, about five Years before the Time in which this History
chuses to set out. This Loss, however great, he bore like a Man of Sense and
Constancy; tho' it must be confest, he would often talk a little whimsically on
this Head: For he sometimes said, he looked on himself as still married, and
considered his Wife as only gone a little before him, a Journey which he should
most certainly, sooner or later, take after her; and that he had not the least
Doubt of meeting her again, in a Place where he should never part with her more.
Sentiments for which his Sense was arraigned by one Part of his Neighbours, his
Religion by a second, and his Sincerity by a third.
    He now lived, for the most Part, retired in the Country, with one Sister,
for whom he had a very tender Affection. This Lady was now somewhat past the Age
of 30, an Æra, at which, in the Opinion of the malicious, the Title of Old Maid
may, with no Impropriety, be assumed. She was of that Species of Women, whom you
commend rather for good Qualities than Beauty, and who are generally called by
their own Sex, very good Sort of Women - as good a Sort of Woman, Madam, as you
would wish to know. Indeed she was so far from regretting Want of Beauty, that
she never mention'd that Perfection (if it can be called one) without Contempt;
and would often thank God she was not as handsome as Miss such a one, whom
perhaps Beauty had led into Errors, which she might have otherwise avoided. Miss
Bridget Allworthy (for that was the Name of this Lady) very rightly conceived
the Charms of Person in a Woman to be no better than Snares for herself, as well
as for others, and yet so discreet was she in her Conduct, that her Prudence was
as much on the Guard, as if she had all the Snares to apprehend which were ever
laid for her whole Sex. Indeed, I have observed (tho' it may seem unaccountable
to the Reader) that this Guard of Prudence, like the Trained Bands, is always
readiest to go on Duty where there is the least Danger. It often basely and
cowardly deserts those Paragons for whom the Men are all wishing, sighing,
dying, and spreading every Net in their Power; and constantly attends at the
Heels of that higher Order of Women, for whom the other Sex have a more distant
and awful Respect, and whom (from Despair, I suppose, of
