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deſigned the face not only for ornament, but for information. Nay the ſoul flies into our behaviour, and ⟨we⟩ can read its inclination, and diſguſt as legibly in ⟨our⟩ actions, as phyſicians do the ſtate of the body by ⟨the⟩ beating of the pulſe.
A woman diſcarded of modeſty, ought to be gazed upon as a monſter. Let her be ſet off with all the ⟨other⟩ embelliſhments of art and nature, ſo long as holineſs is read in her face, this vice alone will eclipſe her other perfections, and like a cloud overcaſt all the glittering beams of beauty, wit, and dignity.
When a town is well provided within, and ⟨ſtrongly⟩ fenced with out works, a victorious general has ſeldom the courage to attempt the ſiege. The expence, ⟨the⟩ length of time, the loſſes, the uncertainty of ſuccess ſscaur him from the interpriſe: ſo that he wheels of (illegible text) the leſs fortified, as being a more eaſy conqueſt ⟨Our⟩ gallants ſeem to follow the ſame method, they are ⟨ſo⟩ far from tempting a modeſt woman that they dare ⟨ſcarce⟩ look her in the face. Per countenance and air ⟨rather⟩ fright paſſion than excite it: they conjure down ⟨impure⟩ love, and raiſe reſpect and eſteem. In fine, ſhe is encompaſſed with modeſty, that there is no making ⟨an⟩ approach, and of conſequence no proſpect of ſucceſs, and this difficulty cools the moſt fiery luſt, and diſcourages the most violent ſenſuality. None but a ruffian will attempt to violate ſuch a ſanctuary
But when they eſpy a lady without reſervedneſs, ⟨who⟩ is endued with many attractive qualities, and has nothing that awes, no works that guards her virtue, they are tempted to ſtorm her conſtancy, and if ſhe lends ⟨a⟩ patient ear to the enconiums of her wit and beauty, ſhe ſtays to receive the attack, ſhe is in danger of being at diſcreation. For, in ſhort, this remiſſneſs is a kind of capitulation, it a ſore mark that the defendant preſſed, and then follows a ſurrender. So that the neceſſity of this virtue ought to awake the care of ladies and quicken their endeavours to purchaſe it.
Modeſty is a mixture of gravity and ſweetneſs, that ſtamps plety on the behaviour, and makes the divine
