,papers relating to the said ,history1 never before ,printed4 ,by ,john ,lewis1 ,m4 ,a4 ,minister of ,margate in ,kent4 ,the ,church ,catechism explained for the ,use of the ,diocese of ,st4 ,asaph4 ,by the ,right ,reverend ,father in ,god ,will4 ,beveridge1 ,d4 ,d4 late ,bishop of ,st4 ,asaph4 ,sixth ,edition4 ,the ,faith and ,practice of the ,church of ,england-,man4 ,the ,ninth ,edition4 ,price #d;d4 ,principles of the ,cyprianic ,age1 with ,regard to ,episcopal ,power and ,jurisdiction1 asserted and recommended from the genuine ,writings of ,st4 ,cyprian himself1 and his ,contemporaries4 ,illustration ,,some ,,reflections ,,upon ,,marriage4 ,curiosity1 which is sometimes an ,occasion of ,good1 but more frequently of ,mischief1 by disturbing our own or our ,neighbours ,repose1 having induc'd me to read the ,account of an unhappy ,marriage1 ,i thought an ,afternoon would not be quite thrown away in pursuing such ,reflections as it occasion'd4 ,i am far from designing a ,satire upon ,marriage1 as some pretend1 either unkindly or ignorantly1 through want of ,reflection in that ,sense wherein ,i use the ,word4 ,one wou'd have thought that ,cardinal ,mazarine1 whose ,dignity1 ,power and ,riches1 render'd him so considerable in the ,eyes of all ,europe2 and who1 like most great ,ministers1 aim'd at nothing so much as the aggrandizing himself and his ,family1 and who wanted no ,opportunities of doing it1 should have taken his ,measures so justly as not to be disappointed3 ,at least1 that a ,fabrick rais'd with as much ,art and ,cost1 founded in the ,oppression1 and cemented with the ,blood of the ,people1 should not so quickly have tumbled into the ,dust after him4 ,but so it is1 ,providence1 whether we think of it or no1 overrules our ,actions and baffles our best-concerted ,projects3 ,so that unless we wilfully shut our ,eyes1 we cannot but discern1 that when ,men in ,power and ,honour leave ,,god out of their ,schemes1 they have no ,understanding1 though their natural ,genius be ever so bright1 but are justly compared to the ,beasts that perish4 ,the ,ignorant and ,foolish succeed quite as well as the ,worldly-wise1 who carry nothing away with them when they die1 neither will their ,riches and ,glory descend as they intended4 ,it is only by generous and worthy ,actions that we are rescued from ,oblivion1 or from what is worse1 being remembred with ,contempt and ,execrations3 ,so little ,reason is there to envy any ,man's ,wealth and ,greatness1 but much to emulate their ,wisdom and ,vertue whose ,views extend to a more durable ,felicity4 ',tis natural to well-turn'd ,minds1 when they hear of any ,person eminent in ,wit and ,beauty1 adorn'd with ,politeness and ,address1 to wish these may be accompanied and supported by what is more valuable and lasting1 solid ,sense and real ,vertue4 ,one grieves at any ,imputation on such an engaging ,character1 and if one cannot always find the favourite ,person fortunate1 one labours for the ,consolation of finding them discreet2 and even where their ,conduct is not wholly blameless1 ,compassion and ,good-nature will take ,place of ,censure in a ,noble1 as well as in a ,christian ,heart4 ,we find out something to excuse1 something to regret1 lamenting that such a ,treasure should fall into unworthy ,hands1 insensible of its ,value1 unskilful to preserve and improve it3 ,we sigh1 we grieve1 that any ,person capable of being an ,ornament to a ,family1 and ,blessing to the ,age1 should only serve as an unhappy ,shipwreck to point out the ,misfortune of an ill ,education and unsuitable ,marriage1 and the inexpressible ,danger of seeking ,consolation and ,relief1 in any thing but ,innocence and ,vertue4 ,they only who have felt it1 know the ,misery of being forc'd to marry where they do not love2 of being yok'd for ,life to a disagreeable ,person and imperious ,temper1 where ,ignorance and ,folly 7the ,ingredients of a ,coxcomb1 who is the most unsufferable ,fool7 tyrannizes over ,wit and ,sense3 ,to be perpetually contradicted for ,contradiction-sake1 and bore down by ,authority1 not by ,argument2 to be denied one's most innocent ,desires1 for no other ,reason but the absolute ,will and ,pleasure of a ,lord and ,master1 whose ,follies a ,wife1 with all her ,prudence1 cannot hide1 and whose ,commands she cannot but despise at the same ,time that she obeys them4 ,or1 suppose on the other ,hand1 she has married the ,man she loves1 heap'd upon him the highest ,obligations1 by putting into his ,power the ,fortune he coveted1 the ,beauty he profess'd to adore2 how soon are the ,tables turn'd8 ,it is her ,part now to court and fawn2 his real or pretended ,passion soon cools into ,indifference1 ,neglect1 or perhaps ,aversion4 ',tis well if he preserves a decent ,civility1 takes a little care of ,appearances1 and is willing to conceal his ,breach of ,faith4 ,but shall a ,wife retaliate8 ,,god forbid6 no ,provocation1 though ever so great1 can excuse the ,sin1 or lessen the ,folly3 ,it were indeed a revenging the ,injury upon herself in the most terrible ,manner4 ,the ,italian ,proverb shews a much better ,way1 ,if you would be revenged of your ,enemies1 live well4 ,devotion is the proper ,remedy1 and the only infallible ,relief in all ,distresses2 when this is neglected or turn'd into ,ridicule1 we run1 as from one ,wickedness1 so from one ,misfortune1 to another4 ,unhappy is that ,grandeur which is too great to be good1 and that which sets us at a ,distance from true ,wisdom4 ,even ,bigotry1 as contemptible as it is1 is preferable to profane ,wit2 for that requires our ,pity1 but this deserves our ,abhorrence4 ,a ,woman who seeks ,consolation under ,domestick ,troubles from the ,gaieties of a ,court1 from ,gallantry1 ,gaming1 rambling in ,search of odd ,adventures1 childish1 ridiculous and ill-natur'd ,amusements1 such as we find in the unhappy ,madam ,m----'s ,memoirs1 the common ,methods of getting rid of ,time1 that is1 of our very ,being1 and keeping as much as we can at a ,distance from ourselves1 will find these are very insignificant ,applications2 they hardly skin the ,wound1 and can never heal it1 they even hurt1 they make it fester1 and render it almost incurable4 ,what an ill ,figure does a ,woman make1 with all the ,charms of her ,beauty1 and ,sprightliness of her ,wit1 with all her good ,humour and insinuating ,address1 though she be the best ,oeconomist in the ,world1 the most entertaining ,company1 if she remit her ,guard1 abate in the ,severity of her ,caution1 and ,strictness of her ,vertue8 ,if she neglects those ,methods which are necessary to keep her1 not only from a ,crime1 but from the very ,suspicion of one8 ,she justifies the ,injury her ,husband has done her1 by publishing to the ,world1 that whatever good ,qualities she may possess1 ,discretion1 the ,mistress of all the rest1 is wanting3 ,though she be really guiltless1 she cannot prove her ,innocence1 the ,suspicions in her ,prejudice are so strong4 ,when she is censur'd1 ,charity1 that thinks no ,evil1 can only be silent2 though it believes and hopes the best1 it cannot engage in her ,defence1 nor apologize for irregular ,actions4 ,an ill ,husband may deprive a ,wife of the ,comfort and ,quiet of her ,life1 give occasion of exercising her ,vertue1 try her ,patience and ,fortitude to the utmost1 which is all he can do2 it is herself only that can accomplish her ,ruin4 ,in vain we seek for ,colours to varnish faulty ,manners4 ,an ,advocate shews the best ,side of his ,wit1 but the worst of his ,integrity when he has an ill ,cause to manage3 ,but to what ,purpose8 ,he cannot impose on the ,judicious1 his ,colouring vanishes before their ,eyes1 and a good deal of ,malice1 with a very little ,sense1 will find the ,weakness of his ,arguments2 so much the more suspected1 by how much the more labour'd3 ,for ,truth is plain and forcible1 depending on her own ,strength2 she requires no more than to be placed in a proper ,light1 nor condescends to ,art or ,insinuations1 unless in ,compassion to the ,weakness and ,prejudice of ,mankind4 ,nor are they less mistaken in regard of ,wit1 which consists not meerly in saying what is odd and out of the way2 ,fools do this pretty often2 but ,wit consists in expressing good ,sense in a surprising1 yet natural and agreeable ,manner4 ,there are some ,reasons1 7for the ,laws of ,,god and ,man allow ,divorces in certain ,cases7 though not many1 that authorize a ,wife's leaving her ,husband1 but if any ,thing short of absolute ,necessity1 from irreclaimable ,vice and ,cruelty1 prevails with her to break these sacred and strongest ,bonds1 how is she expos'd to ,temptations and ,injuries1 ,contempt1 and the just ,censure of the ,world4 ,a ,woman of ,sense1 one shou'd think1 could take but little ,pleasure in the ,courtship and ,flatteries of her ,adorers1 even when she is single3 ,but for a married ,woman to admit of ,love ,addresses1 is worse than ,folly2 it is a ,crime so ridiculous1 that ,i will never believe a ,woman of ,sense can be guilty of it4 ,for what does a ,man pretend when he whines and dangles after a married ,woman8 ,would he have her think he admires her1 when he is treating her with the last ,contempt8 or that he loves her1 when he is trying his ,arts to gratify his brutal ,passion1 at the ,price of all that is dear to her8 ,his fine ,speeches have either no ,meaning1 or a reproachful one2 he affronts her ,understanding as well as her ,vertue1 if he fancies she cannot discern1 or wants ,spirit to resent the ,insults4 ,she can look on him no otherwise than as the worst of ,hypocrites1 who flatters to betray1 and fawns that he may ruin2 who is laying ,snares to entangle her in a ,commerce founded on ,injustice1 and ,breach of the most sacred ,vows1 carried on by ,dissimulation1 ,treachery1 ,lyes1 and ,deceit1 attended with ,fear and ,anxiety1 ,shame1 ,remorse1 the bitter ,stings of ,guilt1 whose fatal ,consequences cannot be foreseen1 the least of which is the blasting of her ,honour4 ,and why all this ,mischief8 ,why1 because he professes to think her amiable1 and with the blackest ,treachery takes ,advantage of her ,weakness1 and the too good ,opinion she has entertained of him1 to render her odious6 to render her contemptible to himself1 as well as to the ,world4 ,who would be that unhappy ,person with all her ,grandeur1 ,wit and ,beauty1 who gave ,occasion to these ,reflections8 ,who would live so infamously1 and die so miserably8 ,whatever ,apologies the ,interested may invent1 what they call ,gallantry will find a harsher ,name with the ,modest and ,discreet4 ,or else ,gallantry1 under whatever ,form1 must pass for a scandalous ,amusement1 not to be allow'd among ,persons of ,vertue and ,honour4 ,it is indeed ridiculous to talk of harmless ,gallantry2 there is1 there can be no such ,thing3 ,for besides the ,umbrage and ,scandal1 a ,christian must be pure in ,heart and ,eyes2 she who has vow'd her ,affections to one1 and is his ,property1 cannot without ,injustice1 and even ,perjury1 parcel them out to more4 ,it is in ,distempers of the ,mind as in those of the ,body1 a little ,care and ,prudence will prevent what requires a long and difficult ,regimen to cure3 ,therefore in both ,cases the ,aphorism holds2 ,resist the ,beginnings2 be early on our ,guard4 ,there was a ,time when the most abandon'd ,sinner would have shrunk with ,horror1 at what by ,degrees becomes familiar1 and1 as they fancy1 natural4 ,the ,sap is carry'd on against ,vertue as artfully as against a fortified ,town1 and the ,approaches are as methodical3 ,but in this the ,case is different1 the ,besieged cannot fly2 whereas ,vertue is best secured by avoiding the ,enemy4 ,they are sensible of this1 and therefore nothing more common than that silly ,maxim1 ,that ,vertue is not ,vertue till it has been tried4 ,this is a ,mortar-piece that has done more ,execution than all their other ,arts2 for ,self-confidence is always a ,prelude to ,destruction4 ,the ,wife who listens to ,admirers runs into ,temptation1 and sports upon a ,precipice4 ,for1 as a noble ,lord1 who knew the ,world perfectly well1 instructs his ,daughter1 she may as well play with ,fire1 as dally with ,gallantry4 ,i can say nothing so well upon this ,subject1 as what is writ by this noble ,author1 whom therefore ,i beg leave to transcribe3 8,the ,extravagancies of the ,age have made ,caution more necessary2 and by the same ,reason that the too great ,licence of ill ,men1 hath by ,consequence in many ,things restrained the lawful ,liberty of those who did not abuse it1 the unjustifiable ,freedom of some of your ,sex1 have involved the rest in the ,penalty of being reduced4 ,and though this cannot so alter the ,nature of ,things1 as to make that ,criminal1 which in it self is ,indifferent2 yet if it maketh it dangerous1 that alone is insufficient to justify the ,restraint4 ,a close ,behaviour is the fittest to receive ,vertue for its constant ,guest1 because there1 and there only1 it can be secure4 ,proper ,reserves are the ,outworks1 and must never be deserted by those who intend to keep the ,place2 they keep off the ,possibility not only of being taken1 but of being attempted2 and if a ,woman seeth ,danger at never so remote a ,distance1 she is for that ,time to shorten her ,line of ,liberty3 ,she who will allow her self to go to the utmost ,extents of every thing that is lawful1 is so very near going further1 that those who lie at watch1 will begin to count upon her4 8,mankind1 from the double ,temptation of ,vanity and ,desire1 is apt to turn every thing a ,woman doth to the hopeful ,side2 and there are few who dare make an impudent ,application1 till they discern something which they are willing to take for an ,encouragement3 ,it is safer therefore to prevent such ,forwardness1 than to go about to cure it3 ,it gathereth ,strength by the first ,allowances1 and claimeth ,right from having been at any ,time suffered with ,impunity3 ,therefore nothing is with more ,care to be avoided1 than such a kind of ,civility as may be mistaken for ,invitation40 ,in the ,time of ,yore a ,knave was no more than a ,servant1 and possibly a ,gallant might originally denote a well-dress'd ,coxcomb1 who had nothing else to do but to make ,parade of his ,wit and ,cloaths1 and perhaps of his ,valour in ,tournament1 to gain the general ,admiration of the ,ladies1 and the ,honour of openly professing with ,respect and ,distance1 his ,veneration for some celebrated ,beauty1 or ,woman of ,merit4 ,but modern ,gallantry is quite a different ,business3 ,the ,gallant1 the fine ,gentleman in ,town1 far superior to him upon the ,road and all his ,undergraduates1 in carrying on his ,plot1 in the artful ,contrivance of his ,design1 and ,dexterity in executing it1 happily combines the ,cunning of the ,fox1 and the ,audacity of the ,tyger4 ,cruel indeed6 for he tears the ,fame1 worries the ,vertue1 and compleats the ,destruction of his unhappy ,prey4 ',tis well for him that ,christianity as yet prevails among us1 for this obliges its ,votaries to forgive the highest ,injuries3 ,should the ,morality of the honest ,heathen1 which some are pleas'd to profess1 but not to practise1 become the ,fashion1 or the old ,english ,spirit1 which has done and suffered so much for ,liberty and ,property1 revive among us1 alas6 what would become of the pretty ,fellows8 ,would they not run the ,risque of being taken for ,wolves1 or ,savages1 have a ,price set on their ,heads1 and be exterminated at any rate1 that so among rational ,persons we might be esteem'd a civiliz'd ,nation8 ,these ,destroyers avoided1 and better ,care taken than usual in ,womens ,education1 ,marriage might recover the ,dignity and ,felicity of its original ,institution2 and ,men be very happy in a married ,state1 if it be not their own ,fault4 ,the great ,author of our ,being1 who does nothing in vain1 ordained it as the only honourable ,way of continuing our ,race2 as a ,distinction between reasonable ,creatures and meer ,animals1 into which we degrade our selves1 by forsaking the ,divine ,institution4 ,,god ordained it for a ,blessing1 not a ,curse3 ,we are foolish as well as wicked1 when that which was appointed for mutual ,comfort and ,assistance1 has quite contrary ,effect through our ,folly and ,perverseness4 ,marriage therefore1 notwithstanding all the loose ,talk of the ,town1 the ,satires of antient1 or modern ,pretenders to ,wit1 will never lose its just ,esteem from the ,wise and ,good4 ,though much may be said against this1 or that ,match2 though the ,ridiculousness of some1 the ,wickedness of others1 and the ,imprudence of too many1 may provoke our ,wonder1 or ,scorn1 our ,indignation or ,pity2 yet ,marriage in general is too sacred to be treated with ,disrespect1 too venerable to be the ,subject of ,raillery and ,buffoonery4 ,none but the ,impious will pretend to refine on a ,divine ,institution1 or suppose there is a better ,way for ,society and ,posterity4 ,whoever scoffs at this1 and by odious ,representation would possess the married ,pair with a frightful ,idea of each other1 as if a ,wife is nothing better than a ,domestick ,devil1 an ,evil he must tolerate for his ,conveniency2 and an ,husband must of necessity be a ,tyrant or a ,dupe2 has ill ,designs on both1 and is himself a dangerous ,enemy to the ,publick1 as well as to private ,families4 ,but upon what are the ,satires against ,marriage grounded8 ,not upon the ,state it self1 if they are just1 but upon the ill ,choice1 or foolish ,conduct of those who are in it8 and what has ,marriage consider'd in it self to do with these8 ,when the ,blame is laid where it ought to be1 not ,marriage1 but inordinate ,passion1 ,rashness1 ,humour1 ,pride1 ,covetousness1 ,inconstancy1 unjust ,suspicions1 unnecessary ,severity1 and1 in a ,word1 a silly1 vicious1 imprudent ,choice1 or ,conduct1 ought to be arraign'd4 ,for why should ,marriage be exclaim'd against when ,men reap the ,fruit of their own ,folly8 ,if they will put an unequal ,yoke upon their own ,necks1 they have their ,choice1 who can they blame for it8 ,if instead of a ,help and ,comfort1 their ,courtship has procured them a ,plague and ,disgrace1 who may they thank but themselves3 ,a ,man can never be under any sort of ,obligation to marry against his ,liking1 but through some reigning ,vice1 or want of ,fortitude4 ,could there be no happy ,marriages1 ,arguments against ,matrimony might have their ,weight with the ,reasonable as well as the ,licentious4 ,but since the ,laws of ,,god and ,man1 founded upon ,reason and ,experience1 forbid a ,temporary ,contract1 and engage the married ,pair for ,life1 it is not only possible1 but highly probable1 and not without many eminent ,instances1 that there are and may be1 happy ,marriages2 provided we act reasonably in our ,choice and ,conduct1 acquit our selves like wise ,men and ,christians4 ,so that all we have to say against ,matrimony1 seems only to shew the ,levity1 or ,impiety of our own ,minds3 ,it is no more than a ,flourish of ,wit1 and how prettily soever we may talk1 it is but little to the ,purpose4 ,is it the being tied to ,one that offends us8 ,why this ought rather to recommend it to us1 and would really do so1 were we guided by ,reason1 and not by ,humour or brutish ,passion4 ,he who does not make ,friendship the chief ,inducement to his ,choice1 and prefer it before any other ,consideration1 does not deserve a good ,wife1 and therefore should not complain if he goes without one4 ,now we can never grow weary of our ,friends2 the longer we have had them the more they are endear'd to us2 and if we have ,one well assur'd1 we need seek no farther1 but are sufficiently happy in her4 ,the ,love of ,variety in this and in other ,cases1 shews only the ill ,temper of our own ,mind in that2 for instead of being content with a competent ,share of ,good1 thankfully and chearfully enjoying what is afforded us1 and patiently bearing with the ,inconveniencies that attend it1 we would set up our ,rest here1 and expect ,felicity where it is not to be found4 ,the ,christian ,institution of ,marriage provides the best that may be for ,domestick ,quiet and ,content1 and for the ,education of ,children2 so that if we were not under the ,tie of ,religion1 even the ,good of ,society and civil ,duty1 would oblige us to what ,christianity requires3 ,and since the very best of us are but poor frail ,creatures1 full of ,ignorance and ,infirmity1 so that in ,justice we ought to tolerate each other1 and exercise that ,patience towards our ,companions to ,day1 which we shall give them occasion to shew towards us ,to-morrow2 the more we are accustom'd to any one's ,conversation1 the better shall we understand their ,humour1 be more able to comply with their ,weakness1 and less offended at it4 ,for he who would have every one submit to his ,humours1 and will not in his ,turn comply with them1 7though we should suppose him always in the right1 whereas a ,man of this ,temper very seldom is so7 is not fit for a ,husband1 scarce fit for ,society1 but ought to be turn'd out of the ,herd as an unreasonable ,creature4 ,there may indeed be ,inconveniencies in a married ,life2 but is there any ,condition without them8 ,and he who lives single1 that he may indulge ,licentiousness and give up himself to the ,conduct of wild and ungovern'd ,desires1 7or indeed out of any other ,inducement1 than the ,glory of ,,god and the ,good of his ,soul1 through the ,prospect he has of doing more ,good1 or because his ,frame and ,disposition of ,mind are more fit for a single than a married ,life7 may rail as he pleases against ,matrimony1 but can never justify his own ,conduct1 nor clear it from the ,imputation of ,wickedness and ,folly4 ,but if ,marriage be such a blessed ,state1 how comes it1 may you say1 that there are so few happy ,marriages8 ,now in answer to this1 it is not to be wonder'd that so few succeed2 we should rather be surpriz'd to find so many do1 considering how imprudently ,men engage1 the ,motives they act by1 and the very strange ,conduct they observe throughout4 ,for pray1 what do ,men propose to themselves in ,marriage8 ,what ,qualifications do they look after in a ,spouse8 ,what will she bring8 is the first ,enquiry3 ,how many ,acres8 ,or how much ready ,coin8 ,not that this is altogether an unnecessary ,question1 for ,marriage without a ,competency1 that is1 not only a bare ,subsistence1 but even a handsome and plentiful provision1 according to the ,quality and ,circumstances of the ,parties1 is no very comfortable ,condition4 ,they who marry for ,love1 as they call it1 find ,time enough to repent their rash ,folly1 and are not long in being convinc'd1 that whatever fine ,speeches might be made