light brown or red. They have a sex, too! I know of male books,
and female books, of books which, sad to say, have no sex, which
we hope is not the case with this one, supposing that you do this
collection of nosographic sketches the honor of calling it a book.

Thus far, the troubles we have described have been exclusively
inflicted by the wife upon the husband. You have therefore seen
only the masculine side of the book. And if the author really has
the sense of hearing for which we give him credit, he has already
caught more than one indignant exclamation or remonstrance:

"He tells us of nothing but vexations suffered by our husbands, as
if we didn't have our petty troubles, too!"

Oh, women! You have been heard, for if you do not always make
yourselves understood, you are always sure to make yourselves
heard.

It would therefore be signally unjust to lay upon you alone the
reproaches that every being brought under the yoke (_conjugium_)
has the right to heap upon that necessary, sacred, useful,
eminently conservative institution,--one, however, that is often
somewhat of an encumbrance, and tight about the joints, though
sometimes it is also too loose there.

I will go further! Such partiality would be a piece of idiocy.

A man,--not a writer, for in a writer there are many men,--an
author, rather, should resemble Janus, see behind and before,
become a spy, examine an idea in all its phases, delve alternately
into the soul of Alceste and into that of Philaenete, know
everything though he does not tell it, never be tiresome, and--

We will not conclude this programme, for we should tell the whole,
and that would be frightful for those who reflect upon the present
condition of literature.

Furthermore, an author who speaks for himself in the middle of his
book, resembles the old fellow in "The Speaking Picture," when he
puts his face in the hole cut in the painting. The author does not
forget that in the Chamber, no one can take the floor _between two
votes_. Enough, therefore!

Here follows the female portion of the book: for, to resemble
marriage perfectly, it ought to be more or less hermaphroditic.

HUSBANDS DURING THE SECOND MONTH.

Two young married women, Caroline and Stephanie, who had been early
friends at M'lle Machefer's boarding school, one of the most celebrated
educational institutions in the Faubourg St. Honore, m