herehowmuchtheyplacethemselvesbelowthecommon
　　stationofawife，which，ifImaybeallowednottobepartial，
　　islowenoughalready；Isay，theyplacethemselvesbelowtheir
　　commonstation，andpreparetheirownmortifications，bytheir
　　submittingsotobeinsultedbythemenbeforehand，whichI
　　confessIseenonecessityof。
　　Thisrelationmayserve，therefore，tolettheladiesseethat
　　theadvantageisnotsomuchontheothersideasthemen
　　thinkitis；andthoughitmaybetruethatthemenhavebuttoo
　　muchchoiceamongus，andthatsomewomenmaybefound
　　whowilldishonourthemselves，becheap，andeasytocome
　　at，andwillscarcewaittobeasked，yetiftheywillhavewomen，
　　asImaysay，worthhaving，theymayfindthemasuncomeatable
　　aseverandthatthosethatareotherwiseareasortofpeople
　　thathavesuchdeficiencies，whenhad，asratherrecommend
　　theladiesthataredifficultthanencouragethementogoon
　　withtheireasycourtship，andexpectwivesequallyvaluable
　　thatwillcomeatfirstcall。
　　Nothingismorecertainthanthattheladiesalwaysgainofthe
　　menbykeepingtheirground，andlettingtheirpretended
　　loversseetheycanresentbeingslighted，andthattheyarenot
　　afraidofsayingNo。
　　They，Iobserve，insultusmightilywith
　　tellingusofthenumberofwomen；thatthewars，andthesea，
　　andtrade，andotherincidentshavecarriedthemensomuch
　　away，thatthereisnoproportionbetweenthenumbersofthe
　　sexes，andthereforethewomenhavethedisadvantage；butI
　　amfarfromgrantingthatthenumberofwomenissogreat，
　　orthenumberofmensosmall；butiftheywillhavemetell
　　thetruth，thedisadvantageofthewomenisaterriblescandal
　　uponthemen，anditlieshere，andhereonly；namely，thatthe
　　ageissowicked，andthesexsodebauched，that，inshort，the
　　numberofsuchmenasanhonestwomanoughttomeddle
　　withissmallindeed，anditisbuthereandtherethatamanis
　　tobefoundwhoisfitforawomantoventureupon。
　　Buttheconsequenceevenofthattooamountstonomore
　　thanthis，thatwomenoughttobethemorenice；forhowdo
　　weknowthejustcharacterofthemanthatmakestheoffer？
　　Tosaythatthewomanshouldbethemoreeasyonthis
　　occasion，istosayweshouldbetheforwardertoventure
　　becauseofthegreatnessofthedanger，which，inmywayof
　　reasoning，isveryabsurd。
　　Onthecontrary，thewomenhavetenthousandtimesthemore
　　reasontobewaryandbackward，byhowmuchthehazardof
　　beingbetrayedisthegreater；andwouldtheladiesconsider
　　this，andactthewarypart，theywoulddiscovereverycheat
　　thatoffered；for，inshort，thelivesofveryfewmennowadays
　　willbearacharacter；andiftheladiesdobutmakealittle
　　inquiry，theywillsoonbeabletodistinguishthemenand
　　deliverthemselves。
　　Asforwomenthatdonotthinktheyown
　　safetyworththeirthough，that，impatientoftheirperfectstate，
　　resolve，astheycallit，totakethefirstgoodChristianthat
　　comes，thatrunintomatrimonyasahorserushesintothebattle，
　　Icansaynothingtothembutthis，thattheyareasortofladies
　　thataretobeprayedforamongtherestofdistemperedpeople，
　　andtometheylooklikepeoplethatventuretheirwholeestates
　　inalotterywherethereisahundredthousandblankstooneprize。
　　Nomanofcommon-sensewillvalueawomanthelessfornot
　　givingupherselfatthefirstattack，orforacceptinghisproposal
