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 THE LIBRARY 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 LETTERS 
 
 O N 
 
 LOVE, MARRIAGE, AND ADULTERY. 
 
 i PRICE TWO SHILLINGS AND SIX-PEN 
 
 .
 
 LETTERS 
 
 O N 
 
 LOVE, MARRIAGE, 
 
 AND 
 
 ADULTERY; 
 
 ADDRESSED TO THE RIGHT HONORABLE 
 
 THE EARL OF EXETER, 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 printed for j. r1dgway, no. i, york street, 
 
 st. james's square. 
 
 -- 
 
 MDCCtXXXIX. 
 
 7 S >
 
 L5& 
 
 LETTERS. 
 
 LETTER L 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 THE name of CficiL, is refpe&able in 
 . the political and civil hiftory of Britain : 
 and you derive your honours and wealth 
 from fources which fhould produce the no- 
 bleft ambition ; that of improving the laws 
 and political conftitution of your country. 
 
 The private character of your lord (hip-, 
 I have often found a fubjecl of praife : and 
 in your tafte for the arts ; particularly in 
 your paflion for mufic, you difplay the qua- 
 lities of a munificent patron. 
 
 B The
 
 2 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 The objects of patronage in a nobis 
 houfe, determine the principles of education 
 through all its branches. r// c 
 
 I will not wound your lordfhip's mind 
 by minute and public references to a late 
 event in your family ; which I could trace 
 to its general caufes . I would only avail my- 
 felf of it, to turn your lordfhip's attention 
 to thofe caufes, and engage your efforts to 
 remove them. .., k ri 
 
 Compare the pofllble confequences of fuch 
 efforts, with thofe of your prefent purfuits. 
 To diflipate the corroding reflections of 
 royalty, by the commemoration of Handel ; 
 or to render mufic the means of fupportino* 
 its profefTors what objects for the ambi- 
 tion of a Cecil ! while the constitution is 
 mouldering nto ruins ; while the itatute- 
 books hold laws, which contaminate at the 
 fpring, all the happinefs of domefti elite! 
 
 The glorious revolution in France, hath 
 ftunned the Englilh adminiftration : for, in 
 providing againfl: the abufes of a free con- 
 ftitution, the patriots of France minutely 
 delineate the actual government of England. 
 This is fullenly, but fecretly refented : for 
 
 the
 
 INTRODUCTION. 3 . 
 
 the national fympathy, with Gallic pa- 
 triotifm, is at this time fo ftrong, that the 
 minifter, who would intimate an obftru6tion, 
 or (hew a difpoation to take advantage 
 of its diftrefs, would be fuipended at the 
 treafury lamp, with the cordial approba- 
 tion of the kingdom. 
 
 I do not call on you, my lord, to antici- 
 pate the neceffity which I fee approaching, 
 a venal and perfidious adminiftration. 
 
 I urge you not, on the ftate of parliamen- 
 tary reprefentation ; on the corrupt influ- 
 ence of the India Company ; on the accu- 
 mulation of taxes to ferve the purpofes of 
 jobbers ; on the dreadful condition of the 
 magiftracy, the police, and the poor. It is 
 hoped, the people of England will foon be 
 inftructed, in a mode of directing their re- 
 prefentatives and their legiflature on thefe 
 fubjeas. I folicit your lordftlip to an un- 
 dertaking lefs arduous ; to remove thofe 
 evils which have affected your peace, and 
 clouded your hopes. 
 
 The common and ftatute laws, reflect- 
 ing love, marriage, and adultery, I will 
 not fpecify at this time. Perhaps the fol- 
 B 2 lowing
 
 4 INTRODUCTION. 
 
 lowing con federations may induce your 
 lordfhip to examine, and to lay them be-' 
 fore parliament for revifal and amend- 
 ment. 
 
 I have the honor to be, 
 My lord, 
 Your lordfhip's moft obedient 
 And moft humble fervant, 
 The AUTHOR. 
 
 
 LETTER
 
 LOVE. 
 
 LETTER 'II. 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 THE principle of union between the 
 fexes, has been varioufly denominated, 
 and has been in efteem or dififteem, as it has 
 appeared in a natural ftate, or perverted 
 by cufioms and inftitutions. The ancients 
 deified every confiderabie principle in hu- 
 man nature ; and finding love to be highly 
 powerful, they affigned it high diftinclions, 
 and prudently peribnified it by a feminine 
 deity. Venus was not only a daughter of 
 Jupiter, but a favourite, whofe fmiles over- 
 ruled all things but the decrees of fate; 
 who held in pleafing, becaufe voluntary, 
 thraldom all the inhabitants of heaven and 
 earth. When we confider the reafon or 
 philofophy of this allegory, we wonder love 
 became not the general principle of devo- 
 tion. As the fource of pleafures the moft 
 pure and extenfive, what principle can bear 
 
 its
 
 6 LOVE. 
 
 its competition? Through what medium 
 could men look up to nature, or the God of 
 Nature, with gratitude fo ardent, as that 
 fuggefted by the numerous affections pro- 
 duced by love? But curfes not blefllngs 
 have been the general principles of religion. 
 In rude and favage conditions, evils are fo 
 prevalent, that the birth of piety is gene- 
 rally under the dominion of a malignant 
 fiend ; and abafe, abject fpirit of devotion 
 is generated, which improved knowledge 
 or information cannot always expel. In 
 the enlightened periods of Greece and Rome, 
 the qualities, commonly deified were mif- 
 chievous. I Jupiter, Neptune, Mars and 
 Apollo, were formed from heroic or popu- 
 lar,, not from virtuous or natural characters. 
 Men having no view of becoming wife, no 
 jalan of becoming happy, have been con- 
 veniently furnifhed with deities whofe qua- 
 litiesare alloyed, whofe virtues are mingled 
 with vices. Thus the father of gods and 
 men, while he held the balance of the uni- 
 verfe, animated or terrified all nature with 
 ethereal fire; while all power, dominion, 
 and virtue, were attributed to him, was 
 
 transformed
 
 LOVE. 7 
 
 transformed into a bull or a fwan, for the 
 conduct of a wretched intrigue. Pains 
 have been taken by the advocates of antw 
 quity to elevate thefe abfurdities into pro- 
 bability and conftftency. All the fources of 
 parable, allegory and fable have been traced, 
 to furnifh favorable interpretations ; and 
 maxims of wifdom, or principles of virtue 
 have been fought, where no ideas of them 
 had been entertained. This is owing to a 
 common error in our eftimate and opinion 
 of individuals or of nations. When we 
 have obtained incidents and facts, we infer 
 moral qualities and difpohtions, on the 
 idea of confiftency. But the minds of men, 
 and the conftitutions of kingdoms, generally 
 receive their principles from the hands of 
 barbarifm and folly. They afterwards ac- 
 quire knowledge and virtue ; but their 
 habits being formed, they exhibit wife the- 
 ories, and foolifh or barbarous conduct ; 
 they are virtuous in avowed principles, and 
 vicious in manners. We are thus perpe- 
 tually embarafled, with mingled qualities 
 in morals, which would be unaccountable 
 in (peculation : and we fee the lame foun- 
 tain
 
 8 LOVE. 
 
 tain bring forth fweet waters and bitter. 
 While we difcern evident marks of poetical 
 and even rational defign in fouie parts of 
 the heathen mythology; others may have 
 been produced by grofs fuperftition or 
 vicious policy Communities as well as in^ 
 dividuals are formed on prejudices ; they 
 acquire portions of knowledge and virtue, 
 which do not harmonize with their habits ; 
 we look in vain to them for confiftency, and 
 it is generally impracticable to argue from 
 principles to actions, or from actions to 
 principles. 
 
 The heathen mythology, in many of its 
 parts, is not only abfurd, unpoetical, and 
 incapable of being rendered into fenfe, even 
 by the licence of allegory and fable, but its 
 effects muft be vicious. The character of 
 Jupiter, being the fupreme "religious model, 
 the ambition of youth could not have been 
 directed higher than to copy it ; and they 
 mingled acts of power and heroifm w 7 ith 
 bad paffions and mlfchievous actions. 
 
 Hardly any view of the political inftitu- 
 tions-of mankind can reflect; greater dif- 
 honof on them, than that of their- origin 
 
 in
 
 LOVE. 9 
 
 In vices of the moft depraved charafter. 
 When they have arilen from errors on the 
 firft principles of human nature, we find 
 their firft deities have been modifications of 
 love ; as it is the paflion which holds the 
 firft rank in the human mind, or the blefl- 
 ing through which man muft be moft dif- 
 pofed to look up to nature with enthufiaftic 
 gratitude. The abufes of devotion, on this 
 principle, generated voluptuoufnefs, and 
 mifchiefs of various kinds enfucd ; but they 
 were obvious and immediate corruptions of 
 natural paffions. In the mythologies of 
 the world we are further removed from 
 nature. Jehovah, Jupiter, or Jove, is arbi- 
 trary power; Mars, cruelty; Mercury, de- 
 ceit. Thefe are peribnifications of compli- 
 cated ideas : they are corruptions of cor- 
 ruptions ; and they were generated, not by 
 miftakes in a ftate of fimplicity, but by 
 evil intentions and vices, in a condition ot 
 mature deliberation and malignity. How- 
 ever we may determine on thefe fubje&s, 
 we are fure the interefts of mankind have 
 not been promoted when the principles 
 which naturally and affcakmately unite 
 
 C th0
 
 10 LOVE. 
 
 the fexes, are made to yield precedence 
 to thofe which, raife us into lieroes, enable 
 ns to lay wafte the earth, or to deluge 
 it with blood. Venus and Cupid, though 
 admitted among the gods, or allowed to 
 feduce them, are marked with circum- 
 itances of ridicule and reproach ; they feem 
 not to -be genuine or legitimate divini- 
 ties ; and their influence is connived at or 
 excufed, not avowed as natural, neceflary, 
 r reafonable. 
 
 It has ever appeared as a rule, if natural 
 difpofitions be reftrained and reproached, 
 they become vicious ; as a man whofe cha- 
 racter is unjuftly deftroyed, becomes a vil- 
 lain, to affimilate himfelf with the order into 
 which he is protruded. The difrepute of 
 love, and its humiliating condition of fub- 
 fervience to pafiions of inferior utility and 
 rank, fufficiently account for the inconve- 
 niences or evils it may have occafioned. 
 
 The elementary parts of the globe ap- 
 pear to have been difpofed in regular la- 
 mina? or ftrat2T* Convulfions and eruptions 
 have, in many places, deftroyed this order. 
 The wretched flave, who feeks the precious 
 
 metals
 
 love. n 
 
 metals in apparent ruins, would Tmile with 
 incredulity, if an interval of ferenity fhould 
 allow him to fmile, at being informed, that 
 the riches he feeks for are not matters of 
 hazard, but produced in a regular difpoii- 
 tion of things ; that fuch difpofition is to 
 be traced by perfons of enlarged views and 
 comprehenfive knowledge. To fuch perfons 
 the order of nature is difcernible, where it 
 is inverted or confounded ; where the heavier 
 matters are brought to the furface, and the 
 lighter funk into the depth ; where the laws 
 of gravitation feem to have been rendered 
 ineffectual, and things having no relation 
 in weight, quality, or difpofition, are 
 brought together and intimately mingled. 
 He refers every thing to its place ; every 
 particle to the bed wherein it was produced ; 
 and every deviation from general law to its 
 caufe. 
 
 It is thus in morality. Certain eflential 
 principles, like the conftituent parts of the 
 natural world, form its general utility; and 
 thefe are the foundations of private and 
 public virtue. But thefe, like the earth, are 
 broken, distorted, or confufed by cuftoms
 
 is LOVE, 
 
 or mftitutions ; and the fubjects of our 
 wretched governments, contemplate virtue 
 under fimilar difadvantage, or feek happi- 
 *iefs in the fame random manner, as nature 
 is viewed, or wealth fought, by the refer- 
 able flaves who pick up the fragments of 
 disjointed rocks, or collect gold among the 
 lands of a torrent. It is the philofopher 
 who difcovers the principles of nature 
 through partial diitortions, or aniidft the 
 confufion of human inftitutions : who, while 
 cuftoms or manners may make virtue vice, 
 and vice virtue ; or mingle difpofitions and 
 qualities \'o as to confound ordinary under- 
 standings, will point out the precife line 
 between good and evil, and refer every prin- 
 ciple to its proper origin. This is my 
 meaning, when I allude to the principles 
 and truths of nature, as diftinguiihed from 
 the facts furnifhed by fociety. The diitinc- 
 tion is of importance to thofe, who would 
 form a criterion of virtue and vice. We may 
 obierve thofe reafoners or philofophers who 
 do not rife to the general tendencies or dif- 
 pofitions of nature, which, under the forms 
 of permanent happinefs or extenfive utilit 
 
 actually
 
 LOVE. 
 
 *3 
 
 actually govern the moral world ; who are 
 confined to incidents in ill formed inftitu- 
 tions, confound their underftandings and 
 thofe of their readers by multitudes of con- 
 tradictory facts : and they conclude there 
 are no truths or principles in nature, with as 
 much fagacity or wifdom as men among 
 rocks and precipices affirm that the ge- 
 neral difpofition of the globe is without 
 order or beauty. 
 
 When you attend to my reafon for ex- 
 plaining myfelf on this fubje6t, your lord- 
 fhip will not imagine I detain you on uncer- 
 tain or unimportant fpeculations. I refer to 
 the only truths which are permanent ; and of 
 utility as extenfive as the combined interefts 
 of mankind. Nothing can be more uncer- 
 tain, contradictory, or delufive than the 
 events or facts produced by ill contrived* 
 vicious, and fleeting focieties. Every wife 
 man, every philofophic moraliff, acquires 
 the faculty of looking through local in- 
 ftitutions and cultoms, into the general 
 principles which actuate mankind. 
 