in the ,heat of ,passion1 there could be no real ,kindness between those who can agree to make each other miserable4 ,but tho' an ,estate is to be consider'd1 it should not be the ,main1 much less the only ,consideration2 for ,happiness does not depend on ,wealth2 ,that may be wanting1 and too often is1 where ,this abounds4 ,he who marries himself to a ,fortune only1 must expect no other ,satisfaction than that can bring him2 but let him not say that ,marriage1 but that his own covetous or prodigal ,temper1 has made him unhappy4 ,what ,joy has that ,man in all his ,plenty1 who must either run from home to possess it1 contrary to all the ,rules of ,justice1 to the ,laws of ,,god and ,man1 nay1 even in ,opposition to good ,nature and good ,breeding too1 which some ,men make more ,account of than of all the rest2 or else be forc'd to share it with a ,woman whose ,person or ,temper is disagreeable1 whose ,presence is sufficient to sour all his ,enjoyments1 so that if he has any ,remains of ,religion or good ,manners1 he must suffer the ,uneasiness of a continual ,watch1 to force himself to a constrain'd ,civility8 ,few ,men have so much ,goodness as to bring themselves to a ,liking of what they loath'd1 meerly because it is their ,duty to like2 on the contrary1 when they marry with an ,indifferency1 to please their ,friends or increase their ,fortune1 the ,indifferency proceeds to an ,aversion1 and perhaps even the ,kindness and ,complaisance of the poor abus'd ,wife1 shall only serve to increase it4 ,what follows then8 ,there is no ,content at home1 so it is sought elsewhere1 and the ,fortune so unjustly got1 is as carelesly squander'd2 the ,man takes a ,loose1 what should hinder him8 ,he has all in his ,hands1 and ,custom has almost taken off that small ,restraint ,reputation us'd to lay4 ,the ,wife finds too late what was the ,idol the ,man adored1 which her ,vanity1 perhaps1 or it may be the ,commands and ,importunities of ,relations1 would not let her see before2 and now he has got ,that into his ,possession1 she must make ,court to him for a little sorry ,alimony out of her own ,estate4 ,if ,discretion and ,piety prevail upon her ,passions1 she sits down quietly contented with her ,lot1 seeks no ,consolation in the ,multitude of ,adorers1 since he whom only she desir'd to please1 because it was her ,duty to do so1 will take no ,delight in her ,wit or ,beauty3 ,she follows no ,diversion to allay her ,grief1 uses no ,cordials to support her ,spirit1 that may sully her ,vertue or bring a ,cloud upon her ,reputation2 she makes no ,appeals to the mis-judging ,croud1 hardly mentions her ,misfortunes to her most intimate ,acquaintance1 nor lays a ,load on her ,husband to ease her self2 but would1 if it were possible1 conceal his ,crimes1 though her ,prudence and ,vertue give him a thousand ,reproaches without her ,intention or ,knowledge2 and retiring from the ,world1 she seeks a more solid ,comfort than it can give her1 taking ,care to do nothing that ,censoriousness1 or even ,malice it self can misconstrue to her ,prejudice4 ,now she puts on all her ,reserves1 and thinks even innocent ,liberties scarce allowable in her disconsolate ,state2 she has other ,business to mind3 ,nor does she in her ,retirements reflect so much upon the ,hand that administers this bitter ,cup1 as consider what is the best ,use she can make of it4 ,and thus indeed1 ,marriage1 however unfortunate in other respects1 becomes a very great ,blessing to her4 ,she might have been exposed to all the ,temptations of a plentiful ,fortune1 have given up her self to ,sloth and ,luxury1 and gone on at the common rate1 even of the better ,sort1 in doing no ,hurt1 and as little ,good3 ,but now her kind ,husband obliges her to ,consider1 and gives ,opportunity to exercise her ,vertue2 he makes it necessary to withdraw from those ,gaieties and ,pleasures of ,life1 which do more ,mischief under the ,shew of ,innocency1 than they could if they appear'd attended with a ,crime1 discomposing and dissolving the ,mind1 and making it uncapable of any manner of ,good1 to be sure of any thing ,great and ,excellent4 ,silence and ,solitude1 the being forc'd from the ordinary ,entertainments of her ,station1 may perhaps seem a desolate ,condition at first1 and we may allow her1 poor weak ,woman6 to be somewhat shock'd at it1 since even a wise and courageous ,man perhaps would not keep his ,ground4 ,we would conceal 7if we could7 for the ,honour of the ,sex1 ,mens being baffled and dispirited by a smaller matter1 were not the ,instances too frequent and too notorious4 ,but a little ,time wears off all the ,uneasiness1 and puts her in possession of ,pleasures1 which till now she has unkindly been kept a ,stranger to4 ,affliction1 the sincerest ,friend1 the frankest ,monitor1 the best ,instructor1 and indeed1 the only useful ,school that ,women are ever put to1 rouzes her ,understanding1 opens her ,eyes1 fixes her ,attention1 and diffuses such a ,light1 such a ,joy into her ,mind1 as not only ,informs her better1 but ,entertains her more than ever her ,ruel did1 though crouded by the ,men of ,wit4 ,she now distinguishes between ,truth and ,appearances1 between solid and apparent ,good2 has found out the ,instability of all earthly ,things1 and won't any more be deceived by relying on them2 can discern who are the ,flatterers of her ,fortune1 and who the ,admirers and ,encouragers of her ,vertue2 accounting it no little ,blessing to be rid of those ,leeches1 who hung upon her only for their own ,advantage4 ,now sober ,thoughts succeed to ,hurry and ,impertinence1 to ,forms and ,ceremony2 she can secure her ,time1 and knows how to improve it2 never truly a happy ,woman till she came1 in the ,eye of the ,world1 to be reckon'd ,miserable4 ,thus the ,husband's ,vices may become an ,occasion of the ,wife's ,vertues1 and his ,neglect do her a more real ,good than his ,kindness could4 ,but all injur'd ,wives don't behave themselves after this ,fashion1 nor can their ,husbands justly expect it4 ,with what ,face can he blame her for following his ,example1 and being as extravagant on the one ,hand1 as he is on the other8 ,though she cannot justify her ,excesses to ,,god1 to the ,world1 nor to her ,self1 yet surely in respect of him they may admit of an ,excuse4 ,for to all the rest of his ,absurdities1 7for ,vice is always unreasonable7 he adds one more1 who expects that ,vertue from another which he won't practise himself4 ,but suppose a ,man does not marry for ,money1 though for one that does not1 perhaps there are thousands that do2 suppose he marries for ,love1 an ,heroick ,action1 which makes a mighty ,noise in the ,world1 partly because of its ,rarity1 and partly in regard of its ,extravagancy1 what does his marrying for ,love amount to8 ,there's no great ,odds between his marrying for the ,love of ,money1 or for the ,love of ,beauty2 the ,man does not act according to ,reason in either ,case1 but is govern'd by irregular ,appetites4 ,but he loves her ,wit perhaps1 and this1 you'll say1 is more ,spiritual1 more ,refin'd3 ,not at all1 if you examine it to the ,bottom4 ,for what is that which now a-days passes under the ,name of ,wit8 ,a bitter and ill-natur'd ,raillery1 a pert ,repartee1 or a confident talking at all2 and in such a multitude of ,words1 it's ,odds if something or other does not pass that is surprizing1 though every ,thing that surprizes does not please2 some ,things being wonder'd at for their ,ugliness1 as well as others for their ,beauty4 ,true ,wit1 durst one venture to describe it1 is quite another ,thing2 it consists in such a ,sprightliness of ,imagination1 such a ,reach and ,turn of ,thought1 so properly express'd1 as strikes and pleases a judicious ,taste4 ,for though1 as one says of ,beauty1 'tis in no ,face1 but in the ,lover's ,mind1 so it may be said of some sorts of ,wit1 it is not in him that speaks1 but in the ,imagination of his ,hearer2 yet doubtless there is a true ,standard-,wit1 which must be allow'd for such by every one who understands the ,terms4 ,i don't say that they shall all equally like it2 and it is this ,standard-wit that always pleases1 the ,spurious does so only for a ,season4 ,now what is it that strikes a judicious ,taste8 ,not that1 to be sure1 which injures the ,absent1 or provokes the ,company1 which poisons the ,mind under ,pretence of entertaining it1 proceeding from1 or giving ,countenance to false ,notions1 to dangerous and immoral ,principles4 ,wit indeed is distinct from ,judgment1 but it is not contrary to it2 'tis rather its ,handmaid1 serving to awaken and fix the ,attention1 that so we may judge rightly4 ,whatever charms1 does so because of its ,regularity and ,proportion2 otherwise1 though it is ,extraordinary and out of the ,way1 it will only be star'd on like a ,monster1 but can never be lik'd4 ,and tho' a ,thought is ever so fine and new1 ever so well express'd1 if it suits not with ,decorum and good ,manners1 it is not just and fit1 and therefore offends our ,reason1 and consequently has no real ,charms1 nor would afford us any ,entertainment1 if our ,taste were not deprav'd4 ,but it must not be suppos'd that ,womens ,wit approaches those ,heights which ,men arrive at1 or that they indulge those ,liberties the other take4 ,decency lays greater ,restraints on them1 their ,timorousness does them this one1 and perhaps this only ,piece of ,service1 it keeps them from breaking through these ,restraints1 and following their ,masters and ,guides in many of their daring and masculine ,crimes4 ,as the ,world goes1 your ,witty ,men are usually distinguish'd by the ,liberty they take with ,religion1 good ,manners1 or their ,neighbours ,reputation3 ,but1 ,,god be thank'd1 it is not yet so bad1 as that ,women should form ,cabals to propagate ,atheism and ,irreligion#a4 ,a ,man then cannot hope to find a ,woman whose ,wit is of a ,size with his1 but when he doats on ,wit1 it is to be imagin'd he makes ,choice of that which comes the nearest to his own4 ,footnote #a3 ,this was wrote in the ,beginning of the present ,century4 ,thus1 whether it be ,wit or ,beauty that a ,man's in ,love with1 there are no great ,hopes of a lasting ,happiness2 ,beauty1 with all the ,helps of ,art1 is of no long ,date2 the more it is help'd1 the sooner it decays2 and he1 who only or chiefly chose for ,beauty1 will in a little ,time find the same ,reason for another ,choice4 ,nor is that sort of ,wit which he prefers1 of a more sure ,tenure2 or allowing it to last1 it will not always please4 ,for that which has not a real ,excellency and ,value in it self1 entertains no longer than that giddy ,humour which recommended it to us holds2 and when we can like on no just1 or on very little ,ground1 'tis certain a ,dislike will arise1 as lightly and as unaccountably4 ,and it is not improbable that such a ,husband may in a little ,time1 by ill ,usage1 provoke such a ,wife to exercise her ,wit1 that is1 her ,spleen on him1 and then it is not hard to guess how very agreeable it will be to him4 ,in a word1 when we have reckon'd up how many look no further than the making of their ,fortune1 as they call it2 who don't so much as propose to themselves any ,satisfaction in the ,woman to whom they plight their ,faith1 seeking only to be ,masters of her ,estate1 that so they may have ,money enough to indulge all their irregular ,appetites2 who think they are as good as can be expected1 if they are but1 according to the fashionable ,term1 ,civil ,husbands2 when we have taken the ,number of your giddy ,lovers1 who are not more violent in their ,passion than they are certain to repent of it2 when to these you have added such as marry without any ,thought at all1 further than that it is the ,custom of the ,world1 what others have done before them1 that the ,family must be kept up1 the antient ,race preserv'd1 and therefore their kind ,parents and ,guardians choose as they think convenient1 without ever consulting the ,young one's ,inclinations1 who must be satisfied1 or pretend so at least1 upon ,pain of their ,displeasure1 and that heavy ,consequence of it1 ,forfeiture of their ,estate3 ,these set aside1 ,i fear there will be but a small ,remainder to marry out of better ,considerations2 and even amongst the ,few that do1 not one in a ,hundred takes ,care to deserve his ,choice4 ,but do the ,women never choose amiss8 ,are the ,men only in ,fault8 ,that is not pretended2 for he who will be just1 must be forced to acknowledge1 that neither ,sex are always in the right4 ,a ,woman1 indeed1 can't properly be said to ,choose2 all that is allow'd her1 is to ,refuse or ,accept what is offer'd4 ,and when we have made such reasonable ,allowances as are due to the ,sex1 perhaps they may not appear so much in ,fault as one would at first imagine1 and a generous ,spirit will find more ,occasion to ,pity1 than to ,reprove4 ,but sure ,i transgress----it must not be suppos'd that the ,ladies can do amiss6 ,he is but an ill-bred ,fellow who pretends that they need ,amendment6 ,they are1 no doubt on't1 always in the right1 and most of all when they take ,pity on distressed ,lovers6 ,whatever they say carries an ,authority that no ,reason can resist1 and all that they do must needs be ,exemplary6 ,this is the ,modish ,language1 nor is there a ,man of ,honour amongst the whole ,tribe1 that would not venture his ,life1 nay1 and his ,salvation too1 in their ,defence1 if any but himself attempts to injure them4 ,but ,i must ask ,pardon if ,i can't come up to these ,heights1 nor flatter them with the having no ,faults1 which is only a malicious ,way of continuing and increasing their ,mistakes4 ,women1 it's true1 ought to be treated with ,civility2 for since a little ,ceremony and out-side ,respect is all their ,guard1 all the ,privilege that's allow'd them1 it were barbarous to deprive them of it2 and because ,i would treat them civilly1 ,i would not express my ,civility at the usual rate4 ,i would not1 under ,pretence of ,honouring and paying a mighty ,deference to the ,ladies1 call them ,fools1 or what's worse1 to their ,faces2 ,for what are all the fine ,speeches and ,submissions that are made1 but an abusing them in a well-bred ,way8 ,she must be a ,fool with a ,witness1 who can believe a ,man1 ,proud and ,vain as he is1 will lay his boasted ,authority1 the ,dignity and ,prerogative of his ,sex1 one ,moment at her ,feet1 but in ,prospect of taking it up again to more ,advantage2 he may call himself her ,slave a few ,days1 but it is only in order to make her his all the rest of his ,life4 ,indeed that mistaken ,self-,love that reigns in the most of us1 both ,men and ,women1 that over-good ,opinion we have of ourselves1 and ,desire that others should have of us1 makes us swallow every ,thing that looks like ,respect1 without examining how wide it is from what it appears to be4 ,for nothing is in ,truth a greater ,outrage than ,flattery and feign'd ,submissions2 the plain ,english of which is this1 8,i have a very mean ,opinion both of your ,understanding and ,vertue2 you are ,weak enough to be impos'd on1 and ,vain enough to snatch at the ,bait ,i throw2 there's no ,danger of your finding out my ,meaning1 or disappointing me of my ,ends4 ,i offer you ,incense1 'tis true1 but you are like to pay for't1 and to make me a ,recompence for your ,folly1 in imagining ,i would give my self this ,trouble1 did ,i not hope1 nay1 were ,i not sure1 to find my own ,account in it4 ,if for nothing else1 you'll serve at least as an ,exercise of my ,wit2 and how much soever you swell with my ,breath1 'tis ,i deserve the ,praise for talking so well on so poor a ,subject4 ,we1 who make the ,idols1 are the greater ,deities2 and as we set you up1 so it is in our ,power to reduce you to your first ,obscurity1 or to somewhat worse1 to ,contempt2 you are therefore only on your good ,behaviour1 and are like to be no more than what we please to make you40 ,this is the ,flatterer's ,language aside1 this is the true ,sense of his ,heart1 whatever his ,grimace may be before the ,company4 ,and if this be the true ,meaning of honourable ,courtship1 what is meant by that ,jargon1 that ,profusion of ,love and ,admiration which passes for ,gallantry1 when either of the ,parties are married8 ,is it not the utmost ,scurrility1 in that it supposes she is1 or that he hopes to make her1 what good ,manners forbids to name8 ,and since he makes so free with the ,lady's ,honour1 can she afford him a civiller ,answer1 than what her ,footman may deliver with a ,crab-tree8 ,but ,i correct my self1----this might be the ,air of a haughty ,roman ,prude2 our ,british ,beauties are far more ,gentle and ,well-bred4 ,and he who has the same ,designs upon other ,mens ,relations1 is sometimes so civil as to bear with the ,outrages offer'd to his own4 ,not but that 'tis possible1 and sometimes ,matter of ,fact1 to express our selves beyond the ,truth in ,praise of a ,person1 and yet not be guilty of ,flattery2 but then we must ,think what we ,say1 and ,mean what we ,profess4 ,we may be so blinded by some ,passion or other1 especially ,love1 which in ,civil and ,good-natur'd ,persons is apt to exceed1 as to believe some ,persons more deserving than really they are1 and to pay them greater ,respect and ,kindness than is in ,strictness due to them4 ,but this is not the present ,case2 for our fine ,speech-makers doat too much on themselves to have any great ,passion for another4 ,their ,eyes are commonly too much fix'd on their own ,excellencies1 to view another's good ,qualities through a ,magnifying-,glass2 at least if ever they turn that ,end of the ,perspective towards their ,neighbours1 'tis only in ,respect and ,reference to themselves4 ,they are their own ,centres1 they find a ,disproportion in every ,line that does not tend thither1 and in the next ,visit they make1 you shall hear all the fine ,things they had said1 repeated to the new ,object1 and nothing remembred of the former but her ,vanity1 or something else as ridiculous1 which serves for a ,foil1 or a ,whet to ,discourse4 ,for let there be ever so many ,wits in the ,company1 ,conversation would languish1 and they would be at a ,loss1 did not a little ,censoriousness come in at a ,need to help them4 ,let us then treat the ,ladies as civilly as may be1 but let us not do it by ,flattering them1 but by endeavouring to make them such as may truly deserve our hearty ,esteem and ,kindness4 ,men ought really for their own ,sakes1 to do what in them lies to make ,women ,wise and ,good1 and then it might be hoped they themselves would effectually ,study and ,practice that ,wisdom and ,vertue they recommend to others4 ,but so long as ,men1 even the best of them1 who do not outrage the ,women they pretend to adore1 have base and unworthy ,ends to serve1 it is not to be expected that they should consent to such ,methods as would certainly disappoint them4 ,they would have their own ,relations do well2 it is their ,interest3 but it sometimes happens to be for their ,turn that another ,man's should not1 and then their ,generosity fails them1 and no ,man is apter to find ,fault with another's dishonourable ,actions1 than he who is ready to do1 or perhaps has done the same himself4 ,and as ,men have little ,reason to expect ,happiness when they marry only for the ,love of ,money1 ,wit1 or ,beauty1 as has been already shewn1 so much less can a ,woman expect a tolerable ,life1 when she goes upon these ,considerations4 ,let the ,business be carried as prudently as it can be on the ,woman's ,side1 a reasonable ,man can't deny that she has by much the harder ,bargain3 because she puts her self intirely into her ,husband's ,power1 and if the ,matrimonial ,yoke be grievous1 neither ,law nor ,custom afford her that ,redress which a ,man obtains4 ,he who has ,sovereign ,power does not value the ,provocations of a ,rebellious ,subject2 he knows how to subdue him with ,ease1 and will make himself obey'd3 ,but ,patience and ,submission are the only ,comforts that are left to a poor ,people1 who groan under ,tyranny1 unless they are ,strong enough to break the ,yoke1 to ,depose and ,abdicate1 which1 ,i doubt1 would not be allow'd of here4 ,for whatever may be said against ,passive-,obedience in another ,case1 ,i suppose there's no ,man but likes it very well in this2 how much soever ,arbitrary ,power may be dislik'd on a ,throne1 not ,milton1 nor ,b4 ,h--1 nor any of the ,advocates of ,resistance1 would cry up ,liberty to poor ,female ,slaves1 or plead for the ,lawfulness of ,resisting a private ,tyranny4 ,if there be a ,disagreeableness of ,humours1 this1 in my ,mind1 is harder to be born than greater ,faults1 as being a continual ,plague1 and for the most ,part incurable4 ,other ,vices a ,man may grow weary of1 or may be convinced of the ,evil of them1 he may forsake them1 or they him1 but his ,humour and ,temper are seldom1 if ever1 put off4 ,ill-nature sticks to him from his ,youth to his grey ,hairs1 and a ,boy that's ,humorous and ,proud1 makes a ,peevish1 ,positive1 and ,insolent ,old ,man4 ,now if this be the ,case1 and the ,husband be full of ,himself1 obstinately bent on his own ,way1 with or without ,reason1 if he be one who must be always ,admir'd1 always ,humour'd1 and yet scarce knows what will please him2 if he has ,prosperity enough to keep him from considering1 and to furnish him with a ,train of ,flatterers and obsequious ,admirers2 and ,learning and ,sense enough to make him a ,fop in ,perfection2 for a ,man can never be a compleat ,coxcomb1 unless he has a considerable ,share of these to value himself upon2 ,what can the poor ,woman do8 ,the ,husband is too ,wise to be ,advis'd1 too ,good to be ,reform'd1 she must follow all his ,paces1 and tread in all his unreasonable ,steps1 or there is no ,peace1 no ,quiet for her2 she must ,obey with the greatest ,exactness1 'tis in vain to expect any manner of ,compliance on his ,side1 and the more she complies the more she may2 his fantastical ,humours grow with her ,desire to gratify them1 for ,age increases ,opinionatry in some1 as well as it does ,experience in others4 ,of such sort of ,folks as these it was that ,soloman spake1 when he said1 ,seest thou a ,man wise in his own ,conceit1 there is more hope of a ,fool than of him2 ,that is1 the profligate ,sinner1 such a one being always a ,fool in ,solomon's ,language1 is in a fairer ,way of being convinc'd of his ,folly1 and brought to ,reason1 than the ,proud1 ,conceited ,man4 ,that ,man1 indeed1 can never be good at ,heart1 who is full of ,himself and his own ,endowments3 ,not that it is necessary1 because it is not possible 7humanly speaking7 for one to be totally ignorant of his own good ,qualities1 ,i had almost said1 