But felf-Love is too delicate to hear Reafon on this Article. The ufual Method, on fuch Occafions, is, to take the Alarm, to exclaim against the Perfon commended, to enumerate all her Foibles, and, if that be not fufficient, to infinuate Faults of your own Invention, heightned with all the Aggravations witty ill Nature can beftow, till, before the Company breaks up, the envied Rival is made as deform'd and difagreeable as the is wished to be. What is the natural Confequence of all this? There are always People charitable enough to carry the Intelligence. She takes the Opportunity of inveighing, in her Turn, and, perhaps, enjoys her feparate Triumph. Parties are called in, on both Sides, to maintain the Quarrel, to which Truth and Humanicy are daily facrificed; and thus the lovelieft Part of the Creation, by their private Feuds, difturb that Peace and Harmony they feem defigned, by Heaven, to have established and improved.

Do you, MADAM, act in a more generous Manner. Speak well of all you can; at least, lay it down as an inviolable Rule, to yourself, to speak ill of none. Reflect how facred and tender a Thing Reputation is (1), and how cruel it is to trifle with it. Confider, that, without Goodness,

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you

Good Name, in Man or Woman, Is the immediate Jewel of their Souls. (thing; Who fteals my Purfe, fteals Trafh; 'tis fomething, no'Twas mine, 'tis his; and has been Slave to Thoufands: But he that filches from me my Good Name,

Robs me of that which not enriches him,

-But makes me poor indeed.

you can never be engaging; and that, without this laft Quality, tho you had the Form of a Venus, you will never be truly amiable. Do not imagine, that Goodness and Wit are two incompatible Qualities. This is a falfe Maxim, owing to the Libertinifm of the Age. Believe me, Panegyrick requires more Spirit and good Senfe than Satyr. But fuppofe it were otherwise, is it not more defireable to abate a little of that Vivacity, than display it at another's Coft, who, by that Means, is in fome Measure authoriz'd to make Reprifals, which are often more prejudicial to you than to herself.

THERE is a Jealousy of another Kind, which, tho at present does not concern you) I think very proper to caution you against; I mean, that, MADAM, which frequently happens in the conjugal State. It is difhonourable on either Side, but efpecially on yours, to give Occafion for it; and it is very uneafy to bear it. A virtuous Woman will never hefitate in her Choice, but chufe rather patiently to fuffer an Injuftice of this Nature, than once entertain a Thought of returning, much lefs of committing it. I know there are fome Tempers, in whom this Paffion is fo exquifitely violent, and felf-tormenting, that a Lady had need of no ordinary Proportion of Wisdom and Patience to endure the Trial. But, on the other Hand, I am inclin'd to believe these uneafy Sufpicions too often are owing to the irregular Conduct of your Sex before Marriage, and thofe dubious Reputations they bring their Husbands along with their Portions. For this Reason, let me conjure you to be moft vigilant over your own

Con

Conduct, and fuffer no Day to pafs, without being faccountable to yourself for what has happened.

If it be your ill Fortune. to have a Husband, whofe Fidelity is not fuch as you may justly expect, I would by no Means have you appear infenfible of your Wrong; that would difcover an Indifference, very inconfiftent with your Character, and the Tenderness due in that Relation. But let your Complaints be addrefs'd to himfelt alone, timed to the beft Advantage; and, above all, avoid the leaft Sharpness or Refentment in your Manner of Expoftulation. Ufe the foftest Terms, and the gentleft Methods you can think of, to regain his Affections, and recal him to his Duty. If, for your mutual Misfortune, they prove unfuccefsful, you will at leaft gain this confiderable Advantage, that tho you fhould lofe his Heart, you will, in fpite of his Inconftancy, ftill preferve his Efteem.

WHEN a Breach of this Kind happens, a Lady, who is in any Measure agreeable or deferving, will always find but too many who will intereft themfelves in her Caufe. By fome fhe will be told, It is a furprifing Thing, that one with her Accomplishments, who might have made fome Man of Merit happy, bould meet fuch ill Ufage. Others will hint to her, That it is amazing to all the World, to fee a Man, who should think no Sacrifice too dear for her Efteem, taken up with a Creature in every Refpect fo much below her; that this is an undeniable Proof of the ill Tafte of Husbands. With a great Deal more of the fame Kind, which People are ready to fay, on fuch Occafions, to thofe who will take the Pains to hear them. After the Task of Sympathizing

pathizing is over, Advices are proposed to the fuffering Lady; and, in order to difpofe her to the Law of Retaliation, fhe is told, That it is fometimes proper to let Husbands know fuch Things are not to be tamely born; That it is always in a Lady's Power to revenge herself; That frequently fuch a Conduct has better Effects than continual Forbearance and Moderation; and that, after all, if a Husband prove irreclaimable, a Woman may be difpenfed with for a little Indulgence on her Side. When the Rival is fufficiently fatyrized, they begin the Defcription of the Hufband; but great Measures are obferved in this Point, leaft the Lady's Virtue fhould take the Alarm. At first his Inconftancy only is blamed, next, if he has any perfonal Faults, they are introduced to fet off the Praises bestowed on the Lady herself. If fhe is good enough to hear all this patiently, or, at leaft, with Indifference, the Design goes on; hetherto all feems fair and generous. It feems only the fincere Concern of a Friend, who zealoufly efpoufes her Interests, who esteems her good Qualities, and kindly fhares in her Sufferings; who is fo difinterested himself, as to justify her Conduct in all Converfations; and fo touched with her Grief, as to endeavour to divert it by all the Entertainments and Amusements he can procure her. The Lady, by the Value the places on all thefe obliging Marks of an extraordinary FriendThip, throws herself off her Guard, and gives the Opportunity to the concealed Admirer, he has fo long wifhed for, of laying afide the Mask. The difguifed Friend and Counsellor, now fecure of her Confidence, and embolden'd by her Efteem, avows his Flame, and claims a Share in her Heart

he

he has no juft Title to, but has obtained by Flattery and Frand. I own, Madam, that Perfons of your Rank feem exempted from any Hazard of this Kind; but, believe me, the Refpect due to your Quality is not always a fufficient Security; and we live in fo adventurous an Age, that, if a Lady discover the leaft Weakness this Way, there are but too many ready to turn it to their own Advantage.

WHEN a Difference of this Kind arifes, a Lady has very great Measures to obferve, with refpect to the World; for tho' nothing is more natural to us, than to like thofe who pity or fympathize with us in our Sufferings; yet Virtue Atrialy requires we fhould bear this Affliction alone, and forbids a Lady, upon any Account of Confideration whatever, to hear her Husband reflected on in her Prefence, let her Caufe of Com‐ plaint be never fo well grounded. In fhort, MADAM, the best Method can be taken; in fo critical a Cafe, is to avoid faying any Thing your felf on the Subject, which will fufficiently difcourage or thers from using that Liberty. Silence is here a Piece of the greatest Prudence; for if a Lady fpeak well of her Husband, at a Time when it is publickly known there is no good Understanding between them, it will be thought either great Weakness or Hypocrify; and, if the complains, who does the expect will do her Juftice? Your Sex are fuch ill Politicians, that you are feldom true to one another; and the fame Perfons, who to herself aggravate the Juftice of her Complaints, will perhaps be the first, in another Company, who fhall endeavour to make her appear ridiculous. This

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