 The genuine principle of love, produ- 
 cing genuine and permanent happinefs is 
 
 not
 
 14, LOVE. 
 
 not an idea merely fpeculative ; it is not a 
 poetic fancy conceived to amufe or delude 
 the multitude. It is an indisputable prin- 
 ciple of nature, as obvious in its utility as 
 any truth of natural philofophy. 
 
 It may be faid, principles are of no ufe 
 if not reduced to practice. If the real 
 and obvious tendency of nature, in the 
 union of man and woman, has not its ef- 
 fe6t, or cannot have it in the pr-efent con- 
 dition of Societies of what confequence 
 can it be, to defcribe or to think of fuch 
 tendency ? 
 
 While we remain under the influence of 
 vicious religions and bad laws, this objec- 
 tion may be urged againft every principle 
 of morality. It may be faid, why talk of 
 honefty, when it is not in the power of 
 any man, in the prefent ftate of things, to 
 be ftriclly or perfectly honeft? In every 
 office, occupation, or bufinefis, where the 
 power or artifice of others, is to be mana- 
 ged ; it is as difficult, as dirc6tly againft a 
 man's immediate intereft, to adhere invaria^ 
 bly to that integrity which nature has con- 
 ftituted the cement cf all advantageous in- 
 
 tercourfe
 
 LOVE. 15 
 
 tercourfe or union, as it would be to pro- 
 ceed in love, on the maxims, to which 
 alone God has annexed real and perma- 
 nent happinefs. But, as in every condition 
 of trade or commerce, the admiffion of 
 certain portions and of a general appear- 
 ance of honefty, difcovers a latent and fix- 
 ed conviction of its neceflity ; fo in depra- 
 ved conditions of fociety, the expedience 
 of fome degrees of tender inclination and 
 the general affectation of it, difcover the 
 latent principles or operations of nature; 
 and lead us to conclude that, in a better 
 Hate of things, under better governments, 
 religions and cuftoms, the difficulties in our 
 way to happinefs would be removed, mere- 
 ly by the poffibility of forming our deter- 
 minations on the principles of reafon. 
 
 When therefore, I attempt to delineate a 
 ftate of nature, I do not feek the privilege 
 of poetic licence. I confider myfelf, as more 
 ftri<5tly and facredly bound to truth, than 
 in demonltrating mathematical propofiti- 
 ons. Every thing that ought to be, may be, 
 and will be; for all the truths of reafon. 
 muft have their effects. 
 
 I will
 
 16* LOVE. 
 
 I will not deny, there may be fpecies of 
 facts againft the probability of regulating 
 the union of men and women, on natural 
 or virtuous principles ; but 1 may allege 
 other fpecies of fa&s as numerous and re- 
 fpe&able to prove fuch regulation pra&ica- 
 ble and neceflary. 
 
 If the end of living be happinefs if the 
 provifions of the deity, in the powers and 
 principles of man, may and ought to make 
 him ufeful the faas producible to prove 
 him always unhappy, when deviating from 
 the path traced by reafon, are better argu- 
 ments for the poffibility of following it, 
 than any which may be deduced from vici- 
 ous cuftoms or manners, to prove the im- 
 poffibility. But in this as in other cafes, 
 we are feldom fo circumftanced, as to dif- 
 cern in their order, fucceflion,and com- 
 bination, thofe properties of the human 
 frame ; the effeas of which are as indifpu- 
 table as thofe of gravitation. 
 
 Man and woman, are made for each 
 other; as evidently as one part of the 
 globe, or as one part of the human body is 
 made for the other. Either confidered fin- 
 
 gtor
 
 LOVE. * 7 
 
 gly, does not conftitute a perfect moral be- 
 ing; and in a Rate of feparation, could not 
 exift in circumftances of utility or enjoyment. 
 The forms and difpofitions of their bodies 
 and minds, are proofs of this truth : for 
 their chara&eriftic qualities are different; 
 and their defe&s are made up by their 
 union. , Man and woman, in the plan of 
 the univerfe, are divifions of a focial being. 
 Ancient poets borrowed the idea, proba- 
 bly from philofophical moralifts ; but they 
 converted it, as poets ulually convert a 
 philofophical idea, into abfurdity. They 
 conceived Jupiter to have made man and 
 woman one body ; feparated them, in fome 
 caprice, by a random precipitation into 
 this world; and that wrong aflbciations 
 of feparated parts, are the occafions of un- 
 happy marriages. 
 
 But the principle is falfe. Men and wo- 
 men cannot be fo effectually united ; be- 
 come virtually one, and mutually pro- 
 mote happinefs, on any conceivable plan, 
 where they are not formed and born fe- 
 parately, with diflimilar bodies and dif- 
 fiimilar minds. It is the firfi proviiion of 
 D wiidom,
 
 i$ LOVE. 
 
 wifdom, in the road of happinefs, to give 
 connections the charm of choice: evert 
 where propenfities are irrefiftible, it gives 
 an idea of power or liberty, without 
 which they would mortify, inftead of de- 
 lighting us. 
 
 I can only open the fubjecl, in the pre- 
 fent letter. I confider it as the moll im- 
 portant in the province of morality or of 
 legiflation, and the moft difficult of difcuf- 
 fion in a perfpicuous and ufeful manner. It 
 has not been properly confidered by philofo- 
 phers ; it has been mifreprefented or abufed 
 by enthufiafts and fanatics ; and rendered lu- 
 dicrous or injurious by fabulifts and poets. 
 I mean to avoid thefe deviations and er- 
 rors ; and to fubmit to your Lordlhip, fuch 
 thoughts or obfervations as may be ufe- 
 ful to you, if you mould attempt to in- 
 duce the Wiflature to deliberate on the 
 laws that effecT: love and marriage. 
 I have the honor to be, 
 My Lord, 
 Your lordfhip's mod obedient, 
 
 And mod humble fervant, 
 
 The AUTHOR. 
 
 LETTER.
 
 love. *g 
 
 
 
 LETT ER I 
 
 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 THE fagacity and wifdom of Lord Ba- 
 con, have miftaken the fubjecl: under 
 confideration ; and the error of fuch a man, 
 on a fubjecl; fo important, fhould not be 
 unnoticed, though treated with candor and 
 refpect. Undertakings of great extent and 
 and hazard, either in fcience or patriotifm, 
 are, in his opinion, fuited to fmgle men; 
 not to thofe, whofe time and affe6tions are 
 engrofled by the connections or duties of 
 domeftic life. Lord Bacon repeats the 
 opinion, as a fixed or evident propofition ; 
 and in the language of advice to thofe who 
 would be tranf mitted to pofterity by the 
 fame of their talents or actions. This is 
 laying the axe at the root of a tree, which 
 may be called moft properly " the tree of 
 " life." If the firft order of men is to be 
 detached, to acquire immortality, love will 
 D 2 fuffe r
 
 o LOVE. 
 
 fuffer in its credit ; and be appropriated to 
 the rank and merit of inferior beings. 
 
 I have profited fo much by the wifdom 
 and learning of Lord Bacon, that my mind 
 retains an impreflion of his works, fimilar 
 to early prepofleffions in favor of the fcrip- 
 tures ; and, I have fuperftitious feelings, like 
 the confcioufnefs cf irreligious prefumption, 
 when I difpute his maxims. But his. errors 
 are fatal, as thofe of the oracles of re- 
 ligion ; and, in the prefent cafe, they en- 
 danger important principles of focial virtue. 
 If his great and penetrating mind had con- 
 fidered the iubject with attention, he would 
 have perceived, that aftoniming appearances 
 and immortal characters are not the objecls 
 of genuine philofophy ; never the pro- 
 duce of well formed or happy focieties. 
 They are " lights ihining in dark places " 
 they are meteors in dreary or unhappy 
 fituations; they are monflers, giving ex- 
 amples of importance in bad focieties; 
 where the mo ft ufeful members may fe- 
 clude themfelves with advantage, or be 
 obliged to produce good out of evil. 
 
 In focieties wifely formed and honorably 
 
 con-
 
 LOVE. 21 
 
 conducted, no wonderful characters arife ; 
 as in cultivated or enlightened periods, no 
 miracles are ever performed. Such com- 
 munities might be wonderful, compared 
 with others; but the members would be 
 loft to general view, each being aptly fixed 
 to a particular ftation. This would be dis- 
 advantageous only in appearance; for a 
 man who contributes his utmoft proportion 
 to the general prolperity, multiplies his 
 enjoyments by general Sympathies with 
 every part of the community, and his gra- 
 tifications are greatly fuperior to thofe of 
 vanity in fcience or in war. In the fame 
 manner, men in affectionate union with 
 women, becoming focial beings, fulfilling 
 their duties in the community, and feeK 
 ing the profperity and happinefs diffufed 
 through all its parts, have fatisfactions of 
 much greater value and permanence, than 
 any which can be enjoyed by detached 
 or diftinguifhed beings, however brilliant 
 their fortune or fame. Socrates owes his 
 immortality to a bad wife, to a corrupt 
 community, to unequal laws, to the def* 
 potii'm of ufurpers, and to an unjuft or 
 
 violent
 
 22 LOVE, 
 
 violent death. No man formed for his 
 duties, and underftandmg their effects, 
 would wifh to purchafe the immortality at 
 the price. His fate is a leflbn to focieties, 
 rather than to individuals. If Athens had 
 been virtuous, Socrates would not have 
 been immortal : but inftead of the fame, of 
 which he had no enjoyment, he might have 
 fpent every hour of a long life, in the 
 pleafing confcioufnefs of virtuous utility ; 
 inftead of amufing himfelf with fhadows, 
 he would have felt and enjoyed fnbitantial 
 fatisfaction. 
 
 Lord Bacon, in his own life, illuftrates 
 the truth under confederation ; and fur- 
 nifhes means to deftroy his maxim. His 
 talents and progrefs had been checked, as 
 a member of fociety ; he had tarnilhed his 
 character, before he quitted his public fta- 
 tion ; and he fought immortality in fcience, 
 as a compenfation for difappointment in 
 .life. 
 
 His opinion, therefore, can have but little 
 weight in the prefent cafe : it is not ground- 
 ed on a juft view of the principles of fo- 
 ciety
 
 LOVE. 23 
 
 ciety ; and is owing to mifapprehenfions of 
 the nature and happinefs of man. 
 
 That fociety and not folitude is the ftate 
 of nature, appears from the general pro- 
 vifion, that all beings, capable of enjoy- 
 ment or happinefs, fhould be male and fe- 
 male; each fex feparately imperfect, and 
 under a fpecies of neceflity of being united. 
 I call it a fpecies of neceffity ; becaufe the 
 idea of choice ; and that undefinable fa- 
 culty of nature, by which fhe renders her 
 indirect operations our own acts and our 
 own pleafures ; give us the firft privilege of 
 being, and are the firft procefles by which 
 fhe converts into bleflings, neceffary or 
 unavoidable effects. Though men and 
 women muft unite to form focial beings ; 
 they are brought together, as if they might 
 unite, or live feparately. This gives the 
 idea of choice or liberty; it diftinguifhes 
 the impulfes or actions of men from the 
 motions of trees or ftones; it throws a 
 charm over ftrong and abfolute tenden- 
 cies ; and forms an intereft, where we 
 implicitly or paflively obey. This power 
 of determination, combines the ideas of 
 
 liberty
 
 2* LOVE. 
 
 liberty and necefiity, which polemic phi- 
 lofophers have attempted to difunite: ideas 
 affociated in nature ; though fometimes in 
 a manner, which may be better felt than 
 defer ibed. 
 
 Poetry has ever abounded with mifappre- 
 henfions or errors ; and it is among the 
 principal misfortunes of mankind, that its 
 early leffons are furnifhed by poetry. The 
 utmoft licence has been taken in imagining 
 the original ftate of man. Jupiter has been 
 fuppofed to prevent the poflibility of error 
 by pairing and uniting the parties, to ren- 
 der them infeparable. Such an act of di- 
 vine power, would have infured their mifery. 
 This is rendered probable, by the effects of 
 every fpecies of interpofition in negociations 
 of love. We perceive certain mifchiefs or 
 injuries arifmg, in proportion as liberty is 
 violated. And if we could fuppofe a Deity 
 to be employed in {electing and uniting 
 fuitable perfons through all the world, we 
 may be aflured, not one pair would have a 
 chance for happinefs. 
 
 It is the idea of choice ; it is the power 
 
 of
 
 LOVE. ' 25 
 
 of rendering an event our own act, while 
 our concurrence may be inevitable : thefe 
 are the circumftances which conftitute us 
 agents, give us the opinion of being rati- 
 onal, and beftow all our bleffings. In the 
 bufinefs before us, as in all moral fituations, 
 it is puerile, to recur in imagination to a 
 former and better ftate of human nature* 
 producing happinefs by direct or abfolute 
 neceffity. No fuch effect could have been 
 produced by fuch a caufe. The ftate of the 
 world may never have been better, on the 
 whole, than at this time ; it was never, pro- 
 bably, very different : and the quantity of 
 good and evil in it, though fluctuating in 
 human fancies, may poflibly be invariable. 
 The determinations of nature are always 
 effectual, but events in the moral world 
 do not appear to be. produced with the 
 precifion or accuracy we obferve in the 
 arrangement of inanimate objects. To in- 
 troduce intellectual happinefs, a certain la- 
 titude is dmitted, and rational beings are 
 fo formed, as to afTume the appearance of 
 voluntary or independent agency. Hence 
 the wonderfuLproperty of the human mind, 
 
 E called
 
 $6 LOVE. 
 
 called confcience, the left of its operations, 
 the legal reprefentative of its power,- and 
 the final judge of its punifhments and re- 
 wards. 
 