he ought to have a modest ,sense of 'em1 otherwise he can't be duly thankful1 nor make the ,use of them that is required1 to the ,glory of ,,god1 and the ,good of ,mankind2 but he views them in a wrong ,light1 if he discerns any ,thing that may exalt him above his ,neighbours1 make him over-look their ,merit1 or treat them with ,neglect or ,contempt4 ,he ought to behold them with ,fear and ,trembling1 as ,talents which he has freely receiv'd1 and for which he is highly ,accountable1 and therefore they should not excite his ,pride1 but his ,care and ,industry4 ,and if ,pride and ,self-conceit keep a ,man who has some good ,qualities1 and is not so bad as the most of his ,neighbours1 from growing better1 it for certain confirms and hardens the ,wicked in his ,crimes1 it sets him up for a ,wit1 that is1 according to modern ,acceptation1 one who rallies all that is serious1 a ,contemner of the ,priests first1 and then of the ,deity ,himself4 ,for ,penitence and ,self-condemnation are what his ,haughtiness cannot bear1 and since his ,crimes have brought upon him the ,reproaches of his own ,mind1 since he will not take the regular ,way to be rid of them1 which is1 by ,humbling himself1 and making his ,peace with ,heaven1 he bids ,defiance to it1 and wou'd1 if he could1 believe there is no future ,state1 no ,after-retribution1 because he has too just ,reason to fear it4 ,if therefore it be a ,woman's hard ,fate to meet with a disagreeable ,temper1 and of all others1 the ,haughty1 ,imperious1 and ,self-conceited are the most so1 she is as unhappy as any ,thing in this ,world can make her4 ,for when a ,wife's ,temper does not please1 if she makes her ,husband uneasy1 he can find ,entertainments ,abroad2 he has a hundred ,ways of relieving himself2 but neither ,prudence nor ,duty will allow a ,woman to fly out3 her ,business and ,entertainment are at home2 and tho' he makes it ever so uneasy to her1 she must be content1 and make her best on't4 ,she who elects a ,monarch for ,life1 who gives him an ,authority1 she cannot recall1 however he misapply it1 who puts her ,fortune and ,person entirely in his ,power1 nay1 even the very ,desires of her ,heart1 according to some learned ,casuists1 so as that it is not lawful to ,will or ,desire any ,thing but what he approves and allows1 had need be very sure that she does not make a ,fool her ,head1 nor a ,vicious ,man her ,guide and ,pattern2 she had best stay till she can meet with one who has the ,government of his own ,passions1 and has duly regulated his own ,desires1 since he is to have such an absolute ,power over hers4 ,but he who doats on a ,face1 he who makes ,money his ,idol1 he who is charm'd with vain and empty ,wit1 gives no such ,evidence1 either of ,wisdom or ,goodness1 that a ,woman of any tolerable ,sense shou'd care to venture her self to his ,conduct4 ,indeed1 your fine ,gentleman's ,actions are now a-days such1 that did not ,custom and the ,dignity of his ,sex give ,weight and ,authority to them1 a ,woman that thinks twice might bless her self1 and say1 ,is this the ,lord and ,master to whom ,i am to promise ,love1 ,honour and ,obedience8 ,what can be the ,object of ,love but amiable ,qualities1 the ,image of the ,deity impress'd upon a generous and godlike ,mind1 a ,mind that is above this ,world1 to be sure above all the ,vices1 the ,tricks and ,baseness of it2 a ,mind that is not full of it self1 nor contracted to little private ,interests1 but which1 in ,imitation of that glorious ,pattern it endeavours to copy after1 expands and diffuses it self to its utmost ,capacity in doing ,good4 ,but this fine ,gentleman is quite of another ,strain1 he is the ,reverse of this in every ,instance4 ,he is1 ,i confess1 very fond of his own ,dear ,person1 he sees very much in it to admire2 his ,air and ,mien1 his ,words and ,actions1 every ,motion he makes1 declare it2 but they must have a ,judgment of his ,size1 every whit as shallow1 and a ,partiality as great as his own1 who can be of his ,mind4 ,how then can ,i ,love8 ,and if not ,love1 much less ,honour4 ,love may arise from ,pity1 or a generous ,desire to make that ,lovely which as yet is not so1 when we see any hopes of ,success in our ,endeavours of improving it2 but ,honour supposes some excellent ,qualities already1 something worth our ,esteem2 but1 alas6 there is nothing more contemptible than this ,trifle of a ,man1 this meer ,out-side1 whose ,mind is as base and mean as his external ,pomp is glittering4 ,his ,office or ,title apart1 to which some ceremonious ,observance must be paid for ,order's sake1 there's nothing in him that can command our ,respect4 ,strip him of ,equipage and ,fortune1 and such ,things as only dazle our ,eyes and ,imaginations1 but don't in any measure affect our ,reason1 or cause a ,reverence in our ,hearts1 and the poor ,creature sinks beneath our ,notice1 because not supported by real ,worth4 ,and if a ,woman can neither ,love nor ,honour1 she does ill in promising to ,obey1 since she is like to have a crooked ,rule to regulate her ,actions4 ,a ,meer ,obedience1 such as is paid only to ,authority1 and not out of ,love and a ,sense of the ,justice and ,reasonableness of the ,command1 will be of an uncertain ,tenure4 ,as it can't but be uneasy to the ,person who pays it1 so he who receives it will be sometimes disappointed when he expects to find it3 ,for that ,woman must be endow'd with a ,wisdom and ,goodness much above what we suppose the ,sex capable of1 ,i fear much greater than any ,man can pretend to1 who can so constantly conquer her ,passions1 and divert her self even of ,innocent ,self-love1 as to give up the ,cause when she is in the ,right1 and to submit her inlightned ,reason1 to the imperious ,dictates of a blind ,will1 and wild ,imagination1 even when she clearly perceives the ill ,consequences of it1 the ,imprudence1 nay1 ,folly and ,madness of such a ,conduct4 ,and if a ,woman runs such a ,risque when she marries prudently1 according to the ,opinion of the ,world1 that is1 when she permits her self to be dispos'd of to a ,man equal to her in ,birth1 ,education and ,fortune1 and as good as the most of his ,neighbours1 7for if none were to marry1 but ,men of strict ,vertue and ,honour1 ,i doubt the ,world would be but thinly ,peopled7 if at the very best her ,lot is hard1 what can she expect who is ,sold1 or any otherwise betray'd into mercenary ,hands1 to one who is in all1 or most respects1 unequal to her8 ,a ,lover who comes upon what is call'd equal ,terms1 makes no very advantageous ,proposal to the ,lady he courts1 and to whom he seems to be an humble ,servant4 ,for under many sounding ,compliments1 ,words that have nothing in them1 this is his true ,meaning2 ,he wants one to manage his ,family1 an ,house-keeper1 one whose ,interest it will be not to wrong him1 and in whom therefore he can put greater ,confidence than in any he can hire for ,money4 ,one who may breed his ,children1 taking all the ,care and ,trouble of their ,education1 to preserve his ,name and ,family4 ,one whose ,beauty1 ,wit1 or good ,humour and agreeable ,conversation1 will entertain him at ,home when he has been contradicted and disappointed ,abroad2 who will do him that ,justice the ill-natur'd ,world denies him2 that is1 in any one's ,language but his own1 sooth his ,pride and flatter his ,vanity1 by having always so much good ,sense as to be on his ,side1 to conclude him in the ,right1 when others are so ignorant1 or so rude1 as to deny it4 ,who will not be blind to his ,merit nor contradict his ,will and ,pleasure1 but make it her ,business1 her very ,ambition to content him2 whose ,softness and gentle ,compliance will calm his ,passions1 to whom he may safely disclose his troublesome ,thoughts1 and in her ,breast discharge his ,cares2 whose ,duty1 ,submission and ,observance1 will heal those ,wounds other ,peoples ,opposition or ,neglect have given him4 ,in a word1 one whom he can intirely ,govern1 and consequently may form her to his ,will and ,liking1 who must be his for ,life1 and therefore cannot quit his ,service1 let him treat her how he will4 ,and if this be what every ,man expects1 the ,sum of his violent ,love and ,courtship1 when it is put into ,sense1 and rendred ,intelligible1 to what a fine pass does she bring her self who purchases a ,lord and ,master1 not only with her ,money1 but with what is of greater ,value1 at the ,price of her ,discretion6 ,who has not so much as that poor ,excuse1 ,precedent and ,example2 or if she has1 they are only such as all the ,world condemns8 ,she will not find him less a ,governor because she was once his ,superior1 on the contrary1 the ,scum of the ,people are most ,tyrannical when they get the ,power1 and treat their ,betters with the greatest ,insolence4 ,for1 as the wise ,man long since observ'd1 ,a ,servant when he ,reigns1 is one of those ,things for which the ,earth is disquieted1 and which no body is able to bear4 ,it is the hardest ,thing in the ,world for a ,woman to know that a ,man is not ,mercenary1 that he does not act on base and ungenerous ,principles1 even when he is her ,equal1 because being absolute ,master1 she and all the ,grants he makes her are in his ,power1 and there have been but too many ,instances of ,husbands1 that by wheedling1 or threatning their ,wives1 by seeming ,kindness1 or cruel ,usage1 have persuaded1 or forc'd them out of what has been settled on them4 ,so that the ,woman has in ,truth no ,security but the ,man's ,honour and ,good-nature1 a ,security that in this present ,age no wise ,person would venture much upon4 ,a ,man enters into ,articles very readily before ,marriage1 and so he may1 for he performs no more of them afterwards than he thinks fit4 ,a ,wife must never dispute with her ,husband2 his ,reasons are now1 no doubt on't1 better than hers1 whatever they were before2 he is sure to persuade her out of her ,agreement1 and bring her1 it must be suppos'd1 ,willingly1 to give up what she did vainly hope to obtain1 and what she thought had been made sure to her4 ,and if she shews any ,refractoriness1 there are ,ways enough to humble her2 so that by ,right or ,wrong the ,husband gains his ,will4 ,for ,covenants between ,husband and ,wife1 like ,laws in an ,arbitrary ,government1 are of little ,force1 the ,will of the ,sovereign is ,all in ,all4 ,thus it is in ,matter of ,fact1 ,i will not answer for the ,right of it2 for if the ,woman's ,reasons1 upon which those ,agreements are grounded1 are not just and good1 why did he consent to them8 ,was it because there was no other ,way to obtain his ,suit1 and with an ,intention to annul them when it shall be in his ,power8 ,where then is his ,sincerity8 ,but if her ,reasons are good1 where is his ,justice in obliging her to quit them8 ,he neither way acts like an equitable or honest ,man4 ,but when a ,woman marries unequally and beneath her self1 there is almost ,demonstration that the ,man is sordid and unfair2 that instead of loving her he only loves himself1 trapans and ruins her to serve his own ,ends4 ,for if he had not a mighty ,opinion of himself1 7which ,temper is like to make an admirable ,husband7 he would never imagine that his ,person and good ,qualities could make ,compensation for all the ,advantages she quits on his ,account4 ,if he had a real ,esteem for her1 or valued her ,reputation1 he would not expose it1 nor have her ,discretion call'd in ,question for his sake2 and if he truly lov'd her1 he would not reduce her to ,straits and a narrow ,fortune1 nor so much as lessen her way of ,living to better his own4 ,for since ,god has placed different ,ranks in the ,world1 put some in a higher1 and some in a lower ,station1 for ,order and ,beauty's sake1 and for many good ,reasons2 though it is both our ,wisdom and ,duty not only to submit with ,patience1 but to be thankful and well-satisfied1 when by his ,providence we are brought low1 yet there is no manner of ,reason for us to degrade our selves2 on the contrary1 much why we ought not4 ,the better our ,lot is in this ,world1 and the more we have of it1 the greater is our ,leisure to prepare for the next2 we have the more ,opportunity to exercise that ,god-like ,quality1 to taste that ,divine ,pleasure1 doing ,good to the ,bodies and ,souls of those beneath us4 ,is it not then ill ,manners to ,heaven1 and an irreligious ,contempt of its ,favours1 for a ,woman to slight that nobler ,employment1 to which it has assign'd her1 and thrust her self down to a meaner ,drudgery1 to what is in the very literal ,sense a caring for the ,things of the ,world1 a caring not only to ,please1 but to ,maintain a ,husband8 ,and a ,husband so chosen will not at all abate of his ,authority and ,right to ,govern1 whatever fair ,promises he might make before4 ,she has made him her ,head1 and he thinks himself as well qualified as the ,best to act accordingly1 nor has she given him any such ,evidence of her ,prudence as may dispose him to make an ,act of ,grace in her ,favour4 ,besides1 great ,obligations are what ,superiors cannot bear1 they are more than can be return'd2 to acknowledge were only to reproach themselves with ,ingratitude1 and therefore the readiest ,way is1 not to own1 but over-look them1 or rather1 as too many do1 to repay them with ,affronts and ,injuries4 ,what then is to be done8 ,how must a ,man choose1 and what ,qualities must incline a ,woman to accept1 that so our married ,couple may be as happy as that ,state can make them8 ,this is no hard ,question2 let the ,soul be principally consider'd1 and ,regard had in the first place to a good ,understanding1 a vertuous ,mind2 and in all other respects let there be as much ,equality as may be4 ,if they are good ,christians and of suitable ,tempers all will be well2 but ,i should be shrewdly tempted to suspect their ,christianity who marry after any of those ,ways we have been speaking of4 ,i dare venture to say1 that they don't act according to the ,precepts of the ,gospel1 they neither shew the ,wisdom of the ,serpent1 nor the ,innocency of the ,dove2 they have neither so much ,government of themselves1 nor so much ,charity for their ,neighbours2 they neither take such ,care not to scandalize others1 nor to avoid ,temptations themselves1 are neither so much above this ,world1 nor so affected with the next1 as they would certainly be1 did the ,christian ,religion operate in their ,hearts1 did they rightly understand1 and sincerely practise it1 or acted indeed according to the ,spirit of the ,gospel4 ,but it is not enough to enter wisely into this ,state1 ,care must be taken of our ,conduct afterwards4 ,a ,woman will not want being admonish'd of her ,duty2 the ,custom of the ,world1 ,oeconomy1 every ,thing almost reminds her of it4 ,governors do not often suffer their ,subjects to forget ,obedience through their want of demanding it2 perhaps ,husbands are but too forward on this ,occasion1 and claim their ,right oftner and more imperiously than either ,discretion or good ,manners will justify1 and might have both a more chearful and constant ,obedience paid them if they were not so rigorous in exacting it4 ,for there is a mutual ,stipulation1 and ,love1 ,honour1 and ,worship1 by which certainly ,civility and ,respect at least are meant1 are as much the ,woman's ,due1 as ,love1 ,honour and ,obedience are the ,man's4 ,and being the ,woman is said to be the weaker ,vessel1 the ,man should be more careful not to grieve or offend her4 ,since her ,reason is suppos'd to be less1 and her ,passions stronger than his1 he should not give ,occasion to call that ,supposition in ,question by his pettish ,carriage and needless ,provocations4 ,since he is the ,man1 by which very word ,custom would have us understand not only greatest ,strength of ,body1 but even greatest ,firmness and ,force of ,mind1 he should not play the little ,master so much as to expect to be cocker'd1 nor run over to that ,side which the ,woman us'd to be rank'd in2 for1 according to the ,wisdom of the ,italians1 ,will you8 ,is spoken to sick ,folks4 ,indeed ,subjection1 according to the common ,notion of it1 is not over easy2 none of us1 whether ,men or ,women1 but have so good an ,opinion of our own ,conduct1 as to believe we are fit1 if not to direct others1 at least to govern our selves4 ,nothing but a sound ,understanding1 and ,grace1 the best ,improver of ,natural ,reason1 can correct this ,opinion1 truly humble us1 and heartily reconcile us to ,obedience4 ,this bitter ,cup therefore ought to be sweetned as much as may be2 for ,authority may be preserv'd and ,government kept inviolable1 without that nauseous ,ostentation of ,power1 which serves to no ,end or ,purpose1 but to blow up the ,pride and ,vanity of those who have it1 and to exasperate the ,spirits of such as must truckle under it4 ,insolence is never the ,effect of ,power but in weak and cowardly ,spirits1 who wanting true ,merit and ,judgment to support themselves in that ,advantageous ,ground on which they stand1 are ever appealing to their ,authority1 and making a ,shew of it to maintain their ,vanity and ,pride4 ,a truly great ,mind1 and such as is fit to ,govern1 tho' it may stand on its ,right with its ,equals1 and modestly expect what is due to it even from its ,superiors1 yet it never contends with its ,inferiors1 nor makes use of its ,superiority but to do them ,good4 ,so that considering the just ,dignity of ,man1 his great ,wisdom so conspicuous on all ,occasions6 the ,goodness of his ,temper1 and ,reasonableness of all his ,commands1 which make it a ,woman's ,interest as well as ,duty to be observant and obedient in all ,things2 that his ,prerogative is settled by an undoubted ,right and the ,prescription of many ,ages2 it cannot be suppos'd1 that he should make frequent and insolent ,claims of an ,authority so well establish'd and us'd with such ,moderation1 nor give an impartial ,by-stander 7could such an one be found7 any ,occasion from thence to suspect that he is inwardly conscious of the ,badness of his ,title2 ,usurpers being always most desirous of ,recognitions1 and busy in imposing ,oaths1 whereas a ,lawful ,prince contents himself with the usual ,methods and ,securities4 ,and since ,power does naturally puff up1 and he who finds himself exalted1 seldom fails to think he ought to be so1 it is more suitable to a ,man's ,wisdom and ,generosity1 to be mindful of his great ,obligations1 than to insist on his ,rights and ,prerogatives4 ,sweetness of ,temper and an obliging ,carriage are so justly due to a ,wife1 that a ,husband who must not be thought to want either ,understanding to know what is fit1 nor ,goodness to perform it1 can't be suppos'd not to shew them4 ,for setting aside the ,hazard of her ,person to keep up his ,name and ,family1 with all the ,pains and ,trouble that attend it1 which may well be thought great enough to deserve all the ,respect and ,kindness that may be2 setting this aside1 though 'tis very considerable1 a ,woman has so much the ,disadvantage in most1 ,i was about to say1 in all ,things1 that she makes a ,man the greatest ,compliment in the ,world when she condescends to take him for ,better for ,worse4 ,she puts her self intirely in his ,power1 leaves all that is dear to her1 her ,friends and ,family1 to espouse his ,interests and follow his ,fortune1 and makes it her ,business and ,duty to please him6 ,what ,acknowledgments1 what ,returns can he make8 ,what ,gratitude can be sufficient for such ,obligations8 ,she shews her good ,opinion of him by the great ,trust she reposes in him1 and what a ,brute must he be who betrays that ,trust1 or acts any way unworthy of it8 ,ingratitude is one of the basest ,vices1 and if a ,man's ,soul is sunk so low as to be guilty of it towards her who has so generously oblig'd him1 and who so intirely depends on him1 if he can treat her disrespectfully1 who has so fully testified her ,esteem of him1 she must have a ,stock of ,vertue which he should blush to discern1 if she can pay him that ,obedience of which he is so unworthy4 ,superiors indeed are too apt to forget the common ,privileges of ,mankind2 that their ,inferiors share with them the greatest ,benefits1 and are as capable as themselves of enjoying the supreme ,good2 that though the ,order of the ,world requires an ,outward ,respect and ,obedience from some to others1 yet the ,mind is free1 nothing but ,reason can oblige it1 'tis out of the ,reach of the most absolute ,tyrant4 ,nor will it ever be well either with those who ,rule or those in ,subjection1 even from the ,throne to every private ,family1 till those in ,authority look on themselves as plac'd in that ,station for the ,good and ,improvement of their ,subjects1 and not for their own ,sakes2 not as the ,reward of their ,merit1 or that they may prosecute their own ,desires and fulfil all their ,pleasure1 but as the ,representatives of ,god1 whom they ought to imitate in the ,justice and ,equity of their ,laws1 in doing ,good and communicating ,blessings to all beneath them3 ,by which1 and not by following the imperious ,dictates of their own ,will1 they become truly ,great and ,illustrious1 and worthily fill their ,place4 ,and the ,governed for their ,part1 ceasing to envy the ,pomp and ,name of ,authority1 should respect their ,governors as placed in ,,god's stead1 and contribute what they can to ease them of their real ,cares1 by a chearful and ready ,compliance1 with their good ,endeavours1 and by affording them the ,pleasure of ,success in such noble and generous ,designs4 ,for1 upon a due ,estimate1 ,things are pretty equally divided2 those in ,subjection1 as they have a less ,glorious1 so they have an easier ,task and a less ,account to give2 ,whereas he who ,commands1 has in a great measure the ,faults of others to answer for as well as his own4 ',tis true1 he has the ,pleasure of doing more ,good than a private ,person can1 and shall receive the ,reward of it when ,time shall be no more1 in ,compensation for the ,hazards he runs1 the ,difficulties he at present encounters1 and the large ,account he is to make hereafter4 ,which ,pleasure and ,reward are highly desirable1 and most worthy our ,pursuit2 but they are ,motives which such as ,usurp on their ,governors1 and make them uneasy in the due ,discharge of their ,duty1 never propose4 ,as for those other little ,things that move their ,envy and ,ambition1 they are of no ,esteem with a just ,considerer1 nor will such as violently pursue1 find their ,account in them4 ,but how can a ,man respect his ,wife when he has a contemptible ,opinion of her and her ,sex8 ,when from his own ,elevation he looks down on them as void of ,understanding1 full of ,ignorance and ,passion1 so that ,folly and a ,woman