Fab. CLXXIII.
An Unhappy Match.
THere was a Man, a Long time ago,that had got a Shrew to his Wife, and there could be No Quiet in the Houſe for her, The Husband was Willing however to make the Beſt of a Bad Game, and ſo for Experiment Sake, he ſent her away for a While to her Fathers. When he came a little after to take her Home again, Prethee Sweet-heart (ſays he) How go Matters in the Houſe where thou haft been? Introth, ſays ſhe, they go I know not How: But there's None of the Family, you muſt know, can Endure Me: No not ſo much as the very Hinds and Plough-men; I could Read it in the Faces of Them. Ah Wife! ſays the Husband, If People that Riſe Early and come Home Late, and are all Day out of your Sight, cannot be Quiet for ye, what a Caſe is your Poor Husband in, that muſt Spend his Whole Life in your Company.
The MORAL.
REFLEXION.
THERE are more Ways to come to a Right Underſtanding of Things, then by Queſtion and Anſwer. There are Certain Contentious Humors that are never to be Pleas'd, and he that Troubles his Head becauſe he cannot Pleaſe them, is Worſe then a Mad-man. Nay it falls out many times that the very Deſire and Endeavour to do it, makes it more Impoſſible, Eſpecially where People are Imperious and Inſulting, as well as Peeviſh. Now in the Caſe of this Fable, it may be a Queſtion whether the Wife, or the Woman, was the more Freakiſh of the Two: For ſhe was ſtill the ſame Uneaſie Fop wherever ſhe was; but the Poor Man however had Enough on’t, in Both Capacitics; That is to ſay, as a Common Incumbrance, and as a Particular Clog.
The Moral is a Piece of Good Councel to All Men that Labour under that Unhappy Circumſtance. Firſt, in Prudence, to Try what Help for't and then in Caſe of the Laſt Neceſſity, to come to ſome Peremptory Reſolution to Deliver Themſelves.
Fab.
