On the other side, Dictamnus and Moria are ever squabbling, and you may observe them all the time they are in Company in a State of Impatience.  As Uxander and Viramira wish you all gone, that they may be at freedom for Dalliance; Dictamnus and Moria wait your Absence, that they may speak their harsh Interpretations on each other’s Words and Actions during the time you were with them.

It is certain that the greater Part of the Evils attending this Condition of Life, arises from Fashion.  Prejudice in this Case is turn’d the wrong way, and instead of expecting more Happiness than we shall meet with in it, we are laugh’d into a Prepossession, that we shall be disappointed if we hope for lasting Satisfactions.

With all Persons who have made good Sense the Rule of Action, Marriage is describ’d as the State capable of the highest human Felicity. Tully has Epistles full of affectionate Pleasure, when he writes to his Wife, or speaks of his Children.  But above all the Hints of this kind I have met with in Writers of ancient date, I am pleas’d with an Epigram of Martial [1] in honour of the Beauty of his Wife Cleopatra.  Commentators say it was written the day after his Wedding-Night.  When his Spouse was retir’d to the Bathing-room in the Heat of the Day, he, it seems, came in upon her when she was just going into the Water.  To her Beauty and Carriage on this occasion we owe the following Epigram, which I shew’d my Friend WILL.  HONEYCOMB in French, who has translated it as follows, without understanding the Original.  I expect it will please the English better than the Latin Reader.

  ’When my bright Consort, now nor Wife nor Maid,
  Asham’d and wanton, of Embrace afraid,
  Fled to the Streams, the Streams my Fair betray’d;
  To my fond Eyes she all transparent stood,
  She blush’d, I smil’d at the slight covering Flood. 
  Thus thro’ the Glass the Lovely Lilly glows,
  Thus thro’ the ambient Gem shines forth the Rose. 
  I saw new Charms, and plung’d to seize my Store,
  Kisses I snatch’d, the Waves prevented more.’

My Friend would not allow that this luscious Account could be given of a Wife, and therefore used the Word Consort; which, he learnedly said, would serve for a Mistress as well, and give a more Gentlemanly Turn to the Epigram.  But, under favour of him and all other such fine Gentlemen, I cannot be persuaded but that the Passion a Bridegroom has for a virtuous young Woman, will, by little and little, grow into Friendship, and then it is ascended to [a [2]] higher Pleasure than it was in its first Fervour.  Without this happens, he is a very unfortunate Man who has enter’d into this State, and left the Habitudes of Life he might have enjoy’d with a faithful Friend.  But when the Wife proves capable of filling serious as well as joyous Hours, she brings Happiness unknown to Friendship itself. Spencer speaks of each kind of Love with great Justice, and attributes the highest Praise to Friendship; and indeed there is no disputing that Point, but by making that Friendship take [Place [3]] between two married Persons.