Page:A Treatise concerning the Use and Abuse of the Marriage Bed.djvu/144

 Man did not pretend to marry; and so far he was in the right; his Conduct was congruous, and consistent with it self, and he was all of a Piece.

then pray note, by the way, this Man married afterwards, and then he was ready to hang himself that he had no Children; that he was not like other Families; that he look'd like a House that Heaven had blasted; that others had Children enough, and some more than they could keep, but he that had a plentiful Fortune, a beautiful Woman to his Wife, and both of them in Health, and Years suitable, should be barren.

some time, that, as if to punish his unjust Aversions, his Wife was with-held Chil-bearing [sic], she brought him two Sons at a Birth; the Man was over-joyed and thankful for them, and the fondest Father in the World: Thus he stood reproved for his former Error, and was a living Witness against himself.

first Part of his Conduct was scandalously wrong, as I have said; the aversion to Children was unnatural; but then he acted the rational Part so far, that he did not marry. But for a Man or Woman to marry, and then say, they desire to have no Children, that is a Piece of preposterous Nonsence, next to Lunacy.

A. G. a grave Jester at Matrimony, who tells us, 'tis the only Reason he does not marry, that boasts the Ladies are every Day dying for him, and that he would marry but that he hates Children; I say, if he will please to have one of those modern witted Ladies that desires to marry, but would have no Children, they may certainly marry, and yet resolve upon the wholesome Negative between them for a cer-