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The Lives of the Poets of Great Britain and Ireland (1753) - Volume IV by Theophilus Cibber
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arts to wear away three wretched years with him, in the same house,
though she most solemnly protests, and she has a right to be believed,
that no persuasion could ever again reconcile her to his impious arms.
Whenever she cast her eyes upon her son, it gave a mortal wound to her
peace: The circumstances of his birth glared full on her imagination;
she saw him, in future, upbraided with his father's treachery, and
his mother's misfortunes. Thus forsaken of all the world, in the
very morning of her life, when all things should have been gay, and
promising, she wore away three wretched years. Mean time her betrayer
had procured for himself a considerable employment; the duties of
which obliged him to go into the country where his first wife lived.
He took leave of his injured innocent, with much seeming tenderness;
and made the most sacred protestations, that he would not suffer her,
nor her child ever to want.

He endeavoured to persuade her to accompany him into the country, and
to seduce, and quiet her conscience, shewed her a celebrated piece
written in defence of Polygamy, and Concubinage: When he was gone,
he soon relapsed into his former extravagances, forgot his promise
of providing for his child, and its mother; and inhumanly left them
a prey to indigence and oppression. The lady was only happy in being
released from the killing anguish, of every day having before her eyes
the object of her undoing.

When she again came abroad into the world, she was looked upon with
cold indifference; that which had been her greatest misfortune, was
imputed to her as the most enormous guilt; and she was every
where sneered at, avoided, and despised. What pity is it, that an
unfortunate, as well as a false step, should damn a woman's fame!
In what respect was Mrs. Manley to blame? In what particular was she
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