for imagining that almost every houfe was infefted with perverseness or oppreffion beyond human fufferance, did we not know upon how small occafions fome minds burft out into lamentations and reproaches, and how naturally every animal revenges his pain upon those who happen to be near, without any nice examination of its caufe. We are always willing to fancy ourselves within a little of happiness, and when, with repeated efforts, we cannot reach it, perfuade ourselves that it is intercepted by an illpaired mate, fince, if we could find any other obftacle, it would be our own fault that it was not removed.

Anatomists have often remarked, that though our diseases are fufficiently numerous and fevere, yet when we enquire into the ftructure of the body, the tenderness of some parts, the minuteness of others, and the immenfe multiplicity of animal functions that must concur to the healthful and vigorous exercife of all our powers, there appears reafon to wonder rather that we are preferved fo long, than that we perish fo foon, and that our frame fubfists for a fingle day, or hour, without diforder, rather than that it should be broken or obftructed by violence of accidents, or length of time.

The fame reflection arifes in my mind, upon obfervation of the manner in which marriage is frequently contracted. When I fee the avaricious and crafty taking companions to their tables, and their beds, without any enquiry, but after farms and money; or the giddy and thoughtlefs uniting themselves for life to thofe whom they have only feen by the light of tapers at a ball; when parents make articles for their children, without enquiring after their con

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fent; when fome marry for heirs to disappoint their brothers, and others throw themselves into the arms of those whom they do not love, because they have found themselves rejected where they were moft foli-' citous to please; when fome marry because their fervants cheat them, fome because they fquander their own money, fome because their houses are pestered with company, fome because they will live like other people, and fome only because they are fick of them-' felves, I am not fo much inclined to wonder that' marriage is fometimes unhappy, as that it appears fo little loaded with calamity; and cannot but conclude that fociety has fomething in itfelf eminently agreeable to human nature, when I find its pleasures" fo great that even the ill choice of a companion can hardly overbalance them.

By the ancient cuftom of the Mufcovites, the men and women never faw each other till they were" joined beyond the power of parting. It may be fufpected that by this method many unfuitable matches were produced, and many tempers affociated that were not qualified to give pleasure to each other. Yet, perhaps, among a people fo little delicate, where the paucity of gratifications, and the uniformity of life gave no opportunity for imagination to interpofe its objections, there was not much danger of capricious dislike, and while they felt neither cold nor hunger, they might live quietly together, without any thought of the defects of one another.

Amongst us, whom knowledge has made nice, and affluence wanton, there are, indeed, more cautions requifite to fecure tranquillity; and yet if we observe the manner in which thofe converfe, who have

fingled out each other for marriage, we fhall, perhaps, not think that the Ruffians loft much by their restraint. For the whole endeavour of both parties, during the time of courtship, is to hinder themselves from being known, and to disguise their natural temper, and real defires, in hypocritical imitation, studied compliance, and continued affectation. From the time that their love is avowed, neither fees the other but in a mask, and the cheat is managed often on both fides with fo much art, and difcovered afterwards with fo much abruptnefs, that each has reafon to fufpect that fome transformation has happened on the wedding-night, and that by a ftrange impofture one has been courted, and another married.

I defire you, therefore, Mr. RAMBLER, to question all who shall hereafter come to you with matrimonial complaints, concerning their behaviour in the time of courtship, and inform them that they are neither to wonder nor repine, when a contract begun with fraud has ended in disappointment.

NUMB. 46. SATURDAY, August 25, 1750.

INCE I find that you have paid fo much re

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gard to my complaints as to publish them, I am inclined by vanity, or gratitude, to continue our correfpondence; and indeed, without either of these motives, am glad of an opportunity to write, for I am not accustomed to keep in any thing that fwells my heart, and have here none with whom I can freely converse. While I am thus employed, fome tedious hours will flip away, and when I return to watch the clock, I shall find that I have disburdened myself of part of the day.

You perceive that I do not pretend to write with much confideration of any thing but my own convenience; and, not to conceal from you my real fentiments, the little time which I have spent, against my will, in folitary meditation, has not much contributed to my veneration for authors. I have now fufficient reafon to fufpect that, with all your fplendid profeffions of wisdom, and seeming regard for truth, you have very little fincerity; that you either write what you do not think, and willingly impofe upon mankind,

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mankind, or that you take no care to think right, but while you fet up yourselves as guides, mislead your followers by credulity or negligence; that you produce to the publick whatever notions you can fpeciously maintain, or elegantly exprefs, without enquiring whether they are juft; and tranfcribe hereditary falfehoods from old authors perhaps as ignorant and carelefs as yourselves.

You may perhaps wonder that I express myself with fo much acrimony on a question in which women are supposed to have very little intereft; and you are likely enough, for I have feen many inftances of the fauciness of scholars, to tell me, that I am more properly employed in playing with my kittens, than in giving myfelf airs of criticism, and cenfuring the learned. But you are mistaken, if you imagine that I am to be intimidated by your contempt, or filenced by your reproofs. As I read, I have a right to judge; as I am injured, I have a right to complain; and thefe privileges, which I have purchased at fo dear a rate, I fhall not eafily be perfuaded to refign.

To read has, indeed, never been my business, but as there are hours of leifure in the most active life, I' have paffed the fuperfluities of time, which the diverfions of the town left upon my hands, in turning. over a large collection of tragedies and romances, where, amongst other fentiments, common to all authors of this clafs, I have found almoft every page filled with the charms and happinefs of a country life; that life to which every ftatefman in the highest elevation of his profperity is contriving to retire; that life to which every tragic heroine in fome fcene

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