tion by
forestalling it.

But when I exact that evenness of temper should be animated by
occasional storms, do not be under the impression that I pretend
lovers should always be quarreling to preserve their happiness. I only
desire to impress it upon you, that all their misunderstandings should
emanate from love itself; that the woman should not forget (by a
species of pusillanimous kindness) the respect and attentions due her;
that by an excessive sensitiveness, she does not convert her love into
a source of anxiety capable of poisoning every moment of her
existence; that by a scrupulous fidelity, she may not render her lover
too sure that he has nothing to fear on that score.

Neither should a woman by a sweetness, an unalterable evenness of
temper, be weak enough to pardon everything lacking in her lover.
Experience demonstrates that women too often sacrifice the hearts of
their spouses or their lovers by too many indulgences and facilities.
What recklessness! They martyrize themselves by sacrificing
everything; they spoil them and convert them into ungrateful lovers.
So much generosity finally turns against themselves, and they soon
become accustomed to demand as a right what is granted them as a
favor.

You see women every day (even among those we despise with so much
reason), who reign with a scepter of iron, treat as slaves men who are
attached to them, debase them by force of controlling them. Well,
these are the women who are loved longer than the others. I am
persuaded that a woman of refinement, well brought up, would never
think of following such an example. That military manner is repugnant
to gentleness and morals, and lacks that decency which constitutes the
charm in things even remote from virtue. But let the reasonable woman
soften the clouds a trifle, there will always remain precisely what is
necessary to hold a lover.

We are slaves, whom too much kindness often renders insolent; we often
demand to be treated like those of the new world. But we have in the
bottom of our hearts a comprehension of justice, which tells us that
the governing hand bears down upon us sometimes for very good reasons,
and we take kindly to it.

Now, for my last word: In everything relating to the force and energy
of love, women should be the sovereigns; it is from them we hope for
happiness, and they will never fail to grant us that as soon as they
can govern our hearts with intelligence, moderate their own
inclinati