Shall I frankly avow it?  Things would indeed change if women would remember at the right time, that their role is always that of the party to be entreated, ours that of him who begs for new favors; that, created to grant, they should never offer.  Reserved, even in an excess of passion, they should guard against surrendering at discretion; the lover should always have something to ask, and consequently, he would be always submissive so as to obtain it.  Favors without limit degrade the most seductive charms, and are, in the end, revolting even to him who exacts them.  Society puts all women on the same level; the handsome and the ugly, after their defeat are indistinguishable except from their art to maintain their authority; but what commonly happens?  A woman imagines she has nothing more to do than to be affectionate, caressing, sweet, of even temper, and faithful.  She is right in one sense, for these qualities should be the foundation of her character; they will not fail to draw esteem; but these qualities, however estimable they may be, if they are not offset by a shade of contrariety, will not fail to extinguish love, and bring on languor and weariness, mortal poisons for the best constituted heart.

Do you know why lovers become nauseated so easily when enjoying prosperity?  Why they are so little pleased after having had so much pleasure?  It is because both parties interested have an identically erroneous opinion.  One imagines there is nothing more to obtain, the other fancies she has nothing more to give.  It follows as a necessary consequence that one slackens in his pursuit, and the other neglects to be worthy of further advances, or thinks she becomes so by the practice of solid qualities.  Reason is substituted for love, and hence-forward no more spicy seasoning in their relations, no more of those trifling quarrels so necessary to prevent dissatisfaction 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.