other cases, where the thing contested is neither immoral, indecent, immodest, nor dishonourable, the wife, if she cannot prevail by sober and calm remonstrances, is under an obligation to yield. Persuasion, and the utmost force of reason, she may justly make use of; but, if these are ineffectual, submission, for the good and order of the whole, is her wisely appointed duty.

Let me add here, though it has been just hinted at before, another motive, to corroborate and enforce the more general motives from religion and virtue, already suggested; viz., that the wife is much more likely to gain the end, which she herself aims at, by submission, than by a proud and unnatural opposition. If she is gentle and obliging, and, instead of appearing desirous of power, is wholly intent on offices of love, she may have an equal rule with the husband in most cases; and will, in all probability, if we form our judgment upon common experience, have a degree of transcendency, which God and nature have not allotted to her. In this case, as well as in most others, has the wise Author of the human constitution inseparably connected the duty and interest of every individual in the race of mankind

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CHAPTER II.

LOVE.

THE next branch of the duty of wives, which, according to the order proposed, I am now to consider, is love; an undissembled, chaste, generous, sympathising, constant love. Love of a friend there may be, and of other particular relations, besides this; these are all distinct branches and offices of universal benevolence; but, in what is properly called conjugal affection, no object, but the husband, ought to have the least share. And this, of which we are now only speaking, may then be said to be undissembled, when it is centred in him alone. The same is, likewise, one character of chaste love; as another is, that it springs from reason, friendship, virtue, the sublimest ties to mutual affection, and not from passion and mere animal impulse. And if this be the case, it will be tender without growing nauseous; generous from its principles; sympathising on the noblest ground of rational esteem and complacency; and equally constant in youth and age, in sickness and health, in plenty and indigence, and all the revolutions and

varieties of outward condition-which reason and generous love are prepared to encounter.

And that this belongs indispensably to the duty of wives, may be argued from all the general topics, by which I have, before, enforced the same branch of the husband's duty; viz., first, The nature of the matrimonial relation, as in reason, and by the express institution of God, a state of the most intimate union, the most perfect and exalted friendship: a state in which children, servants, substance, persons, are, as it were, inseparably mixed and blended together. So that the love of the wife and of the husband are in a manner self-love, as properly as they are acts of benevolence; an aversion to the wife or to the husband, the same as self-aversion, and an alienation of the heart from our own true interest.

Besides, the obligation to love, in all cases of this kind, must necessarily imply in it, an obligation to mutual love, and the wife must either be bound to exercise and cultivate soft and tender sentiments with respect to her husband, or she cannot, upon any rules and measures of justice, expect the returns of affection from him. In truth, the obligation in her sex (if any difference can at all be made) is rather more explicitly and strongly enforced by nature; as she has, from

her very form, peculiar dispositions and incitements to kind and endearing offices.

Add to this, that as the wife has some particular circumstances attending her station, that require to be sweetened and relieved, so has the husband. Her pains may be the greatest; but, as a balance to that, perhaps, upon the whole, his anxieties. The bringing up and nourishing the tender infant family are her peculiar allotment; but the solicitude of providing for their security, comfort, and honour, in all future life, falls more immediately within his province.

In the execution of this trust, he is liable to numberless disappointments and embarrassments,, unforeseen, and consequently unprovided for; he is obliged to watch carefully opportunities of advantage, to guard against occasions of loss and detriment, to repel fraud, to prevent being over-reached by cunning and avarice, and obviate the ill effects of indiscretion, or of confidence unfitly reposed. He will probably meet with such oppositions, and have such contrarieties of temper to deal with, as may put his patience to its utmost proof; and, after all the efforts of his reason and moderation, irritate and ruffle his mind. And from whence, in these cases, can his relief so surely and effectually spring, as from the tender and obliging endearments of a discreet

and virtuous wife? And how much will his inward perturbation be increased, if, from wrath, abuse, and disappointment abroad, he retires, only to meet with furies of hatred, insolence, and contradiction at home?

It must, therefore, be the duty of every wife, to try, by an engaging address and an officious Love, to mitigate the husband's disquietudes, to calm his temper, and allay his passions; to receive him after absence, especially when there are visible appearances of his being uneasy and discomposed, with testimonies of peculiar respect and affection; to be able, as far as lies in her power, to give him an agreeable account of domestic concerns, and to enliven and raise him by pleasing discourse; for which last, she should endeavour to qualify herself to the utmost of her ability and circumstance, both by proper reading and conversation. This is the most likely means to reduce him to a state of inward serenity and peace, and bind him down to constant love and fidelity.

There are other expressions of conjugal affection, on the part of the wife, which are likewise absolutely necessary-as the being jealous of her husband's honour, and studious to preserve it clear and undiminished; the being indulgent to his failings, and industrious to conceal them; the