man Tullia, the Perfian Paryfatis, and, that we may not pafs by the facred Annals, Jezebel and Athalia. I forbear to multiply examples of this kind, of which all ages have produc'd fome fo eminent, as have render'd it a common obfervation, that no cruelty exceeds that of an exafperated Woman. And it is not much to be wonder'd at, fince nothing can be fo ill in its priftine ftate, as that which degenerates from a better. No enmity, we know, fo bitter, as that of alienated friends; no fuch perfecution as that of Apoftates, and proportionably, no fuch ferity as that of a perverted mildnefs. So that the Poets were not much out, who as they reprefented the Graces under the figures of Women, fo they did the Furies too. And fince 'tis in their election which part they will act, they ought to be very jealous over themselves. The declinations to any vice are gradual, fometimes at first scarce difcernable; and probably the greatest monsters of cruelty, would at the beginning have detefted thofe inhumanities, which afterwards they acted with greediness.

18. IT concerns them therefore to ward off those beginnings, whofe end may be fo fatal. She that is quick in apprehending an affront, perhaps will not be fo quick in difmiffing that apprehenfion; and if it be permitted to stay, twill quickly improve: twenty little circumftances fhall be fuborn'd to foment it with new I

fufpi

fufpicions, 'till at last it grow to a quarrel, from thence to hatred, from that to malice, and from that to revenge; and when that black paffion has overfpread the mind, like an Egyptian darkness, it admits no gleam of Reafon, or Religion, but hurries the enrag'd blindfold to their own ruin often, as well as others.

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19. LET none think this only a fancy or fcheme of difcourfe: there have been too many tragical experiments of its truth. How many men have been mortally engag'd upon no weightier original than the spleen of a Woman? The frantick notion of honour among our Duellifts, fitly correfponding with the as frantick impulfes of feminine revenge, and any imaginary injury (or perhaps but juft imputation) to the Lady, obliging her Gallant to rush upon the moft real fin and danger. A madness fomething beyond that which the Romances defcribe of Knight-Errantry: for that generally is for the relief of diftrefs'd Damfels; but this is only to humour the too profperous ones, the infolent and the proud. Those therefore that have obferv'd the common occafions of Duels, have not unfitly divided them between Wine and Women; it being hard to fay which is the moft intoxicating and befotting. The fon of Sirach couples them together, Ecclus. 19. 2. Wine and Women will make men of understanding fall awry. The many modern examples of this mif

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chief,

chief, as they should strike an extreme terrour into thofe Women, who have been any way acceffory to the death, or but danger of any Man; fo are they just matter of caution to all, fo to regulate their Paffions, that they never come within diftance of Implacability; for if once they arrive there, themselves can give no stop.

20. In order to this, 'twill be well to confider at the first incitation, what the real ground is perhaps fometimes they are angry (as the Galatians were at St. Paul, Gal. 4. 16.) at thofe that tell them the truth; fome fcandalous, or at least fufpicious behaviour, may have engag'd a friend to admonish them; (an office that has fometimes prov'd very fatal: those commonly that have moft guilt, having leaft patience to hear of it.) And if this be the cafe, 'tis the greatest injuftice in the world, to make that a quarrel, which is really an obligation: and therefore inftead of maligning their Monitour, they ought to thank and reverence him. Nay, tho' the accufation be not with that candid defign, but be meant as a reproach; yet if it be true, it fhould not excite anger at their accufers, but remorfe, and refor mation in themselves.

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21. IT was the faying of a wife Man, that he profited more by his enemies than his friends; because they would tell him more roundly of his faults. And this is excellently

improv'd by Plutarch in his Tract, of the benefits to be reap'd from Enemies: fo that even a malicious accufation may be a kindness, and confequently ought not to be repaid with an injury. But fuppofe, in the laft place, that the afperfion be not only unkind, but untrue; it will not even then be fafe, to let loose to their indignation. First, in refpect of Pru dence, an angry vindication ferving the defign of the enemy, and helping to spread the calumny; whereas a wife neglect and diffembling, do's often ftifle and fupprefs it. Secondly, in refpect of duty, for all that own themfelves Chriftians, muft confefs, they are under an obligation to forgive, and not to revenge. Now if they intend to pay a real obedience to this Precept, 'twill be the more eafy, the fooner they fet to it. He that fees his houfe on fire, will not dally with the flame, much less blow or extend it, refolving to quench it at laft; and anger is as little to be trufted, which if once throughly kindled, will fcarce expire, but with the destruction of the fubject it works on,

22. LET therefore the difoblig'd not look back upon the injury, but forward to those inifchiefs, which too fharp a refentment may betray them to: let them confider, that the boiling of their blood, may finally cause the effufion of another's, and wrath may fwell into murder. If they would do thus, and instead

of

of those magnifying opticks, wherein they view the wrong, make ufe of the other end of the perspective, to difcern the difmal event at a diftance; it would fure fright them from any nearer approach, would keep them within those bounds which their duty prescribes them, and thereby acquaint them with a much greater, and more ingenuous pleasure than their highest revenge can give them; I mean that of forgiving injuries, and obliging the injurious. This is a pleasure fo pure and refin'd, fo noble and heroick, that none but rational natures are capable of it; whereas that of Spight and Revenge (if it can be call'd a pleafure) is a mere beftial one: every, the moft contemptible, animal can be angry when 'tis molefted, and endeavour to return the mischief.

23. IT fhould therefore, methinks, be an eafy determination, whether to embrace that Clemency and Compaffion, which we fee exemplify'd in the wifeft and best of Men, nay, in the Omniscient, Immortal God; or that favage fierceness of the ignobleft creatures. This is certain, that no Woman would be content to affume the outward form of any of those why then should they subject their nobler part, the Mind, to fuch a transformation? For as there are no Monsters fo deform'd, as thofe which are compounded of Man and Beaft; fo among them all, nothing

can