are equivalent ,terms with him8 ,can he think there is any ,gratitude due to her whose utmost ,services he exacts as strict ,duty8 ,because she was made to be a ,slave to his ,will1 and has no higher ,end than to ,serve and ,obey him8 ,perhaps we arrogate too much to our selves1 when we say this ,material ,world was made for our ,sakes3 ,that its ,glorious ,maker has given us the ,use of it is certain2 but when we suppose any ,thing to be made purely for our ,sakes1 because we have ,dominion over it1 we draw a false ,conclusion4 ,as he who should say the ,people were made for the ,prince who is set over them1 would be thought to be out of his ,senses as well as his ,politicks4 ,yet even allowing that ,,god1 who made every ,thing in ,number1 ,weight and ,measure1 who never acts but for some great and glorious ,end1 an ,end agreeable to ,his ,majesty2 allowing that ,he created such a ,number of ,rational ,spirits merely to serve their ,fellow ,creatures1 yet how are these ,lords and ,masters help'd by the ,contempt they shew of their poor humble ,vassals8 ,is it not rather an ,hindrance to that ,service they expect1 as being an undeniable and constant ,proof how unworthy they are to receive it8 ,none of ,,god's ,creatures1 absolutely consider'd1 are in their own ,nature contemptible2 the meanest ,fly1 the poorest ,insect has its ,use and ,vertue4 ,contempt is scarce a ,human ,passion1 one may venture to say it was not in innocent ,man1 for till ,sin came into the ,world1 there was nothing in it to be contemn'd4 ,but ,pride1 which makes every ,thing serve its ,purposes1 wrested this ,passion from its only ,use1 so that instead of being an ,antidote against ,sin1 it is become a grand ,promoter of it1 nothing making us more worthy of that ,contempt we shew1 than when1 poor1 weak1 dependent ,creatures as we are6 we look down with ,scorn and ,disdain on others4 ,there is not a surer ,sign of a noble ,mind1 a ,mind very far advanc'd towards ,perfection1 than the being able to bear ,contempt and an unjust ,treatment from one's ,superiors evenly and patiently4 ,for inward ,worth and real ,excellency are the true ,ground of ,superiority1 and one ,person is not in reality better than another1 but as he is more ,wise and ,good4 ,but this ,world being a ,place of ,trial1 and govern'd by general ,laws1 just ,retributions being reserv'd for hereafter1 ,respect and ,obedience many times become due for ,order's sake1 to those who don't otherwise deserve them4 ,now tho' ,humility keeps us from over-valuing our selves or viewing our ,merit through a false and magnifying ,medium1 yet it does not put out our ,eyes1 it does not1 it ought not to deprive us of that pleasing ,sentiment which attends our ,acting as we ought to ,act1 which is1 as it were1 a ,foretaste of ,heaven1 our present ,reward for doing what is just and fit4 ,and when a ,superior does a mean and unjust thing1 as all ,contempt of one's ,neighbour is1 and yet this does not provoke his ,inferiors to refuse that ,observance which their ,stations in the ,world require1 they cannot but have an inward ,sense of their own real ,superiority1 the other having no ,pretence to it1 at the same ,time that they pay him an outward ,respect and ,deference1 which is such a flagrant ,testimony of the sincerest ,love of ,order1 as proves their ,souls to be of the highest and noblest ,rank4 ,a ,man therefore for his own sake1 and to give ,evidence that he has a ,right to those ,prerogatives he assumes1 should treat ,women with a little more ,humanity and ,regard than is usually paid them4 ,your whifling ,wits may scoff at them1 and what then8 ,it matters not1 for they rally every ,thing though ever so sacred1 and rail at the ,women commonly in very good ,company4 ,religion1 its ,priests1 and those its most constant and regular ,professors1 are the usual ,subjects of their manly1 mannerly and surprizing ,jests4 ,surprizing indeed6 not for the ,newness of the ,thought1 the ,brightness of the ,fancy1 or ,nobleness of ,expression1 but for the good ,assurance with which such ,thread-bare ,jests are again and again repeated4 ,but that your grave ,dons1 your learned ,men1 and1 which is more1 your ,men of ,sense1 as they would be thought1 should stoop so low as to make ,invectives against the ,women1 forget themselves so much as to jest with their ,slaves1 who have neither ,liberty1 nor ,ingenuity to make ,reprizals2 that they should waste their ,time1 and debase their good ,sense1 which fits them for the most weighty ,affairs1 such as are suitable to their profound ,wisdom and exalted ,understandings6 to render those poor ,wretches more ridiculous and odious who are already in their ,opinion sufficiently contemptible1 and find no better ,exercise of their ,wit and ,satire1 than such as are not worth their ,pains1 though it were possible to ,reform them1 this1 this indeed may justly be wonder'd at6 ,i ,know not whether or no ,women are allow'd to have ,souls2 if they have1 perhaps it is not prudent to provoke them too much1 lest1 silly as they are1 they at last recriminate1 and then what polite and well-bred ,gentleman1 though himself is concern'd1 can forbear taking that lawful ,pleasure1 which all who understand ,raillery must taste1 when they find his ,jests who insolently began to peck at his ,neighbour1 return'd with ,interest upon his own ,head8 ,and indeed ,men are too ,humane1 too ,wise1 to venture at it1 did they not hope for this ,effect1 and expect the ,pleasure of finding their ,wit turn to such ,account3 ,for if it be lawful to pry into a ,secret1 this is1 without doubt1 the whole ,design of those fine ,discourses which have been made against the ,women from our great ,fore-,fathers to this present ,time6 ,generous ,man has too much ,bravery1 he is too ,just and too ,good to assault a defenceless ,enemy1 and if he did inveigh against the ,women1 it was only to do them ,service6 ,for since neither his ,care of their ,education1 his hearty ,endeavours to improve their ,minds1 his wholesome ,precepts1 nor great ,example could do them good1 as his last and kindest ,essay1 he resolv'd to try what ,contempt would do1 and chose rather to expose himself by a seeming ,want of ,justice1 ,equity1 ,ingenuity and ,good-nature1 than suffer ,women to remain such vain and insignificant ,creatures as they have hitherto been reckon'd2 and truly1 ,women are some ,degrees beneath what ,i have thus far thought them1 if they do not make the best ,use of his ,kindness1 improve themselves1 and1 like ,christians1 return it4 ,let us see then what is their ,part1 what must they do to make the ,matrimonial ,yoke tolerable to themselves as well as pleasing to their ,lords and ,masters8 ,that the ,world is an empty and deceitful ,thing1 that those ,enjoyments which appear'd so desirable at a ,distance1 which rais'd our ,hopes and ,expectations to such a mighty ,pitch1 which we so passionately coveted1 and so eagerly pursued1 vanish at our first ,approach1 leaving nothing behind them but the ,folly of ,delusion1 and the ,pain of disappointed ,hopes1 is a common ,outcry2 and yet1 as common as it is1 though we complain of being deceiv'd this ,instant1 we do not fail of contributing to the ,cheat the very next4 ,though in reality it is not the ,world that abuses us1 'tis we abuse our selves2 it is not the ,emptiness of ,that1 but our own false ,judgments1 our unreasonable ,desires and ,expectations that torment us2 for he who exerts his whole ,strength to lift a ,straw1 ought not to complain of the ,burden1 but of his own disproportionate ,endeavour which gives him the ,pain he feels4 ,the ,world affords us all the ,pleasure a sound ,judgment can expect from it1 and answers all those ,ends and ,purposes for which it was design'd2 let us expect no more than is reasonable1 and then we shall not fail of our ,expectations4 ,it is even so in the ,case before us2 a ,woman who has been taught to think ,marriage her only ,preferment1 the ,sum-,total of her ,endeavours1 the ,completion of all her ,hopes1 that which must settle and make her ,happy in this ,world1 and very few1 in their ,youth especially1 carry a ,thought steadily to a greater ,distance2 ,she who has seen a ,lover dying at her ,feet1 and can't therefore imagine that he who professes to receive all his ,happiness from her1 can have any other ,design or ,desire than to please her2 whose ,eyes have been dazled with all the ,glitter and ,pomp of a ,wedding1 and1 who hears of nothing but ,joy and ,congratulation2 who is transported with the ,pleasure of being out of ,pupillage1 and ,mistress not only of her self1 but of a ,family too3 ,she who is either so simple or so vain1 as to take her ,lover at his ,word1 either as to the ,praises he gave her1 or the ,promises he made for himself2 in sum1 she whose ,expectation has been rais'd by ,courtship1 by all the fine ,things that her ,lover1 her ,governess and ,domestick ,flatterers say1 will find a terrible ,disappointment when the ,hurry is over1 and when she comes calmly to consider her ,condition1 and views it no more under a false ,appearance1 but as it truly is4 ,i ,doubt in such a ,view it will not appear over-desirable1 if she regards only the present ,state of ,things4 ,hereafter may make amends for what she must be prepar'd to suffer here1 then will be her ,reward1 this is her ,time of ,trial1 the ,season of exercising and improving her ,vertues4 ,a ,woman that is not ,mistress of her ,passions1 that cannot patiently submit1 even when ,reason suffers with her1 who does not practise ,passive ,obedience to the utmost1 will never be acceptable to such an absolute ,sovereign as a ,husband4 ,wisdom ought to ,govern without ,contradiction1 but ,strength however will be obeyed4 ,there are but few of those wise ,persons who can be content to be made yet wiser by ,contradiction2 the most will have their ,will1 and it is right because it is theirs4 ,such is the ,vanity of ,human ,nature1 that nothing pleases like an intire ,subjection2 what ,imperfections won't a ,man over-look where this is not wanting6 ,though we live like ,brutes1 we would have ,incense offer'd us1 that is only due to ,heaven it self1 would have an absolute and blind ,obedience paid us by all over whom we pretend ,authority4 ,we were not made to ,idolize one another1 yet the whole ,strain of ,courtship is little less than rank ,idolatry3 ,but does a ,man intend to give1 and not to receive his ,share in this ,religious ,worship8 ,no such matter2 ,pride and ,vanity1 and ,self-love have their ,designs1 and if the ,lover is so condescending as to set a ,pattern in the ,time of his ,addresses1 he is so just as to expect his ,wife should strictly ,copy after it all the rest of her ,life4 ,but how can a ,woman scruple intire ,subjection1 how can she forbear to admire the ,worth and ,excellency of the ,superior ,sex1 if she at all considers it6 ,have not all the great ,actions that have been perform'd in the ,world been done by ,men8 ,have not they founded ,empires and overturn'd them8 ,do not they make ,laws and continually repeal and amend them8 ,their vast ,minds lay ,kingdoms waste1 no ,bounds or ,measures can be prescrib'd to their ,desires4 ,war and ,peace depend on them2 they form ,cabals and have the ,wisdom and ,courage to get over all the ,rubs1 the petty ,restraints which ,honour and ,conscience may lay in the ,way of their desired ,grandeur4 ,what is it they cannot do8 ,they make ,worlds and ruin them1 form ,systems of universal ,nature1 and dispute eternally about them2 their ,pen gives ,worth to the most trifling ,controversy2 nor can a ,fray be inconsiderable if they have drawn their ,swords in't4 ,all that the wise ,man pronounces is an ,oracle1 and every ,word the ,witty speaks1 a ,jest4 ,it is a ,woman's ,happiness to hear1 admire and praise them1 especially if a little ,ill-nature keeps them at any time from bellowing due ,applauses on each other6 ,and if she aspires no further1 she is thought to be in her proper ,sphere of ,action2 she is as wise and as good as can be expected from her6 ,she then who ,marries1 ought to lay it down for an indisputable ,maxim1 that her ,husband must govern absolutely and intirely1 and that she has nothing else to do but to ,please and ,obey4 ,she must not attempt to divide his ,authority1 or so much as dispute it2 to struggle with her ,yoke will only make it gall the more1 but must believe him ,wise and ,good1 and in all respects the best1 at least he must be so to her4 ,she who can't do this is no way fit to be a ,wife1 she may set up for that peculiar ,coronet the antient ,fathers talk'd of1 but is not qualified to receive that great ,reward which attends the eminent ,exercise of ,humility and ,self-denial1 ,patience and ,resignation1 the ,duties that a ,wife is call'd to4 ,but some refractory ,woman perhaps will say1 how can this be8 ,is it possible for her to believe him ,wise and ,good1 who by a thousand ,demonstrations convinces her1 and all the ,world1 of the contrary8 ,did the bare ,name of ,husband confer ,sense on a ,man1 and the meer being in ,authority infallibly qualify him for ,government1 much might be done4 ,but since a wise ,man and a ,husband are not ,terms convertible1 and how loth soever one is to own it1 ,matter of ,fact won't allow us to deny1 that the ,head many times stands in need of the ,inferior's ,brains to manage it1 she must beg leave to be excus'd from such high ,thoughts of her ,sovereign1 and if she submits to his ,power1 it is not so much ,reason as ,necessity that compels her4 ,now of how little ,force soever this ,objection may be in other respects1 methinks it is strong enough to prove the ,necessity of a good ,education1 and that ,men never mistake their true ,interest more than when they endeavour to keep ,women in ,ignorance4 ,could they indeed deprive them of their ,natural good ,sense at the same ,time they deny them the true ,improvement of it1 they might compass their ,end2 otherwise ,natural ,sense unassisted may run into a false ,track1 and serve only to punish him justly1 who would not allow it to be useful to himself or others4 ,if ,man's ,authority be justly establish'd1 the more ,sense a ,woman has1 the more ,reason she will find to submit to it2 if according to the ,tradition of our ,fathers1 7who having had ,possession of the ,pen1 thought they had also the best ,right to it7 ,womens ,understanding is but small1 and ,man's ,partiality adds no ,weight to the ,observation1 ought not the more ,care to be taken to improve them8 ,how it agrees with the ,justice of ,men we inquire not1 but certainly ,heaven is abundantly more ,equitable than to injoin ,women the hardest ,task1 and give them the least ,strength to perform it4 ,and if ,men1 learned1 wise and discreet as they are1 who have1 as is said1 all the ,advantages of ,nature1 and without ,controversy1 have1 or may have1 all the ,assistance of ,art1 are so far from acquitting themselves as they ought1 from living according to that ,reason and excellent ,understanding they so much boast of1 can it be expected that a ,woman who is reckon'd silly enough in her self1 at least comparatively1 and whom ,men take care to make yet more so2 can it be expected that she should constantly perform so difficult a ,duty as intire ,subjection1 to which corrupt ,nature is so averse8 ,if the great and wise ,cato1 a ,man1 a ,man of no ordinary ,firmness and ,strength of ,mind1 a ,man who was esteem'd as an ,oracle1 and by the ,philosophers and great ,men of his ,nation equal'd even to the ,gods themselves2 ,if he1 with all his ,stoical ,principles1 was not able to bear the ,sight of a triumphant ,conqueror1 7who perhaps would have insulted1 and perhaps would not7 but out of a ,cowardly ,fear of an ,insult1 ran to ,death1 to secure him from it2 can it be thought that an ignorant weak ,woman should have ,patience to bear a continual ,outrage and ,insolence all the ,days of her ,life8 ,unless you will suppose her a very ,ass1 but then remember what the ,italians say1 to quote them once more1 since being very ,husbands they may be presum'd to have some ,authority in this ,case1 ,an ,ass1 though slow1 if provok'd1 will kick4 ,we never observe1 or perhaps make ,sport1 with the ill ,effects of a bad ,education1 till it comes to touch us home in the ill ,conduct of a ,sister1 a ,daughter1 or ,wife4 ,then the ,women must be blam'd1 their ,folly is exclaim'd against1 when all this while it was the wise ,man's ,fault1 who did not set a better ,guard on those1 who1 according to him1 stand in so much need of one4 ,a young ,gentleman1 as a celebrated ,author tells us1 ought above all ,things to be acquainted with the ,state of the ,world1 the ,ways and ,humours1 the ,follies1 the ,cheats1 the ,faults of the ,age he is fallen into2 he should by degrees be inform'd of the ,vice in ,fashion1 and warn'd of the ,application and ,design of those who will make it their ,business to corrupt him1 should be told the ,arts they use1 and the ,trains they lay1 be prepar'd to be ,shock'd by some1 and ,caress'd by others2 warn'd who are like to oppose1 who to mislead1 who to undermine1 and who to serve him4 ,he should be instructed how to know and distinguish them1 where he should let them see1 and when dissemble the ,knowledge of them and their ,aims and ,workings4 ,our ,author is much in the right1 and not to disparage any other ,accomplishments which are useful in their ,kind1 this will turn to more ,account than any ,language or ,philosophy1 ,art or ,science1 or any other ,piece of ,good-breeding and fine ,education that can be taught him1 which are no otherwise excellent than as they contribute to this1 as this does above all ,things to the making him a wise1 a vertuous and useful ,man4 ,and it is not less necessary that a young ,lady should receive the like ,instructions1 whether or no her ,temptations be fewer1 her ,reputation and ,honour however are to be more nicely preserv'd2 they may be ruin'd by a little ,ignorance or ,indiscretion1 and then though she has kept her ,innocence1 and so is secur'd as to the next ,world1 yet she is in a great measure lost to this4 ,a ,woman cannot be too watchful1 too apprehensive of her ,danger1 nor keep at too great a ,distance from it1 since ,man1 whose ,wisdom and ,ingenuity is so much ,superior to hers6 condescends for his ,interest sometimes1 and sometimes by way of ,diversion1 to lay ,snares for her4 ,for though all ,men are ,virtuosi1 ,philosophers and ,politicians1 in comparison of the ignorant and illiterate ,women1 yet they don't all pretend to be ,saints1 and 'tis no great ,matter to them1 if ,women1 who were born to be their ,slaves1 be now and then ruin'd for their ,entertainment4 ,but according to the rate that young ,women are ,educated1 according to the ,way their ,time is spent1 they are destin'd to ,folly and ,impertinence1 to say no worse1 and1 which is yet more inhuman1 they are blam'd for that ill ,conduct they are not suffer'd to avoid1 and reproach'd for those ,faults they are in a ,manner forc'd into2 so that if ,heaven has bestowed any ,sense on them1 no other ,use is made of it1 than to leave them without ,excuse4 ,so much1 and no more1 of the ,world is shewn them1 than serves to weaken and corrupt their ,minds1 to give them wrong ,notions1 and busy them in mean ,pursuits2 to disturb1 not to regulate their ,passions2 to make them timorous and dependant1 and1 in a ,word1 fit for nothing else but to act a ,farce for the ,diversion of their ,governors4 ,even ,men themselves improve no otherwise than according to the ,aim they take1 and the ,end they propose2 and he whose ,designs are but little and mean1 will be the same himself4 ,tho' ,ambition1 as 'tis usually understood1 is a foolish1 not to say a base and pitiful ,vice1 yet the ,aspirings of the ,soul after true ,glory are so much its ,nature1 that it seems to have forgot it self1 and to degenerate1 if it can forbear2 and perhaps the great ,secret of ,education lies in affecting the ,soul with a lively ,sense of what is truly its ,perfection1 and exciting the most ardent ,desires after it4 ,but1 alas6 what poor ,woman is ever taught that she should have a higher ,design than to get her a ,husband8 ,heaven will fall in of course2 and if she makes but an ,obedient and ,dutiful ,wife1 she cannot miss of it4 ,a ,husband indeed is thought by both ,sexes so very valuable1 that scarce a ,man who can keep himself clean and make a ,bow1 but thinks he is good enough to pretend to any ,woman2 no matter for the ,difference of ,birth or ,fortune1 a ,husband is such a ,wonder-working ,name as to make an ,equality1 or something more1 whenever it is obtain'd4 ,and indeed1 were there no other ,proof of ,masculine ,wisdom1 and what a much greater ,portion of ,ingenuity falls to the ,men than to the ,women's ,share1 the ,address1 the ,artifice1 and ,management of an humble ,servant were a sufficient ,demonstration4 ,what good ,conduct does he shew6 what ,patience exercise6 what ,subtilty leave untry'd6 what ,concealment of his ,faults6 what ,parade of his ,vertues6 what ,government of his ,passions6 ,how deep is his ,policy in laying his ,designs at so great a ,distance1 and working them up by such little ,accidents6 ,how indefatigable is his ,industry1 and how constant his ,watchfulness not to slip any ,opportunity that may in the least contribute to his ,design6 ,what a handsome ,set of ,disguises and ,pretences is he always furnish'd with6 ,how conceal'd does he lie6 how little pretend1 till he is sure that his ,plot will take6 ,and at the same ,time that he nourishes the ,hope of being ,lord and ,master1 appears with all the ,modesty and ,submission of an humble and unpretending ,admirer6 ,can a ,woman then be too much upon her ,guard8 ,can her ,prudence and ,foresight1 her early ,caution1 be reckon'd unnecessary ,suspicion1 or ill-bred ,reserve by any but those whose ,designs they prevent1 and whose ,interest it is to declaim against them8 ,it being a certain ,maxim with the ,men1 though ,policy or good ,breeding won't allow them to avow it always1 that the ,women were made for their ,sakes and ,service1 and are in all respects their ,inferiors1 especially in ,understanding2 so that all the ,compliments they make1 all the ,address and ,complaisance they use1 all the ,kindness they profess1 all the ,service they pretend to pay1 has no other ,meaning1 no other ,end1 than to get the poor ,woman into their ,power1 to govern her according to their ,discretion4 ,this is all pure ,kindness indeed1 and therefore no ,woman has ,reason to be offended with it2 for1 considering how much she is expos'd in her own1 and how safe in their ,keeping1 'tis the wisest ,thing she can do to