chief, as they should ftrike 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 ftop.

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 Galations were at St. Paul, Gal. 4. 16.) at thofe that tell them the truth; fome fcandalous, or at leaft fufpicious behaviour, may have engag'd a friend to admonish them; (an office that has fometimes prov'd very fatal: thofe commonly that have moft guilt, having leaft patience to hear of it.) And if this be the cafe, 'tis the greateft injustice in the world, to make that a quarrel, which is really an ob ligation 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.

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

I 2

improv'd by Plutarch in his Tract, of the benefits to be reap'd from Enemies: so 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. Firft, in refpect of Prudence, 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 house 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 trusted, which if once throughly kindled, will fcarce expire, but with the deftruction of the fubject it works on.

22. LET therefore the disoblig'd not look back upon the injury, but forward to those mischiefs, which too sharp 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 perfpective, to difcern the difmal event at a distance; 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 Spite and Revenge (if it can be call'd a pleasure) is a mere beftial one: every, the most contemptible, animal can be angry when 'tis molefted, and endeavour to return the mischief.

23. IT should therefore, methinks, be an eafy determination, whether to embrace that Clemency and Compaffion, which we fee exemplify'd in the wifeft and beft 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 fhould they fubject their nobler part, the Mind, to fuch a transformation? For as there are no Monsters fo deform'd, as those which are compounded of Man and Beast; fo among them all, nothing

can

can be more unnatural, more odious, than a Woman-Tiger. I conclude all with the advice of Solomon, Prov. 17. 14. The beginning of ftrife is as when one letteth out water: therefore leave off contention, before it be medled with. When once a breach is made upon the fpirit by immoderate anger, all the confequent mifchiefs will flow in, like a rapid ftream, when the banks are broken down; nor is there any way to prevent it, but by keeping the mounds entire, preferving that Tenderness and Compaffion, which God and Nature do equally enforce and recommend.

1

SECT.

I.

Of Affability.

N the next place we may reckon Affability and Courtefy; which as it is amiable in all, fo it is fingularly fo in Women of Quality, and more univerfally neceffary in them than in the other Sex. For men have often charges and employments which do juftify, nay perhaps, require fomewhat of fternnefs and aufterity; but Women ordinarily have few or no occafions of it, and those who have well digefted the former Lectures of Meekness and Compaffion, will not be apt to put it on unneceffarily. Now Affability may be confider'd, either as a mere human Accomplishment, or as a divine Vertue: in either notion 'tis commendable, but 'tis the latter that gives it the highest Excellence and Perfection.

2. To begin with the first notion of it, we may make an estimate of its worth, by its Cause and by its Effects. For its Caufe, it derives it self, either from a native candour and generofity of Mind, or from a noble and ingenuous Education, or fometimes jointly from both; and these are as good Originals, as any thing merely moral can flow from. And that these are indeed