vivacity enough to disturb a man’s repose. Not but some of them are very lovely; but then there is nothing to be expected from them; which may be ascrib’d either to their discretion, or to their natural coldness, which serves them instead of virtue. Whatever may be the reason of it, we find in Holland a certain reservedness generally establish’d, and I know not what tradition of Chastity, which passes from Mother to Daughter, like an Article of Faith.
’Tis true, they do not find fault with the Gallantry of young Women, who are honestly allow’d to use all innocent helps to get Husbands. Some conclude the course of their Gallantry in a happy Marriage; while others, more unfortunate, feed themselves with vain hopes of a condition, which is daily put off, and never comes. These long amusements, however, ought not to be imputed to any meditated design of infidelity. A man finds himself disgusted at long run; and a disgust for his Mistress breaks his resolutions of making her his Wife : thus fearing to pass for a deceiver, he has not courage enough to break off, at the same time, when he is not willing to come to a conclusion; and so what by the power of habit and long acquaintance, what out of a foolish vanity of being thought constant, a man makes a shift to keep up languishingly the miserable remains of a worn-out passion. Some examples of this nature, have put very serious reflections into the heads of some young Women, who consider Marriage as an amorous Adventure, and their natural condition as the true state in which they ought to continue.
As for the Wives, when they have once given their Faith, they think they have no right to dispose of themselves, and seem to know nothing in the world, but barely their duty. They
