as it comprehends that celebrated example of uniting religion with politenefs, handed down to us from the ancients, in these few words,

"Sacrifice to the Graces."

THE DISCREET WIFE.

In the gay reign of king Charles II, there was a young lady, whom I fhall call Sophia, who was one of the maids of honour to the duchefs of York, that drew the attention of the whole court upon her; fhe was the reigning toaft of that gallant age, and equally admired by the men of pleasure, and men of wit; with her beauty fhe was strictly modeft; with her wit fhe was prudent and good-natured. Among her numerous train of admirers, none feemed fo agreeable and deferving her esteem, as the young lord Altemont, who, incapable of any base designs, even when fuch defigns were thought rather an honour than a reflection, gave fuch assurances of his love, that Sophia eafily furrendered her heart. Sophia's aunt, who was her guardian, readily confented to the match, and the nuptials were celebrated with a mutual joy. As this was a marriage not made up by treaty, but free choice and inclinations, they did not fall into that modish coldness and complaifant indifference people of fashion are soon apt to do. My lord was a man of unusual sweetness and affability of temper, which, when joined to that of Sophia's, muft neceffarily make

him happy with his wife; yet this happiness of temper drew him into fome misfortunes; his eafinefs and credulity of the generofity and openness of fome compa➡ nions, had like to have leffened his domeftic felicity, had not Sophia's difcretion prevented it. My lord had contracted a most intimate acquaintance with one Mr.Grinly, a man of a pleasant conversation, had a pretty knack of telling a story, fung agreeably, was an arch mimic; and, in fhort, a humourous droll, whofe particular talent was to make people laugh. Such was his public character; but this was only a mask to conceal the tricking gamefter, and the defigning pander. To render himself more powerful with men of quality, he made himself inftrumental to their follies or their vices. My lord Altemont was not inclined to any of these vices that Grinfly was procurer of; yet this wretch had cunning enough to draw him into all : With drinking, his health foon began to impair; with lofes, his temper was often foured; with wenching, that fondness and cordial love he was used to show to his lady, began to cease. Sophia was not a little alarmed at this conduct; fhe was too well informed of his vices; yet difcreetly thought, that any violent oppofition would but heighten the mischief; on the contrary, fhe took care to make home as easy to him as poffible; ftudious to oblige him, she never dis. gufted him with harsh reproaches, or fatirical reflections on his conduct; neither, tho' careful to please him, did she run into an extreme of fondnefs; she was not fond when the thought it would be difagreeable; for fhe knew that a wife without discretion may make the ten

dereft

dereft endearments the most troublesome, Sophia was gay or fond, as fhe found my lord in the temper to receive either; and without letting him know she had an information of his gaming abroad, would propofe cards or hazard at home, with fuch company as she thought would please him; and never forgot to include Mr. Grinfly among them.

Sometimes her propofol was accepted, and by that means found out the sharper, the pander, the flatterer, and the villain, in the drolling Mr. Grindy.

Luckily for this discreet lady it happened, that, at the fame time, Flavilla, a beautiful lady, who had married my lord's brother, was extremely uneafy by her jealoufy; for, being certainly informed of her hufband's keeping a woman of the town, and, at the same time being ruined by sharpers at gaming, Flavilla came one day to my lord to complain of his brother's conduct, and falfhood to her bed: She cried, the raved, she threatened to live not a moment longer with him. My lord did what he could to pacify her, but all in vain; my lady fucceeded better, who taking this opportunity to fhew my lord his own foibles, thus addreffed herself to her fifter: "I fancy, dear fifter, said she,

you want only a little prudential good humour to re"claim your husband; beauty and wit will not avail "without difcretion. There is a paffive kind of vir"tue neceffary to fhew him his follies; it must not be "done with ill-nature and conftant reproaches on his " conduct, which, I am afraid, is your method. If my "lord Altemont was guilty of the fame follies, (which

"I dare

"I dare affirm he never will) I should myself act as I

advise you. You have beauty enough to pleafe a "hufband; have therefore an equal defire to do it; be "the more ftudious of his humour, as he is more faulty "in his conduct; and let your affability fhew his in"juftice in wronging you: Nor can you think this po"licy falfe, when the mistreffes men vifit, exert all "their little arts to please them, and render their company agreeable; and this for gain only, without ho

nour, without conscience, and without love. Why "then should not a virtuous woman fhew as great a defire to please her husband, as the artful jilts do to “ please their gallants. In fhort, make home entirely easy to him, and by endeavouring to fix his felicity, you will fix your own."

Flavilla was pleased with her advice; my lord approved it, and was fecretly touched to the foul, for his tranfgreffions against so incomparable a wife, who had acted what she spoke, and had more perfonal charms than the woman, his falfe friend, had introduced him

to.

When he had recollected himself, he proposed that his fifter should bring her husband to dinner next day, and that his lady fhopld repeat what she had already faid, and he was affured it would have an excellent effect. It was agreed, but with this difcreet condition of lady Sophia, that her discourse should be directed to my lord, to take off any fufpicion, that her difcourfe was directed to his brother. The next day they met, and my lord faw himself discreetly attacked by his lady for his real faults, while fhe feemed to take them for ima

ginary. To what fhe had faid before, fhe added fome reflections on the ill choice men of quality make of their acquaintance; among whom are the men of laughing buffoons, who lead them into all the vices of the age, under the false pretence of friendship; at which words looking at my lord in the most tender manner, the concluded, "Thefe, my lord, are wretched friends, who "lead you into fuch evils; on the contray, the friend

ship between man and wife is cemented by virtue, “ love, and interest; and cannot be dissolved without "destroying the happiness of both. Let not then, my "lord, any false friend deceive you to your ruin. I

defire a continuance of your love only fo long as I "endeavour to deferve it."-At these words my lord overcome with the foft reproach, expreffed himself in raptures, and a promise of mutual love, and mutual happiness infued. These transports were followed by the like by the brother and his wife, who owned himfelf a convert to virtue and matrimonial love. Thus, what neither beauty nor wit could effect, difcretion did: their lives afterwards were profperous, and their deaths happy.

MORAL MISCELLANY.

THE CHARACTER OF A GOOD WIFE.

THE good wife is one, who, ever mindful of the folemn contract which she hath entered into, is strictly and confcientiously virtuous, conftant and faithful to her husband: