cannot fupport Life without quick Senfations and gay Reflections, and are Strangers to Tranquility, to right Reafon, and a calm Motion of Spirits without Transport or Dejection. These ingenious Men, of all Men living, are moft to be avoided by her who would be happy in a Husband. They are immediately fated with Poffeffion, and muft neceffarily fly to new Acquifitions of Beauty, to pass away the whiling Moments and Intervals of Life; for with them every Hour is heavy that is not joyful. But there is a fort of Man of Wit and Senfe, that can reflect upon his own Make, and that of his Partner, with the Eyes of Reason and Honour, and who believes he offends against both thefe, if he does not look upon the Woman (who chose him to be under his Protection in Sicknefs and Health) with the utmoft Gratitude, whether from that Moment fhe is fhining or defective in Perfon or Mind; I fay, there are those who think themselves bound to fupply with Good-nature the Failings of those who love them, and who always think those the Objects of Love and Pity, who came to their Arms the Objects of Joy and Admiration.

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OF

OF this latter fort is Lyfander, a Man of Wit, Learning, Sobriety and Good-nature, of Birth and Estate below no Woman to accept, and of whom it might be faid, should he fucceed in his present Wishes, his Mistress rais'd his Fortune, but not that he made it. When a Woman is deliberating with her felf whom the fhall chufe of many ncar each other in other Pretenfions, certainly he of beft Understanding is to be prefer'd. Life hangs heavily in the repeated Converfation of one who has no Imagination to be fired at the feveral Occafions and Objects which come before him, or who cannot ftrike out of his Reflections new Paths of pleafing Difcourfe. Honeft Will. Thrash and his Wife, tho' not married above four Months, have fcarce had a Word to fay to each other this fix Weeks; and one cannot form to one's felf a fillier Picture, than thefe two Creatures in folemn Pomp and Plenty unable to enjoy their Fortunes, and at a full ftop among a Crowd of Servants, to whofe Tafte of Life they are beholden for the little Satisfactions by which they can be understood to be fo much as barely in being. The Hours of the Day, the Diftinctions

ftinctions of Noon and Night, Dinner and Supper, are the greatest Notices they are capable of. This is perhaps reprefenting the Life of a very modeft Woman, joined to a dull Fellow, more infipid than it really deferves; but I am fure it is not to exalt the Commerce with an ingenious Companion too high, to fay that every new Accident or Ob-ject which comes into fuch a Gentleman's way, gives his Wife new Pleafures and Satisfactions. The Approbation of his Words and Actions is a continual new Feaft to her; nor can fhe enough applaud her good Fortune in having her Life varied every Hour, her Mind more improv'd, and her Heart more glad from every Circumstance which they meet with. He will lays out his Invention in forming new Plea fures and Amusements, and make the Fortune she has brought him subservient to the Honour and Reputation of her and hers. A Man of Senfe who is thus oblig'd, is ever contriving the Happi-nefs of her who did him fo great a Diftinction; while the Fool is ungrateful without Vice, and never returns a Fayour because he is not fenfible of it. I would, methinks, have fo much to fay. for

D.S

for my felf, that if I fell into the hands of him who treated me ill, he should be fenfible when he did fo: His Confcience fhould be of my fide, whatever became of his Inclination.. I do not know but it is the infipid Choice which has been made by those who have the Care of young Women, Women, that the Marriage

State it felf has been liable to fo much Ridicule. But a well-chofen Love, mov'd by Paffion on both fides, and perfected by the Generofity of one Party, must be adorn'd with fo many handsom Incidents on the other fide, that_every particular Couple would be an Example in many Circumftances to all the reft of the Species. I fhall end the Chat upon this Subject with a couple of Letters, one from a Lover who is very well acquainted with the way of bargaining on thefe Occafions; and the other from his Rival, who has a lefs Eftate, but great Gallantry of Temper. As for my Man of Prudence, he makes love, as he fays, as if he were already a Father, and laying afide the Paffion, comes to the Reafon of the thing.

Madam,

Madam,

'M Y Counsel has perufed the In

ventory of your Estate, and

'confider'd what Eftate you have, 'which it seems is only yours, and to 'the Male-Heirs of your Body; but, in default of fuch Iffue, to the right 'Heirs of your Uncle Edward for ever. Thus, Madam, I am advis'd you cannot (the Remainder not being in you) dock the Entail; by which means my Eftate, which is Fee-Simple, will come by the Settlement propos'd to your Children begotten by C me, whether they are Males or Female; but my Children begotten upon you will not inherit your Lands, except I beget a Son. Now Madam, fince things are fo, you are a Wo'man of that Prudence, and understand the World fo well, as not to expect I fhould give you more than you can C give me.

I am, Madam,

(with great Respect)

Your most obedient Servant,

T. W.

THE