 The reafon that perfect happinefs does 
 not take place* by a proper union of men 
 and women, or by a proper conduct to 
 each other, is fimilar to the reafons prevent- 
 ing moral happinefs, in all cafes depending 
 on the will or conduct of moral agents. 
 Having a choice, and acquiring judgment 
 by errors, the confequence muft be a con- 
 dition of mingled happinefs and mifery. 
 
 The union of man and woman, though 
 it be the neceffary effect of their formation ; 
 though infured by affectionate tendencies or 
 affinities ; the neceflity admits of confider- 
 ation or choice, and it is made the deter- 
 mination or act of the parties. The fuit- 
 ablenefs or unfuitablenefs of one to the 
 other, and the various circumftances form- 
 ing inclination or paflion, muft depend ul- 
 timately on their judgment or underltand- 
 ing. If we fuppofe a ftate of things, in 
 which young perfons are judicioufly edu- 
 cated, and profeffedly prepared by their 
 
 parents 

 
 LOVE. *7 
 
 parents for this important event of focial 
 life, hardly any improper connections can 
 be made, and more than poets have ima- 
 gined of conjugal happinefs muft be enjoy- 
 ed ; for I am afraid, no man has had it in 
 his power to conceive, the degree of happi- 
 nefs it is r:oflible to enjoy in virtuous foci- 
 eties by means of virtuous education, and 
 by the union of fenfible and affectionate 
 youth, educated for their principal duties. 
 In this cafe, the object of the fociety would 
 be the ha pinefs of its members ; and infti- 
 tutions of that tendency would be few, im- 
 portant, and obvioufly beneficial. Parents 
 would be und-r a fpecies of neceflity in ac- 
 commodating themfelves to the general ob- 
 je6t ; and education would be leiTons of in- 
 telligence, truth, honor, fidelity, and good- 
 nefs : they would perceive the inutility of 
 interpofing their power in the firlt con- 
 nections of youth, where that of a Deity 
 would be injurious defpotifm. The union 
 of man and woman, having nothing to dil- 
 tinguifh it from the union of ftones and rub- 
 bifh but choice ; and marriage being the firft 
 and moll important occafion of reducing 
 
 E a into
 
 e8 LOVE: 
 
 into pra&ice the leflbns of reafon and virtue 
 received in education, parents (hould be 
 cenfured and fubje6l to public reftraint, 
 in attempting to extend their authority 
 where it cannot be ufefully exercifed. But 
 it is the misfortune of ignorant or vicious 
 parents, to neglect their duty in its proper 
 place, and to commit injuries or outrages 
 in attempting to atone for their errors. 
 They who have given their children, or 
 procured for them, trifling, oftentatious, or 
 bad in ftr ucfions, have reafons for fufpect- 
 ing their judgments or their hearts, in the 
 choice of connections for life. But at fuch 
 a period, it mull' be too late to remedy the 
 evils of education, if fuch parents were fuf- 
 ceptible of the intention. They interpofe 
 their authority, and having been unnatural 
 or cruel in negteaing the feaibn of cherifh- 
 ing the tendencies to reafon and virtue, they 
 think themf elves juftified in outraging na- 
 ture, by denying their chi ftfen privileges, 
 which indeed they are not qualified to ufe 3 
 but which cannot be fubftituted by parental 
 defpotiim, prudence, or avarice. 
 
 A man, who, by negligence, continues 
 
 the
 
 LOVE. o 9 
 
 the infancy of his offspring beyond its na- 
 tural period; or by vicious meafures, con- 
 taminates and injures their minds, fhould 
 be gratified with that exercife of defpotifm ; 
 and not relentlefsly purfue them, where they 
 mud produce either good or evil for them- 
 ielves, where their chance of recovery 
 mull be, by getting clear of the original 
 author of their misfortunes. 
 
 In moral life, as in every part of nature 
 with which we are acquainted, there are 
 feafons. Ages elapfed in the progrefs of 
 focieties, before men difcerned thofe of the 
 year, and precifely diitinguifhed feed-time 
 from harveft. Great confufion and mifery 
 niuft have arifen : the feafon of cultiva- 
 ting the earth and depofiting the feed being 
 neglected, they endeavored to remedy their 
 miiconduct by induftry mifapplied in the 
 period when the fruits fhould have been 
 growing, and the harveft commenced. 
 Whole tribe^rprovinces, and nations, either 
 led wretched lives, uncertain of fcanty fup- 
 port, rendered calamitous by difeafes from 
 unwholfome food, or they were ftarved. 
 Ages of misfortunes fixed their attention to 
 
 the
 
 So LOVE. 
 
 the leflbns of experience, and gave them 
 probability of fubfiftence, by teaching them 
 to difcern the* laws of nature, to diftinguiih 
 the feafons of the year, or to employ in 
 every period the fpecies of induftry parti- 
 cularly fuited to it. 
 
 The duties or obligations of focial life 
 are, in a fimilar manner, ftrictly and abso- 
 lutely confined to their feafons. Infancy is 
 the fpiing, the feafon for giving impref- 
 fions or forming difpofitions. Y nth the 
 fummer, in which they fend out fhoots, 
 buds, and flowers. Manhood, the autumn. 
 Old age, the winter. If, in common life, 
 a fucceuion of ages muft have taken place, 
 before mifery iniiructed men in the import- 
 ance of diftinguifhing the common feafons,' 
 though their fupport or exiftence depend- 
 ed on them are we to wonder that, in 
 moral life, the region of reflection and 
 reafon, the fufTerings of the mind and heart 
 have not yet inftrucled them to difcern its 
 periods or feafons ? This knowledge re- 
 quires the art of attending to a feries of cir- 
 cumftances, and of reafoning on them ; an 
 art which is not eafily taught even by mi- 
 fery..
 
 LOVE. S i 
 
 fery. If Ceres and Triptolemus have been 
 recorded and worfhiped, for refcuing na- 
 tions from the condition of brutes in refpet 
 to fubfiflence or fupport ; what would he 
 deferve who could fix the attention of man- 
 kind on the moral feafons, by the obferv- 
 ance of which alone genuine happinefs can 
 be procured? As thofe who neglect the 
 timely cultivation of the earth, and fow 
 in fummer or in autumn, will be difap- 
 pointed, poor, and ftarved; thofe who neg- 
 lecl: or corrupt their children, depending 
 on future opportunities of correcting or 
 improving them, will afluredly be difap- 
 pointed and wretched. This ignorance of 
 the nature of infancy or youth, or of the 
 fpecies of care to be employed on them, 
 renders men incapable of forming the moft 
 important connections of fociety with any 
 probability of happinefs. The fir ft remove 
 from barbarifm and brutal negligence, is 
 into indifcriminate injudicious care, fuch as 
 may be evident at this time in the anxieties 
 of domeftic education. Prudence is over- 
 ftrained ; children are prepared for enter- 
 prifes or duties merely poffible, and left 
 
 to
 
 3 2 LOVE. 
 
 to act at random, or wholly under the di- 
 re&ion of others, on their entrance into 
 fociety, and on afltiming the characters they 
 are to fuftain. The loweft itate of barba- 
 rifm, is indicated by unfeeling negligence, 
 fimilar to that of brutes, from whom bar- 
 barians are barely removed. The common 
 transition is into the extreme of exceflive 
 care, by which all duties, all arts, all fci- 
 ences are precipitated into the mind. The 
 induftry of parents and tutors mould be 
 employed to form habits of enquiry, difcern- 
 ment, and firm integrity; to cultivate a 
 natural and exquifite fenfibility ; to form 
 out of it an upright confcience ; and to clear 
 the fprings of virtuous and happy difpofi- 
 tions. Youth thus educated would not 
 furprize the ignorant by premature acqui- 
 fitions ; but placed in any fituations, their 
 errors would not be material ; their minds 
 and hearts, being in a right direction, they 
 would anfwer the purpofes of life in their 
 proper feafons, and their progrefs in know- 
 ledge and virtue would be gradual and 
 
 fure. 
 
 It is owing either to negligence or to ex- 
 
 ceijive
 
 LOVE. H 
 
 ceftive care in the education of children, and 
 to defpotifm in the difpofal of them, that fo 
 many unhappy marriages take place ; and 
 that youth are introduced in fociety or af- 
 fume the rank of citizens, with no rational 
 and focial profpect, or with that of mifery. 
 Previous to any reafonable expectation, that 
 men and women may be generally united 
 for happinefs, the revolutions of the world 
 muft form focieties for the advantage of all 
 their members , morality muft defcend from 
 fpeculation into life, and confift in duties, 
 not in docirines ; education muft be an ex- 
 ercife for thofe duties, or an apprentice-* 
 (hip for the bufinefs of living : then we may 
 fee youth felecl each other with warm, live- 
 ly, intelligent pafiions ; and fo happily aflb- 
 ciated, as to refcue Nature from blame* oit 
 the fubject of marriage. 
 
 I have the honor to be, 
 My Lord, 
 Your moft obedient 
 
 And moft humble fervant, 
 The AUTHOR. 
 
 LettfR
 
 34 L0FEt 
 
 113OT <noBoirtftno:> s>bin lo 
 .11/ oi boonfcim 9 
 Lffo I LETTER IV. 
 
 My Lord, bi 
 
 i 
 
 T has not been my intention, to confider 
 the unreafonable exercife of parental 
 authority, as the firft occafion of unhappy 
 marriages in point of time. My fenti- 
 ments arofe, from the liberty or choice, 
 effentially neceffary to the happy union of 
 man and woman. The improper autho- 
 rity of relations or parents, might not bo 
 the iirft caufe, in point of time, if any pro- 
 bable origin could be affigned to mankind. 
 Societies have rifen to civilization and rea- 
 fon, by flow gradations, and from conditions 
 bordering on brutality. The vice of brutes, 
 or of men refembling them, is not tyranny 
 but negligence, reflecting their children. 
 Their power is exercifed over the females ; 
 and from caufcs, obvious in nature, though 
 adapted to other effects. 
 
 In
 
 LOVE. 35 
 
 In focieties of rude conftruction, men 
 and women are induced to unite, by a 
 combination of phyfical and moral caufes, 
 which are not eafily defer ibed, becaufe not 
 eafily comprehended. The effect of this 
 combination is called inftinct, paflion, or af- 
 fection ; according to the rank or excel- 
 lence of the animal, in which it appears: 
 and not being underftood in its principles, 
 it is confidered as an occult quality, or a 
 myfterious gift of heaven. This may fuit 
 poetic, or fuperilitious ignorance ; and fur- 
 nidi that enthufiafm in poems or religi- 
 ons, of which ignorance is generally the 
 parent : but it will not anfwer the ends of 
 real philofophy ; or of thofe men, who find 
 happinefs, when they have inveftigated 
 truth. We mud be fatisfied with the beft 
 ufe to which we can apply the myftic terms 
 adopted by credulity ; and fay, that youth, 
 abandoned by their parents in rude and 
 wandering focieties, were induced to unite 
 by that degree of intelligence, called in- 
 ftincl ; and the confequences of fuch union, 
 are obvious. 
 
 When the principles, obligations, and 
 F a ends
 
 V 
 
 ends of facial connections, are not under* 
 Rood ; the provifions of nature may be peiv 
 verted in their effects. Men and women are 
 differently formed, that by moral neceffity, 
 or indfpenfib'e convenience, or the view of 
 mutual happinefs, they might be united, 
 In conditions, little above brutality, this is 
 not under ftood, Mechanic tendencies, and 
 detached thoughts, produce brutal inftincf ; 
 and they are united by its impulfe. The bo- 
 dily ftrength, vigor, and activity of the man ; 
 uninterrupted health; fortitude; courage; 
 and force of intellect inftead of being, as 
 in nature, advantageoufly contrafted to the 
 foft and delicate conftruction of the woman, 
 the frequent interruptions of her health ; 
 her timidity, tendernefs, fenfibility, and the 
 exquifite nature of her intellect : this beauty 
 or utility in the formation of male and 
 female is loft. In all cafes, extenfive and 
 clear knowledge, feem neceffary to perfect 
 virtue. Ignorance produces mifery ; mifery 
 obliges us to attend and obferve ; expe* 
 rience produces knowledge; and know- 
 ledge virtue. 
 
 This is the order of nature; and attempts 
 
 to
 
 love: &r 
 
 to violate, or anticipate its arrangements, 
 are not attended with real or lading advan- 
 tages. The fir ft ftate, is that of ignorance ; 
 which becomes that of error and mifery. 
 In the various nations difcovered by cu- 
 riofity or avarice, we have various fpecimens 
 of the virtues and vices of human nature ; 
 for we find men, in gradations from bru- 
 tality to confiderable knowledge and civi- 
 lization. I know no circumftance by which 
 this gradation may be marked with fo much 
 accuracy and juftice, as the treatment of 
 women. It may be denominated the moral 
 thermometer ; and applied to focieties with 
 the certainty of important information. 
 
