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nial, not before Marriage, but occasioned by Distemper or Disaster afterward, and those Distempers or Disasters such as are truly casual, and to be honestly accounted for. There must certainly be a great defect of Modesty in the Man or the Woman, who can reproach the Wife or the Husband in such a Case as this.
A Lady, whose Name I reflect on with disdain, but conceal it in Charity, after having had five fine Children by her Husband, having, tho' with Civility too, been deny'd something which she desired, and which he thought a little too expensive for his Circumstances, after some warm Words, but less criminal, turned from him with scorn, and told him, he might let it alone since he was grown so saving she would not accept of it now, he might keep it for his next Child.
The Gentleman had about two Years before had a Fit of Sickness, which had brought him very low, and by which he was grown a little Paralitick, how it affected his natural Powers, could not perhaps be understood so well by any Body as by his Wife: But supposing the worst, it was not without the utmost Breach of Decency and Modesty, supposing none to have been present but themselves, that she could reproach him with that Part of it in such a manner; but it was infinitely more so, and she was inexcusably guilty, that she did it in the hearing of others, and with some kind of Additions of Banter and Raillery too, which sat very ill upon her Tongue at that time.
It is true, the Folly of it retorted exceedingly upon her Fame, and soon got into the Mouths of some of her satyrical Neighbours, who failed, not to make her very angry, I had
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