Gentleman in the Duty of an Husband.  When he was a Batchelor much Business made him particularly negligent in his Habit; but now there is no young Lover living so exact in the Care of his Person.  One who asked why he was so long washing his Mouth, and so delicate in the Choice and Wearing of his Linen, was answered, Because there is a Woman of Merit obliged to receive me kindly, and I think it incumbent upon me to make her Inclination go along with her Duty.

If a Man would give himself leave to think, he would not be so unreasonable as to expect Debauchery and Innocence could live in Commerce together; or hope that Flesh and Blood is capable of so strict an Allegiance, as that a fine Woman must go on to improve her self ’till she is as good and impassive as an Angel, only to preserve a Fidelity to a Brute and a Satyr.  The Lady who desires me for her Sake to end one of my Papers with the following Letter, I am persuaded, thinks such a Perseverance very impracticable.

Husband, Stay more at home.  I know where you visited at Seven of [the] Clock on Thursday Evening.  The Colonel whom you charged me to see no more, is in Town. Martha Housewife.

T.

* * * * *

No. 179.  Tuesday, September 25, 1711.  Addison.

      ’Centuriae seniorum agitant expertia frugis: 
      Celsi praetereunt austera Poemata Rhamnes. 
      Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci,
      Lectorem delectando, pariterque monendo ...’

      Hor.

I may cast my Readers under two general Divisions, the Mercurial and the Saturnine.  The first are the gay Part of my Disciples, who require Speculations of Wit and Humour; the others are those of a more solemn and sober Turn, who find no Pleasure but in Papers of Morality and sound Sense.  The former call every thing that is Serious, Stupid; the latter look upon every thing as Impertinent that is Ludicrous.  Were I always Grave, one half of my Readers would fall off from me:  Were I always Merry, I should lose the other.  I make it therefore my Endeavour to find out Entertainments of both Kinds, and by that means perhaps consult the Good of both, more than I should do, did I always write to the particular Taste of either.  As they neither of them know what I proceed upon, the sprightly Reader, who takes up my Paper in order to be diverted, very often finds himself engaged unawares in a serious and profitable Course of Thinking; as on the contrary, the thoughtful Man, who perhaps may hope to find something Solid, and full of deep Reflection, is very often insensibly betrayed into a Fit of Mirth.  In a word, the Reader sits down to my Entertainment without knowing his Bill of Fare, and has therefore at least the Pleasure of hoping there may be a Dish to his Palate.