 In fome parts of America, nations are 
 pointed out, whofe bonds of focial union 
 are flight and fcarcely perceptible; they 
 have no fixed fettlements; they move in 
 herds, like brutes ; and nearly for the fame 
 reafons. This ftate of ignorance, exhibits 
 hardly any thing but errors and miferies. 
 The man, finding himfelf in pofleflion of 
 fuperior ftrength, and not having habits of 
 refle6tion, he confiders it as a title to do- 
 minion ; and inftead of protecting or fuc- 
 
 couring
 
 3S LOVE. 
 
 couring female weaknefs ; inftead of pro- 
 ducing happinefs by the affection, tender- 
 nefs, and domeftic attention of the woman, 
 he enflaves, or fets her juft above a beaft of 
 burthen. 
 
 This error is common to the firit efforts 
 of uncultivated minds. If we attend to the 
 morals of public fchools, which thole who 
 prefide in them treat as of lefs importance 
 than the acquifition of languages, we (hall 
 perceive the dawn of fociety, as it opens 
 among favages. All diilindtions in fchools., 
 as focieties, are created by bodily ftrength, 
 courage, and cunning: the boy who has 
 the misfortune to be weak, carrries bur- 
 thens ; performs offices of labor ; and is an 
 oppr.effed, abject (lave. It is thus in the 
 allocations of favages. The men endowed 
 with ftrength ; and defigned for offices re- 
 quiring labor ; . by uiing that ftrength to 
 terrify the women, transfer to them the la- 
 borious duties, and referve themfelves for 
 exercifes, which gratify or amufe. The 
 life of a favage is divided by indolent re-, 
 pole, hunting, and war ; while the culti- 
 vation of the ground, procuring fuel, and 
 
 pre-. 

 
 LOVE. 39 
 
 preparing provifions, are forced on the wo- 
 man, and added to the nccsiTary and bur- 
 thenibme duties of bearing and nurfing chil- 
 dren. It is difficult to imagine <my thing 
 more wretched than this irate of the fe- 
 male fex ; and the poflibility of its fuflaining 
 fo much fatigue, or discharging fuch labo- 
 rious offices, would be doubted or disbe- 
 lieved, if the proofs were not indifputable. 
 We are to confider each female favage, 
 without the afhftance of mechanifm, and 
 with the moll wretched implements, per- 
 forming daily the offices of gardener, far- 
 mer, butcher, baker, and brewer; her 
 lord and mafter balking in the fun, feek- 
 ing brutal intoxication, or purfuing bar- 
 barous amufement. In thefe fituations, the 
 purpofes of creating male and female, feem 
 to be nearly loft. The fpecies is continued ; 
 but man and woman is divided by the cir- 
 cumftances which ihould unite them. Thefe 
 circumftances are underftood only in a fuc- 
 ceffion of generations, and by the infrruc- 
 tions of mifery : for nothing can be more 
 miferable, than a Itate of brutal tyranny, 
 oppreffing wcaknefs ; where every fatis- 
 
 faction.
 
 40 - LOVE. 
 
 faction, every peculiar convenience arifing 
 from a natural union, are loft to all parties ; 
 where the partial, perverfe gratification ot 
 one fex, is purchafed at a price fo great, 
 fo horrible, as the perpetual flavery of the 
 other. The lofs of the man, is that of every 
 thing truly valuable and pleafing. The 
 firll bond of fociety, being wretchedly 
 formed, the relations or duties arifing from 
 it ; and fucceeding inftitutions, either civil 
 or facred, muft be unfatisfactory in their 
 effects. The heart, perverted in its firft 
 and moil important attachment, becomes 
 incapable of any virtue, or of any natural 
 and real pleafure. The favage, proud of 
 domeftic authority and abfolute in his com- 
 mands ; the lives of his women and chil- 
 dren in his power, becaufe he has ftrength 
 to punifh, or to murther them is a gloomy, 
 folitary, miferable being ; with no paflions, 
 or affections, diftinguifhing him from a lion 
 or a bear ; deftitute of the privileges of hu- 
 manity, thofe reflected pleafures arifing 
 from focial connections: and his wife, or 
 his woman, his flave, his beaft of burthen, 
 is nearly loft to all the purpofes for which 
 
 (ha
 
 LOVE. ' 4 1 
 
 {he is adapted. From being his aflbciate; 
 naturally and literally the moiety of himfelF; 
 whofe peculiar properties are necefiary to 
 render him a perfeft being ; (lie is redu- 
 ced into a condition beneath any to which a 
 brute can be reduced ; for there is not any 
 fpecies of avarice or cruelty which has per- 
 verted the nature and enjoyment of brutes, 
 or rendered them fo compleatly wretched, 
 as men have rendered women. Inceflant 
 fatigue, from the accumulation of all the 
 laborious duties, operating on bodies natu- 
 rally delicate and variable in their health, 
 their countenances wear a conftant and me- 
 lancholy defpair ; they are weary of life, 
 often get rid of it by violence ; and gene- 
 rally murder their female children, to pre- 
 vent their becoming wretched as their mo- 
 thers. 
 
 This is not an imaginary ftate of fociety : 
 it is defcribed by voyagers and travellers, 
 who cannot be fufpe6ted of defigns to phi- 
 , lofophize ; and having no purpofe to l'erve, 
 they cannot be fuppofed to falfify. It is 
 probably the firft ftate of human fociety ; 
 approaching nearly to t'_.at of brutes. For 
 
 G however
 
 gf LOVE. 
 
 however amufmg to fabulifts, poets and 
 children, to fuppofe the firft a golden age, 
 becaufe all beings are imagined to proceed 
 from the hands of God in a ftate of per- 
 fection ; all fuch fuppoiitions are dreams; 
 they contradict experience, and all we know 
 of the laws of nature in the moral world ; 
 where things proceed from bad to better ; 
 where mifery fixes the attention, which 
 produces experience, which produces know- 
 ledge, virtue and happinefs. 
 
 It was the mifery of the firft condition 
 of every community ; which poets may call 
 the golden age, but which philofophers 
 would rather denominate brutal ; that in- 
 duced men to ftudy and mprove the prin- 
 ciples of fociety. But while they avoided 
 fome of the obvious inconveniences of their 
 firft fituations, they carried many fecret and 
 mifchievious principles into thofe they im- 
 proved. Community of goods ; and com- 
 munity of women, who were included in 
 the original chattels, having been attended 
 with inconveniences; claims of property 
 were eftablilhed,; arid every family became 
 
 a ftate,. 
 
 -
 
 LOVE. 43 
 
 a (late, within a larger, affociated for conve- 
 nience and fecurity. 
 
 This feems to be the fecond gradation cf 
 fociety, according to the obfervations of 
 thofe who have taken extenfive views of 
 the focial chain. In Europe, the fucceffion 
 of conttitutional revolutions has been flow ; 
 hiftory does not carry its enumerations to 
 very early periods ; or it is doubtful in its 
 informations. In the traditions and fables 
 of the ancients, fome hints may be perceiv- 
 ed to our purpofe ; perhaps the more to 
 be depended upon, as not defigned for fuch 
 ufe. But the revolutions occafioned by 
 wars, and the rapid though unequal pro- 
 grels of fociety by colonies, render them 
 flight and indiftinct. The information of 
 ancient hiftory and ancient literature is, 
 however, futticient to mark the general gra- 
 dations from lavage brutality, to Athenian 
 civilization and humanity. Society fhook 
 off its vices and imperfections, until it pro- 
 duced the Athenian commonwealth. 
 
 As improvements were made, women 
 were gradually emancipated . But in Athens, 
 they had not reached their natural condi- 
 tion ; and that circumftance alone, cannot 
 G a leave
 
 LOVE. 
 
 leave a doubt, that the commonwealth of 
 Athens had effential defects. 
 
 In the Roman hiftory, we may more clear- 
 ly trace the progrefs of a fingle fociety : 
 and may obferve, the chara6ter and treat- 
 ment of women vary, with the variations of 
 the (late ; from being chattels or property, 
 ilolenfrom the Sabines and converted to ufe, 
 whether pleafed or not, they gradually ac- 
 quired rights, until in the Auguftan age, 
 they became the friends and companions of 
 the moll enlightened men in the world. 
 
 The effects of the difiblution or de- 
 ftruction of the empire, were like thofe of 
 hurricanes numerous focieties were form- 
 ed on the principles called feodal; which 
 have been lately fubjects of difquifitions 
 with very folemn affectation of learning : 
 they are obvioufly the principles, on which 
 all banditti and all pirates, have fixed efta- 
 blifhments, where they have not depopu- 
 lated their conquefts. The captain of the 
 depredatory gang became king ; claimed 
 the land and property feized ; and divided 
 them among his favorites or lords, on con- 
 ditions of future fervices. 
 
 The
 
 LOVE. 45 
 
 The Gothic hiftory is dark and gloomy 
 as the fpirit of its government : and it may 
 not be practicable to aifign the reafons, of 
 the different conditions of women in the 
 fame periods, during the prevalence of the 
 fpirit of chivalry. The common people, 
 male and female, were flaves under every 
 fpecies of the feodal government ; and fla- 
 very is unfavorable to the principles on 
 which the union of men and women fhould 
 be formed, as it is to all the rights of hu- 
 man nature. Women felt doubly from the 
 oppreffions generated by a vicious govern- 
 ment ; for flaves revenge on thofe in their 
 power, the injuries received from their mat- 
 ters ; they feek a barbarous, confolation by 
 becoming tyrants in their turn. The gene- 
 ral condition of women, therefore, was that 
 of extreme wretchednefs, in the ages im- 
 mediately fucceeding the demolition of the 
 Roman empire. But the adoration, at the 
 fame time, paid to beauty; the arduous 
 enterprizes, and aftonilhing exploits to ob-' 
 tain the flighteft attentions from the fair ; 
 and the origin of chivalry, in periods of 
 
 general
 
 4 s love: 
 
 general barbarifm and flavery, is curious 
 and inter efting. 
 
 All females, in the feodal ftates, confti- 
 tuted a fpecies of property, and were dif- 
 pofed of, at the will of the father, of the 
 baron or lord of the manor, or of the 
 king. A fyftem fo opprefiive and iniqui- 
 tous, was fruitful of enormities. All choice 
 being precluded, intrigues or itratagems 
 were formed ; and in barbarous times, all fteps 
 were taken in blood. Women of rank, 
 though only chattels ; were, for reafons ea- 
 lily imagined, the moft precious of all pro- 
 perty ; and the principal objects of the fpi- 
 rit of depredation or warfare which actu- 
 ated the times. Immured in caftles, and 
 attending with fohcitude to every thing con- 
 ducive to beauty, their natural foftnefs and 
 charms, were heigthtened by timidity arifing 
 from their fituation. Hence the aftonifhing 
 contrail between the barbarifm and brutali- 
 ty of the men, and the beauty and delicacy 
 of the women ; hence the extravagant (trains 
 of rapture and adoration, with which love 
 infpired rude, fanguine and vigorous imagi- 
 nations ; and hence the fpirit of knight-er- 
 rantry, principally occafioned by female iuf- 
 
 fermgs
 
 LOVE. 47 
 
 ferings and charms. All evils will produce 
 remedies ; and knight-errantry was the ef- 
 fect of numerous or complicated miferies, 
 occafioned by the feodal inftitutions. Thefe 
 miferies being fenfibly felt, in the deareft of 
 all property, the fair fex ; the knights were 
 peculiarly devoted to the ladies, and the 
 object of their valor was to redrefs female 
 injuries. The fortunes of the knights ge- 
 nerally depended on their talents ; and ta- 
 lents were nearly confined to them. They 
 proceeded on the motives, attributed by the 
 ancients to Hercules ; they roved through 
 the world to rid it of monfters. The giants 
 and dragons recorded in the romances of 
 thofe times, were formed by imaginations 
 accuftomed to the violences of barbarous 
 lords ; who, like brutes, made war on each 
 other for beauty ; and who carried off wo- 
 men, as the moft valuable articles of booty. 
 The mufes are generally in the interefts of 
 humanity ; but they are always toured 
 with the fpirit of the times. In the old 
 romances, women are fpoken of as dei- 
 ties ; and their champions as prodigies. But 
 this elevation of the fex, is unnatural and 
 
 extravagant ;
 
 48 tOVE. 
 
 extravagant ; and temporary adoration will 
 not atone for continual apprehenfion ; 
 or for the deprivation of that liberty and 
 choice which are the charms of every affec- 
 tionate union. 
 
 I am aware of the prepofieflions of wo- 
 men, and thofe of the devotees of love a- 
 mong men, in favor of romantic principles 
 or manners. Modern gallantry, particular- 
 ly that of a neighbouring nation, is owing 
 to fome remaining fparks of the ancient 
 flame of chivalry. That brilliant flame was 
 occafioned by a multitude of enormities 
 and miieries ; but it is not fuited to thofe 
 general principles of attachment which 
 render men and women happy. 
 I have the honor to be, 
 My Lord, 
 Your Lordfhip's, 
 Moft obedient, 
 And moft humble iervant, 
 
 The AUTHOR. 
 
 LETTER
 
 LOVE. 49 
 
 LETTER V. 
 
 My Lord* 
 
 *TP H E hiftory of the paflions is curious. 
 -* and important. They undergo rapid 
 revolutions ; and to nnderftand their vari- 
 ous appearances, we mult ftudy the civil 
 and religious conftitutions which have in- 4 
 fluenced their dire6tion. 
 
