Page:A Treatise concerning the Use and Abuse of the Marriage Bed.djvu/88

 Wife to act; that her Husband was wrong in it, and sometimes that would fetch some Tears from her: But she would not imitate that in Practice which she thought so ill became her Husband, so she bore it all as an Affliction.

I had in Friendship several times gently hinted to Mr. M, that I thought he was too hard upon his Lady, that he knew she was a Woman of good Breeding, and had an uncommon share both of Wit and good Humour; but he might easily see she was not pleased with it, and that he seemed really to oppress her with it.

, he went on, and putting one time very hard upon something in her Behaviour, which he pretended not to like, though really without Cause; she coloured at his Words, which shiew'd she resented them, and was mov'd; but she immediately recovered her self, and keeping back all her Resentment, she, with an inexpressible Goodness in her Face, and a Smile, said to him, My Dear, you would like it in any Body but your Wife.

I was indeed surprized at it, but her Husband much more; and after the Conversation was over, he came to me eager to speak: Well, says he, you heard what a Blow my Wife gave me; I acknowledge she has conquered me; I should have really liked it if it had been any one else, and I was entirely wrong; but I'll take your Advice, a Man should never make a common Jest of his Wife, and I'll do it no more I assure you.

I was mightily pleased to see the Effect it had upon him; for this Humour of jesting with his Wife, or rather making her the constant Sub- ject