woman, who looked as if she had been very handsome, but her eyes were then swelled with crying. By her stood a man, looking in the utmost rage, clinching his fist at her, as if he was ready every moment to strike her down, Camilla, at David's request, presently went up to her, and desired to know of her what it was that had put the man in such a passion with her. The woman, in the softest voice and mildest tone imaginable replied as follows—
"You are very good, madam, to take so much notice of the miseries of such a poor wretch as I am. I really cannot tell what it is that continually throws my husband (for so that man is) into such violent rages and passions with me. I have been married to him ten years, and, till within this half-year, we always lived together very happily; but now I dare not speak a word, lest he should beat and abuse me; and his only pleasure seems to be the contradicting me in every thing he knows I like.—What this usage proceeds from, or how I have displeased him, I cannot find out, for I make it my whole study to obey him."
David immediately turned to the man, and begged him not to abuse his wife in such a manner. If he had taken anything ill of her, it would be better to let her know it, and then he did not doubt but she would behave otherwise. But he could get no other answer from the man than that he was resolved not to be made such a fool of as neighbour Such-a-one was by his wife; for though, perhaps, he had not so much sense as he in some respects, yet he was not so great a fool as to give way to a silly woman's humours neither, but could tell how to govern his wife. Cynthia and the rest of the company joined in entreating the man to use his wife better; but as they found all endeavours vain, for that the man abused her only because he would not be made a fool of, they left them.
As they were going home, David could not help