 Practical politicians, are almoft necefla- 
 rily fuperficial ; finding every thing in the 
 fpheres of. courts, flexible to power, they 
 encourage the opinion > that right and wrong, 
 virtue and vice, are convertible terms, and 
 depend on the caprice, folly, or vices which 
 ufually fabricate the conftitutions of ftates. 
 Writers aflltming philofophcal diftinclionSj 
 have adopted the opinion ; and becaufe good 
 is put for evil and evil for good, they deny 
 their difference, unlefs it be formed by the 
 laws or cuftoms of nations, If there were 
 
 H not
 
 jj} LOVE. 
 
 not principles and difpqfitions in nature, 
 generally determining the boundaries of 
 right and wrong, advantageous or difad- 
 vantageous ; as they do thofe of pleafure 
 and pain, light and fhadow: if they de- 
 pend wholly on the pafTions and interefts of 
 particular focieties nothing analogous to 
 jujrice could take place in the reciprocal 
 traniactions of communities ; for nothing 
 like a llandard could be inftituted by intel- 
 lectual calculations ; and the world inuft be a 
 fcene of licenfed rapine and iniquity. There 
 is a rude fimilitude in the original conftruc- 
 tion of focieties, which indicates uniformity 
 in the firft fuggeftions of nature concerning- 
 right and wrong ; and notwithstanding the 
 variations of partial interefts, or of advan- 
 tages mifunderftood, mens' ideas of virtue 
 and vice in all great or eflential matters, 
 are umverfally fimilar . 
 
 When we enquire into the effects of par-* 
 ticular principles, it may be ufeful to look 
 into its hiftory ; to coniider the appearances 
 it affumed under various circumftances ; and 
 to eftimate the influence of opinions, preju- 
 dices, and vicious inftitutions, in checking 
 
 the
 
 LOVE. ffl 
 
 the tendencies of nature to produce wifdom 
 and happinefs. It is in tliis manner, we 
 difcover truth ; feparate the operations of 
 nature from the fophiftications of art ; and 
 obtain permanent rules of duty. In this 
 way we gradually rife above fervility to 
 prepofTefTions, remove emb'arafling error, 
 and clear the road to happinefs. 
 
 In this manner, we have treated the fub- 
 je6f. of love ; the moft important principle 
 in human nature, and attended with diffi- 
 culties in proportion to that importance. 
 
 Nothing marks the fentiments of modern 
 nations, or the doctrines of modern mora- 
 lity, with ftronger characters of barbarifm, 
 than the prevailing apprehenfions of love. 
 Inftead of afllgriihg it, in our fyftems, the 
 firft rank, as it really holds in nature ; we 
 confider it as the occafion of reftraint or 
 prohibition ; and convert into vice, into a 
 fource of poignant mifery, the firfl virtue 
 and blefling of man. We may perceive fome 
 of the reafons, in the fhort hiftory of this 
 principle, given in the laft letter. Its ex- 
 travagance in the periods of chivalry, was 
 a pretence for moralifts to pronounce it 
 H 2 repre-
 
 /; LOVE. 
 
 rcprehenfible. But the fource of the evil 
 is higher. An order of men aroie, in the 
 dark ages immediately fucceeding the dif-* 
 folution of the Roman empire, which, 
 though not unknown, had never been fuf- 
 peeled of aiming at the dominion of the 
 world. 
 
 Pricfts, of all mythologies, had been the 
 inftruments of power. The oracles of 
 Greece, and the auguries of Rome, had been 
 directedby the ruling adminiitration, party, 
 or individual ; and it had been invariably 
 the obje6l of prudent ambition, to poflefs 
 the prieftefs with proper infpirations, to 
 direct the omens of the augur, <or to teach 
 the facred chicken the mode of picking up 
 their food. The general conditions of fiib* 
 fiftence and preferment, in all facred orders, 
 neceflarily imprefs a fpecies of interefted fer- 
 vility, which has unqueftionably been the 
 character of the priefthood, though not of 
 individual priefts. Power always foftered 
 this inftrument of its views, until priefts felt 
 the reins of empire in their hands ; and fuc- 
 cefo rendering timidity infolent, they kicked 
 
 oft
 
 WYE. SS 
 
 off the crowns of emperors, or made kings 
 attend them as their (laves. 
 
 How theie events were produced, is not 
 our prefent enquiry. We may, however, hint 
 a general and probable reafon, in the revi- 
 val and abufe of the doctrine of immorality. 
 The reafoning of Socrates ; the eloquence 
 of Plato ; the feducing charms of poetry in 
 Homer and Virgil, affected only the higher 
 orders of understandings, in cultivated or 
 enlightened periods. In the times ot Go- 
 thic darknefs under consideration, by an 
 enthufiafm and eloquence fuited to the 
 times, and uniformly fubfervient to intereft 
 or ambition ; the doctrine of immortality, 
 with its allurements or terrors, reach- 
 ed the remote cottage, and fubjected the 
 the wretched flave, as well as his defpotic 
 mailer, to clerical contribution. Ecclefia- 
 itics dilcovered, what Archimedes wilhed 
 for, a world to ftand upon, in order to 
 move this at pleafure. The attention of 
 men was directed to that world, conceived 
 to be at the difpofal of priefts. An order, 
 fuilained by fineffe or intrigue, difcerned 
 its advantage ; and artfully trafficked the 
 
 promifes
 
 Si LOVE. 
 
 promifes or immunities of heaven, for the 
 honors and riches of the earth. Hence the 
 dominion of ecclefiaitics ! Hence the nu- 
 merous arts of compoiition for immoralities! 
 And, hence the obje6l of our prefent en^ 
 quiry, the discredit of natural or virtuous 
 principles ! It could not efcape a politic 
 ;and powerful profeffion, that various modes 
 of commanding the general property, would 
 arife without violence, from an opinion of 
 criminality, in ardent and powerful paliions. 
 Natural and neceffary enjoyments were 
 therefore checked or prohibited, as incon- 
 liftent with the expectations of heaven. 
 "Thefe prohibitions, however, might be fuf- 
 pended, and offences atoned, on conditions 
 advantageous to clerical intereftor power. 
 
 Love, a neceffary and irrefiftible paffion, 
 became the nrit object of this holy taxation. 
 Every natural difpofition to it, all its fng- 
 geftions, or effects, were crimes againir. an 
 imagined purity ; to be forgiven or par* 
 rnited only on conditions lucrative to the 
 church ; where the keys of heaven were 
 depofited ; and where indigencies were 
 purchafed for all the extravagancies of de-* 
 
 bauchery,
 
 LOVE. h 
 
 bauchery. Here is the fource of that'difa- v 
 greement, which has long fubiifted between'" 
 the natural inclinations of man, and the 
 doctrines of an artificial religion, to which 
 government, education, and cuftom have 
 given authority. And, recollecting the ob- 
 fervations we have made on the ipirit of 
 chivalry, we fhall underftand the reafon, 
 that principles and manners, fuftained a 
 fpecies of difcordant oppofition, which is con- 
 nived at or licenfed. In our morality, or re- 
 ligion, love is a crime, folly, or weaknefs; in 
 our manners, love or its fubftitute gallantry, 
 for we are n(>t much acquainted with the 
 principle itfelf, is the higheft and mod en- 
 gaging accomplishment. We eafily trace 
 this oppofition into the remains of that ro- 
 mantic fpirit cherifhed by chivalry, and 
 the feverity or reftraint impofed by intereft- 
 ed fuperftition: and it has been attended 
 with various effects, as chearful or gloomy 
 influences have occafionally prevailed . The 
 appearance of order or diforder, in public 
 manners, have generally depended on that 
 occafional prevalence. ( When fuperftition 
 or fanaticifm can frighten profligacy into- 
 
 confirained
 
 5* LOVE. 
 
 conftrained order or affected decency, &ri 
 apparent difpoiition to virtue is.aihuned. 
 But the operations of pailions are not lair- 
 ing. Libertinifm rallies its powers ; laughs 
 fuperftition out of credit ; and reilores the 
 triumph of debauchery. Modern nations^ 
 in this refpecl, are marked with fluctuating 
 characters,, according to the fluctuation of 
 thefe cauies. The conititution of a parti- 
 cular government may render its people of- 
 tentatious ; ftimulate their ambition, or re- 
 gulate their manners, by a falie fentiment 
 of honor. Here fuperftition will be confi- 
 ned to the ignorant, the poor and the op- 
 preffed ; and the prevailing manners will 
 be attractive and orientations. Gallantry 
 ^'ill be the character, of inch a nation, lb 
 far as it relates to love. 
 
 Another government may, in its forms, 
 approach nearer to nature, or to thofe prin- 
 ciples which are the reiult of fcientific in- 
 veitigation. Such an inftitution will profeis 
 to excite ambition and regulate manners, 
 partly by a fimilar fpecies of honor, partly 
 by fuperftition under the name of religion, 
 and partly by virtuous principles. Com- 
 pared
 
 LOVE. 
 
 57 
 
 pared with the effects of the former govern- 
 ment, the general manners may be lefs 
 inclined to gallantry, and infliiencad by 
 principles of moxpermanent utility. The 
 former would provide the region for youth- 
 ful diffipation ; the latter might afford a 
 better chance to thofe who would render 
 their firft and ftrongeft paffions, the means 
 of happinefs for life. 
 
 To judge of thefe opinions, we fhould 
 recollect, that nations retaining the milita- 
 ry fpirit which diftinguifhed the times of 
 chivalry, retain fome things fimilar to the 
 manners in romances, and are diftinguifh- 
 ed by, what we call, gallantry. Other 
 nations, who had originally taken more 
 popular forms, as they gradually become 
 monarchical, military and fuperftitious, lofe 
 the firfl: portions of rough fincerity, and 
 affume, in the treatment of the fair fex,- 
 the language and manners of gallantry. 
 
 In modern nations, gallantry is the 
 fubftitute of love ; for it is the general 
 agent which effects voluntary connections; 
 Marriages, by authority, intereft, avarice, 
 or the grofier paffions, have hardly any 
 
 I thing
 
 S3 LOVE. 
 
 L 
 
 thing to diftinguifh them from thofe effected 
 by the fame means in all nges ; and having 
 no relation to love, we mult not refer to it, 
 any of the connexions they occafion. The 
 tendencies or inclinations of nature, when 
 retrained by the inftitutions of men, are to 
 be found in their cuftoms, or their vices. 
 Modern governments having employed 
 their utmoft art, in preventing marriage 
 from choice and affection, or in difcredit- 
 ing the paffion of love as the bond of do- 
 meftic union ; like a torrent violently im- 
 peded, it lias biirft its way in other direc- 
 tions : being denied its influence in bring- 
 ing men and women together for happinefs, 
 it puts on the mafque of gallantry, and 
 brings them together for pleafure. 
 
 In modern language, there is an import- 
 ant difference betv/een pleafure and happi- 
 nefs. Happinefs is generally referred to 
 Utopia, or the Mileenium : and pleafure is 
 not, as in nature, an ingredient or portion 
 of happinefs; but a detached fenfation, 
 either bodily or mental ; without attention 
 to its caufes or confequences. This deferves 
 the ferious attention of your Lordfhip ; as 
 
 modern
 
 LOVE. S9 
 
 dern manners are influenced by the error ; 
 and it is fupported by the abilities of p'hila.- 
 fophers, who are popular, becanfe they de- 
 nominate the principle of morality either 
 fentiment or common-fenfe. 
 
 Feeling is the inftrument of experience : 
 reafon is the guide of life. For the fenfi* 
 bility being exercifed by error as well as 
 by truth, it. may lead us to vices as well as 
 to virtues ; and it cannot afford a rule to be 
 depended on, like the voice of reafon, fug- 
 gefted by circumftances relating to the 
 whole of life, or to the general intereft of 
 man. 
 
 Sentiment, however, is the principle of 
 gallantry: reafon is the principle of love. 
 I mean, that perfons difKnguimed by gallan- 
 try, are influenced merely by fentiment - 
 they feek pleafure in any of its forms,- and 
 their object is immediate gratification: while 
 thofe who are united by affection, feek the 
 direction of reafon, to guard, multiply, and 
 perpetuate their fatisfaction. The diftinc- 
 tion of brutes and men, is that of fentiment 
 and reafon. Brutes are all fentimental.. 
 
 I 2 they
 
 6c LOVE. 
 
 they are governed by feeling, or the fimple 
 recollection of feeling. Their fyftem is 
 that of gallantry, feeking the repetition of 
 pleafurable fentiment, without provifion for 
 the intervals of ftrong impreffions. 
 
 That fentiment is not the rule of life in 
 the commerce of men and women, we may 
 prefume from obferving thofe who adopt it 
 among the mod wretched of mankind. A 
 life confuting of fmall portions occupied by 
 lively fenfations, and great portions occu- 
 pied by difguft, regret, wearinefs and ap- 
 prehenfion, is extremely miferable. Men and 
 women of gallantry, have never pretended 
 to be happy. The intervals of their plea- 
 furable fenfations ; folitude, reflection and 
 reafon ; torture them even in apprehenfion : 
 yet they neceiTarily occupy the greater por- 
 tions of their lives. Their ftudy therefore, 
 is to Ihorten the intervals of fentiment ; 
 and to vary and multiply the moft poignant 
 emotions. The moft confummate ikill in 
 this matter, will not anfwer the purpofe: 
 for pleafures cloy by frequent repetition ; 
 and flrong emotions debilitate conftitutions 
 
 moil:
 
 LOVE. 61 
 
 moft fufceptible of them : they hafrcn de- 
 crepitude and death ; objefts of perpetual 
 terror to men of fentiment and pleafure. 
 I have the honor to be, 
 
 My Lord, > */ 
 Your moft obedient, 
 And very humble fervant, 
 
 The AUTHOR. 
 
 . 
 
 
 gnorrrs 
 
 iiuitoi : nolii 
 
 LETTER
 
 6* MARRIAGE. 
 
