[ 84 ]
they would break in upon me in the grand Difficulty, and offend the Reader; except a Sort who I am not at this time about to please. Here therefore you must allow me to omit a large and, in its kind, useful Part of the Design it self, namely, the Reproof of scandalous Violences on both Sides even in the Marriage Intimacies, which cannot be spoken of with Decency, and therefore must go unreproved. One would hope it is a sufficient Reproof to those who understand what I mean.
We are but too forward to say, that no one ought to prohibit what God has not prohibited; that what is lawful may lawfully be done, where Nature dictates, say they, and Heaven has not forbid, what can be pretended, that the Rule of Modesty is express'd by Mr. Dryden thus:
"By Nature prompted, by no Law deny'd,
That all things within that Compass are to be allowed, and to restrain farther, is to bind heavy Burthens, which we will not bear our selves.
But my answer is short, where-ever an unrestrained Liberty seems to be given, yet we ought to remember that God gave his Laws to us as to reasonable Creatures, not as to Brutes; that we are to act in no Cases out of the Bounds of Reason and Justice, no nor of Modesty and Decency; if the Circumstances of it seem to be left to our Discretion, that Discretion should be limited by our reasoning Powers; if the Man or Woman, for I speak of, and to both, will tell me, that in the Extasies of their Passion, or Affection, or Appetite, or call it what you will, they are at liberty tolay
