this Occasion, than to assure her, that during my Absence in the Army
she should never be unprovided with what would make her easie, and for
being a good Husband, I gave her all the Assurances that such a Matter
was capable of, and at the same time made her the Compliment, that in
case any misunderstanding should ever happen between us, her approv'd
Conduct and Discretion would certainly declare me Guilty. In conclusion,
I put on the Trummels, and never question'd but I had made the most
prudential Choice that any Person could do; but there is something in
Woman-kind which can never be found out by Study or Reflection. 'Tis
only Experience that can School a Husband, and can give him a true Idea
of that mysterious Creature; for in less than Twelve Months my Thousand
Pounds which I had so carefully kept unbroke at _Amsterdam_ was all
dispos'd of, my Soldiers Pay being my only Subsistance for myself and
Family, my Wife reserving her own Income for Pin-mony; my Credit very
low, my Days very irksome upon many accounts, and I who had hitherto
appear'd with Assurance in Company, because of my Money-merit, was now
Neglected; for every Tradesman began to smell out my Poverty. I am of
Opinion it would do Posterity no kindness, if I shou'd discover how I
came to be ruin'd by a Prudent Wife, for no Body wou'd Credit me. If I
should advise 'em to trust no Woman living, so as to give her full Scope
upon an Opinion of her Conduct. I took my self to be as wise, upon this
Head, as any Man living. It had been my Study above twenty Years. There
is a secret Devil in every Woman, which is often Conjur'd down by a
Husband's Temper; and though many Men may pass for bad Husbands by their
Morose Carriage, 'tis less prejudicial, than that Indulgence which few
Women have Discretion to make use of. My Wife's first Husband was
represented as not very kind to her, whereas his less obliging Temper
was the Effect of his Judgment, and a touch of Skill he had in managing
a Woman, whom Caresses wou'd have exalted into Impertinence, _&c._