Page:A Treatise concerning the Use and Abuse of the Marriage Bed.djvu/214

 on their Inclinations to justify the Breaches they make upon the lawful Restraints both of Human or Divine Laws, but with not the like Justice in the Plea.

was a very unhappy Dialogue between a young Gentleman, and a neighbouring Clergyman, which I lately came to the knowledge of upon this very Subject, and which being much to the same Purpose as my present Argument points out, may not be improper here.

young Gentleman had been dragged into such a Marriage, as I have just now mentioned, by the positive Command and Authority of a rich Uncle, who had a great Estate to give, and who had fixed upon his Nephew as his next Heir, being his Brother's only Son; it seems this Uncle had declared, he would make the young Man his Heir, if he married to his Mind.

young Gentleman was too wise not to oblige his Uncle in every thing he could; but in this of Love he was very unkindly cross'd by the old Man, and indeed very unjustly too. The Case, as I received the Account, was as follows:

was a young Lady in the Neighbourhood, who the old Man had proposed to his Nephew to marry; and her Friends being content to treat about it, the Terms of Estate and Settlements were agreed between them, and the Writings were ordered to be drawn; for that Lady had no inconsiderable Fortune neither; in the mean time, the Gentleman was admitted to wait upon the young Lady, (and, which does not often fall out indeed, where the Choice is made first by Grandfathers and Uncles, as was the Case here) they agreed; liked one another mighty well, and it went on even to loving one