 and what was worse, Money;
for Matters are so constituted, that Nothing out of Nothing is not a truer Maxim
in Physics than in Politics; and every Man who is greatly destitute of Money, is
on that Account entirely excluded from all Means of acquiring it.
    At last the Ocean, that hospitable Friend to the Wretched, opened her
capacious Arms to receive him; and he instantly resolved to accept her kind
Invitation. To express myself less figuratively, he determined to go to Sea.
    This Thought indeed no sooner suggested itself, than he eagerly embraced it;
and having presently hired Horses, he set out for Bristol to put it in
Execution.
    But before we attend him on this Expedition, we shall resort a while to Mr.
Western's, and see what farther happened to the charming Sophia.
 

                                  Chapter III

                         Containing several Dialogues.
 
The Morning in which Mr. Jones departed, Mrs. Western summoned Sophia into her
Apartment, and having first acquainted her that she had obtained her Liberty of
her Father, she proceeded to read her a long Lecture on the Subject of
Matrimony; which she treated not as a romantic Scheme of Happiness arising from
Love, as it hath been described by the Poets; nor did she mention any of those
Purposes for which we are taught by Divines to regard it as instituted by sacred
Authority; she considered it rather as a Fund in which prudent Women deposite
their Fortunes to the best Advantage, in order to receive a larger Interest for
them, than they could have elsewhere.
    When Mrs. Western had finished, Sophia answered, »that she was very
incapable of arguing with a Lady of her Aunt's superior Knowledge and
Experience, especially on a Subject which she had so very little considered, as
this of Matrimony.«
    »Argue with me, Child!« replied the other, »I do not indeed expect it. I
should have seen the World to very little Purpose truly, if I am to argue with
one of your Years. I have taken this Trouble, in order to instruct you. The
ancient Philosophers, such as Socrates, Alcibiades, and others, did not use to
argue with their Scholars. You are to consider me, Child, as Socrates, not
asking your Opinion, but only informing you of mine.« From which last Words the
Reader may possibly imagine, that this Lady had read no more of the Philosophy
of Socrates, than she had of that of Alcibiades; and indeed we cannot resolve
his Curiosity as to this Point.
    »Madam,« cries Sophia, »I have never presumed to controvert any
