able creatures built
upon its proper foundation, the higher we raised their opinion of
themselves, the greater would be the advantage to our sex; but all the
topic of praise is drawn from very senseless and extravagant ideas we
pretend we have of their beauty and perfection. Thus when a young man
falls in love with a young woman, from that moment she is no more Mrs.
Alice such-a-one, born of such a father, and educated by such a mother;
but from the first minute that he casts his eye upon her with desire, he
conceives a doubt in his mind, what heavenly power gave so unexpected a
blow to a heart that was ever before untouched. But who can resist Fate
and Destiny, which are lodged in Mrs. Alice's eyes? After which he
desires orders accordingly, whether he is to live or breathe; the smile
or frown of his goddess is the only thing that can now either save or
destroy him. By this means, the well-humoured girl, that would have
romped with him before she received this declaration, assumes a state
suitable to the majesty he has given her, and treats him as the vassal
he calls himself. The girl's head is immediately turned by having the
power of life and death, and takes care to suit every motion and air to
her new sovereignty. After he has placed himself at this distance, he
must never hope to recover his former familiarity, till she has had the
addresses of another, and found them less sincere.

If the application to women were justly turned, the address of flattery,
though it implied at the same time an admonition, would be much more
likely to succeed. Should a captivated lover, in a billet, let his
mistress know, that her piety to her parents, her gentleness of
behaviour, her prudent economy with respect to her own little affairs in
a virgin condition, had improved the passion which her beauty had
inspired him with, into so settled an esteem for her, that of all women
breathing he wished her his wife; though his commending her for
qualities she knew she had as a virgin, would make her believe he
expected from her an answerable conduct in the character of a matron, I
will answer for it, his suit would be carried on with less perplexity.

Instead of this, the generality of our young women, taking all their
notions of life from gay writings, or letters of love, consider
themselves as goddesses, nymphs, and shepherdesses.

By this romantic sense of things, all the natural relations and duties
of life are forgotten, and our fem