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selves in Bonds, resolving not to be bound by the Obligation; and where is the Honesty and Justice of this? They that have no Sense of the matrimonial Obligation can have no Sense of the conjugal Duty; they marry to lie together; and they satisfy the Appetite in the Pleasures of the Marriage Bed. But when that's over, all the rest, which they had no View of before, is a Force, a Bondage; and they as heartily hate the state of Life as a Slave does his Lot in Algier or Tunis.
Let me go on a little then to furnish the growing World with better Notions of the Thing; I say, let me take up a little of this Work in the needful Enquiry of what Matrimony is, and how we ought to understand it.
The Ladies indeed run the greatest Risque in marrying, but the Men cannot be said to run no hazard, or to have nothing to lose; a little Consideration before-hand would lessen the hazard on both Sides, and not only remove the Dangers but prepare the Minds of the marrying Couple to act their Parts wifely and prudently, and to suit themselves to the particular Circumstances of the Condition which is before them.
This due preparation of the Mind for the married State, would prevent all the Abuses of it which I complain of in this Book.
When they come together affectionately, they will live together affectionately, at least they will not abandon all Affection to one another afterwards, or not so soon; nor will it be so likely that they should declare open War against one another so soon, as when they came together without any previous Kindness, except only from the Lips outward.
