desire, at least, that nothing of ill may be said of them, whether justly or otherwise?  I never knew any so satisfied with their own innocence as to be content that the world should think them guilty.  Some out of pride have seemed to contemn ill reports when they have found they could not avoid them, but none out of strength of reason, though many have pretended to it.  No, not my Lady Newcastle with all her philosophy, therefore you must not expect it from me.  I shall never be ashamed to own that I have a particular value for you above any other, but ’tis not the greatest merit of person will excuse a want of fortune; in some degree I think it will, at least with the most rational part of the world, and, as far as that will read, I desire it should.  I would not have the world believe I married out of interest and to please my friends; I had much rather they should know I chose the person, and took his fortune, because ’twas necessary, and that I prefer a competency with one I esteem infinitely before a vast estate in other hands.  ’Tis much easier, sure, to get a good fortune than a good husband; but whosoever marries without any consideration of fortune shall never be allowed to do it, but of so reasonable an apprehension the whole world (without any reserve) shall pronounce they did it merely to satisfy their giddy humour.

Besides, though you imagine ’twere a great argument of my kindness to consider nothing but you, in earnest I believe ’twould be an injury to you.  I do not see that it puts any value upon men when women marry them for love (as they term it); ’tis not their merit, but our folly that is always presumed to cause it; and would it be any advantage to you to have your wife thought an indiscreet person?  All this I can say to you; but when my brother disputes it with me I have other arguments for him, and I drove him up so close t’other night that for want of a better gap to get out at he was fain to say that he feared as much your having a fortune as your having none, for he saw you held my Lord L’t’s [?  Lieutenant’s] principles.  That religion and honour were things you did not consider at all, and that he was confident you would take any engagement, serve in employment, or do anything to advance yourself.  I had no patience for this.  To say you were a beggar, your father not worth L4000 in the whole world, was nothing in comparison of having no religion nor no honour.  I forgot all my disguise, and we talked ourselves weary; he renounced me, and I defied him, but both in as civil language as it would permit, and parted in great anger with the usual ceremony of a leg and a courtesy, that you would have died with laughing to have seen us.