ing our fubmiffion to him fo far, as to blefs his correcting hand, and kiss that rod that cures our paffionate eagerness, perversenefs, and folly. We ought likewife to learn from fuch things, to look upon the fad accidents of life, as not worthy to be compared with what Chrift underwent for our fakes, who, though he was a Son, yet he learnt obedience by the things that be fuffered; and with Christian refignation live in a quiet expectance of a future happy ftate, after our patience has had its perfect work: Confidering that these light and momentary afflictions, are not worthy to be compared with the glory that Chrift hath purchased for us ; and if we are faithful to death, hath promised to bestow upon us. In all these things refigning to the wifdem of God, and not merely to his will and authority, believing his difpofal to be wisest and beft; and that his declarations and promises are true, though we cannot in fome cafes difcern the reafon of fuch an end, and fuch means being connected: Nor can imagine how fome promises can be made good. Patience, (I faid) my foul! Patience, and what thou knoweft not now, thou fhalt M 4 fhalt know in a little time. Thus I reafoned, as I fat with my eyes shut. Thoughts on wives and whores. §. 3. And when I had done, I called to Soto ô Finn, my man, to bring the horses out immediately, and I would go fomewhere or other to fee new fcenes, and if I could, get another wife: As I was born with the disease of repletion, and had made a resolution not to fornicate; it was incumbent on me to have a fifter and companion, with whom I might lawfully carry on the fucceffion. As a friend to fociety, and paffively-obedient to the laws of my higher country, a wife for ever, I declared; for, if on lofing one, we can be still fo fortunate as to get another, who pretty without pride; witty without affectation; to virtue only and her friends a friend: is Whofe fenfe is great, and great her skill, And faithful to her friend and truft: If fuch a charmer fhould again appear, and ten thousand fuch there ever are among the fex, filly and bafe though the majority may may, be; what man could fay he had had. enough of wedlock, because he had buried. feven fuch wives? I am fure I could not.. And if, like the men who were but striplings at fourfcore, in the beginning of this world, I was to live for ages, and by accidents loft fuch partners as I have described; I would with rapture take hundreds of them to my breaft, one after another, and. piously propagate the kind. The most defpicable of all creatures is a whore. An abomination to heaven: And if God was a mere fanciful fear; yet fuch a wretch the prostitute is, that neither bonour nor honesty can ever be expected from her. But, in. defiance to divine and human lares, fhe lives a foe to mankind; to ruin the fortune, pox the body, and for ever damn the foul of the miferable man, who is dunce enough to become a Limberham to the execrable wretch.. The misfortunes I have known happen to gentlemen of my acquaintance, by freetwhores, chamber-whores, and kept-whores,. would make a volume as large as this I am writing and leave another world quite out of the hiftory. I have feen gentlemen of the best fortunes and education, become wornout beggars in the ftreets of London, without any thing hardly to cover them, by the means of thofe execrable harlots; fomehave become bullies to bawdy-houses; and M 5 many many I have beheld going to the gallows, by maintaining the falfest and leaft-engaging of women: But take a modeft fenfible woman to your heart, who has the fear of the great God before her eyes, and a regard to the laws of her country: Share your fortune generously with her, that she may have her innocent amusements and dress, be for ever good-humoured, be true to her bed, and every felicity you may taste that it is poffible to enjoy in this lower hemifphere. Let a wife be our choice, as we are rationals. The fate of Orton-lodge, on my arrival. §. 4. With these notions in my head, I mounted my horfe; and determined, in the first place, to pay a visit to my two beauties at Orion-lodge, who were by this time at age, and fee what opinions they had acquired, and if they had any command for me: But when I arrived at my romantic fpot, I found the ladies were gone, all places fhut up, and no foul there; the key of the houfe-door was left for me, and a note faftened to it, to inform me how the affair was. SIR, Not having had the favour of hearing from you for almoft three years, and defpairing of that honour and happiness any more, we have left your fine folitude, to look after our fortunes, as we are of age; and on enquiry have found, that old Cock, our cruel guardian, is dead and gone. We are under infinite obligations to you, have an extreme fenfe of your goodness, and hope, if you are yet in the land of the living, that we fhall foon be so happy as to get fome account of you, to the end we may return the weighty balance due from, From the date of this letter it appeared, that they were not a month gone before my arrival, but to what place they faid not, and it was in vain for me to enquire. I found every thing in good order, and all the goods fafe; the garden full of fruits and vegetables, and plenty of various eatables in the house, pickled, potted, and preferved. As it was in the month of June, the folitude looked vaftly charming |