put her self under ,protection6 ,and then if they have a tolerable ,opinion of her ,sense1 and not their ,vanity1 but some better ,principle disposes them to do something out of the ,way1 and to appear more generous than the rest of their ,sex1 they'll condescend to dictate to her1 and impart some of their ,prerogative1 ,books and ,learning4 ',tis fit indeed1 that she should intirely depend on their ,choice1 and walk with the ,crutches they are pleas'd to lend her2 and if she is furnished out with some ,notions to set her a prating1 ,i should have said1 to make her entertaining1 and the ,fiddle of the ,company1 her ,tutor's ,time was not ill bestowed3 ,and it were a diverting ,scene to see her stript1 like the ,jay1 of her borrowed ,feathers1 but he1 good ,man1 has not ill ,nature enough to take ,pleasure in it6 ,you may accuse him1 perhaps1 for giving so much ,encouragement to a ,woman's ,vanity1 but your ,accusation is groundless1 ,vanity being a ,disease the ,sex will always be guilty of2 nor is it a ,reproach to them1 since ,men of ,learning and ,sense are over-run with it4 ,but there are few ,women whose ,understandings are worth the ,management1 their ,estates are much more capable of ,improvement4 ,no ,woman1 much less a ,woman of ,fortune1 is ever fit to be her own ,mistress1 and he who has not the ,vanity to think what much finer ,things he could perform1 had he the ,management of her ,fortune2 or so much ,partiality and ,self-love1 as to fancy it can't be better bestow'd than in making his2 will yet be so honest and humble1 as to think that 'tis fit she should take his ,assistance1 as ,steward at least4 ,for the good ,man aspires no further1 he would only take the ,trouble of her ,affairs off her ,hand2 and the ,sense of her ,condescension and his great ,obligations1 will for ever secure him against acting like a ,lord and ,master4 ,the ,steps to ,folly1 as well as ,sin1 are gradual1 and almost imperceptible1 and when we are once on the ,decline1 we go down without taking ,notice on't2 were it not for this1 one could not account for those strange unequal ,marriages we too often see4 ,for there was a ,time1 no doubt1 when a ,woman could not have bore the very ,thought of what she has been afterwards betray'd into2 it would have appear'd as shocking to her1 as it always does to other ,people2 and had a ,man been so impolitick as to discover the least ,intimation of such a ,design1 he had given her a sufficient ,antidote against it4 ,this your wise ,men are well satisfied of1 and understand their own ,interest too well to let their ,design go bare-fac'd1 for that would effectually put a ,bar to their ,success4 ,so innocent are they1 that they had not the least ,thought at first of what their good ,fortune afterwards leads them to6 ,they would draw upon him1 7if they wear a ,sword7 or fly in her ,face who should let fall the least ,hint that they had such ,intentions2 and this very ,eagerness to avoid the ,suspicion1 is a shrewd ,sign that there is ,occasion for't4 ,but who shall dare to shew the ,lady her ,danger1 when will it be seasonable to give her friendly ,notice8 ,if you do it ere she is resolv'd1 though with all the ,friendship and ,tenderness imaginable1 she will hardly forgive the ,affront1 or bear the ,provocation2 you offer her an ,outrage by entertaining such a ,thought1 and 'tis ten to one if you are not afterwards accus'd for putting in her ,head what otherwise she could ne'er have dreamt of4 ,and when no direct ,proof can be offer'd1 when matter of ,prudence is the only ,thing in ,question1 every ,body has so good an ,opinion of their own ,understanding1 as to think their own ,way the best4 ,and when she has her ,innocence and fair ,intentions to oppose your ,fears and ,surmises1 and you cannot pretend to wish her better than she does her self1 to be more disinterested and diligent in your ,watchfulness1 or to see farther in what so nearly concerns her1 what can be done8 ,her ,ruin is commonly too far advanc'd to be prevented1 ere you can in ,good-breeding reach out a ,hand to help her4 ,for if the ,train has took1 if she is intangled in the ,snare1 if ,love1 or rather a blind unreasonable ,fondness1 which usurps the ,name of that noble ,passion1 has gain'd on her1 ,reason and ,persuasion may as properly be urg'd to the ,folks in ,bethlem1 as to her4 ,tell her of this ,world1 she is got above it1 and has no ,regard to its impertinent ,censures2 tell her of the next1 she laughs at you1 and will never be convinc'd that ,actions which are not expresly forbid can be ,criminal1 though they proceed from1 and must necessarily be reduc'd to ill ,principles1 though they give ,offence1 are of ill ,example1 injure our ,reputation1 which1 next to our ,innocence1 we are obliged1 as ,christians1 to take the greatest ,care of2 and1 in a ,word1 do more ,mischief than we can readily imagine4 ,tell her of her own ,good1 you appear yet more ridiculous1 for who can judge of her ,happiness but her self8 ,and whilst our ,hearts are violently set upon any thing1 there is no convincing us that we shall ever be of another ,mind4 ,our ,passions want no ,advocates1 they are always furnish'd with plausible ,pretences1 and those very ,prejudices1 which gave rise to this unreasonable ,passion1 will for certain give her ,obstinacy enough to justify and continue in it4 ,besides1 some are so ill advis'd as to think to support one ,indiscretion with another2 they would not have it thought they have made a false ,step1 in once giving ,countenance to that which is not fit to be continued4 ,or perhaps the ,lady might be willing enough to throw off the ,intruder at first1 but wanted ,courage to get above the ,fear of his ,calumnies1 and the longer she suffers him to buz about her1 she will find it the harder to get rid of his ,importunities4 ,by all which it appears1 that she who really intends to be secure1 must keep at the greatest ,distance from ,danger1 she must not grant the least ,indulgence1 where such ill ,uses will be made of it4 ,and since the ,case is so1 ,that ,woman can never be in ,safety who allows a ,man ,opportunity to betray her4 ,frequent ,conversation does for certain produce either ,aversion or ,liking1 and when 'tis once come to ,liking1 it depends on the ,man's ,generosity not to improve it farther1 and where can one find an ,instance that this is any ,security8 ,there are very many indeed which shew it is none4 ,how sensible soever a ,woman may appear of another's ,indiscretion1 if she will tread in the same ,steps1 though but for a little ,way1 she gives us no ,assurance that she will not fall into the same ,folly2 she may perhaps intend very well1 but she puts it past her ,power to fulfil her good ,intentions4 ,even those who have forfeited their ,discretion1 the most valuable ,jewel next to their ,vertue1 and without which ,vertue it self is but very weak and faint1 'tis like1 were once as well resolv'd as she2 they had the very same ,thoughts1 they made the same ,apologies1 and their ,resentment would have been every whit as great against those who could have imagined they should so far forget themselves4 ,it were endless to reckon up the divers ,stratagems ,men use to catch their ,prey1 their different ,ways of insinuating1 which vary with ,circumstances1 and the ,lady's ,temper1 but how unfairly1 how basely soever they proceed1 when the ,prey is once caught1 it passes for lawful ,prize1 and other ,men having the same ,hopes and ,projects1 see nothing to find ,fault with1 but that it was not their own good ,fortune4 ,they may exclaim against it perhaps in a ,lady's ,hearing1 but it is only to keep themselves from being suspected1 and to give the better ,colour to their own ,designs4 ,sometimes a ,woman is cajol'd1 and sometimes hector'd1 she is seduc'd to love a ,man1 or aw'd into a ,fear of him3 ,he defends her ,honour against another1 or assumes the ,power of blasting it himself2 was willing to pass for one of no ,consequence till he could make himself considerable at her ,cost4 ,he might be admitted at first to be her ,jest1 but he carries on the ,humour so far till he makes her his2 he will either entertain or serve her as ,occasion offers1 and some ,way or other gets himself intrusted with her ,fortune1 her ,fame1 or her ,soul4 ,allow him but a frequent and free ,conversation1 and there's no manner of ,question but that his ,ingenuity and ,application1 will1 at one ,time or other1 get the ,ascendant over her4 ,and generally the more humble and undesigning a ,man appears1 the more improbable it looks that he should dare to pretend1 the greater ,caution should be us'd against him4 ,a bold ,address and good ,assurance may sometimes1 but does not always1 take4 ,to a ,woman of ,sense an artificial ,modesty and ,humility is a thousand times more dangerous1 for he only draws back to receive the more ,encouragement1 and she regards not what ,advances she makes towards him1 who seems to understand himself and the ,world so well as to be incapable of making an ill ,use of them4 ,would it not be unreasonable1 and a ,piece of ,ill-breeding1 to be shy of him who has no ,pretensions1 or only such as are ,just and ,modest8 ,what ,hurt in a ,visit8 ,or what if ,visits grow a little more frequent8 ,the ,man has so much ,discernment1 as to relish her ,wit and ,humour1 and can she do less than be ,partial to him who is so just to her8 ,he strives to please and to render himself agreeable1 or necessary1 perhaps1 and whoever will make it his ,business1 may find ,ways enough to do it4 ,for they know but little of ,human ,nature1 they never consulted their own ,hearts1 who are not sensible what ,advances a well-manag'd ,flattery makes1 especially from a ,person of whose ,wit and ,sense one has a good ,opinion4 ,his ,wit at first recommends his ,flatteries1 and these1 in ,requital1 set off his ,wit2 and she who has been us'd to this high-season'd ,diet1 will scarce ever relish another ,conversation4 ,having got thus far1 to be sure he is not wanting to his good ,fortune1 but drives on to an ,intimacy1 or what they are pleas'd1 now a-days1 though very unjustly1 to call a ,friendship2 all is safe under this sacred ,character1 which sets them above little ,aims and mean ,designs4 ,a ,character that must be conducted with the nicest ,honour1 allows the greatest ,trusts1 leads to the highest ,improvements1 is attended with the purest ,pleasures and most rational ,satisfaction4 ,and what if the malicious ,world1 envious of his ,happiness1 should take ,offence at it1 since he has taken all due ,precautions1 such unjust and ill-natur'd ,censures are not to be regarded2 for his ,part the ,distance that is between them checks all aspiring ,desires1 but her ,conversation is what he must not1 cannot want3 ,life is insipid1 and not to be endur'd without it2 and he is too much the ,lady's ,friend1 has too just a ,value for her1 to entertain a ,thought to her ,disadvantage4 ,now if once it is come to this1 ,,god help the poor ,woman6 for not much ,service can be done her by any of her ,friends on ,earth4 ,that ,pretender1 to be sure1 will be the ,darling1 he will worm out every other ,person1 though ever so kind and disinterested4 ,for tho' true ,friends will endeavour to please in order to serve1 their ,complaisance never goes so far as to prove injurious2 the beloved ,fault is what they chiefly strike at1 and this the ,flatterer always sooths2 so that at last he becomes the most acceptable ,company1 and they who are conscious of their own ,integrity1 are not apt to bear such an unjust ,distinction1 nor is it by this ,time to any ,purpose to remonstrate the ,danger of such an ,intimacy4 ,when a ,man1 and for certain much more when a ,woman1 is fallen into this ,toil1 that is1 when either have been so unwary and indiscreet as to let another find out by what ,artifices he may manage their ,self-love1 and draw it over to his ,party1 'tis too late for anyone who is really their ,friend1 to break the ,snare and disabuse them4 ,neither ,sex cares to deny themselves that which pleases1 especially when they think they may innocently indulge it2 and nothing pleases more than the being ,admir'd and ,humour'd4 ,we may be told of the ,danger1 and shewn the ,fall of others1 but though their ,misfortunes are ever so often or so lively represented to us1 we are all so well assur'd of our own good ,conduct1 as to believe it will bring us safe off those ,rocks on which others have been ,shipwreck'd4 ,we suppose it in our ,power to shorten the ,line of our ,liberty whenever we think fit1 not considering that the farther we run1 we shall be the more unwilling to retreat1 and unable to judge when a ,retreat is necessary4 ,a ,woman does not know that she is more than half lost when she admits of these ,suggestions2 that those ,arguments she brings for continuing a ,man's ,conversation1 prove only that she ought to have quitted it sooner2 that ,liking insensibly converts to ,love1 and that when she admits a ,man to be her ,friend1 'tis his ,fault if he does not make himself her ,husband4 ,and if ,men1 even the ,modestest and the ,best1 are only in pursuit of their own ,designs1 when they pretend to do the ,lady ,service2 if the ,honour they would seem to do her1 tends only to lead her into an imprudent1 and therefore a dishonourable ,action2 and they have all that good ,opinion of themselves as to take every thing for ,encouragement1 so that she who goes beyond a bare ,civility1 though she meant no more than ,respect1 will find it interpreted a ,favour1 and made ill ,use of1 7for ,favours1 how innocent soever1 never turn to a ,lady's ,advantage7 what ,shadow of a ,pretence can a ,woman have for admitting an ,intimacy with a ,man1 whose ,principles are known to be ,loose1 and his ,practices ,licentious8 can she expect to be safe with him who has ruin'd others1 and by the very same ,methods he takes with her8 ,if an ,intimacy with a ,man of a fair ,character gives ,offence1 with a ,man of an ill one1 'tis doubly and trebly scandalous4 ,and suppose neither her ,fortune nor ,beauty can tempt him1 he has his ill-natur'd ,pleasure in destroying that ,vertue he will not practise1 or if that can't be done1 in blasting the ,reputation of it at least1 and in making the ,world believe he has made a ,conquest1 though he has found a ,foil4 ,if the ,man be the ,woman's ,inferior1 besides all the ,dangers formerly mention'd1 and those just now taken ,notice of1 she gives such a ,countenance to his ,vices1 as renders her in great measure1 ,partaker in them2 and1 it can scarce be thought in such ,circumstances1 a ,woman could like the ,man if she were not reconcil'd to his ,faults4 ,is he her ,equal1 and no unsuitable ,match1 if his ,designs are fair1 why don't they ,marry1 since they are so well pleas'd with each other's ,conversation1 which in this ,state only can be frequently and safely allow'd8 ,is he her ,better1 and she hopes1 by catching him1 to make her ,fortune1 alas6 the poor ,woman is neither acquainted with the ,world nor her self2 she neither knows her own ,weakness1 nor his ,treachery1 and though he gives her ever so much ,encouragement to this vain ,hope1 'tis only in order to accomplish her ,ruin4 ,to be sure the more ,freedom she allows1 the more she lessens his ,esteem1 and that's not likely to increase a real1 though it may a pretended ,kindness2 she ought to fly1 if she would have him pursue1 the strictest ,vertue and ,reserve being the only ,way to secure him4 ,religion and ,reputation are so sure a ,guard1 such a ,security to poor defenceless ,woman1 that whenever a ,man has ill ,designs on her1 he is sure to make a ,breach into one or both of these1 by endeavouring either to corrupt her ,principles1 to make her less strict in ,devotion1 or to lessen her ,value of a fair ,reputation1 and would persuade her1 that less than she imagines will secure her as to the next ,world1 and that not much ,regard is to be given to the ,censures of this4 ,or if this be too bold at first1 and will not pass with her1 he has another ,way to make even her ,love to ,vertue contribute to its ,ruin1 by persuading her it never shines as it ought1 unless it is expos'd1 and that she has no ,reason to boast of her ,vertue unless she has try'd it4 ,an ,opinion of the worst ,consequence that may be1 and the most mischievous to a ,woman1 because it is calculated to feed her ,vanity1 and tends indeed to her utter ,ruin4 ,for1 can it be fit to rush into ,temptations1 when we are taught every ,day to pray against them8 ,if the ,trials of our ,vertue render it illustrious1 'tis such ,trials as ,heaven is pleas'd to send us1 not those of our own seeking4 ,it holds true of both ,sexes1 that next to the ,divine ,grace a modest ,distrust of themselves is their best ,security1 none being so often and so shamefully foil'd1 as those who depend most on their own ,strength and ,resolution4 ,as to the ,opinion of the ,world1 tho' one cannot say 'tis always just1 yet generally it has a ,foundation1 great ,regard is to be paid to it1 and very good ,use to be made of it4 ,others may be in ,fault for passing their ,censures1 but we certainly are so1 if we give them any the least just ,occasion4 ,and since ,reputation is not only one of the ,rewards of ,vertue1 that which always ought1 and generally does attend it1 but also a ,guard against ,evil1 an ,inducement to ,good1 and a great ,instrument in the ,hand of the ,wife to promote the common ,cause of ,vertue2 the being ,prodigal of the one1 looks as if we set no great ,value on the other1 and she who abandons her good ,name1 is not like to preserve her ,innocence4 ,a ,woman therefore can never have too nice a ,sense of ,honour1 provided she does not prefer it before her ,duty2 she can never be too careful to secure her ,character1 not only from the ,suspicion of a ,crime1 but even from the ,shadow of an ,indiscretion4 ',tis well worth her while to renounce the most ,entertaining1 and1 what some perhaps1 will call the most ,improving ,company1 rather than give the ,world a just ,occasion of ,suspicion or ,censure4 ,for besides the ,injury that is done ,religion1 which enjoins us to avoid the very ,appearance of ,evil1 and to do nothing but what is of good ,report1 she puts her self too much in a ,man's ,power1 who will run such a ,risque for his ,conversation1 and expresses such a ,value for him1 as cannot fail of being made use of to do her a ,mischief4 ,preserve your ,distance then1 keep out of the ,reach of ,danger1 fly if you would be safe1 be sure to be always on the ,reserve1 not such as is ,morose and ,affected1 but ,modest and ,discreet1 your ,caution cannot be too great1 nor your ,foresight reach too far2 there's nothing1 or what is next to nothing1 a little ,amusement and entertaining ,conversation1 lost by this1 but all is hazarded by the other4 ,a ,man understands his own ,merit too well to lose his ,time in a ,woman's ,company1 were it not to divert himself at her ,cost1 to turn her into a ,jest1 or something worse4 ,and where-ever you see great ,assiduities1 when a ,man insinuates into the ,diversions and ,humours of the ,lady1 liking and admiring whatever she does1 though at the same ,time he seems to keep a due ,distance1 or rather exceeds in the profoundest ,respect2 ,respect being all he dare at present pretend to3 when a more than ordinary ,deference is paid2 when something particular appears in the ,look and ,address1 and such an ,obsequiousness in every ,action1 as nothing could engage a ,man to1 who never forgets the ,superiority of his ,sex1 but a ,hope to be observ'd in his ,turn3 ,then1 whatever the ,inequality be1 and how sensible soever he seems to be of it1 the ,man has for certain his ,engines at work1 the ,mine is ready to be sprung on the first ,opportunity1 and 'tis well if it be not too late to prevent the poor ,lady's ,ruin4 ,to wind up this ,matter2 ,if a ,woman were duly principled1 and taught to know the ,world1 especially the true ,sentiments that ,men have of her1 and the ,traps they lay for her under so many gilded ,compliments1 and such a seemingly great ,respect1 that ,disgrace would be prevented which is brought upon too many ,families2 ,women would ,marry more discreetly1 and demean themselves better in a married ,state1 than some ,people say they do4 ,the ,foundation1 indeed1 ought to be laid deep and strong1 she should be made a good ,christian1 and understand why she is so1 and then she will be every thing else that is ,good4 ,men need keep no ,spies on a ,woman's ,conduct1 need have no ,fear of her ,vertue1 or so much as of her ,prudence and ,caution1 were but a due ,sense of true ,honour and ,vertue awaken'd in her2 were her ,reason excited and prepared to consider the ,sophistry of those ,temptations which would persuade her from her ,duty2 and were she put in a way to know that it is both her ,wisdom and ,interest to observe it3 she would then duly examine and weigh all the ,circumstances1 the ,good and ,evil of a married ,state1 and not be surprized with unforeseen ,inconveniencies1 and either never consent to be a ,wife1 or make a good one when she does4 ,this would shew her what ,human ,nature is1 as well as what it ought to be1 and teach her not only what she may justly expect1 but what she must be content with2 would enable her to cure some ,faults1 and patiently to suffer what she cannot cure4 ,indeed nothing can assure ,obedience1 and render it what it ought to be1 but the ,conscience of ,duty1 the paying it for ,,god',s sake4 ,superiors don't rightly understand their own ,interest when they attempt to put out their ,subjects ,eyes to keep them ,obedient4 ,a blind ,obedience is what a ,rational ,creature should never pay1 nor would such an one receive it1 did he rightly understand its ,nature4 ,for ,human ,actions are no otherwise valuable1 than as they are conformable to ,reason2 but a blind ,obedience is an ,obeying without ,reason1 for ought we know1 against it4 ,,god himself does not require our ,obedience at this rate2 he lays before us the ,goodness and ,reasonableness of his ,laws1 and were there any thing in them whose ,equity we could not readily comprehend1 yet we have this clear and sufficient ,reason1 on which1 to found our ,obedience1 that nothing but what's just and fit1 can be enjoin'd by a ,just1 a ,wise1 and ,gracious ,,god2 but this is a ,reason will never hold in respect of ,mens ,commands1 unless they can prove themselves ,infallible1 and consequently ,impeccable too4 ,it is therefore very much a ,man's ,interest1 that ,women should be good ,christians2 for in this1 as in every other ,instance1 he who does his ,duty1 finds his own ,account in it4 ,duty and true ,interest are one and the same ,thing1 and he who thinks otherwise is to be pitied for being so much in the ,wrong3 ,but what can be more the ,duty of the ,head1 than to instruct and improve those who are under ,government8 ,she will freely leave him the quiet ,dominion of this ,world1 whose ,thoughts and ,expectations are plac'd on the next4 ,a ,prospect of ,heaven1 and that only1 will cure that ,ambition which all generous ,minds are fill'd with1 not by taking it away1 but by placing it on a right ,object4 ,she will discern a ,time when her ,sex shall be no ,bar to the best ,employments1 the highest ,honour2 a ,time when that ,distinction1 now so much us'd to her ,prejudice1 shall be no more2 but1 provided she is not wanting to her self1 her ,soul shall shine as bright as the greatest ,heroe's4 ,this is a true1 and indeed1 the only ,consolation2 this makes her a sufficient ,compensation for all the ,neglect and ,contempt the ill-grounded ,customs of the ,world throw on her2 for all the ,injuries brutal ,power may do her1 and is a sufficient ,cordial to support her ,spirits1 be her ,lot in this ,world what it may4 ,but some sage ,persons may1 perhaps object1 that were ,women allow'd to improve themselves1 and not1 amongst other ,discouragements1 driven back by the wise ,jests and ,scoffs that are put upon a ,woman of ,sense or ,learning1 a ,philosophical ,lady1 as she is call'd by way of ,ridicule2 they would be too wise1 and too good for the ,men3 ,i grant it1 for vicious and foolish ,men4 ,nor is it to be wonder'd that ,he is afraid he should not be able to ,govern them were their ,understandings improv'd1 who is resolv'd not to take too much ,pains with his own4 ,but these1 'tis to be hoped1 are no very considerable ,number1 the ,foolish at least2 and therefore this is so far from being an ,argument against ,womens ,improvement1 that it is a strong one for it1 if we do but suppose the ,men to be as capable of ,improvement as the ,women2 but much more1 if1 according to ,tradition1 we believe they have greater ,capacities4 ,this1 if any thing1 would stir them up to be what they ought1 and not permit them to waste their ,time and abuse their ,faculties in the ,service of their irregular ,appetites and unreasonable ,desires1 and so let poor contemptible ,women1 who have been their ,slaves1 excel them in all that is truly excellent4 ,this would make them ,blush at employing an immortal ,mind no better than in making ,provision for the ,flesh to fulfil the ,lusts thereof1 since ,women1 by a wiser ,conduct1 have brought themselves to such a ,reach of ,thought1 to such ,exactness of ,judgment1 such ,clearness and ,strength of ,reasoning1 such ,purity and ,elevation of ,mind1 such ,command of their ,passions1 such ,regularity of ,will and ,affection1 and1 in a ,word1 to such a ,pitch of ,perfection1 as the ,human ,soul is capable of attaining in this ,life by the ,grace of ,,god2 such true ,wisdom1 such real ,greatness1 as though it does not qualify them to make a ,noise in this ,world1 to found or overturn ,empires1 yet it qualifies them for what is infinitely better1 a ,kingdom that cannot be mov'd1 an incorruptible ,crown of ,glory4 ,besides1 it were ridiculous to suppose1 that a ,woman1 were she ever so much improv'd1 could come near the topping ,genius of the ,men1 and therefore why should they envy or discourage her8 ,strength of ,mind goes along with ,strength of ,body1 and 'tis only for some odd ,accidents which ,philosophers have not yet thought worth while to enquire into1 that the sturdiest ,porter is not the wisest ,man6 ,as therefore the ,men have the ,power in their ,hands1 so there's no ,dispute of their having the ,brains to manage it6 ,can we suppose there is such a ,thing as good ,judgment and ,sense upon ,earth1 if it is not to be found among them3 ,do not they1 generally speaking1 do all the great ,actions and considerable ,business of this ,world1 and leave that of the next to the ,women8 ,their ,subtlety in forming ,cabals and laying deep ,designs1 their ,courage and ,conduct in breaking through all ,tyes1 sacred and civil1 to effect them1 not only advances them to the ,post of ,honour1 and keeps them securely in it for twenty or thirty ,years1 but gets them a ,name1 and conveys it down to ,posterity for some ,hundreds2 and who would look any further8 ,justice and ,injustice are administred by their ,hands1 ,courts and ,schools are fill'd with these ,sages2 'tis ,men who dispute for ,truth1 as well as ,men who argue against it3 ,histories are writ by them2 they recount each other's great ,exploits1 and have always done so4 ,all famous ,arts have their ,original from ,men1 even from the ,invention of ,guns1 to the ,mystery of good ,eating4 ,and to shew that nothing is beneath their ,care1 any more than above their ,reach1 they have brought ,gaming to an ,art and ,science1 and a more ,profitable and ,honourable one too1 than any of those that us'd to be call'd ,liberal6 ,indeed1 what is it they can't perform1 when they attempt it8 ,the ,strength of their ,brains shall be every whit as conspicuous at their ,cups1 as in a ,senate-,house1 and1 when they please1 they can make it pass for as sure a ,mark of ,wisdom1 to drink deep1 as to reason profoundly2 a greater ,proof of ,courage1 and consequently of ,understanding1 to dare the ,vengeance of ,heaven it self1 than to stand the ,raillery of some of the worst of their ,fellow ,creatures6 ,again1 it may be said1 ,if a ,wife's ,case be as it is here represented1 it is not good for a ,woman to marry1 and so there's an ,end of ,human ,race4 ,but this is no fair ,consequence1 for all that can justly be inferr'd from hence1 is1 that a ,woman has no mighty ,obligations to the ,man who makes ,love to her2 she has no ,reason to be fond of being a ,wife1 or to reckon it a ,piece of ,preferment when she is taken to be a ,man's ,upper-,servant2 it is no ,advantage to her in this ,world2 if rightly manag'd it may prove one as to the next4 ,for she who marries purely to do good1 to educate ,souls for ,heaven1 who can be so truly mortified as to lay aside her own ,will and ,desires1 to pay such an intire ,submission for ,life1 to one whom she cannot be sure will always deserve it1 does certainly perform a more ,heroick ,action1 than all the famous ,masculine ,heroes can boast of1 she suffers a continual ,martyrdom to bring ,glory to ,,god1 and ,benefit to ,mankind2 which ,consideration1 indeed1 may carry her through all ,difficulties1 ,i know not what else can1 and engage her to ,love him who proves perhaps so much worse than a ,brute1 as to make this ,condition yet more grievous than it needed to be4 ,she has need of a strong ,reason1 of a truly ,christian and well-temper'd ,spirit1 of all the ,assistance the best ,education can give her1 and ought to have some good ,assurance of her own ,firmness and ,vertue1 who ventures on such a ,trial2 and for this ,reason 'tis less to be wonder'd at that ,women marry off in haste1 for perhaps if they took ,time to consider and reflect upon it1 they seldom would marry4 ,to conclude4 ,perhaps ,i've said more than most ,men will thank me for2 ,i cannot help it1 for how much soever ,i may be their ,friend and humble ,servant1 ,i am more a ,friend to ,truth4 ,truth is strong1 and some time or other will prevail2 nor is it for their ,honour1 and therefore one would think not for their ,interest1 to be partial to themselves and unjust to others4 ,they may fancy ,i have made some ,discoveries1 which1 like ,arcana ,imperii1 ought to be kept secret2 but1 in good earnest1 ,i do them more ,honour than to suppose their lawful ,prerogatives need any mean ,arts to support them4 ,if they have usurp'd1 ,i love ,justice too much to wish ,success and ,continuance to ,usurpations1 which1 though submitted to out of ,prudence1 and for ,quietness sake1 yet leave everybody free to regain their lawful ,right whenever they have ,power and ,opportunity4 ,i don't say that ,tyranny ought1 but we find in ,fact1 that it provokes the ,oppress'd to throw off even a lawful ,yoke that fits too heavy3 ,and if he who is freely elected1 after all his fair ,promises1 and the fine ,hopes he rais'd1 proves a ,tyrant1 the ,consideration that he was one's own ,choice1 will not render one more ,submissive and ,patient1 but ,i fear1 more ,refractory4 ,for though it is very unreasonable1 yet we see 'tis the ,course of the ,world1 not only to return ,injury for ,injury1 but ,crime for ,crime2 both ,parties indeed are ,guilty1 but the ,aggressors have a double ,guilt1 they have not only their own1 but their ,neighbour's ,ruin to answer for4 ,as to the ,female ,reader1 ,i hope she will allow ,i've endeavoured to do her ,justice2 not betray'd her ,cause as her ,advocates usually do1 under ,pretence of defending it4 ,a ,practice too mean for any to be guilty of who have the least ,sense of ,honour1 and who do any more than meerly pretend to it4 ,i think ,i have held the ,balance even1 and not being conscious of ,partiality1 ,i ask no ,pardon for it4 ,to plead for the ,oppress'd1 and to defend the ,weak1 seem'd to me a generous ,undertaking2 for though it may be secure1 'tis not always ,honourable1 to run over to the strongest ,party4 ,and if she infers from what has been said1 that ,marriage is a very happy ,state for ,men1 if they think fit to make it so2 that they govern the ,world1 they have ,prescription on their ,side2 ,women are too weak to dispute it with them1 therefore they1 as all other ,governors1 are most1 if not only1 accountable for what's amiss2 for whether other ,governments in their ,original1 were or were not confer'd according to the ,merit of the ,person1 yet certainly in this ,case1 if ,heaven has appointed the ,man to govern1 it has ,qualified him for it3 ,so far ,i agree with her3 ,but if she goes on to infer1 that therefore1 if a ,man has not these ,qualifications1 where is his ,right8 ,that if he misemploys1 he abuses it8 ,and if he abuses1 according to modern ,deduction1 he forfeits it1 ,i must leave her there4 ,a peaceable ,woman1 indeed1 will not carry it so far1 she will neither question her ,husband's ,right1 nor his ,fitness to govern1 but how8 ,not as an absolute ,lord and ,master1 with an arbitrary and tyrannical ,sway1 but as ,reason governs and conducts a ,man1 by proposing what is just and fit4 ,and the ,man who acts according to that ,wisdom he assumes1 who would have that ,superiority he pretends to1 acknowledged just1 will receive no ,injury by any thing that has been offered here4 ,a ,woman will value ,him the more who is so wise and good1 when she discerns how much he excels the rest of his noble ,sex2 the less he requires1 the more will he merit that ,esteem and ,deference1 which those who are so forward to exact1 seem conscious they don't deserve4 ,so then the ,man's ,prerogative is not at all infring'd1 whilst the ,woman's ,privileges are secured2 and if any ,woman think her self injur'd1 she has a ,remedy in reserve1 which few ,men will envy1 or endeavour to rob her of1 the ,exercise and ,improvement of her ,vertue ,here1 and the ,reward of it ,hereafter4 ,when ,i made these ,reflections1 ,i was of ,opinion1 that the ,case of married ,women1 in comparison of that of their ,husbands1 was not a little hard and unequal4 ,but as the ,world now goes1 ,i am apt to think1 that a ,husband is in no desirable ,situation2 his ,honour is in his ,wife's keeping1 and what ,man of ,honour can be satisfied with the ,conduct which the ,licentiousness of the ,age not only permits1 but would endeavour to authorize as a ,part of good ,breeding8 ,and what makes his ,case the worse1 he must dissemble his ,uneasiness1 stifle his ,resentments1 and not dare to take the proper ,methods of preventing and curing the ,disorder4 ,so great is our ,corruption1 that such as pretend to make a true ,estimate of ,human ,life1 and very freely ,satirize both ,sexes for lesser ,crimes1 are not asham'd to recommend this1 prescribing a known ,sin as a ,cure for what is not absolutely unlawful in it self1 though very pernicious in its ,consequences1 when carried to ,excess4 ,not that ,i would in any manner apologize for ,gaming1 which1 when carried to ,excess1 is ruinous to both ,sexes1 especially to ,women2 who1 when given to this ,vice1 disregard their ,husbands1 and ,oeconomy1 neglect the ,education of their ,children1 spend their ,fortunes as much as they can1 and1 which is not the least ,inconveniency1 when they lose to ,men more than they are able to pay1 they give their ,creditor ,opportunity to make insolent ,demands4 ,but sure1 any ,husband1 who is not sunk to the lowest ,degree of ,infamy1 had rather his ,wife should waste his ,money at ,quadrille1 than ,intrigue with a ,colonel4 ,if ,sin you must 7says an admirable ,author1 whose ,panegyricks are ,satires1 and his ,satires ,panegyricks7 ----take ,nature for your ,guide1 ,love has some soft ,excuse to sooth your ,pride4 ,can we read this excellent ,advice of this very moral ,satirist1 without remembring what the ,psalmist says of some of his ,cotemporaries2 ,when thou sawest a ,thief thou consentedst unto him1 and hast been ,partaker with the ,adultery8 ,for1 sure of all other ,thieves he is the most criminal1 who 7under ,pretence of ,friendship1 perhaps7 robs a ,man of his most valued ,effects1 deprives him of his ,honour1 and of the ,quiet and ,comfort of his ,life4 ,nature and ,love1 as they1 injuriously to both1 miscall their brutal ,appetite1 are very different from what our ,author would represent them4 ,variety by no ,means answers the ,end of ,nature in providing for ,posterity4 ,and enough has been said1 to shew1 that such ,professions of ,love are most abusive1 and the ,effect of their ,passion the most outrageous ,injury that ,hatred can produce3 ,a ,woman is never so effectually humble1 as the ,scripture elegantly expresses it1 than when a ,man obtains his ,desires4 ,and if she consents1 she renders her self despicable in his ,eyes as well as in the ,eyes of others4 ,thus the ,english ,muse very truly sings3 8,that wretched ,she1 who yields to guilty ,joys1 8,a ,man may ,pity1 but he ,,must ,despise40 ,whoever makes a true ,estimate of ,christianity1 who does not profess it1 because as yet1 'tis the ,religion of his ,country1 or for his ,interest1 or some such worthy ,motive2 but upon full ,conviction of its ,divine ,authority1 which he cannot want if he examines impartially1 as a ,matter of this ,consequence deserves2 such a ,man will find ,christianity requires the strictest ,purity of ,heart and ,imagination1 since in the thickest ,darkness our ,thoughts1 as well as our ,actions1 are manifest to our ,judge2 and1 that whoever looks upon a ,woman to ,lust after her1 has committed ,adultery with her already in his ,heart4 ,horses and ,bulls1 and all the brutal ,kind1 ,range o'er the ,field1 to no one ,she confin'd1 ,they know not ,love1 for ,love is in the ,mind4 ,these following ,nature are exempt from ,blame1 ,unconscious or of ,guilt1 ,remorse and ,shame4 ,but ,man1 unhappy ,man6 puts out his ,light1 ,reason forsakes1 to follow ,appetite4 ,sinks down to ,brute1 and labours but in vain1 ,to be like them1 without ,remorse or ,shame2 ,to ,guilt1 inevitably follows ,pain4 ,no ,deeds of ,darkness are conceal'd by ,night1 ,he sees ,who dwells in everlasting ,light1 ,and ev'ry ,thought is open to ,his ,sight4 ,illustration ,,appendix4 ,the ,reflector1 who hopes ,reflector is not bad ,english1 7now ,governor is happily of the ,feminine ,gender7 guarded against ,curiosity in vain3 ,for a certain ingenuous ,gentleman1 as she is inform'd1 had the ,good-nature to own these ,reflections1 so far1 as to affirm that he had the ,original ,,ms4 in his ,closet1 a ,proof she is not able to produce2 and so to make himself responsible for all their ,faults1 for which1 she returns him all due ,acknowledgment4 ,however1 the ,generality being of ,opinion1 that a ,man would have had more ,prudence and ,manners than to have ,publish'd such unseasonable ,truths1 or to have betray'd the ,arcana ,imperii of his ,sex2 she humbly confesses1 that the ,contrivance and ,execution of this ,design1 which is unfortunately accus'd of being so destructive to the ,government1 7of the ,men1 ,i mean7 is intirely her own4 ,she neither advis'd with ,friends1 nor turn'd over antient or modern ,authors1 nor prudently submitted to the ,correction of such as are1 or such as think they are good ,judges1 but with an ,english ,spirit and ,genius1 set out upon the ,forlorn ,hope1 meaning no ,hurt to any body1 nor designing any thing but the publick ,good1 and to retrieve1 if possible1 the ,native ,liberty1 the ,rights and ,privileges of the ,subject4 ,far be it from her to stir up ,sedition of any sort3 none can abhor it more2 and she heartily wishes1 that our ,masters would pay their ,civil and ,ecclesiastical ,governors the same ,submission1 which they themselves exact from their ,domestick ,subjects4 ,nor can she imagine how she any way undermines the ,masculine ,empire1 or blows the ,trumpet of ,rebellion to the ,moiety of ,mankind4 ,is it by exhorting ,women1 not to expect to have their own ,will in any thing1 but to be intirely ,submissive1 when once they have made ,choice of a ,lord and ,master1 though he happen not to be so wise1 so kind1 or even so just a ,governor as was expected8 ,she did not1 indeed1 advise them to think his ,folly ,wisdom1 nor his ,brutality1 that ,love and ,worship he promised in his ,matrimonial ,oath2 for this required a ,flight of ,wit and ,sense much above her poor ,ability1 and proper only to ,masculine ,understandings4 ,however1 she did not in any manner prompt them to ,resist1 or to ,abdicate the ,perjur'd ,spouse1 though the ,laws of ,,god1 and the ,land1 make ,special ,provision for it1 in a ,case1 wherein1 as is to be fear'd1 few ,men can truly plead ,not ,guilty4 ',tis true1 through want of ,learning1 and of that ,superior ,genius which ,men1 as ,men1 lay claim to1 she was ignorant of the ,natural ,inferiority of our ,sex1 which our ,masters lay down as a ,self-evident and ,fundamental ,truth4 ,she saw nothing in the ,reason of ,things1 to make this either a ,principle or a ,conclusion1 but much to the contrary2 it being ,sedition at least1 if not ,treason1 to assert it in this ,reign4 ,for if by the ,natural ,superiority of their ,sex1 they mean1 that every ,man is by ,nature superior to every ,woman1 which is the obvious ,meaning1 and that which must be stuck to if they would speak ,sense1 it would be a ,sin in any ,woman1 to have ,dominion over any ,man1 and the greatest ,queen ought not to command1 but to obey1 her ,footman3 because no ,municipal ,laws can supersede or change the ,law of ,nature3 ,so that if the ,dominion of the ,men be such1 the ,salique ,law1 as unjust as ,english ,men have ever thought it1 ought to take ,place over all the ,earth1 and the most glorious ,reigns in the ,english1 ,danish1 ,castilian1 and other ,annals1 were wicked ,violations of the ,law of ,nature6 ,if they mean that some ,men are superior to some ,women1 this is no great ,discovery2 had they turn'd the ,tables1 they might have seen that some ,women are superior to some ,men4 ,or had they been pleased to remember their ,oaths of ,allegiance and ,supremacy1 they might have known1 that ,one ,woman is superior to ,all the ,men in these ,nations1 or else they have sworn to very little ,purpose4 ,and it must not be suppos'd1 that their ,reason and ,religion would suffer them to take ,oaths1 contrary to the ,law of ,nature and ,reason of ,things4 ,by all which it appears1 that our ,reflector's ,ignorance is very pitiable2 it may be her ,misfortune1 but not her ,crime1 especially since she is willing to be better inform'd1 and hopes she shall never be so obstinate as to shut her ,eyes against the ,light of ,truth1 which is not to be charg'd with ,novelty1 how late soever we may be bless'd with the ,discovery4 ,nor can ,error1 be it as antient as it may1 ever plead ,prescription against ,truth4 ,and since the only way to remove all ,doubts1 to answer all ,objections1 and to give the ,mind entire ,satisfaction1 is not by ,affirming1 but by ,proving1 so that every one may see with their own ,eyes1 and judge according to the best of their own ,understandings2 she hopes it is no ,presumption to insist on this ,natural ,right of ,judging for her self1 and the rather1 because by quitting it1 we give up all the ,means of ,rational ,conviction4 ,allow us then as many ,glasses as you please to help our ,sight1 and as many good ,arguments as you can afford to convince our ,understandings3 ,but don't exact of us1 we beseech you1 to affirm that we see such ,things as are only the ,discovery of ,men who have quicker ,senses2 or1 that we understand1 and know what we have by ,hear-say only2 for to be so excessively ,complaisant1 is neither to see nor to understand4 ,that the ,custom of the ,world1 has put ,women1 generally speaking1 into a ,state of ,subjection1 is not denied2 but the ,right can no more be prov'd from the ,fact1 than the ,predominancy of ,vice can justify it4 ,a certain great ,man1 has endeavour'd to prove1 by ,reasons not contemptible1 that in the ,original ,state of ,things the ,woman was the ,superior1 and that her ,subjection to the ,man is an ,effect of the ,fall1 and the ,punishment of her ,sin3 ,and1 that ingenious ,theorist ,mr4 ,whiston1 asserts1 ,that before the ,fall there was a greater ,equality between the two ,sexes4 ,however this be1 'tis certainly no ,arrogance in a ,woman to conclude1 that she was made for the ,service of ,,god1 and that this is her ,end4 ,because ,,god made all ,things for ,himself1 and a rational ,mind is too noble a ,being to be made for the ,sake and ,service of any ,creature4 ,the ,service she at any ,time becomes oblig'd to pay to a ,man1 is only a ,business by the ,bye1 just as it may be any ,man's ,business and ,duty to keep ,hogs2 he was not ,made for this1 but if he ,hires himself out to such an ,employment1 he ought conscientiously to perform it4 ,nor can any thing be concluded to the contrary from ,st4 ,paul's ,argument1 #a ,cor4 xi4 for he argues only for ,decency and ,order1 according to the present ,custom and ,state of ,things3 ,taking his ,words strictly and literally1 they prove too much1 in that1 ,praying and ,prophecying in the ,church are allow'd the ,women1 provided they do it with their ,head cover'd as well as the ,men2 and no ,inequality can be inferr'd from hence1 neither from the ,gradation the ,apostle there uses1 that the ,head of every ,man is ,christ1 and that the ,head of the ,woman is the ,man1 and the ,head of ,christ is ,,god2 it being evident from the ,form of ,baptism1 that there is no natural ,inferiority among the ,divine ,persons1 but that they are in all ,things ,coequal4 ,the ,apostle1 indeed1 adds1 that the ,man is the ,glory of ,,god1 and the ,woman the ,glory of the ,man1 c4 ,but what does he infer from hence8 ,he says not a ,word of ,inequality1 or natural ,inferiority2 but concludes1 that a ,woman ought to cover her ,head1 and a ,man ought not to cover his1 and that even ,nature it self teaches us1 that if a ,man have long ,hair it is a ,shame unto him4 ,whatever the ,apostle's ,argument proves in this ,place1 nothing can be plainer1 than that there is much more said against the present ,fashion of ,mens wearing long ,hair1 than for that ,supremacy they lay claim to4 ,for by all that appears in the ,text1 it is not so much a ,law of ,nature1 that ,women should obey ,men1 as that ,men should not wear long ,hair4 ,now how can a ,christian ,nation allow ,fashions contrary to the ,law of ,nature1 forbidden by an ,apostle1 and declared by him to be a ,shame to ,men8 ,or if ,custom may make an ,alteration in one ,case1 it may in another1 but what then becomes of the ,nature and ,reason of ,things8 ,besides1 the ,conclusion the ,apostle draws from his ,argument concerning ,women1 viz4 that they should have ,power on their ,heads because of the ,angels1 is so very obscure a ,text1 that that ingenious ,paraphrast1 who pleads so much for the ,natural ,subjection of ,women1 ingenuously confesses1 that he does not understand it4 ,probably it refers to some ,custom among the ,corinthians1 which being well known to them1 the ,apostle only hints at it1 but which we are ignorant of1 and therefore apt to mistake him4 ',tis like1 that the false ,apostle whom ,st4 ,paul writes against1 had led ,captive some of their rich and powerful1 but silly ,women1 who having as mean an ,opinion of the ,reason ,,god had given them1 as any ,deceiver could desire1 did not1 like the noble-minded ,bereans1 search the ,scriptures whether those things were so1 but lazily took up with having ,mens ,persons in admiration1 and follow'd their ,leaders blindfold1 the certain ,rout to ,destruction4 ,and it is also probable1 that the same cunning ,seducer imploy'd these ,women to carry on his own ,designs1 and putting them upon what he might not think fit to appear in himself1 made them guilty of indecent ,behaviour in the ,church of ,corinth4 ,and therefore ,st4 ,paul thought it necessary to reprove them so severely1 in order to humble them2 but this being done1 he takes care in the ,conclusion to set the ,matter on a right ,foot1 placing the two ,sexes on a ,level1 to keep ,men1 as much as might be1 from taking those ,advantages which ,people who have ,strength in their ,hands1 are apt to assume over those who can't contend with them4 ,for1 says he1 ,nevertheless1 or notwithstanding the former ,argument1 the ,man is not without the ,woman1 nor the ,woman without the ,man1 but all ,things of ,,god4 ,the ,relation between the two ,sexes is mutual1 and the ,dependance reciprocal1 both of them depending intirely upon ,,god1 and upon ,him only2 which1 one would think1 is no great ,argument of the natural ,inferiority of either ,sex4 ,our ,reflector is of ,opinion1 that ,disputes of this kind1 extending to ,human ,nature in general1 and not peculiar to those to whom the ,word of ,,god has been reveal'd1 ought to be decided by ,natural ,reason only4 ,and1 that the ,holy ,scripture should not be interested in the present ,controversy1 in which it determines nothing1 any more than it does between the ,copernican and ,ptolomean ,systems4 ,the ,design of those ,holy ,books being to make us excellent ,moralists and perfect ,christians1 not great ,philosophers2 and being writ for the ,vulgar as well as for the ,learned1 they are accommodated to the common way of ,speech and the ,usage of the ,world2 in which we have but a short ,probation1 so that it matters not much what ,part we act1 whether of ,governing or ,obeying1 provided we perform it well with respect to the ,world to come4 ,one does not wonder1 indeed1 that when an ,adversary is drove to a ,nonplus1 and ,reason declares against him1 he flies to ,authority1 especially to ,divine1 which is infallible1 and therefore ought not to be disputed4 ,but ,scripture is not always on their ,side who make ,parade of it1 and through their ,skill in ,languages1 and the ,tricks of the ,schools1 wrest it from its genuine ,sense to their own ,inventions4 ,and supposing1 not granting1 that it were apparently to the ,womens ,disadvantage1 no fair and generous ,adversary but would be asham'd to urge this ,advantage3 ,because ,women1 without their own ,fault1 are kept in ,ignorance of the ,original1 wanting ,languages and other ,helps to ,criticise on the ,sacred ,text1 of which1 they know no more1 than ,men are pleas'd to impart in their ,translations4 ,in short1 they shew their ,desire to maintain their ,hypotheses1 but by no means their ,reverence to the ,sacred ,oracles1 who engage them in such ,disputes4 ,and therefore1 the ,blame be theirs1 who have unnecessarily introduc'd them in the present ,subject1 and who1 by saying1 that the ,reflections were not agreeable to ,scripture1 oblige the ,reflector to shew1 that those who affirm it must either mistake her ,meaning1 or the ,sense of ,holy ,scripture1 or both1 if they think what they say1 and do not find fault meerly because they resolve to do so4 ,for1 had she ever writ any thing contrary to those sacred ,truths1 she would be the first in pronouncing its ,condemnation4 ,but what says the ,holy ,scripture8 ,it speaks of ,women as in a ,state of ,subjection1 and so it does of the ,jews and ,christians1 when under the ,dominion of the ,chaldeans and ,romans1 requiring of the one as well as of the other1 a quiet ,submission to them under whose ,power they liv'd4 ,but will any one say1 that these had a ,natural ,superiority and ,right to ,dominion8 that they had a superior ,understanding1 or any ,pre-eminence1 except what their greater ,strength acquir'd8 ,or1 that the other were subjected to their ,adversaries for any other ,reason but the ,punishment of their ,sins1 and1 in order to their ,reformation8 ,or for the ,exercise of their ,vertue1 and because the ,order of the ,world and the ,good of ,society requir'd it8 ,if ,mankind had never ,sin'd1 ,reason would always have been obeyed1 there would have been no ,struggle for ,dominion1 and ,brutal ,power would not have prevail'd4 ,but in the lapsed ,state of ,mankind1 and now1 that ,men will not be guided by their ,reason but by their ,appetites1 and do not what they ought but what they can1 the ,reason1 or that which stands for it1 the ,will and ,pleasure of the ,governor1 is to be the ,reason of those who will not be guided by their own1 and must take ,place for ,order's sake1 although it should not be conformable to right ,reason4 ,nor can there be any ,society great or little1 from ,empires down to private ,families1 without a last ,resort1 to determine the ,affairs of that ,society by an irresistable ,sentence4 ,now unless this ,supremacy be fix'd somewhere1 there will be a perpetual ,contention about it1 such is the ,love of ,dominion1 and let the ,reason of ,things be what it may1 those who have least ,force or ,cunning to supply it1 will have the ,disadvantage4 ,so that since ,women are acknowledged to have least ,bodily ,strength1 their being commanded to ,obey is in pure ,kindness to them1 and for their ,quiet and ,security1 as well as for the ,exercise of their ,vertue4 ,but does it follow1 that ,domestick ,governors have more ,sense than their ,subjects1 any more than that other ,governors have8 ,we do not find that any ,man thinks the worse of his own ,understanding1 because another has superior ,power2 or concludes himself less capable of a ,post of ,honour and ,authority1 because he is not prefer'd to it4 ,how much ,time would lie on ,mens ,hands1 how empty would the ,places of ,concourse be1 and how silent most ,companies1 did ,men forbear to censure their ,governors1 that is1 in effect1 to think themselves wiser4 ,indeed1 ,government would be much more desirable than it is1 did it invest the ,possessor with a superior ,understanding as well as ,power4 ,and if meer ,power gives a ,right to ,rule1 there can be no such ,thing as ,usurpation2 but a ,highway-,man1 so long as he has ,strength to force1 has also a ,right to require our ,obedience4 ,again1 if absolute ,sovereignty be not necessary in a ,state1 how comes it to be so in a ,family8 ,or if in a ,family why not in a ,state2 since no ,reason can be alledged for the one that will not hold more strongly for the other8 ,if the ,authority of the ,husband1 so far as it extends1 is sacred and inalienable1 why not that of the ,prince8 ,the ,domestick ,sovereign is without ,dispute elected1 and the ,stipulations and ,contract are mutual2 is it not then partial in ,men to the last ,degree1 to contend for1 and practise that ,arbitrary ,dominion in their ,families1 which they abhor and exclaim against in the ,state8 ,for if ,arbitrary ,power is evil in it self1 and an improper ,method of ,governing ,rational and ,free ,agents1 it ought not to be practis'd any where2 nor is it less1 but rather more mischievous in ,families than in ,kingdoms1 by how much #ajj1jjj ,tyrants are worse than one4 ,what though a ,husband can't deprive a ,wife of ,life without being responsible to the ,law1 he may1 however1 do what is much more grievous to a generous ,mind1 render ,life miserable1 for which she has no ,redress1 scarce ,pity1 which is afforded to every other ,complainant1 it being thought a ,wife's ,duty to suffer every thing without ,complaint4 ,if all ,men are born ,free1 how is it that all ,women are born ,slaves8 ,as they must be1 if the being subjected to the inconstant1 uncertain1 unknown1 arbitrary ,will of ,men1 be the perfect ,condition of ,slavery8 ,and1 if the ,essence of ,freedom consists1 as our ,masters say it does1 in having a standing ,rule to live by8 ,and why is ,slavery so much condemn'd and strove against in one ,case1 and so highly applauded1 and held so necessary and so sacred in another8 ',tis true1 that ,,god told ,eve after the ,fall1 that her ,husband should ,rule over her3 ,and so it is1 that he told ,esau by the ,mouth of ,isaac his ,father1 that he should serve his younger ,brother1 and should in ,time1 and when he was strong enough to do it1 break the ,yoke from off his ,neck4 ,now1 why one ,text should be a ,command any more than the other1 and not both of them be ,predictions only2 or why the former should prove ,adam's ,natural ,right to ,rule1 and much less every ,man's1 any more than the latter is a ,proof of ,jacob's ,right to ,rule1 and of ,esau's to ,rebel1 one is yet to learn8 ,the ,text in both ,cases foretelling what would be2 but neither of them determining what ought to be4 ,but the ,scripture commands ,wives to submit themselves to their own ,husbands4 ,true2 for which ,st4 ,paul gives a ,mystical ,reason 7,eph4 v4 #bb1 c47 and ,st4 ,peter1 a ,prudential and ,charitable one 7#a ,pet4 iii47 but neither of them derive that ,subjection from the ,law of ,nature4 ,nay1 ,st4 ,paul1 as if he foresaw and meant to prevent this ,plea1 giving ,directions for their ,conduct to ,women in general1 #a ,tim4 ii4 when he comes to speak of ,subjection1 he changes his ,phrase from ,women1 which denotes the whole ,sex1 to ,woman1 which in the ,new ,testament is appropriated to a ,wife4 ,as for his not suffering ,women to speak in the ,church1 no sober ,person that ,i know of pretends to it4 ,that learned ,paraphrast1 indeed1 who lays so much ,stress on the ,natural ,subjection1 provided this ,prerogative be secur'd1 is willing to give up the other4 ,for he endeavours to prove1 that ,inspir'd ,women1 as well as ,men1 us'd to speak in the ,church1 and that ,st4 ,paul does not forbid it1 but only takes care that the ,women should signify their ,subjection by wearing a ,veil4 ,but the ,apostle is his own best ,expositor1 let us therefore compare his ,precepts with his ,practice1 for he was all of a ,piece1 and did not contradict himself4 ,now by this ,comparison we find1 that though he forbids ,women to teach in the ,church1 and this for several ,prudential ,reasons1 like those he introduces with an ,i give my ,opinion1 and now speak ,i1 not the ,lord1 and not because of any ,law of ,nature1 or positive ,divine ,precept1 for that the ,words they are commanded 7#a ,cor4 xiv4 #bd47 are not in the ,original1 appears from the ,italick ,character1 yet he did not found this ,prohibition on any suppos'd want of ,understanding in ,woman1 or of ,ability to teach2 neither does he confine them at all ,times to learn in ,silence4 ,for the eloquent ,apollos1 who was himself a ,teacher1 was instructed by ,priscilla1 as well as by her ,husband ,aquila1 and was improv'd by them both in the ,christian ,faith4 ,nor does ,st4 ,paul blame her for this1 or suppose that she usurp'd ,authority over that great ,man2 so far from this1 that as she is always honourably mention'd in ,holy ,scripture1 so our ,apostle1 in his ,salutations1 ,rom4 xvi4 places her in the ,front1 even before her ,husband1 giving to her1 as well as to him1 the ,noble ,title of1 his ,helper in ,christ ,jesus1 and of one to whom all the ,churches of the ,gentiles had great ,obligations4 ,but1 it will be said perhaps1 that in #a ,tim4 ii4 #ac1 c4 ,st4 ,paul argues for the ,woman's ,subjection from the ,reason of ,things4 ,to this ,i answer1 that it must be confess'd1 that this 7according to the vulgar ,interpretation7 is a very obscure ,place1 and ,i should be glad to see a ,natural1 and not a ,forc'd ,interpretation given of it by those who take it ,literally3 ,whereas if it be taken ,allegorically1 with respect to the ,mystical ,union between ,christ and his ,church1 to which ,st4 ,paul frequently accommodates the ,matrimonial ,relation1 the ,difficulties vanish4 ,for the ,earthly ,adam's being form'd before ,eve1 seems as little to prove her ,natural ,subjection to him1 as the living ,creatures1 ,fishes1 ,birds and ,beasts being form'd before them both1 proves that ,mankind must be subject to these ,animals4 ,nor can the ,apostle mean that ,eve only sinned2 or that she only was ,deceiv'd1 for if ,adam sinn'd wilfully and knowingly1 he became the greater ,transgressor4 ,but it is very true1 that the ,second ,adam1 the ,man ,christ ,jesus1 was first form'd1 and then his ,spouse the ,church4 ,he was not in any respect ,deceiv'd1 nor does she pretend to ,infallibility4 ,and from this second ,adam1 promis'd to ,eve in the ,day of our first ,parents ,transgression1 and from ,him only1 do all their ,race1 ,men as well as ,women1 derive their ,hopes of ,salvation4 ,nor is it promis'd to either ,sex on any other ,terms besides ,perseverance in ,faith1 ,charity1 ,holiness and ,sobriety4 ,if the ,learned will not admit of this ,interpretation1 ,i know not how to contend with them4 ,for ,sense is a ,portion that ,,god ,himself has been pleased to distribute to both ,sexes with an impartial ,hand1 but ,learning is what ,men have engross'd to themselves1 and one can't but admire their great ,improvements6 ,for1 after doubting whether there was such a ,thing as ,truth1 and after many hundred ,years ,disputes about it1 in the last ,century an extraordinary ,genius arose1 7whom yet1 some are pleased to call a ,visionary7 enquir'd after it1 and laid down the best ,method of finding it4 ,not to the general ,liking of the ,men of ,letters1 perhaps1 because it was wrote in a vulgar ,language1 and was so natural and easy as to debase ,truth to common ,understandings1 shewing too plainly1 that ,learning and true ,knowledge are two very different ,things4 8,for it often happens 7says that ,author7 that ,women and ,children acknowledge the ,falsehood of those ,prejudices we contend with1 because they do not dare to judge without ,examination1 and they bring all the ,attention they are capable of to what they read4 ,whereas on the contrary1 the ,learned continue wedded to their own ,opinions1 because they will not take the ,trouble of examining what is contrary to their receiv'd ,doctrines40 ,sciences1 indeed1 have been invented and taught long ago1 and1 as ,men grew better advis'd1 new modelled4 ,so that it is become a considerable ,piece of ,learning to give an ,account of the ,rise and ,progress of the ,sciences1 and of the various ,opinions of ,men concerning them4 ,but ,certainty and ,demonstration are much pretended to in this present ,age1 and being obtain'd in many ,things1 'tis hoped ,men will never ,dispute them away in that which is of greatest ,importance1 the ,way of ,salvation4 ,and because there is not any thing more certain than what is delivered in the ,oracles of ,,god1 we come now to consider what they offer in ,favour of our ,sex4 ,let it be premis'd1 7according to the ,reasoning of a very ingenious ,person in a like ,case7 that one ,text for us1 is more to be regarded than many against us4 ,because that ,one being different from what ,custom has established1 ought to be taken with ,philosophical ,strictness2 whereas the ,many being express'd according to the vulgar ,mode of ,speech1 ought to have no greater ,stress laid on them1 than that evident ,condescension will bear4 ,one ,place then were sufficient1 but we have many ,instances wherein ,holy ,scripture considers ,women very differently from what they appear in the common ,prejudices of ,mankind4 ,the ,world will hardly allow a ,woman to say any thing well1 unless1 as she borrows it from ,men1 or as assisted by them3 ,but ,,god ,himself allows that the ,daughters of ,zelophehad spake right1 and passes their ,request into a ,law4 ,considering how much the ,tyranny1 shall ,i say1 or the superior ,force of ,men1 keeps ,women from ,acting in the ,world1 or doing any thing considerable1 and remembring withal the ,conciseness of the ,sacred ,story1 no small ,part of it is bestow'd in transmitting the ,history of ,women1 famous in their ,generations3 ,two of the ,canonical ,books1 bearing the ,names of those great ,women whose ,vertues and ,actions are there recorded4 ,ruth being call'd from among the ,gentiles to be an ,ancestor of the ,messiah1 and ,esther being rais'd up by ,,god to be the great ,instrument of the ,deliverance and ,prosperity of the ,jewish ,church4 ,the ,character of ,isaac1 though one of the most blameless ,men taken ,notice of in the ,old ,testament1 must give ,place to ,rebecca's1 whose ,affections are more reasonably plac'd than his1 her ,favourite ,son being the same who was ,,god's ,favourite4 ,nor was the ,blessing bestow'd according to his1 but to her ,desire2 so that if you will not allow1 that her ,command to ,jacob superseded ,isaac's to ,esau1 his ,desire to give the ,blessing to this ,son1 being evidently an ,effect of his ,partiality2 you must at least grant1 that she paid greater ,deference to the ,divine ,revelation1 and for this ,reason1 at least1 had a ,right to oppose her ,husband's ,design2 which1 it seems1 ,isaac was sensible of1 when upon his ,disappointment1 he trembled so exceedingly4 ,and so much ,notice is taken even of ,rebecca's ,nurse1 that we have an ,account where she died1 and where she was buried4 ,,god is pleas'd to ,record it among ,his ,favours to the ingrateful ,jews1 that ,he sent before them ,his ,servants ,moses1 ,aaron1 and ,,miriam2 who was also a ,prophetess1 and instructed the ,women how to bear their ,part with ,moses in his ,triumphal ,hymn4 ,is she to be blam'd for her ,ambition8 ,and is not the ,high ,priest ,aaron also1 who has his ,share in the ,reproof as well as in the ,crime8 nor could she have mov'd ,sedition if she had not been a considerable ,person1 which appears also by the ,respect the ,people paid her1 in deferring their ,journey till she was ready4 ,where shall we find a nobler ,piece of ,poetry than ,deborah's ,song8 ,or a better and greater ,ruler than that renowned ,woman1 whose ,government so much excell'd that of the former ,judges8 ,and though she had a ,husband1 she her self judged ,israel1 and consequently was his ,sovereign1 of whom we know no more than the ,name4 ,which ,instance1 as ,i humbly suppose1 overthrows the ,pretence of ,natural ,inferiority4 ,for it is not the bare ,relation of a ,fact1 by which none ought to be concluded1 unless it is conformable to a ,rule1 and to the ,reason of ,things3 ,but ,deborah's ,government was conferr'd on her by ,,god ,himself4 ,consequently the ,sovereignty of a ,woman is not contrary to the ,law of ,nature2 for the ,law of ,nature is the ,law of ,,god1 who cannot contradict ,himself2 and yet it was ,,god who inspir'd and approv'd that great ,woman1 raising her up to ,judge and to ,deliver ,his ,people ,israel4 ,not to insist on the ,courage of that valiant ,woman1 who deliver'd ,thebez by slaying the ,assailant2 nor upon the ,preference which ,,god thought fit to give to ,sampson's ,mother1 in sending the ,angel to her1 and not to her ,husband1 whose vulgar ,fear she so prudently answer'd1 as plainly shews her superior ,understanding3 ,to pass over ,abigail's wise ,conduct1 whereby she preserv'd her ,family and deserved ,david's ,acknowledgments1 for restraining him from doing a rash and unjustifiable ,action2 the ,holy ,penman giving her the ,character of a ,woman of good ,understanding1 whilst her ,husband has that of a ,churlish and ,foolish ,person1 and a ,son of ,belial3 ,to say nothing of the wise ,woman 7as the ,text calls her7 of ,tekoah2 or of her of ,abel1 who has the same ,epithet1 and who by her ,prudence delivered the ,city and appeas'd a dangerous ,rebellion3 ,nor of the ,queen of ,sheba1 whose ,journey to hear the ,wisdom of ,solomon1 shews her own good ,judgment and great ,share in that excellent ,endowment4 ,solomon does not think himself too wise to be instructed by his ,mother1 nor too great to record her ,lessons1 which1 if he had followed1 he might have spared the ,trouble of ,repentance1 and been delivered from a great deal of that ,vanity he so deeply regrets4 ,what ,reason can be assign'd why the ,mothers of the ,kings of ,judah1 are so frequently noted in those very short ,accounts that are given of their ,reigns1 but the great ,respect paid them1 or perhaps their ,influence on the ,government1 and ,share in the ,administration8 ,this is not improbable1 since the wicked ,athaliah had ,power to carry on her ,intrigues so far as to get ,possession of the ,throne1 and to keep it for some ,years4 ,neither was there any ,necessity for ,asa's removing his ,mother 7or ,grandmother7 from being ,queen1 if this were merely ,titular1 and did not carry ,power and ,authority along with it4 ,and we find what ,influence ,jezabel had in ,israel1 