that we should give out of ourselves the opportunities of rewarding and
discouraging them according to their defects. The wife institution has
no more sense in it, than if a man should begin a deed with 'Whereas no
man living knows how long he shall continue to be a reasonable creature,
or an honest man, and whereas I.B. am going to enter into the state of
matrimony with Mrs. D., therefore I shall from henceforth make it
indifferent to me whether from this time forward I shall be a fool or
knave. And therefore, in full and perfect health of body, and a sound
mind, not knowing which of my children will prove better or worse, I
give to my first-born, be he perverse, ungrateful, impious, or cruel,
the lump and bulk of my estate, and leave one year's purchase only to
each of my younger children, whether they shall be brave or beautiful,
modest or honourable, from the time of the date hereof, wherein I resign
my senses, and hereby promise to employ my judgment no farther in the
distribution of my worldly goods from the date hereof, hereby farther
confessing and covenanting, that I am henceforth married, and dead in
law....'

"How strangely men are sometimes partial to themselves, appears by the
rapine of him, that has a daughter's beauty under his direction. He will
make no scruple of using it to force from her lover as much of his
estate, as is worth ten thousand pounds, and at the same time, as a
justice on the bench, will spare no pains to get a man hanged that has
taken but a horse from him.

"It is to be hoped that the legislature will in due time take this kind
of robbery into consideration, and not suffer men to prey upon each
other when they are about making the most solemn league, and entering
into the strictest bonds. The only sure remedy is to fix a certain rate
on every woman's fortune, one price for that of a maid, and another for