　　withoutinquiringintohispersonorcharacter；onthecontrary，
　　hemustthinkhertheweakestofallcreaturesintheworld，as
　　therateofmennowgoes。
　　Inshort，hemusthaveavery
　　contemptibleopinionofhercapacities，nay，everyofher
　　understanding，that，havingbutonecaseofherlife，shallcall
　　thatlifeawayatonce，andmakematrimony，likedeath，bea
　　leapinthedark。
　　Iwouldfainhavetheconductofmysexalittleregulatedin
　　thisparticular，whichisthethinginwhich，ofallthepartsof
　　life，Ithinkatthistimewesuffermostin；’tisnothingbutlack
　　ofcourage，thefearofnotbeingmarriedatall，andofthat
　　frightfulstateoflifecalledanoldmaid，ofwhichIhavea
　　storytotellbyitself。
　　This，Isay，isthewoman’ssnare；but
　　wouldtheladiesoncebutgetabovethatfearandmanage
　　rightly，theywouldmorecertainlyavoiditbystandingtheir
　　ground，inacasesoabsolutelynecessarytotheirfelicity，that
　　byexposingthemselvesastheydo；andiftheydidnotmarry
　　sosoonastheymaydootherwise，theywouldmakethemselves
　　amendsbymarryingsafer。
　　Sheisalwaysmarriedtoosoonwho
　　getsabadhusband，andsheisnevermarriedtoolatewhogets
　　agoodone；inaword，thereisnowoman，deformityorlost
　　reputationexcepted，butifshemanageswell，maybemarried
　　safelyonetimeorother；butifsheprecipitatesherself，itisten
　　thousandtoonebutsheisundone。
　　ButIcomenowtomyowncase，inwhichtherewasatthis
　　timenolittlenicety。
　　ThecircumstancesIwasinmadethe
　　offerofagoodhusbandthemostnecessarythingintheworld
　　tome，butIfoundsoonthattobemadecheapandeasywas
　　nottheway。
　　Itsoonbegantobefoundthatthewidowhad
　　nofortune，andtosaythiswastosayallthatwasillofme，
　　forIbegantobedroppedinallthediscoursesofmatrimony。
　　Beingwell-bred，handsome，witty，modest，andagreeable；all
　　whichIhadallowedtomycharacter——whetherjustlyornois
　　notthepurpose——Isay，allthesewouldnotdowithoutthe
　　dross，whichwaynowbecomemorevaluablethanvirtueitself。
　　Inshort，thewidow，theysaid，hadnomoney。
　　Iresolved，therefore，astothestateofmypresentcircumstances，
　　thatitwasabsolutelynecessarytochangemystation，andmake
　　anewappearanceinsomeotherplacewhereIwasnotknown，
　　andeventopassbyanothernameifIfoundoccasion。
　　Icommunicatedmythoughtstomyintimatefriend，thecaptain’s
　　lady，whomIhadsofaithfullyservedinhercasewiththe
　　captain，andwhowasasreadytoservemeinthesamekind
　　asIcoulddesire。
　　Imadenoscrupletolaymycircumstances
　　opentoher；mystockwasbutlow，forIhadmadebutabout
　　atthecloseofmylastaffair，andIhadwastedsomeof
　　that；however，Ihadabout#460left，agreatmanyveryrich
　　clothes，agoldwatch，andsomejewels，thoughofno
　　extraordinaryvalue，andabout#30or#40leftinlinennot
　　disposedof。
　　Mydearandfaithfulfriend，thecaptain’swife，wassosensible
　　oftheserviceIhaddoneherintheaffairabove，thatshewas
　　notonlyasteadyfriendtome，but，knowingmycircumstances，
　　shefrequentlymademepresentsasmoneycameintoher
　　hands，suchasfullyamountedtoamaintenance，sothatIspent
　　noneofmyown；andatlastshemadethisunhappyproposal
　　tome，viz。thataswehadobserved，asabove，howthemen
