Produced by Dagny; and John Bickers
"Lovely as the seraphs of Klopstock,
Terrible as the devils of Milton."
—DIDEROT.
The Preliminary precepts, by which science has been enabled at thispoint to put weapons into the hand of a husband, are few in number; itis not of so much importance to know whether he will be vanquished, asto examine whether he can offer any resistance in the conflict.
Meanwhile, we will set up here certain beacons to light up the arenawhere a husband is soon to find himself, in alliance with religion andlaw, engaged single-handed in a contest with his wife, who issupported by her native craft and the whole usages of society as herallies.
LXXXII.
Anything may be expected and anything may be supposed of a woman who
is in love.
LXXXIII.
The actions of a woman who intends to deceive her husband are almost
always the result of study, but never dictated by reason.
LXXXIV.The greater number of women advance like the fleas, by erratic leapsand bounds, They owe their escape to the height or depth of theirfirst ideas, and any interruption of their plans rather favors theirexecution. But they operate only within a narrow area which it is easyfor the husband to make still narrower; and if he keeps cool he willend by extinguishing this piece of living saltpetre.
LXXXV.
A husband should never allow himself to address a single disparaging
remark to his wife, in presence of a third party.
LXXXVI.The moment a wife decides to break her marriage vow she reckons herhusband as everything or nothing. All defensive operations must startfrom this proposition.
LXXXVII.The life of a woman is either of the head, of the heart, or ofpassion. When a woman reaches the age to form an estimate of life, herhusband ought to find out whether the primary cause of her intendedinfidelity proceeds from vanity, from sentiment or from temperament.Temperament may be remedied like disease; sentiment is something inwhich the husband may find great opportunities of success; but vanityis incurable. A woman whose life is of the head may be a terriblescourge. She combines the faults of a passionate woman with those ofthe tender-hearted woman, without having their palliations. She isdestitute alike of pity, love, virtue or sex.
LXXXVIII.A woman whose life is of the head will strive to inspire her husbandwith indifference; the woman whose life is of the heart, with hatred;the passionate woman, with disgust.
LXXXIX.
A husband never loses anything by appear