himself on her Subject.  A Friend, with Indignation, asked how so good a Man could live with so violent a Creature?  He observ’d to him, That they who learn to keep a good Seat on horseback, mount the least managable they can get, and when they have master’d them, they are sure never to be discomposed on the Backs of Steeds less restive. [2] At several times, to different Persons, on the same Subject, he has said, My dear Friend, you are beholden to Xantippe, that I bear so well your flying out in a Dispute. To another, My Hen clacks very much, but she brings me Chickens.  They that live in a trading Street, are not disturbed at the Passage of Carts. I would have, if possible, a wise Man be contented with his Lot, even with a Shrew; for tho’ he cannot make her better, he may, you see, make himself better by her means.

But instead of pursuing my Design of Displaying Conjugal Love in its natural Beauties and Attractions, I am got into Tales to the disadvantage of that State of Life.  I must say, therefore, that I am verily persuaded that whatever is delightful in human Life, is to be enjoy’d in greater Perfection in the marry’d, than in the single Condition.  He that has this Passion in Perfection, in Occasions of Joy can say to himself, besides his own Satisfaction, How happy will this make my Wife and Children? Upon Occurrences of Distress or Danger can comfort himself, But, all this while my Wife and Children are safe.  There is something in it that doubles Satisfactions, because others participate them; and dispels Afflictions, because others are exempt from them.  All who are marry’d without this Relish of their Circumstance, are in either a tasteless Indolence and Negligence, which is hardly to be attain’d, or else live in the hourly Repetition of sharp Answers, eager Upbraidings, and distracting Reproaches.  In a word the married State, with and without the Affection suitable to it, is the compleatest Image of Heaven and Hell we are capable of receiving in this Life.

T.

[Footnote 1:  [squalwing]]

[Footnote 2:  Henry de Bracton in his treatise of live books ’de Legibus et Dounsuetudinibus Anglia’, written about the middle of the thirteen centry, says (Bk.  I. ch. x.)

  ‘quaedam sunt sub virga, ut uxores, &c.’

but qualifies private right with the secondary claim of the community.]

[Footnote 3:  Xenophon’s Symposium, Bk.  II.]

* * * * *

No, 480.  Wednesday, September 10, 1712.  Steele.

  ’Responsare cupidinibus, contemnere honores,
  Fortis, et in seipso totus teres, atque rotundus.’

  Hor.

The other Day looking over those old Manuscripts, of which I have formerly given some Account, and which relate to the Character of the mighty Pharamond of France, and the close Friendship between him and his Friend Eucrate; [1] I found, among the Letters which had been in the custody of the latter, an Epistle from a Country Gentleman to Pharamond, wherein he excuses himself from coming to Court.  The Gentleman, it seems, was contented with his Condition, had formerly been in the King’s Service, but at the writing the following Letter, had, from Leisure and Reflection, quite another Sense of things than that which he had in the more active Part of his Life.