is hazardous. There liv'd in
_Paris_ a Collonel's Widow, neither very young, nor very handsome. The
intimacy I had with her Husband, who was kill'd in _Italy_, brought me
first acquainted with her. Her discreet Carriage in a great variety of
intricate Circumstances had often Charm'd me. There was no Difficulty in
a marriage State, but she had struggled with it; a morose Husband, the
Death of an only Child, the Gripes of Poverty when her Consort was in
the Army and lavish'd away his Income, were great Tryals in which she
always Triumph'd, and wore a stoical Constancy without any Reservedness.
She had a large Pension allow'd her for Life, upon account of her
Husband's Merits, who had done great Service during the Wars. Under
these Circumstances I attack'd, rather like a Judicious than a
Passionate Lover. The Method I took with her, was quite different to
what I observ'd in pursuing my _Spanish_ Mistress. There was no Balls,
Treats, nor Serenading, we both knew the World too well, either She to
expect, or I to offer her such Entertainments. In a Word, our whole
Discourse when I visited ran upon Oeconemy and Morals. It was not long
before she understood my Meaning, and that my repeated Visits tended
towards Marriage. She alledg'd several Things to divert me from it; that
she was tired with being an Officer's Wife, which oblig'd either to a
rambling Method of Living, or to labour under great Inconveniences, and
that I, perhaps, might not make the best of Husbands, that State being a
Lottery full of Blanks. I had nothing more pertinent to alledge upon
this Occasion, than to assure her, that during my Absence in the Army
she should never be unprovided with what would make her easie, and for
being a good Husband, I gave her all the Assurances that such a Matter
was capable of, and at the same time made her the Compliment, that in
case any misunderstanding should ever happen between us, her approv'd
Conduct and Discretion would certainly declare me Guilty. In conclusion,
I put on the Trummels, and never question'd but I had made the most
prudential Choice that any Person could do; but there is something in
Woman-kind which can never be found out by Study or Reflection. 'Tis
only Experience that can School a Husband, and can give him a true Idea
of that mysterious Creature; for in less than Twelve Months my Thousand
Pounds which I had so carefully kept unbroke at _Amsterdam_ was all
dispos'd of, my Soldiers Pay being my only Subsis