 LETTER VI. 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 E have confidered the union of man 
 and woman, as intended to be 
 brought on by inclination and choice. In- 
 clination, and the power of chufmg, give 
 fife to the affection of love ; which is the 
 beft and moft ufeful affection in the human 
 mind. But it is with affections, as with 
 the productions of the earth ; they cannot 
 be cherifhed in improper foils. Conftitu- 
 tions of government, and fyftems of reli- 
 o-ion, are to principles of morality, what 
 climates are to trees or herbs or flowers ; 
 and in the moral as well as the natural 
 world, things alter and even change by a 
 change of circumftances or fituations. This 
 we have feen in the kind of hiftory which 
 we have given of the paffion of love ; or the 
 principle which has united men and women. 
 At one time, it has been, a brutal ap- 
 petite,
 
 MARRIAGE. H 
 
 petite, confident with brutal and fava?e 
 cruelty. At another, it has mounted Into 
 the fublimity and madnefs of romantic 
 adoration ; from which it has again fallen 
 into a civilized kind of brutality called gal- 
 lantry, intrigue, and debauchery. Fcr the 
 difference between a Mate of favage bruta- 
 lity, and civilized gallantry, is not fo great 
 in fa& as in appearance. Women are the 
 mere inftntments of low and temporary fen- 
 iuality ; they are in common, pofleffed by 
 as many perfons as will flatter or purchafe 
 them ; and they are Haves nearly alike in 
 both cafes : for they hold their influence, 
 their pleafures, and even their fupport, by 
 the precarious tenure of the caprice of men. 
 The brutes who are not formed into com- 
 munities, are incapable of all thofe fuperior 
 and exquifite pleafures which we denomi- 
 nate refilled ; live in that ftate of promif- 
 cuous conneaion, which may be called a 
 ftate of gallantry ; a juft, though a rude re- 
 prefentation of a life of pleafure. 
 
 Where laws, prejudices, and cuftoms are 
 in oppofition to nature, it will feek a kind 
 d'f indemnification in gallantry, libertinifm, 
 
 or
 
 6* MARRIAGE. 
 
 or debauchery. Indeed the vices arifing in 
 modern governments from the effe6ts of 
 love, feem to be all owing to unnatural or 
 iniquitous cuftoms and laws ; and gallantry 
 and intrigue are the indemnities which men 
 and women refer ve to themfelves for the 
 injuftice or injuries they have received. - 
 Though the idea of being property, or parts 
 of our goods and chattels, be exploded from 
 our philofophy and from fome of our laws, 
 it ftill remains in our prepofleffions or cus- 
 toms, counteracted by a little fenfelefs and 
 romantic gallantry. It does not offend a 
 man's confcience ; it is not reprehenfible by 
 his parents ; it is not difhonorable ; it is not 
 punifhable by law that he fhould feduce 
 an unfufpicious, artlefs, or affectionate girl ; 
 that he fhould deprive her of that cha- 
 pter, without which even he would difef- 
 teem or diflike her ; that he fhould involve 
 her in difhonor and infamy, which no re- 
 pentance, no good behaviour can remove : 
 while he would be executed, if he forcibly 
 entered her habitation, or took away fom.3 
 paltry parts of her drefs or property. The 
 crime is always contrived and committed by 
 
 the
 
 MARRIAGE. % 
 
 the man ; the punifhment and the infamy 
 are borne by the woman. Thefe are the 
 principles of Europe ; on thefe all the na- 
 tions of it act in refpea to women ; what- 
 ever may be their laws or their religions. 
 We fay, truth, juftice, and honor, are ne- 
 ceflary to the exiftence of focieties, and to 
 the various connections which form them ; 
 and we totally banilh thofe virtues, from 
 the firft, the raoft important, and mod 
 facred intercourfe of life. Are we to wonder 
 men brought up with fuch ideas of privi- 
 lege or licenfe, and fecure of impunity, 
 Ihould commit daily outrages on the happi- 
 nefs of the world ? Are we to wonder, wo- 
 men degraded from their juft or natural 
 equality ; deprived of their rights ; betray- 
 ed by artifice to be configned to infamy; 
 ihould, on their part, forget or difcard the 
 virtues which they would rejoice to practice 
 in better fituations ? 
 
 In vain do we call the art of falfe reafon- 
 ing to our aid, in a warfare againft na- 
 ture. We gravely fay, what is called virtue 
 in this cafe is of much greater import- 
 ance to women than to men. This is 
 
 K faHc :
 
 66 MARRIAGE. 
 
 falfe : for no poftible injury can arife from 
 the vices of women, which do not arife 
 from thofe of men ; nay are occafioned or 
 produced by them. Indeed, fmce I have 
 attentively and impartially confidered the 
 matter, I have felt the warmed indignation, 
 at the abandoned afiurance of a man, who 
 pretended to refent the infidelity of his 
 wife, when I have known his conduct to be 
 a feries of infamous injuries to her. That 
 has been the cafe in every inftance under 
 my obfervation. It has been the cafe in 
 thofe numerous procefles, which have afto- 
 nifhed or amufed the public ; and which 
 have been purfued with the fame barbarous 
 iniquitous fpirit that pervades the prin- 
 ciples of our morals and laws. 
 
 But I muft not go' too far on this branch 
 of the fubjecl. I would have your Lord- 
 ihip obferve, I do not intend thefe general 
 obfervations as an apology for conjugal in- 
 fidelity. I account for it ; in order to fix 
 your attention on a real and effectual reme- 
 dy. I know no offence fo great againft na- 
 ture, againft God i no crime which indi- 
 cates a heart fo infenfible to the ftrongeft 
 
 and
 
 MARRIAGE. 7 
 
 and mod pleafmg affeclions ; no difpofition 
 fo unworthy of all the efteem and confidence 
 which bind us to each other ; or fo direct- 
 ly leading to total depravity and wretched- 
 nefs, as conjugal infidelity. But it mud be 
 obvious to every one who is not ftrangely 
 perverted by vicious cuftoms and laws, that 
 when all truth, honor and juftice are aban- 
 doned by one party, they muft fbon be 
 abandoned by the other. 
 
 It is time we mould turn our views 
 from the errors and vices occafioned by hu- 
 man inftitutions, to the pleafmg and bene- 
 ficient difpoiitions of nature. Indeed in 
 this, as in many other cafes, the profpe&s 
 of wade or wretched nefs are numerous, 
 thofe of real beauty or happinefs are few, 
 and . perceived or relifhed only by uncor- 
 rupted and cultivated minds. Social vir- 
 tues do not arife immediately from iimple 
 fenfations or fimple ideas ; or there would 
 be no difficulty in afcertaining their princi- 
 ples and pointing out their neceffity. If 
 a life of focial virtue were only a feries of 
 detached fenfations, the moil ftupid and 
 wretched mind ; fo trifling a thing as a 
 K 2 man
 
 6& MARRIAGE. 
 
 man of pleafure ; nay, a brute might per- 
 ceive its advantages. But when we enter 
 fociety, our morality becomes a com p ex, 
 fcience ; and our pleafures if we have any, 
 are multiplied by reflection. The difficulty 
 in becoming virtuous and happy as iocial 
 beings, is exactly the difficulty of riling 
 from the ftate of brutes to that of men ; 
 the difficulty of bj'.ieving that the pleafures 
 of fenfe are infinitely enhanced, when uni- 
 ted to thofe of reafon. 
 
 I know this is aiming too high, for the 
 prefent morality, or the preient philofophy ; 
 which is content to fnatch its pleafures, 
 becaufe nature will be obeyed ; or to abftain 
 from them, becaufe the law, or the devil 
 hold before men the profpecl: of fhame or 
 (Jeftruclion. Their hearts are therefore 
 alternately occupied by defire and appre- 
 henfion ; by temporary pleafure, which is 
 ever fucceeded by terror and remorfe. It 
 would be folly to talk to thefe perfons of 
 pleafures they have never tafted ; which 
 they confider as ideal ; and of which it is 
 hardly poffible they ffrould be induced to 
 make trial, A man acccuftomed to fimple 
 
 fenfations ;
 
 marriage: 63 
 
 fenfations ; governed wholly by fentimentV 
 or what is called common-fenfe hears of 
 reflected pleafures, of the happinefs to be 
 procured by reafon and the uniform prac- 
 tice of virtue, with the fame effecl that a 
 brute attends to mufic, or a bigot to a 
 benevolent defcription of heaven. 
 
 All morality is founded on pleafure. Thfe 
 is a principle, which no fpecies of fuperiU- 
 tion ; no philofophic chicane, has been able 
 to difcredit. All men in all puriuits feek 
 pleafure ; this is an invariable and eternal 
 law of nature. On this law varioufly inter- 
 preted, all men, in their lenfes, are agreed. 
 
 This pleafure confifts either of fimple 
 detached fenfations, feelings, or fenii- 
 ments ; without intention, without plan, 
 and without relation to each other: or it 
 confifts of fenfations, multiplied by defign, 
 by a plan which gives them reciprocal rela- 
 tions ; by the conftant guidance or direc- 
 tion of reafon. Here men are divided. 
 The common votaries of pleafure fay, things 
 are to be taken as they may occur ; prefent 
 pleafure is not to be foregone ; that happi- 
 nefs depends on the quantity and variety of 
 
 thofe
 
 70 MARRIAGE, 
 
 thofe pleafures, we have the good fortune to 
 feize as their occafions arife ; that the inter- 
 pofition of reafon is a prejudicial reilraint ; 
 and that views or confederations extending 
 to the whole of lite, or to its moral relations 
 and duties, are inconfiftent with enthuiiafm, 
 the foul of pleafure, and are never united to 
 that feniibility, without which it can have 
 no exigence. This is the creed of tiie mul- 
 titude. It is the principle of all the infaicr 
 animals : and of that great majority of man- 
 kind, who occupy the borders of brutal and 
 rational life. So far it may. be faii to be 
 natural ; as it neceffarily arifes from the 
 firft and general fituations of favage or 
 wandering nations. Brutes live promif- 
 cuoufly ; becaufe they have not acquired 
 talents and reafon to render domeilic fo- 
 ciety, or domeftic virtue, the lource of 
 pleafure. Savages act in a fimilar manner 
 for a fhnilar reafon. Men and women of 
 gallantry, in all the variations of what is 
 called a itate of civilization, adopt theufages 
 of favages and brutes, becaufe they have 
 not fufficient experience and reafon to dif- 
 cern, that by adopting the genuine princi- 
 ples
 
 MARRIAGE. 71 
 
 pies and rational regulations of domeftic fo- 
 ciety, they heighten and multiply their' 
 pleafures. 
 
 They who have ftudied the laws of na- 
 ture, not only in the fimple propenfities by 
 which fhe firft acts, but in thofe combina- 
 tions which form focial principles ; who 
 have felt their pleafures heighten, become 
 more interefting and more numerous as 
 they advanced in paths of virtue; who 
 have found themfelves becoming more free 
 by obferving the regulations of reafon, and 
 more happy by facrificing prefent and fingle 
 pleafures to thofe which may be at fome dif- 
 tance, but of great importance, complica- 
 ted with gratifications of the mod intereft- 
 ing nature : thefe perfons have ever held 
 the promifcuous commerce of favage bru- 
 tality, or of civilized gallantry, in abhor- 
 rence; and have fought the virtues, as the 
 inftruments of pleafure. But their num- 
 bers are fmall ; too inconfiderable to fur- 
 nifh examples for general imitation; nay, 
 too inconfiderable to give their experience 
 and principles an air of probability, or a 
 chance of obtaining refpecl: and influ- 
 ence.
 
 72 MARRIAGE. 
 
 ence. Habits formed in ignorant or xW 
 cious focieties are io prevalent ; and exam- 
 ples of men a6ting on rational and focial 
 views are fo few, that libertinifm triumphs, 
 and reafon or virtue put in claims with 
 modefty and referve. 
 
 Thefe claims, however, have been always 
 well fupported ; they have influenced the 
 principles of the barbarous, as well as li- 
 centious forms of governments ; they have 
 had the fan6fions of all religions ; they have 
 checked the profligacy of public manners ; 
 they have been avowed and acted upon by 
 the wifeft and moft excellent perfons who 
 have ever appeared in the world. 
 
 We need not therefore be afraid of the 
 farcafms of licentious wit ;' we need not ap- 
 prehend being ridiculed as fuperftitious, if 
 we after t, that love is not defigned to be a 
 temporary paftime ; or the inftrument of 
 gratification merely fenfual ; but a princi- 
 ple of union in man and woman to continue 
 during life. 
 
 Religious legiflators have imagined ihtip 
 perceived this truth ; and they have en* 
 joined, under, the ianclion of penalties in 
 
 this
 
 MARRIAGE. 73 
 
 this world and of damnation in another, 
 that when man and woman are united, they 
 fnall never be ieparated but by one offence. 
 Nothing could have been imagined more 
 effectually to coi interact the intentions of 
 mir/a >;e, fhaa nidi a law. Nature plainly 
 inn pate*) Eke, only method to fecure domef- 
 tic ao \ ^ NppSnefe, is to form our con-. 
 nc.t ; c^ pp auction or principle; which, 
 in prouu .: g c< Y 2*1 love, the mntfincere 
 and mo--' bite J e Ing friend-lip, the recipro- 
 cal and t n.^r attachments of parents and 
 ch'ldren, b others and fitters heigthen and 
 muhi^y all cur pleafures. If we obey this 
 direction, we are fure to be happy ; if we 
 difobey, we have no reafon to expeel hap- 
 pinefs. But nature is not fufficiently wife 
 or prudent, according to the church or the 
 law. They have enjoined, that men and 
 women muft continue together ; notbecaufe 
 they love each other, or are likely to be 
 happy ; but becaufe they are united ; becaufe 
 myftical words have been pronounced over 
 them ; and heaven has been fuppofed to 
 witnefs their contract. 
 
