 bestow, and those only who deserve no Contempt can bear.
    When the first Torrent of Tenderness was over, and when in the calm and long
Interval between the Fits, Reason began to open the Eyes of the Lady, and she
saw this Alteration of Behaviour in the Captain, who at length answered all her
Arguments only with Pish and Pshaw, she was far from enduring the Indignity with
a tame Submission. Indeed, it at first so highly provoked her, that it might
have produced some tragical Event, had it not taken a more harmless Turn, by
filling her with the utmost Contempt for her Husband's Understanding, which
somewhat qualified her Hatred towards him; tho' of this likewise, she had a
pretty moderate Share.
    The Captain's Hatred to her was of a purer Kind: For as to any Imperfections
in her Knowledge or Understanding, he no more despised her for them than for her
not being six Feet high. In his Opinion of the female Sex, he exceeded the
Moroseness of Aristotle himself. He looked on a Woman as on an Animal of
domestic Use, of somewhat higher Consideration than a Cat, since her Offices
were of rather more Importance; but the Difference between these two, was in his
Estimation so small, that in his Marriage contracted with Mr. Allworthy's Lands
and Tenements, it would have been pretty equal which of them he had taken into
the Bargain. And yet so tender was his Pride, that it felt the Contempt which
his Wife now began to express towards him; and this, added to the Surfeit he had
before taken of her Love, created in him a Degree of Disgust and Abhorrence,
perhaps hardly to be exceeded.
    One Situation only of the married State is excluded from Pleasure; and that
is, a State of Indifference; but as many of my Readers, I hope, know what an
exquisite Delight there is in conveying Pleasure to a beloved Object, so some
few, I am afraid, may have experienced the Satisfaction of tormenting one we
hate. It is, I apprehend, to come at this latter Pleasure, that we see both
Sexes often give up that Ease in Marriage, which they might otherwise possess,
tho' their Mate was never so disagreeable to them. Hence the Wife often puts on
Fits of Love and Jealousy, nay, even denies herself any Pleasure, to disturb and
prevent those of her Husband; and he again, in return, puts frequent Restraints
on himself, and stays at home in Company which he dislikes, in order to confine
his Wife to what she equally detests. Hence
