“I see what you would be at,” said Lady Emily; “you mean to model yourself upon the behaviour of Mrs. Tooley, who has such a deference for the judgment of her better half, that she consults him even about the tying of her shoes, and would not presume to give her child a few grains of magnesia without this full and unqualified approbation.  Now I flatter myself my husband and I shall have a more equitable division; for, though man is a reasonable being, he shall know and own that woman is so too—­sometimes.  All things that men ought to know better I shall yield; whatever may belong to either sex, I either seize upon as my prerogative, or scrupulously divide; for which reason I should like the profession of my husband to be something in which I could not possibly interfere.  How difficult must it be for a woman in the lower ranks of life to avoid teaching her husband how to sew, if he is a tailor; or how to bake, if he is a baker, etc.

“Nature seems to have provided for this tendency of both sexes, by making your sensible men—­that is, men who think themselves sensible, and wish everybody else to think the same—­incline to foolish women.  I can detect one of these sensible husbands at a glance, by the pomp and formality visible in every word, look, or action—­men, in short, whose ‘visages do cream and mantle like a standing pond;’ who are perfect Joves in their own houses—­who speak their will by a nod, and lay down the law by the motion of their eyebrow—­and who attach prodigious ideas of dignity to frightening their children, and being worshipped by their wives, till you see one of these wiseacres looking as if he thought himself and his obsequious helpmate were exact personifications of Adam and Eve—­’ he for God only, she for God in him.’  Now I am much afraid, Mary, with all your sanctity, you are in some danger of becoming one of these idolatresses.”

“I hope not,” replied Mary, laughing; “but if I should, that seems scarcely so bad as the sect of Independents in the marriage state; for example, there is Mrs. Boston, who by all strangers is taken for a widow, such emphasis does she lay upon the personal pronoun—­with her, ’tis always, I do this, or I do that, without the slightest reference to her husband; and she talks of my house, my gardens, my carriage, my children, as if there were no copartnery in the case.”

“Ah, she is very odious,” cried Lady Emily; “she is both master and mistress, and more if possible she makes her husband look like her footman; but she is a fool, as every woman must needs be who thinks she can raise herself by lowering her husband.  Then there is the sect of the Wranglers, whose marriage is only one continued dispute.  But, in short, I see it is reserved for me to set a perfect example to my sex in the married state.  But I’m more reasonable than you, I suspect, for I don’t insist upon having a bright genius for my mate.”