indeed to her ,husband's and her own ,destruction4 ,it was a ,widow-,woman whom ,,god made choice of to sustain his ,prophet ,elijah at ,zarephah4 ,and the ,history of the ,shunamite is a noble ,instance of the ,account that is made of ,women in ,holy ,scripture4 ,for whether it was not the ,custom in ,shunem for the ,husband to dictate1 or whether her's was conscious of her superior ,vertue1 or whatever was the ,reason1 we find it is she who governs1 dwelling with great ,honour and ,satisfaction among her own ,people4 ,which ,happiness she understood so well1 and was so far from a troublesome ,ambition1 that she desires no ,recommendation to the ,king or ,captain of the ,host1 when the ,prophet offer'd it1 being already greater than they could make her4 ,the ,text calls her a ,great ,woman1 whilst her ,husband is hardly taken ,notice of1 and this1 no otherwise1 than as performing the ,office of a ,bailiff4 ,it is her ,piety and ,hospitality that are ,recorded1 ,she invites the ,prophet to her ,house2 who converses with1 and is entertained by her4 ,she gives her ,husband no ,account of her ,affairs any further1 than to tell him her ,designs1 that he may see them executed4 ,and when he desires to know the ,reason of her ,conduct1 all the ,answer she affords is1 ,well1 or1 as the ,margin has it from the ,hebrew1 ,peace4 ,nor can this be thought assuming1 since it is no more than what the ,prophet encourages1 for all his ,addresses are to her1 he takes no ,notice of her ,husband4 ,his ,benefits are conferr'd on her1 'tis she and her ,household whom he warns of a ,famine1 and 'tis she who ,appeals to the ,king for the ,restitution of her ,house and ,land4 ,i would not infer from hence1 that ,women1 generally speaking1 ought to govern in their ,families when they have a ,husband2 but ,i think this ,instance and ,example is a sufficient ,proof1 that if by ,custom or ,contract1 or the ,laws of the ,country1 or ,birth-right1 7as in the ,case of ,sovereign ,princesses7 they have the supreme ,authority1 it is no ,usurpation1 nor do they act contrary to ,holy ,scripture1 nor consequently to the ,law of ,nature4 ,for they are no where1 that ,i know of1 forbidden to claim their just ,right3 ,the ,apostle1 'tis true1 would not have them usurp ,authority1 where ,custom and the ,law of the strongest had brought them into ,subjection1 as it has in these ,parts of the ,world4 ,though in remoter ,regions1 if ,travellers rightly inform us1 the ,succession to the ,crown is intail'd on the ,female ,line4 ,,god ,himself1 who is no ,respecter of ,persons1 with whom there is neither ,bond nor ,free1 ,male nor ,female1 but they are all one in ,christ ,jesus1 did not deny ,women that ,divine ,gift the ,spirit of ,prophecy1 neither under the ,jewish nor ,christian ,dispensation4 ,we have nam'd two great ,prophetesses already1 ,miriam and ,deborah2 and besides other ,instances1 ,huldah the ,prophetess was such an ,oracle1 that the good ,king ,josiah1 that great ,pattern of ,vertue1 sends even the ,high ,priest himself to consult her1 and to receive ,directions from her in the most arduous ,affairs4 ,it shall come to pass1 saith the ,lord1 that ,i will pour out my ,spirit upon all ,flesh1 and your ,sons and your ,daughters shall ,prophesy1 which was accordingly fulfill'd by the ,mission of the ,holy ,ghost on the ,day of ,pentecost1 as ,st4 ,peter tells us4 ,and1 besides others1 there is mention of four ,daughters of ,philip1 ,virgins1 who did ,prophesy4 ,for1 as in the ,old1 so in the ,new ,testament1 ,women make a considerable ,figure2 the ,holy ,virgin receiving the greatest ,honour that ,human ,nature is capable of1 when the ,son of ,,god vouchsafed to be her ,son1 and to derive his ,humanity from her only4 ,and if it is a greater ,blessing to hear the ,word of ,,god and keep it1 who are more considerable for their ,assiduity in this1 than the ,female ,disciples of our ,,lord8 ,mary being ,exemplary1 and receiving a noble ,encomium from ,him1 for her ,choice of the better ,part4 ,it would be thought tedious to enumerate all the excellent ,women mentioned in the ,new ,testament1 whose humble ,penitence and ardent ,love1 as ,magdalen's2 their lively ,faith and holy ,importunity1 as the ,syrophenician's2 extraordinary ,piety and ,uprightness1 as ,elizabeth's2 ,hospitality1 ,charity and ,diligence1 as ,martha's1 ,tabitha's1 c4 7see ,st4 ,luke viii472 frequent and assiduous ,devotions and ,austerities1 as ,anna's2 ,constancy and ,courage1 ,perseverance and ardent ,zeal1 as that of the ,holy ,women who attended our ,,lord to ,his ,cross1 when ,his ,disciples generally forsook1 and the most ,courageous had denied ,him2 are ,recorded for our ,example4 ,their ,love was stronger than ,death1 it followed our ,saviour into the ,grave4 ,and1 as a ,reward1 both the ,angel1 and even the ,,lord ,himself1 appears first to them1 and sends them to preach the great ,article of the ,resurrection to the very ,apostles1 who being1 as yet1 under the ,power of the ,prejudices of their ,sex1 esteem'd the ,holy ,womens ,words as idle ,tales1 and believed them not4 ,some ,men will have it1 that the ,reason of our ,,lord's appearing first to the ,women1 was1 their being least able to keep a ,secret2 a witty and masculine ,remark1 and wonderfully ,reverent6 ,but not to dispute whether those ,women were ,blabs or no1 there are many ,instances in ,holy ,scripture1 of ,women who did not betray the ,confidence repos'd in them4 ,thus ,rahab1 though formerly an ill ,woman1 being converted by the ,report of those ,miracles1 which1 though the ,israelites saw1 yet they believed not in ,,god1 nor put their ,trust in his ,word1 ,she acknowledges the ,,god of ,heaven1 and1 as a ,reward of her faithful ,service1 in concealing ,joshua's ,spies1 is1 with her ,family1 exempted from the ,ruin of her ,country1 and also1 has the ,honour of being named in the ,messiah's ,genealogy4 ,michal1 to save ,david's ,life1 exposes her self to the ,fury of a ,jealous and ,tyrannical ,prince4 ,a ,girl was trusted by ,david's grave ,counsellors to convey him ,intelligence in his ,son's ,rebellion2 and when a ,lad had found it out1 and blab'd it to ,absalom1 the ,king's ,friends confiding in the ,prudence and ,fidelity of a ,woman1 were secur'd by her4 ,when our ,,lord escaped from the ,jews1 he trusted ,himself in the ,hands of ,martha and ,mary4 ,so does ,st4 ,peter with another ,mary1 when the ,angel deliver'd him from ,herod1 the ,damsel ,rhoda too1 was acquainted with the ,secret4 ,more might be said1 but one would think here is enough to shew1 that whatever other great and wise ,reasons ,men may have for despising ,women1 and keeping them in ,ignorance and ,slavery1 it can't be from their having learnt to do so in ,holy ,scripture4 ,the ,bible is for1 and not against us1 and cannot without great ,violence done to it1 be urg'd to our ,prejudice4 ,however1 there are strong and prevalent ,reasons which demonstrate the ,superiority and ,pre-eminence of the ,men4 ,for in the first ,place1 ,boys have much ,time and ,pains1 ,care and ,cost bestow'd on their ,education1 ,girls have little or none4 ,the former are early initiated in the ,sciences1 are made acquainted with antient and modern ,discoveries1 they study ,books and ,men1 have all imaginable ,encouragement2 not only ,fame1 a dry ,reward now a-days1 but also ,title1 ,authority1 ,power1 and ,riches themselves1 which purchase all ,things1 are the ,reward of their ,improvement4 ,the latter are restrain'd1 frown'd upon1 and beat1 not for1 but from the ,muses2 ,laughter and ,ridicule1 that never-failing ,scare-,crow1 is set up to drive them from the ,tree of ,knowledge4 ,but if1 in spite of all ,difficulties ,nature prevails1 and they can't be kept so ignorant as their ,masters would have them1 they are star'd upon as ,monsters1 censur'd1 envied1 and every way discouraged1 or1 at the best1 they have the ,fate the ,proverb assigns them1 ,vertue is prais'd and starv'd4 ,and therefore1 since the coarsest ,materials need the most ,curing1 as every ,workman can inform you1 and the worst ,ground the most elaborate ,culture1 it undeniably follows1 that ,mens ,understandings are superior to ,womens1 for1 after many ,years ,study and ,experience1 they become wise and learned1 and ,women are not ,born so6 ,again1 ,men are possessed of all ,places of ,power1 ,trust and ,profit1 they make ,laws and exercise the ,magistracy1 not only the sharpest ,sword1 but even all the ,swords and ,blunderbusses are theirs1 which by the strongest ,logick in the ,world1 gives them the best ,title to every ,thing they please to claim as their ,prerogative3 ,who shall contend with them8 ,immemorial ,prescription is on their ,side in these ,parts of the ,world1 antient ,tradition and modern ,usage6 ,our ,fathers1 have all along1 both taught and practised ,superiority over the weaker ,sex1 and consequently ,women are by ,nature inferior to ,men1 as was to be demonstrated4 ,an ,argument which must be acknowledged unanswerable2 for1 as well as ,i love my ,sex1 ,i will not pretend a ,reply to such ,demonstration6 ,only let me beg to be inform'd1 to whom we poor ,fatherless ,maids1 and ,widows who have lost their ,masters1 owe ,subjection8 ,it can't be to all ,men in general1 unless all ,men were agreed to give the same ,commands2 ,do we then fall as ,strays1 to the first who finds us8 ,by the ,maxims of some ,men1 and the ,conduct of some ,women one would think so4 ,but whoever he be that thus happens to become our ,master1 if he allows us to be reasonable ,creatures1 and does not meerly ,compliment us with that ,title1 since no ,man denies our ,readiness to use our ,tongues1 it would tend1 ,i should think1 to our ,master's ,advantage1 and therefore he may please to be advis'd to teach us to improve our ,reason4 ,but if ,reason is only allow'd us by way of ,raillery1 and the secret ,maxim is1 that we have none1 or little more than ,brutes1 'tis the best way to confine us with ,chain and ,block to the ,chimney-,corner1 which1 probably1 might save the ,estates of some ,families and the ,honour of others4 ,i ,do not propose this to prevent a ,rebellion1 for ,women are not so well united as to form an ,insurrection4 ,they are for the most part wise enough to love their ,chains1 and to discern how very becomingly they fit4 ,they think as humbly of themselves as their ,masters can wish1 with respect to the other ,sex1 but in regard to their own1 they have a ,spice of ,masculine ,ambition2 every one would ,lead1 and none would ,follow4 ,both ,sexes being too apt to ,envy1 and too backward in ,emulating1 and take more ,delight in detracting from their ,neighbour's ,vertue1 than in improving their own4 ,and therefore1 as to those ,women who find themselves born for ,slavery1 and are so sensible of their own ,meanness1 as to conclude it impossible to attain to any thing excellent1 since they are1 or ought to be best acquainted with their own ,strength and ,genius1 ,she's a ,fool who would attempt their ,deliverance or ,improvement4 ,no1 let them enjoy the great ,honour and ,felicity of their tame1 submissive and depending ,temper6 ,let the ,men applaud1 and let them glory in this wonderful ,humility6 ,let them receive the ,flatteries and ,grimaces of the other ,sex1 live unenvied by their own1 and be as much belov'd as one such ,woman can afford to love another6 ,let them enjoy the ,glory of treading in the ,footsteps of their ,predecessors1 and of having the ,prudence to avoid that audacious ,attempt of soaring beyond their ,sphere6 ,let them ,huswife or ,play1 ,dress1 and be pretty entertaining ,company6 ,or1 which is better1 relieve the ,poor to ease their own ,compassions1 read pious ,books1 say their ,prayers1 and go to ,church1 because they have been taught and us'd to do so1 without being able to give a better ,reason for their ,faith and ,practice6 ,let them not by any means aspire at being ,women of ,understanding1 because no ,man can endure a ,woman of ,superior ,sense1 or would treat a reasonable ,woman civilly1 but that he thinks he stands on higher ,ground1 and1 that she is so wise as to make ,exceptions in his ,favour1 and to take her ,measures by his ,directions2 they may pretend to ,sense1 indeed1 since meer ,pretences only render one the more ridiculous6 ,let them1 in short1 be what is call'd very ,women1 for this is most acceptable to all sorts of ,men2 or let them aim at the ,title of good devout ,women1 since some ,men can bear with this2 but let them not judge of the ,sex by their own ,scantling3 ,for the great ,author of ,nature and ,fountain of all ,perfection1 never design'd that the ,mean and ,imperfect1 but that the most ,compleat and ,excellent of ,his ,creatures in every ,kind1 should be the ,standard to the rest4 ,to conclude2 ,if that ,,great ,,queen who has subdued the ,proud1 and made the pretended ,invincible more than once fly before her2 who has ,rescued an ,empire1 ,reduced a ,kingdom1 ,conquer'd ,provinces in as little ,time almost as one can ,travel them1 and seems to have chain'd ,victory to her ,standard2 who disposes of ,crowns1 gives ,laws and ,liberty to ,europe1 and is the chief ,instrument in the ,hand of the ,almighty1 to pull down and to set up the great ,men of the ,earth2 who conquers every where for others1 and no where for her self but in the ,hearts of the ,conquer'd1 who are of the ,number of those who reap the ,benefit of her ,triumphs2 whilst she only reaps for her self the ,lawrels of disinterested ,glory1 and the ,royal ,pleasure of doing ,heroically2 if this ,glory of her own ,sex1 and ,envy of the other1 will not think we need1 or does not hold us worthy of1 the ,protection of her ever victorious ,arms1 and ,men have not the ,gratitude1 for her sake at least1 to do ,justice to her ,sex1 who has been such a universal ,benefactress to theirs3 ,adieu to the ,liberties1 not of this or that ,nation or ,region only1 but of the ,moiety of ,mankind6 ,to all the great ,things that ,women might perform1 inspir'd by her ,example1 encouraged by her ,smiles1 and supported by her ,power6 ,to their ,discovery of new ,worlds for the ,exercise of her ,goodness1 new ,sciences to publish her ,fame1 and reducing ,nature it self to a ,subjection to her ,empire6 ,to their destroying those worst of ,tyrants ,impiety and ,immorality1 which dare to stalk about even in her own ,dominions1 and to devour ,souls almost within ,view of her ,throne1 leaving a ,stench behind them scarce to be corrected even by the ,incense of her ,devotions6 ,to the ,women's tracing a new ,path to ,honour1 in which none shall walk but such as scorn to ,cringe in order to ,rise1 and who are ,proof both against giving and receiving ,flattery6 ,in a ,word1 to those ,halcyon1 or1 if you will1 ,millennium ,days1 in which the ,wolf and the ,lamb shall feed together1 and a ,tyrannous ,domination1 which ,nature never meant1 shall no longer render useless1 if not hurtful1 the ,industry and ,understandings of half ,mankind6 ,,finis4 ,illustration ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,illustration ,,books lately ,printed for1 and ,sold by ,,william ,,parker at the ,king's ,head in ,st4 ,paul's ,church-,yard4 ,,folio4 ,a ,compleat ,history of ,england1 to the ,death of ,king ,william ,,iii4 with large ,notes4 ,collected by the late ,bishop ,kennet4 ,with the ,effigies of all the ,kings1 from the ,originals3 ,engraven by the best ,masters4 #c ,vols4 ,puffendorf's ,law of ,nature and ,nations2 in eight ,books4 ,done into ,english by ,basil ,kennet1 ,d4 ,d4 ,to which are added1 all the large ,notes by ,mr4 ,barbeyrac4 ,the ,fourth ,edition1 carefully corrected4 ,guillim's ,display of ,heraldry3 ,the ,sixth ,edition1 improv'd2 with large ,additions of many hundred ,coats of ,arms1 under their respective ,bearings2 with good ,authorities from the ,ashmolean ,library1 ,sir ,george ,mackenzie1 c4 ,the ,natural ,history of ,northamptonshire2 with some ,account of the ,antiquities4 ,to which is annex'd1 ,a ,transcript of ,doomsday-,book1 so far as it relates to that ,county4 ,by ,john ,moreton1 ,m4 ,a4 ,rector of ,oxendon in the same ,county1 and ,f4 ,r4 ,s4 ,the ,cambridge ,concordance to the ,holy ,scriptures3 ,together with the ,books of ,apocrypha2 and the various ,readings both of ,texts and ,margin1 in a more exact ,method than has hitherto been extant4 ,the fifth ,edition1 very accurately corrected4 ,the ,works of the famous ,nicholas ,machiavel1 ,citizen and ,secretary of ,florence2 newly and faithfully ,translated into ,english4 ,the ,third ,edition1 carefully corrected4 ,the ,works of the most exemplary ,christian ,mr4 ,william ,allen1 consisting of thirteen distinct ,tracts on several ,subjects4 ,with a ,sermon preached at his ,funeral by ,bishop ,kidder3 ,to which is prefix'd1 a ,preface concerning the ,author and his ,writings2 by ,john ,williams1 late ,bishop of ,chichester4 ,,quarto4 ,common-,place ,book to the ,bible4 ,littleton's ,dictionary4 ,religion of ,nature delineated4 ,tournefort's compleat ,herbal1 #ci ,numbers1 to be continued4 ,price #a s4 each4 ,the ,history and ,antiquities1 ,ecclesiastical and ,civil1 of the ,isle of ,thanet in ,kent4 ,by ,j4 ,lewis1 ,m4 ,a4 ,the ,history and ,antiquities of the ,abby and ,church of ,feversham in ,kent2 of the adjoining ,priory of ,davington and ,maison-,dieu of ,ospringe1 and ,parish of ,bocton ,subtus le ,bleyne1 c4 ,by ,j4 ,lewis1 ,m4 ,a4 ,,octavo and ,,twelves4 ,an ,answer to the ,dissenters ,pleas for ,separation3 ,or1 an ,abridgment of the ,london ,cases4 ,wherein the ,substance of those ,books is digested into one short and plain ,discourse4 ,the #fth ,edition4 ,by ,thomas ,bennet1 ,d4 ,d4 late ,vicar of ,st4 ,giles's ,cripplegate4 ,bishop ,bull's ,sermons1 with his ,life4 ,by ,mr4 ,nelson1 in #d ,vols4 ,the ,book of ,psalms made fit for the ,closet2 with ,collects and ,prayers out of the ,liturgy of the ,church of ,england1 c4 particularly adapted1 with ,titles to each ,psalm4 ,dr4 ,comber's short ,discourses upon the whole ,common-,prayer1 designed to inform the ,judgment1 and excite the ,devotion of such as daily use the same4 ,the ,fourth ,edition4 ,civil ,policy1 a ,treatise concerning the ,nature of ,government4 ,wherein the ,reasons of the great ,diversity to be observed in the ,customs1 ,manners1 and ,usages of ,nations1 are ,historically explained1 and ,remarks made upon the ,changes of our ,english ,constitutions1 and the different ,measures of our several ,kings4 ,by a ,doctor of ,physick4 ,bishop ,cumberland's ,sanchoniatho's ,phnician ,history4 ---- ,origines ,gentium ,antiquisitione3 ,or1 ,attempts for ,discovering the ,times of the first ,planting of ,nations4 ,in several ,tracts4 ,n4 ,b4 ,these two ,pieces of ,bishop ,cumberland's1 contain a ,confutation of the new ,notion of ,chronology advanced by ,sir ,isaac ,newton4 ,drelincourt's ,christian's ,defence against the ,fears of ,death2 with seasonable ,directions how to prepare our selves to ,die well4 ,the #abth ,edition4 ,a ,defence of ,diocesan ,episcopacy1 in ,answer to a ,book of ,dr4 ,david ,clarkson1 lately published1 intituled ,primitive ,episcopacy4 ,by ,h4 ,maurice1 ,d4 ,d4 ,the ,second ,edition4 ,sir ,john ,floyer's ,treatise of the ,asthma4 #c;d ,edit4 ,the ,frauds of the ,romish ,monks and ,priests1 set forth in eight ,letters4 ,the #eth ,edition4 ,with ,observations on a ,journey to ,naples3 ,wherein the ,frauds of the ,romish ,monks and ,priests are further discovered4 ,lately written by a ,gentleman in his ,journey to ,italy1 and published for the ,benefit of the ,publick4 #b ,vols4 ,the ,gentleman instructed in the ,conduct of a virtuous and happy ,life4 ,in ,three ,parts4 ,written for the ,instruction of a young ,nobleman4 ,to which is added3 ,a ,word to the ,ladies4 ,by way of ,supplement to the ,first ,part4 ,the ,gardeners and ,florists ,dictionary3 ,or1 ,a compleat ,system of ,horticulture4 ,in #b ,vols4 ,by ,philip ,miller1 ,gardener of the ,botanick ,garden at ,chelsea4 ,the genuine ,use and ,necessity of the two ,sacraments3 ,namely1 ,baptism and the ,lord's ,supper2 with our ,obligations frequently to receive the latter4 ,the ,history of ,england1 faithfully extracted from authentick ,records1 approved ,manuscripts1 and the most celebrated ,histories of this ,kingdom1 in all ,languages1 whether ,ecclesiastical or ,civil1 with the ,effiges of the ,kings and ,queens4 #eth ,edition4 #b ,vols4 ,olyff's ,practical ,exposition on the ,church ,catechism4 #b ,vols4 ,lawfulness of ,infant ,baptism improv'd from ,scripture3 ,with the ,right that the ,infants of ,christian ,parents have to be ,baptized4 ,wherein also ,mr4 ,gales ,reflections on ,dr4 ,wall's ,history of ,infant ,baptism are examined and refuted1 so far as they came in the ,way of this ,discourse2 and all the ,objections and ,arguments of other ,antipdobaptists1 that are of any ,weight1 are taken off4 ,by the ,rev4 ,mr4 ,owen1 ,vicar of ,iford in ,sussex4 ,bishop ,potter's ,discourse of ,church ,government2 wherein the ,rights of the ,church1 and the ,supremacy of ,christian ,princes are vindicated and adjusted4 ,third ,edition4 ,pious ,communicant3 ,containing whatever is necessary to persuade and prepare us for that and all other ,duties of ,devotion1 and prevent all ,scruples concerning them1 c4 ,father ,quesnel's ,moral ,reflections upon every ,verse of the ,new ,testament1 in order to make the ,reading of it more profitable1 and the ,meditation more easy4 ,in four ,vols4 ,n4 ,b4 ,those ,gentlemen that have the ,first and ,second ,volumes1 are desired speedily to send for the ,third and ,fourth1 otherwise they will find it difficult to compleat them1 there not being so many ,printed of the two last as of the former ,volumes4 ,reflections upon ,learning2 wherein is shewn the ,insufficiency thereof1 in its several ,particulars1 in order to evince the ,usefulness and ,necessity of ,revelation4 ,the sixth ,edition4 ,by a ,gentleman4 ,the ,scripture ,doctrine of ,christ's ,divinity3 or1 ,the adorable ,nature1 voluntary ,subjection1 and necessary ,supremacy of the ,son of ,god1 consider'd3 ,in six ,sermons2 preach'd on several ,occasions4 ,by ,sam4 ,johnson1 ,m4 ,a4 ,vicar of ,great ,torrington1 ,rector of ,little ,torrington4 ,where may be had ,gratis1 a ,catalogue of ,books 7being ,part of the ,stock of two ,booksellers who have lately left off ,trade7 which are to be sold very cheap unbound till ,michaelmas next1 the ,prices printed in the ,catalogue afterward1 at the former ,prices4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,transcriber',s ,,notes #a4 ,p4 #hi1 changed 8defin'd0 to 8destin'd04 #b4 ,all spelling errors were left uncorrected4 #c4 ,enclosed italics font in underscores4