 L The
 
 74 MARRIAGE. 
 
 The very breath of a priefl: has ever 
 Teemed malignant to the happinefs of man. 
 This is the triumph of fuperftitious artifice 
 over reafon and the affe6tions of the heart. 
 Nothing has ever been contrived fo effec- 
 tually to oppofe the intentions of reafon ; 
 to deftroy the beft affections of men ; to 
 warp them by authority and intereft ; or to 
 drive them by defpair into all the excefles 
 of" proftitution or debauchery as the im- 
 politic, the barbarous cuftom of forcing 
 thofe whofe folly has made them wretched, 
 to continue wretched to the end of life. 
 
 It is a common effe6t of ignorance or im- 
 pofture to endeavor or pretend to obtain 
 the ends of nature, by different means from 
 thofe pointed out by her evident laws. 
 
 God has ordered or difpofed that man 
 and woman mould be united by mutual 
 affection ; that the affection fhould give a 
 charm to all the pleafurable circumftances 
 arifing from their union. Here the Almigh- 
 ty hath left us to render ourfelves happy ; 
 here men fhould have left us : but avarice 
 and ambition profit by mifleading and tor- 
 menting us. 
 
 The
 
 MARRIAGE. 73 
 
 The Almighty hath provided, when the 
 firft tranfports from having found another 
 part of ourfelves; when the firft joys from 
 the diicovery of a mind and heart fit to be 
 blcn lecj with our own, and worthy of the 
 tendered love ; when thefe lively but na- 
 tural emotions are meliorated into that ferene 
 and namelefs delight which fubfifts in minds 
 perfectly fatisiied with their union new 
 relations arife, new affections are produced, 
 and new ties are formed in our hearts, by 
 the birth and education of children. Brutes 
 have not this privilege ; nor have lavages, 
 or men of pleafure, who live like brutes. 
 They come together by mere appetite ; and 
 the fruits- of temporary or promifcuous 
 commerce, are regarded without delight ; 
 perhaps with corroding doubts, fufpicions, 
 or hatred ; and are either neglected, or con- 
 figned to infamy and vice. But all connec- 
 tions, without that affection, which may be 
 truly and properly called love; whether 
 effe6ted by the authority of parents, by 
 views of intereft, or by luff, however fanc- 
 tified by fu perditions or legal forms, are 
 vrostitutions; offences againlt nature ; and 
 L 2 therefore
 
 7 6 MARBIAGE. 
 
 therefore neceFarily productive of mifery. 
 The, Deity hath provided, when the firft 
 enchanting links o. mu ual aiTeclion -and pa- 
 rental love have u liied us ; we fuould be 
 more endeared to each other, by every 
 inftance of care and afte61ion in the edu- 
 cation of our children. Nothii.g [o errec- 
 tually charms the mind into a fettled ef- 
 teem, as concurrence in an employment, 
 fo beneficent, fo delightful, as the care or 
 education of our own offspring. This is a 
 work of fo much importance, and requir- 
 ing fo much time, that it contributes more 
 than any thing towards perpetuating our 
 union. The neceflary duties to one child 
 are fucceeded by the neceflary duties to an- 
 other ; until we have transferred, as it were, 
 our whole fouls into our offspring ; paf- 
 fionately love each other again in our feveral 
 images or representatives ; and live only 
 to make ourfelves happy through the hap- 
 pinefs of our children. It is thus we may 
 be faid to be renewed ; or to be made young 
 again. We view the progrefs of an infant 
 mind, the fources and growth of its affec- 
 tions, with more pleafure than is expert 
 
 enced
 
 MARRIAGE. 77 
 
 enced by itfelf. We intereil ourfelves in 
 thofe great paffions which determine. the 
 events of life ; we forget our infirmities, 
 we imagine ourfelves in love again becaufe 
 our children are enamoured ; and we be- 
 come fathers and mothers a fecond time, 
 when they afliime thofe happy denomi- 
 nations. Compare, if you can, the events 
 of what is called a life of pleafure, with fuch 
 as thefe. And when nature is decompos- 
 ing ; when infirmities or diforders menace 
 diflblution you may fee the man who has 
 a6ted on the felfifh and brutal principle 
 of gratifying himfelf at the expence of 
 truth, honour, and the happinefs of others, 
 curfing a world which detefts or defpifes 
 him ; deferted by all, by the very inftru- 
 ments of his pleafures, becaufe univerfally 
 difefteemed ; and finking into the grave in 
 ignominy or frantic wretchednefs : while 
 thofe men and women who have gone hand 
 in hand in the pleafing duties of life, will not 
 only have a firm fupport in honorable re- 
 collections ; but will be led down its rugged 
 declivity, by the tenderer!: care of an af- 
 fectionate offspring ; and will confign them- 
 
 felves
 
 78 MARRIAGE, 
 
 felves to reft, like iifeful labourers, a little 
 weary, but iatisfied with the work of the 
 day. 
 
 I have the honor to be, 
 My Lord, 
 Your Lordfhip's, 
 -Moft obedient, 
 And moft humble fervant, 
 
 The AUTHOR, 
 
 > io J 
 
 i 
 
 LETTER
 
 JDULTERT. 79 
 
 
 LETTER VII. 
 
 My Lord, 
 
 ON the fubjec~t of love, we have re- 
 garded principally the abufes or 
 corruptions of that paffion introduced by 
 human religions and laws. It is ufual, on 
 the fubjecl, to attempt defcriptions, of fuch 
 a flate as might take place, if the difpo- 
 fitions of nature were to have their effect. 
 But as the moft beautiful and pleafmg de- 
 fcriptions of that kind have ever been at- 
 tended with little or no moral influence, I 
 thought it might have better effects to point 
 out to your Lordfhip the origin or caufes 
 of the vices and miferies I wifh to have re- 
 moved, than to amufe the fancy with ideal 
 fcenes, on which men have no difpofitions 
 or capacities to enter. For I look on a 
 perfon, whofe heart has been vitiated, 
 or whofe affections have been depraved in 
 
 his-
 
 8c; ADULTERY.. 
 
 his intercourfe with women, to be as inca- 
 pable of conceiving any idea of that pleafing 
 principle, which unites and keeps toge- 
 ther, during life, affectionate and deferving 
 minds ; as a brute is to conceive the fatis- 
 faction arifing from the truths of mathema- 
 tics and aftronomy, or what is juftly deno- 
 minated fcientiflc pleafure. Give the brute 
 his wretched lubfiftence, and he thinks of 
 nothing higher : give the fenfualift the 
 immediate gratification of the loweft or 
 coarfefi appetites, and he will affect to def- 
 pife fatisfactions of the mind, which he has 
 never comprehended, or pleafures of the 
 heart, which he never could have felt. 
 
 The difference between the ftates of men 
 governed by their firft fenfations, and when 
 governed by combined and reflected fenti- 
 timents, is fo great, that it has given proba- 
 bility and influence to the idea, that man* 
 confifls of two Jlrrerent beings, a foul and a 
 body. When he is governed by fimple or 
 and grofs fenfations, he is faid to confnlt on- 
 ly the pleafure of the body, or to be directed 
 by that body ; when his attention is to more 
 complicated, more exquifite, and internal 
 fenfations, he is faid to be under the govern- 
 ment
 
 ADULTERS 81 
 
 merit of the foul. This doctrine has its 
 apparent conveniences and inconveniencies, 
 which may be very proper fubjecls of con- 
 fideration. Our bufinefs at prefent is only 
 to give weight or credit to the diftinction 
 w r e make between fimpie and complex fen- 
 fations ; between the immediate or grofs 
 impreflions made on the outward fenfes* 
 and thofe made through them on the finer 
 organs of reflection (whatever their names) 
 and thence returned, multiplied, or dif- 
 fused through the whole human frame. 
 This conftitutes precifely the difference be- 
 tween a mere animal, a mere fenfualift, and 
 a rational or virtuous man. They are 
 both actuated by fenfations. Thofe of the 
 former are fimpie, grofs, confined to out- 
 ward fenfes ; they are indulged at random, 
 and have happy or miferable confequences, 
 as may happen : thofe of the latter are 
 firft fimpie, but natural and juft ; they are 
 coveted, partly on their own account, but 
 principally on account of thofe efte6ts pro- 
 duced by combinations of them, or by 
 that power acting on and directing them* 
 which is called reflection. They have, there- 
 
 M fore,
 
 83 ADULTERT. 
 
 fore, been among the greateft enemies of 
 mankind, who not only diftinguifhed be- 
 tween the body and the mind, but fet 
 them at variance; made the pleafures of 
 fenfe, and the duties of reafon inconfiftent. 
 Virtue cannot be better defined, than as 
 the economy of our pleafures ; the art of 
 improving them ; the fcience of refining, 
 perfecting, and rendering permanent the 
 moft voluptuous fenfuality. But it is an 
 art ; it is a fcience ; and none but adepts 
 poffefs it. The reafon, that men in general 
 grovel in low pleafures, or are ftrangers to 
 virtue, is ignorance ; fuch as prevents an 
 Indian from failing in a fhip, or meafuring 
 his time by a watch. 
 
 To thofe who have had fome experience 
 on this fubjecl; who have underftanding to 
 make experience furnilh data for reafon ; it 
 will feem probable, the union of man and 
 woman, formed, regulated, and preferved 
 by this voluptuous art, this pleafurable 
 fcience, which alone deferves the name of 
 virtue is the beft foundation for that focial 
 and perfect happinefs which all wifti for, 
 
 though but few enjoy. 
 
 Mutual
 
 ADULTERY. 83 
 
 Mutual wants, which may be called mu- 
 tual defects, produce warm and tender de- 
 fires : thefe fixed by tafte, imagination and 
 reaion, produce paffion ; which produces 
 friendfhip ; which re-produces or re-ani- 
 mates paffion to the end of life. This Is 
 the marriage of nature ; ib wifely provided 
 for ; arranged in caufes and effects of fo 
 exquifite and delicate a kind, that the in- 
 terpofitions of human art or policy, the 
 interference of law or of religion, have 
 generally had the effects of rude violence 
 and injury. Indeed they mull appear to 
 a true philofopher, like the attempts of 
 lions or bears to re-adjuft the parts, or 
 to improve the difpofition of the human 
 brain . 
 
 A declaration of love anfwered by a de- 
 claration or confeffion of love, is the moft 
 folemn, the moft facred, the moft binding 
 engagement into which it is poffible for 
 a man and woman to enter. It muft be 
 under ftood, the perfons making it, pledge 
 their truth and honor, that they are mutu- 
 ally poffeffed of thofe defires, or that paf- 
 on whic h is the proper principle of lading 
 M 2 attachment ;
 
 8.i ADULTERY. 
 
 attachment ; that they have each found 
 a counterpart for the other ; and mean to 
 enter into that tender and affectionate 
 friendfhip, which is to constitute the great 
 bleffing of their lives. Compare the terms 
 and importance of ihis engagement, with 
 thofe civil obligations, a failure which fub- 
 jects a man to puniihment, ignominy or 
 death ; compare them with t e confidera- 
 tions which determine us to acknowledge 
 moral obligations and you will perceive 
 that nature holds adultery among the 
 blackeft and moil enormous crimes. If we 
 think a man an enemy to fociety, or to be 
 cut off from it, who violates juitice in de- 
 frauding us of our property, or violently 
 feizing it what mutt he deferve who fails 
 in obligations much more facred, much 
 more important ; into which he has openly 
 and deliberately entered : or by artifice 
 deprives another of a blcfllng, with which 
 the poffeffion of all the riches in the world, 
 can bear no. co:nparifon. 
 
 But thefe are imaginary cafes. We fel- 
 dom or never fee real happinefs forfeited by 
 tjie. parties themfelves, or broken in upon 
 
 by
 
 ADULTERT. 8 5 
 
 by others. Marriages are generally made 
 by the influence or authority of parents; 
 and their children are only actors who 
 have parts given them, fometimes very 
 difficult to ftudy, to digeft, or to perform. 
 The common opinions and laws therefore 
 in regard to adultery, are in a high degree 
 favage and tyrannical. For they fuppofe 
 thole guilty of violating truth honor and 
 juftice, who were not at liberty to make 
 engagements ; and treat them as worthlefs 
 , or abandoned, for having extinguifhed af- 
 fections they were not allowed to cherifh, 
 and forfeited happinefs they could never have 
 expereienced, or of which they had no hope. 
 As it would be unjuft to make a performer, 
 who recites a bad part on the theatre, 
 wholly anfwerable for the faults of the 
 author ; fo it is favage and cruel to make 
 thofe young perfons who are forced into 
 unhappy marriages, anfwerable for the con- 
 fequences of crimes, they would have been 
 very glad not to have committed. In (lead 
 therefore of devifing laws to render more 
 infamous and wretched the victims of ava^ 
 rice or ambition, wife legiflators fhould 
 
 have
 
 8<5 ADULTERT. 
 
 have had thofe parents punifhed, and pu- 
 nifhed exemplarily, for the incontiner.cy 
 or profligacy of children they had meanly 
 or inhumanly proftituted How can it be 
 expected, a fon or a daughter who is in- 
 tru6ted by its family, that all inclinations 
 and all principles muft give way to autho- 
 rity or intereft, and who is forced or de- 
 ceived into a difagreeable connection for 
 life ; fhould on a hidden afliime all the 
 virtues of a moral character ; all the fenfi- 
 bility which is the ground of affection and 
 friendfhip ; or all the truth, fidelity and 
 goodnefs necelfary to a6l up to its obliga- 
 tions ? Indeed young people are feldom 
 brought into this fituation without previous 
 opportunities to refill: the exercife of fuch 
 authority ; and the common crime of incon- 
 tinency is not fo much in eloping as in mar- 
 rying. In proportion therefore as they 
 have aflented or feemed to aflent to the mean 
 or abominable facriflce ; they ought to (hare 
 in its miferable and infamous confequences. 
 But under the management of bad pa- 
 rents or avaricious relations, the crimes of 
 incontinency and adultery become probable 
 
 and
 
 ADULTERT. 87 
 
 and necefiary confequences, not only when 
 young perfons are forced to unite them- 
 ielves contrary to their inclinations ; but 
 when to avoid fuch violence, they are obliged 
 to have recourfe to fecret correfpondences 
 or clandeftine marriages. Stolen matches 
 are feldom happy ; for very good reafons. 
 The parties have not opportunities to be- 
 come lufficiently acquainted with each other ; 
 their connections are perhaps owing to the 
 dread of being forced into fituations they 
 deteft, and cemented by refiftance or ill 
 ulage. There is a charm to young and 
 generous minds in being fellow-fufferers, 
 which forms an attachment or affection, 
 very eafily miftaken for love. All their 
 correfpondence and commerce are car- 
 ried on in that kind of hurry or obfcu- 
 rity, which is ever unfavourable to judg- 
 ment or choice. We accordingly fee men 
 and women hazarding every thing for each 
 other, on a flight fecret or ftolen acquaint- 
 ance; and when marriage gives them lei- 
 fure to behold what they have done; to con- 
 sider or know each other ; they are aftoniflied 
 
 at
 
 88 ADULTERT. 
 
 at their folly, and driven by defpair into 
 the excefles of profligacy. 
 
