Page:The Emperor Marcus Antoninus - His Conversation with Himself.djvu/428

 248 are generally esteem’d great Advantages: What are those? They are Wealth, Fame, Birth, Children, Posts of Command, Crowns, &c. ’Tis very well! And are not all these good Things with a Witness? As to that, says he, we’ll debate it afterwards, but at present let's go on with our Story. With all my heart. Do you see then, continues the Gentleman, how the Passage through this Gate, leads you into another Court upon an Ascent, and that there are several Women dress’d like Wenches, standing at the Portal? I see them. I must tell you then, their Quality is very Coarse, two of them are Lewdness and Luxury, and the other Flattery, and Covetousness. And what do they stand staring here for? To Spy out those to whom Fortune has been any thing kind. And what then? Then they appear mightily transported, make up to them with great Endearingness, and ply them strongly with Compliment and Flattery: They invite them to their Apartments, promise to settle them in Satisfaction; and that without the least Intermission, or Incumbrance whatsoever. Now those who are gain’d to Libertinism with this Courtship; think themselves in a delicate way, and are Strangely pleased with their Choice at first. But after some time

Rh