g to the custom of lovers.
In short, he left himself no room to ask any more questions about her
estate, and she took the advantage of it like a prudent woman, for she
placed part of her fortune so in trustees, without letting him know
anything of it, that it was quite out of his reach, and made him be
very well content with the rest.

It is true she was pretty well besides, that is to say, she had about
#1400 in money, which she gave him; and the other, after some time, she
brought to light as a perquisite to herself, which he was to accept as
a mighty favour, seeing though it was not to be his, it might ease him
in the article of her particular expenses; and I must add, that by this
conduct the gentleman himself became not only the more humble in his
applications to her to obtain her, but also was much the more an
obliging husband to her when he had her. I cannot but remind the
ladies here how much they place themselves below the common station of
a wife, which, if I may be allowed not to be partial, is low enough
already; I say, they place themselves below their common station, and
prepare their own mortifications, by their submitting so to be insulted
by the men beforehand, which I confess I see no necessity of.

This relation may serve, therefore, to let the ladies see that the
advantage is not so much on the other side as the men think it is; and
though it may be true that the men have but too much choice among us,
and that some women may be found who will dishonour themselves, be
cheap, and easy to come at, and will scarce wait to be asked, yet if
they will have women, as I may say, worth having, they may find them as
uncomeatable as ever and that those that are otherwise are a sort of
people that have such deficiencies, when had, as rather recommend the
ladies that are difficult than encourage the men to go on with their
easy courtship, and expect wives equally valuable that will come at
first call.

Nothing is more certain than that the ladies always gain of the men by
keeping their ground, and letting their pretended lovers see they can
resent being slighted, and that they are not afraid of saying No.
They, I observe, insult us mightily with telling us of the number of
women; that the wars, and the sea, and trade, and other incidents have
carried the men so much away, that there is no proportion between the
numbers of the sexes, and therefore the women have the disadvantage;
but I am far from granting that