be rouſed by licentious arts or variety. What ſatisfaction could a woman of delicacy promiſe herſelf in a union with ſuch a man, when the very artleſſneſs of her affection might appear inſiped? Thus does Dryden deſcribe the ſituation,
ſide,
On theirs mere ſenſual guſt, and ſought with ſurly pride.'
But one grand truth women have yet to learn, though much it imports them to act accordingly. In the choice of a huſband, they ſhould not be led aſtray by the qualities of a lover—for a lover the huſband, even ſuppoſing him to be wiſe and virtuous, cannot long remain.
Were women more rationally educated, could they take a more comprehenſive view of things, they would be contented to love but once in their lives; and after marriage calmly let paſſion ſubſide into friendſhip—into that tender intimacy, which is the beſt refuge from care; yet is built on ſuch pure, ſtill affections, that idle jealouſies would not be allowed to diſturb the diſcharge of the ſober duties of life, nor to engroſs the thoughts that ought to be otherwiſe employed. This is a ſtate in which many men live; but few, very few women. And the difference may eaſily be accounted for, without recurring to a ſexual character. Men, for whom we are told women were made, have too much occupied the thoughts of women; and this aſſociation has ſo entangled love with all their motives of action; and, to harp a little on an old ſtring, having been ſolely employed either to prepare themſelves to excite love, or actually putting their leſſons in
practice,