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sure, destroy the End of Matrimony; and if they do not make it void, yet they rob the Parties of the social Comfort of a married Life; and some indeed entirely destroy those Comforts themselves.
If any Man shall tell me, those Inequalities may be made up by prudent Conduct on both Sides; that no Man must expect a Life of perfect suitability; that Tempers, Opinions, Passions, Desires, Aversions, Ends and Aims, should all agree; and, above all, that even where they clash and disagree, yet there is no absolute necessity that they should interrupt the felicity of Life, make Matrimony a kind of Damnation, the House a Bedlam, and the Conversation a Hell, a State of Strife, Rage, Fury, and eternal Contention. All this I grant.
But if they shall add, that therefore these things are Trifles, are of no Moment; that they are not worth interrupting the other Views of Matrimony, and that they are to be referred to after Discretion on both Sides. He that shall talk thus seriously, all I can say to him is, I am sorry for his Head. It is true, that Prudence will go a great Way towards reconciling unsuitable Things; and Christians will learn by the Christian Law to abate on both Sides, forbearing one another in love.
Nay, I'll go farther: Continual Jarrings in Families sometimes find a Time of Truce, and the Husband and Wife, like two Combatants, wearied with Blows, lie still and take Breath. But alas, what is this! 'tis but to recover Strength for a more furious Rencounter; the lucid Intervals being over, the Fire rekindles; the Passions break out and burn with the more Force, the Rage is redoubled; and we may sayof