　　madenoscrupletosetthemselvesoutaspersonsmeritinga
　　womanoffortune，whentheyhadreallynofortuneoftheir
　　own，itwasbutjusttodealwiththemintheirownwayand，
　　ifitwaspossible，todeceivethedeceiver。
　　Thecaptain’slady，inshort，putthisprojectintomyhead，and
　　toldmeifIwouldberuledbyherIshouldcertainlygeta
　　husbandoffortune，withoutleavinghimanyroomtoreproach
　　mewithwantofmyown。
　　Itoldher，asIhadreasontodo，
　　thatIwouldgiveupmyselfwhollytoherdirections，andthat
　　Iwouldhaveneithertonguetospeaknorfeettostepinthat
　　affairbutassheshoulddirectme，dependingthatshewould
　　extricatemeoutofeverydifficultyshebroughtmeinto，
　　whichshesaidshewouldanswerfor。
　　Thefirststepsheputmeuponwastocallhercousin，andto
　　toarelation’shouseofhersinthecountry，whereshedirected
　　me，andwhereshebroughtherhusbandtovisitme；andcalling
　　mecousin，sheworkedmatterssoabout，thatherhusband
　　andshetogetherinvitedmemostpassionatelytocometotown
　　andbewiththem，fortheynowliveinaquitedifferentplace
　　fromwheretheywerebefore。
　　Inthenextplace，shetellsher
　　husbandthatIhadatleast#1500fortune，andthataftersome
　　ofmyrelationsIwasliketohaveagreatdealmore。
　　Itwasenoughtotellherhusbandthis；thereneedednothing
　　onmyside。
　　Iwasbuttositstillandwaittheevent，forit
　　presentlywentallovertheneighbourhoodthattheyoung
　　widowatCaptain——’swasafortune，thatshehadatleast
　　andperhapsagreatdealmore，andthatthecaptain
　　saidso；andifthecaptainwasaskedatanytimeaboutme，
　　hemadenoscrupletoaffirmit，thoughheknewnotoneword
　　ofthematter，other
　　thanthathiswifehadtoldhimso；andin
　　thishethoughtnoharm，forhereallybelievedittobeso，
　　becausehehaditfromhiswife:
　　soslenderafoundationwill
　　thosefellowsbuildupon，iftheydobutthinkthereisafortune
　　inthegame。
　　Withthereputationofthisfortune，Ipresently
　　foundmyselfblessedwithadmirersenough，andthatIhadmy
　　choiceofmen，asscarceastheysaidtheywere，which，bythe
　　way，confirmswhatIwassayingbefore。
　　Thisbeingmycase，
　　I，whohadasubtlegametoplay，hadnothingnowtodobut
　　tosingleoutfromthemalltheproperestmanthatmightbe
　　formypurpose；thatistosay，themanwhowasmostlikely
　　todependuponthehearsayofafortune，andnotinquiretoo
　　farintotheparticulars；andunlessIdidthisIdidnothing，for
　　mycasewouldnotbearmuchinquiry。
　　Ipickedoutmymanwithoutmuchdifficulty，bythejudgment
　　Imadeofhiswayofcourtingme。
　　Ihadlethimrunonwith
　　hisprotestationsandoathsthathelovedmeabovealltheworld；
　　thatifIwouldmakehimhappy，thatwasenough；allwhichI
　　knewwasuponsupposition，nay，itwasuponafullsatisfaction，
　　thatIwasveryrich，thoughInevertoldhimawordofitmyself。
　　Thiswasmyman；butIwastotryhimtothebottom，and
　　indeedinthatconsistedmysafety；forifhebaulked，IknewI
　　wasundone，assurelyashewasundoneifhetookme；and
　　ifIdidnotmakesomescrupleabouthisfortune，itwasthe
　　waytoleadhimtoraisesomeaboutmine；andfirst，therefore，
　　Ipretendedonalloccasionstodoubthissincerity，andtold
　　him，perhapsheonlycourtedmeformyfortune。
　　Hestopped
　　mymouthinthatpartwiththethunderofhisprotestations，
　　asabove，
　　butstillIpretendedtodoubt。