I am inclin'd to believe that Women ought not to resist so generous a sentiment, whatever pretence may be suggested, from a regard for Virtue. And indeed, they think themselves virtuous, and are only ungrateful, when they refuse their affection to passionate Lovers, who sacrifice every thing for them. To be too kind, would be a trespass on the rights of Honour; not to be sensible enough, is to cross the nature of their Hearts, which they ought to keep free from perturbation, if possible, but not from a tender impression.
The Ingratitude of the Soul is a natural propensity, not to acknowledge a Service, even without a regard to lnterest. Avarice may sometimes suppress an acknowledgment, to avoid the expence of a return; but pure Ingratitude is, without farther design in it self, averse to all Requitals.
There is another sort of Ingratitude, founded on a conceit of our own worth, when Self-love represents a favour bestow'd upon us, as a piece of justice done to us.
The love of Liberty has likewise its Ingratitude, as well as Self-love. The only subjedtion it allows, is to the Laws; but out of abhorrence of a dependence, it hates the memory of Obligations that shew a superiority in the Benefactor. This makes Republicans ungrateful. They think that a diminution of their Liberty, which is allow'd to Gratitude. Thus Brutus thought it meritorious to sacrifice his Obligations to Liberty. All the kindnesses heap'd on him were converted to injuries, when he began to look upon them as fetters. To sum up all, he cou'd kill a Benefactor that was like to become a Master. An abominable villany amongst the partisans of Gratitude! An admirable virtue with the sticklers of Liberty!
As there are men purely ungrateful, out of a mere sense of Ingratitude, so there are some mere-