 Yet the imprudence itfelf would not be 
 fo fatal, if an indifference or difregard to 
 truth, a habit of infincerity, artifice, and 
 intrigue, were not formed by the necelTity 
 of fecret correfpondence. A woman, who 
 will be prevailed upon to deceive her pa- 
 rents, may be prevailed upon to deceive her 
 hulband ; and a man who takes pains to 
 teach her that art, is deftitute of the eflen- 
 tial requifites to conjugal happinefs : he 
 never can have her confidence ; he has under- 
 mined the foundation of her fidelity, and he 
 has mrnifhed the fecret and the inclination to 
 betray him. They who marry by intrigue, 
 often fix the habits of infincerity or artifice 
 fo deeply in their minds, that intrigues be- 
 came neceflliry ; they lofe all talte for plea- 
 fures, which are the refult of natural or 
 honourable affections ; and relifh none but 
 fuch as are purchafed by fome wretched ar- 
 tifice, or matched from fome hazardous and 
 alarming fituation. 
 
 The art of conducting intrigues, or of 
 hazarding and efcaping the dangers attend- 
 
 ing
 
 ADULTERS %9 
 
 ingthem, is very fimilar to the art of war. 
 Both are unnatural in their principles or 
 obje&s ; both confift of ftratagems or ha- 
 zards, which create quick fucceffions of 
 lively fenfations ; and both have charms to 
 iimilar minds. 
 
 Indeed it is remarkable, the fame vitiated 
 tafte, and the fame mediocrity of genius, 
 which lead to the profeffion of a foldier, 
 generally leek happinefs in the little arti- 
 fices or perils of intrigue. Women of lively 
 imaginations ; with fufficient talents to be 
 vain of them, and unfurnifhed by educa- 
 tion with the eflential principles of good- 
 nefs are dazzled or enamoured of thefe 
 artificial but brilliant characters ; and eafily 
 adopt the fpirit and artifice, which render 
 them proper counterparts to them. 
 
 Here we fee vice become an art ; and we 
 know there is a kind of gratification in 
 practifing any art of which we are in pof- 
 felhon. Hence many of thofe deviations; 
 thofe adventures apparently capricious, for 
 which it is fo difficult to account. It is not 
 uncommon for a man or woman, to hazard 
 N reputa-
 
 &> ADULTERT. 
 
 reputation, peace, or life, for a connection, 
 which is no fooner made, than it lofes its 
 charm ; and the parties fly to new hazards 
 in purfuit of new obje&s. We are not to 
 wonder fuch perfons are enraptured during 
 their moments of fondnefs, at one time 
 with one kind of beauty, at another time 
 with another; at one time fmelling to a 
 rofe, at another delighted with a poppy : 
 making no diftinction between wit and folly ; 
 or even between youth and age ; but con- 
 templating with equal tendernefs and the 
 fame temporary fufpicious paffion, luft 
 lurking in furrows, and the loves or graces 
 fporting in dimples. The pleafure is in 
 
 the art, in the conduct of the intrigue : not 
 
 
 
 in the object: which, if an angel, muftfoon 
 
 be changed for the pleafure of purfuing 
 another. 'Such perfons foon become inca- 
 pable of love, friendfhip, or any attachment 
 requiring true or genuine feniibility, na- 
 tural and lafting affections, fincerity, truth, 
 or fidelity : for the principles of their art,, 
 tfre cunning, falfehood, an infenfibility to 
 the fufierings of others, and a difregard to- 
 
 the
 
 ADULTERY. 91 
 
 the moft pleafing and facred ties which unite 
 the hearts of mankind. 
 
 It is extremely unhappy, when intereft, 
 ambition, or any other improper motive, 
 induces fuch perfons to marry ; unlefs they 
 fhould afibciate like with like : for then they 
 may agree on mutual licence and libertinifm* 
 or they may plague and punifh each other as 
 they deferve, by mutual fufpicion, mutual 
 recrimination, and mutual difhonor. 
 
 Pride, vanity, prodigality, and avarice, 
 are common fources of various iniquities; 
 and the common caufes of adultery. Thefe, 
 however, are obvious ; have been often in- 
 fixed upon ; and we are aware of their dan- 
 ger : but there exifts a caufe, the danger of 
 which is feldom apprehended; it has the 
 greater! influence in tender and excellent 
 minds ; and it promifes happinefs in all cafes 
 with fo much plaufibility, that it fecurely 
 leads men in the paths of vice, of hope, 
 of difappointment, and of mifery, to the 
 end of life. This is an exquifite extreme 
 ienfibility to the minute attentions or in- 
 attentions of thofe we love; and an ex- 
 N 2 peclation
 
 c,s ADULTERT. 
 
 peculation of the continuance of thofe ami-* 
 able arts wh ; ch were firft made life of to 
 gain our affections. The difference be- 
 tween lovers and hufbands ; between mif- 
 trefles, who are' candidates for our .hearts, 
 and wives who have gained them is the 
 occafion of great unhappinefs in marriage, 
 and often leads to the violation of its en- 
 gagements. Nothing can more effectually 
 mortify a mind of real fenfibility, and con- 
 fcious of its merit, than to perceive itfelf 
 neglected, becaufe it is pouched ; to lofe 
 either at once, or gradually, all that tender 
 folicitude, thofe paffionate attentions, which 
 had been ufed to get pofleffion of it. 
 
 Indeed it fhews a fhameful, though comr 
 mon weaknefs, to difregard an object we 
 have taken great pains, and been extremely 
 defirous to obtain, merely becaufe we have 
 obtained it. When pofleffion is not, as it 
 femetimes may be, the occafion of diffipating 
 an illufion, or of unmafking artful and bad 
 minds, the natural confequence is fatisfac- 
 tion, not indifference or difguft. 
 
 In nature ; in reafon ; and in all pleafures 
 
 regulated
 
 ADULTERS C) S 
 
 regulated by nature and reafon, the means 
 are inferior to the end. In the intercourfes 
 of men and women, whofe paflions are na> 
 tural, or difpofed to be the inftruments of 
 happinefs, the end is more delightful than 
 the means ; and the happinefs of pofleffion 
 is diverted of anxious doubts, is more pure, 
 more fatisfa61ory, than any pleafures which 
 preceded it. 
 
 Little minds are incapable of any but lit- 
 tle pleafures ; and not being able to furnifli 
 or to enjoy happinefs, they endeavour to 
 fubftitute a variety of fhort delights ; and, 
 knowing none higher than thofe of court- 
 fhip, they feek a repetition of them in in- 
 trigue. Hence the deviation and fall of 
 many, who feemed deftined for better things. 
 It muft be owned, the failure in this cafe, 
 is generally on the fide of men. Women, 
 who are not firft proftituted by their pa- 
 rents in what is called the holy ftate of ma- 
 trimony, are generally difpofed to be affec- 
 tionate, faithful, and happy: but the com- 
 mon licentioufnefs of men, deftroys all fuch 
 difpofitions, and renders poffeffion the grave 
 
 of
 
 94 ADULTERY. 
 
 of love. It is much to the honour of wo- 
 men, that while men are univerfally aban- 
 doned, many oi them are virtuous. I fpeak 
 in the behalf of women ; becaufe it is juft 
 to be on the fide of the opprefled. They 
 generally ftruggle hard to extend the atten- 
 tions and tendernefs of courtfhip through 
 the whole of life ; and feldom become un- 
 faithful, till after repeated injuries. But 
 when totally difappointed ; when outraged 
 in every pleafmg hope ; and gradually giv- 
 ing way to grief and defpair what an af- 
 fecting object is an amiable woman- thus 
 circumftanced ! Kow very likely to engage 
 the love of a generous man ! And if he dif- 
 covers it, how very likely to give him up a 
 heart which has been cruelly diftrefled or 
 caft away ! What confiderations are there 
 to prevent this crime ; and who mould have 
 the blame of it? Our wanton licentioufnefs 
 and tyranny mould have all its infamy and 
 all its mifery. Hence the ridicule of thofe 
 men who are thus difhonoured ; and the 
 iheer at the name of cuckold: this is juft ; 
 for men are the caufes ; and women well 
 treated, would hardly ever go aftray. 
 
 However
 
 ADULTERT. 95 
 
 However this may be, men and women, 
 when incapable of happinefs, or difappoint- 
 ed in their hopes of it, fubftitute the little 
 temporary pleafures of repeated courtfhipSj 
 and neceffarily facrifice their honor to enter 
 into intrigues. This is the very region of 
 delufion, to fuch minds as have more ima- 
 gination than judgment, or more fenfibi- 
 lity than underftanding. The objects of 
 intrigue, are like fairy forms and unfub- 
 ftantial fhadows. They place themfelves 
 always in the mod advantageous light, be- 
 caufe they have only a temporary appear- 
 ance to make. They ferve to reanimate the 
 hopes of thofe who have been difappointec! 
 in better things ; they engage them in the 
 activity of purfuit ; they furnifh them with 
 the delights of flattery and courtfhip ; and 
 they are no fooner grafped, than they dif-* 
 appear or difguft; while other objects flart 
 tip, create other hopes, other pleafures, and 
 other difappointments ; until the fenfibility 
 be worn out, the whole frame exhibit 
 haggard and cadaverous appearance ; until 
 the mind be foured into an ill opinion or 
 
 hatred
 
 B G ADULTERT. 
 
 hatred of the world, the moil favorable td 
 Iniquity, and the moft unhappy to it's pof- 
 feffor ; until the heart become wholly aban- 
 doned and profligate. 
 
 What a (long contraft between this, the 
 moft favorable, defcription of what is called 
 a ftate of pleafure, and that affeaionate 
 love, that fincere and tender friendfhip, to 
 be found only in the connexions of fincere 
 and excellent minds ; and rendered perma- 
 nent as our exiftence by thofe qualities 
 which occafioned them. What a difference 
 between the filly or artful flatteries of a 
 fpecious libertine, who may amufe, and daz- 
 zle and deceive for awhile, but who will not 
 bear infpeclion; who avoids attachments; 
 and means to faerifice every thing to his 
 prefent convenience and gratification, or to 
 the affeaed carefles of a proftitute, which 
 have been repeated on every dupe who had 
 no difcernment and tafte to be difgufted 
 with them what a difference betwen thefe 
 and the well-grounded afFe6tion r the de- 
 ferved approbation, and heart-felt attach- 
 ment of the beft and tendered friends? 
 
 What
 
 ADULTERY. gy 
 
 What facrifices therefore are made, what 
 follies committed, by the common purfuits 
 of infidelity and adultery ? 
 
 I need not point out to your Lordfhip 
 the confequences of thefe crimes. At this 
 time, it would be like defcribing mnfhine, 
 or fhewing what conftitutes day. They 
 all prove the expediency of my application 
 to your Lordfhip, to exert your inter eft and 
 influence in the revifion and correction of 
 the Englifh laws, reflecting the authority 
 of parents, their power of difpofing their 
 property, and the various modes by which 
 they may controul or direct the marriages 
 of their children. 
 
 At this time, the abufe of parental autho- 
 rity, and of the laws reflecting marriage, 
 are the general caufes of infidelity to the 
 marriage vow. How that authority may 
 be regulated : or what laws may be fub- 
 flituted for ftatutes which now dishonour 
 our national character, and banifh virtue 
 and happinefs from our dwellings, I will 
 not fuggeft. When your Lordfhip has in- 
 duced, what is called the Wifdom of Par- 
 
 O liament,
 
 8 ADULTERT. J - 
 
 lianient, to deliberate on thefe fubje6ts I 
 
 may exercife the privilege of a Briton ; and 
 
 again obtrude fome of my opinions on your 
 
 Lordfhip. 
 
 I am, my Lord, 
 
 Your Lordfhip's moil obedient, 
 
 And very humble lervant, 
 
 The AUTHOR. 
 
 FINIS.
 
 3 1158 00486 0168