m mad; and as
jealous Eyes always see thro' Magnifying Glasses, so he was certain it
could not be I whom he had seen, a beardless Stripling, but fancied he
saw a gay Gentleman of the _Temple_, ten Years older than my self; and
for that reason, I presume, durst not come in, nor take any Notice
when I went out. He is perpetually asking his Wife if she does not
think the time long (as she said she should) till she see her Cousin
again. Pray, Sir, what can be done in this Case? I have writ to him to
assure him I was at his House all that afternoon expecting to see him:
His Answer is, 'tis only a Trick of hers, and that he neither can nor
will believe me. The parting Kiss I find mightily nettles him, and
confirms him in all his Errors. _Ben. Johnson_, as I remember, makes a
Foreigner in one of his Comedies, _admire the desperate Valour of the
bold_ English, _who let out their Wives to all Encounters_. The
general Custom of Salutation should Excuse the Favour done me, or you
should lay down Rules when such Distinctions are to be given or
omitted. You cannot imagine, Sir, how troubled I am for this unhappy
Lady's Misfortune; and beg you would insert this Letter, that the
Husband may reflect upon this Accident coolly. It is no small Matter,
the Ease of a virtuous Woman for her whole Life: I know she will
conform to any Regularities (tho' more strict than the common Rules of
our Country require) to which his particular Temper shall incline him
to oblige her. This Accident puts me in mind how generously
_Pisistratus_ the _Athenian_ Tyrant behaved himself on a like
Occasion, when he was instigated by his Wife to put to death a young
Gentleman, because being passionately fond of his Daughter, he kissed
her in publick as he met her in the Street; _What_ (says he) _shall we
do to those who are our Enemies, if we do thus to those who are our
Friends_? I will not trouble you much longer, but am exceedingly
concern'd lest this Accident may cause a virtuous Lady to lead a
miserable Life with a Husband, who has no Grounds for his Jealousy but
what I have faithfully related, and ought to be reckon'd none. 'Tis to
be fear'd too, if at last he sees his Mistake, yet People will be as
slow and unwilling in disbelieving Scandal as they are quick and
forward in believing it. I shall endeavour to enliven this plain
honest Letter, with _Ovid's_ Relation about _Cybele's_ Image. The