When I made these Reflections, I was of Opinion, that the Case of married Women, in comparison of that of their Husbands, was not a little hard and unequal. But as the World now goes, I am apt to think, that a Husband is in no desirable Situation; his Honour is in his Wife’s keeping, and what Man of Honour can be satisfied with the Conduct which the Licentiousness of the Age not only permits, but would endeavour to authorize as a Part of good Breeding? And what makes his Case the worse, he must dissemble his Uneasiness, stifle his Resentments, and not dare to take the proper Methods of preventing and curing the Disorder. So great is our Corruption, that such as pretend to make a true Estimate of Human Life, and very freely Satirize both Sexes for lesser Crimes, are not asham’d to recommend this, prescribing a known Sin as a Cure for what is not absolutely unlawful in it self, though very pernicious in its Consequences, when carried to Excess. Not that I would in any manner apologize for Gaming, which, when carried to Excess, is ruinous to both Sexes, especially to Women; who, when given to this Vice, disregard their Husbands, and Oeconomy, neglect the Education of their Children, spend their Fortunes as much as they can, and, which is not the least Inconveniency, when they lose to Men more than they are able to pay, they give their Creditor Opportunity to make insolent Demands. But sure, any Husband, who is not sunk to the lowest Degree of Infamy, had rather his Wife should waste his Money at _Quadrille_, than Intrigue with a _Colonel_. _If Sin you must_ (says an admirable Author, whose Panegyricks are Satires, and his Satires Panegyricks) ——_take Nature for your Guide, Love has some soft Excuse to sooth your Pride._ Can we read this excellent Advice of this very moral Satirist, without remembring what the _Psalmist_ says of some of his Cotemporaries; _When thou sawest a Thief thou consentedst unto him, and hast been Partaker with the Adultery_? For, sure of all other Thieves he is the most criminal, who (under Pretence of Friendship, perhaps) robs a Man of his most valued Effects, deprives him of his Honour, and of the Quiet and Comfort of his Life. Nature and Love, as they, injuriously to both, miscall their brutal Appetite, are very different from what our Author would represent them. Variety by no Means answers the End of Nature in providing for Posterity. And enough has been said, to shew, that such Professions of Love are most abusive, and the Effect of their Passion the most outrageous Injury that Hatred can produce: A Woman is never so effectually _humble_, as the Scripture elegantly expresses it, than when a Man obtains his Desires. And if she consents, she renders her self despicable in his Eyes as well as in the Eyes of others. Thus the _English_ Muse very truly sings: “_That wretched She, who yields to guilty Joys, “A Man may_ Pity, _but he_ MUST Despise.”