We visited one another in form, and mimic'd, as near
as we could, all the miseries, the follies, and imperti-
nences of the women of quality, in the round of which they
trifle away their time, without its ever entering into their
little heads that on earth there cannot subsist any thing
more silly, more flat, more insipid and worthless, than,
generally consider'd, their system of life is: they ought
to treat the men as their tyrants, indeed! were they to
condemn them to it.
But tho', amongst the kept mistresses (and I was now
acquainted with a good many, besides some useful matrons,
who live by their connexions with them), I hardly knew one
that did not perfectly detest her keeper, and, of course,
made little or no scruple of any infidelity she could safely
accomplish, I had still no notion of wronging mine; for,
besides that no mark of jealousy on his side induced in me
the desire or gave me the provocation to play him a trick
of that sort, and that his constant generosity, politeness,
and tender attentions to please me forc'd a regard to him,
that without affecting my heart, insur'd him my fidelity, no
object had yet presented that could overcome the habitual
liking I had contracted for him; and I was on the eve of
obtaining, from the movements of his own voluntary generosity,
a modest provision for life, when an accident happen'd which
broke all the measures he had resolv'd upon in my favor.
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