casionally seduced our married
companion into bad hours, or given indifferent examples, the poor
gentleman has been oddly affected at our coming; though the good
breeding of the lady has made her just keep up appearances. He has
looked so conscious; has been so afraid, as it were, to disoblige; has
made so many excuses for some of us, before we had been accused, as have
always shewn me how unwelcome we have been; and how much he is obliged
to compound with his lady for a tolerable reception of us; and, perhaps,
she too, in proportion to the honest man's concern to court her smiles,
has been more reserved, stiff, and formal; and has behaved with an
indifference and slight that has often made me wish myself out of her
house; for too plainly have I seen that it was not his.

This, my dear, you will judge, by my description, has afforded me
subject for animadversion upon the married life; for a man may not
(though, in the main, he is willing to flatter himself that he is master
of his house, and will assert his prerogative upon great occasions, when
it is strongly invaded) be always willing to contend; and such women
as those I have described, are always ready to take the field, and are
worse enemies than the old Parthians, who annoy most when they seem to
retreat; and never fail to return to the charge again, and carry on the
offensive war, till they have tired out resistance, and made the husband
willing, like a vanquished enemy, to compound for small matters, in
order to preserve something. At least the poor man does not care to let
his friends see his case; and so will not provoke a fire to break out,
that he sees (and so do his friends too) the meek lady has much ado to
smother; and which, very possibly, burns with a most comfortable ardour,
after we are gone.

You smile, my Pamela, said he, at this whimsical picture; and, I am
sure, I never shall have reason to include you in these disagreeable
outlines; but yet I will say, that I expect from you, whoever comes to
my house, that you accustom yourself to one even, uniform complaisance:
That no frown take place on your brow: That however ill or well provided
we may be for their reception, you shew no flutter or discomposure: That
whoever you may have in your company at the time, you signify not,
by the least reserved look, that the stranger is come upon you
unseasonably, or at a time you wished he had not. But be facetious,
kind, obliging to all; and, if to one more th