Religious Courtship With An Appendix In One Volume

Front matter

THE NOVELS

AND

MISCELLANEOUS WORKS

Preface

As tliis way of writing in cases not much unlike this, has been approved of, and has met with great success in other hands, It has been an encouragement to this undertaking.

Historical dialogues, it must be confessed, have a very taking elegancy in them, and the story being handed forward in short periods, and quick returns, makes the retaining it in the mind the easier, and the impression the more lasting, as well as delightful

The story represented here is capable of such and so many applications to the cases of young people, whose settlement is always in view, that there will never be a time when the instruction will be useless.

If anybody should object, that too much is put here upon the woman's part, and that a lady cannot be supposed, in the midst of her lover's addresses, to take upon her to demand such an account of himself as is here suggested ; that few men will stoop to such an examination ; and few women

X PREFACE.

venture the loss of their lovers upon such, a subject; let such consider how small the satisfaction here proposed on the lady's part is, and that no gentleman can think hard a woman should be satisfied whether he is a Christian or a heathen; a man of religion or an atheist ; and indeed no man of any tolerable share of sense, will address himself to a lady for marriage, but he will take care to anticipate her inquiries of that kind, by showing some concern, for knowing what she is herself.

The universal neglect of this trifle, both in men and women, is what this book is designed to correct, and there needs no greater satire upon that part, than the success of the several cases here related: (viz.) the happy life of the youngest sister, who came into the measures proposed; and the miserable condition of the second sister, who rashly threw herself into the arms of a man of differing principles from her own, though blessed with all the good-humour in the world.

In these accounts, the very great consequence of being equally yoked, is illustrated ; and it appears here how essential a share of religion, and a harmony of principles in religion, are to the felicity of a conjugal life,

To those who do not cast off all concern for themselves; who do not make marrying a mere leap in the dark, and as the first lady expresses it, rushing like a horse into the battle, these things will be of some moment. As to those that are void of care of those matters, they must go on, and

PREFACE. XI

pay for their experience; let them take heed, and buy it as cheap as they can.

If the women seem to be favoured in this story, and have the better part of the staff put into their hands, it is because really the hazard is chiefly on their side, and they are generally the greatest sufferers in the success : but if it were otherwise, yet, if they are treated with more than ordinary regard, the author hopes they will not lay that sin to his charge.

The Appendix to this work speaks for itself: irreligious servants, in some respects, are the plague of families, and keep our houses always in disorder. 'Tis a wonderful thing to reflect on, that so scandalous an evil, so easy to be rectified, should have gone to such a degree as it has in the world ; and that masters and mistresses of families, have not long ago for their own. ease, and for the satisfaction of one another, come to a general law, for the managing, the punishing, and, above all, for the recommending of servants; which, if they would do, they would easily, I say, bring them to know themselves, and do their duty ; neither of which is the case among servants at this time.

But 'tis all our own faults ; we recommend sluts and thieves, drones, and saucy, insolent fellows and wenches : I say, we recommend them to one another, without any concern for our neighbour's safety and peace; in a word, to pay the debt of charity for those creatures, which have abused us, we forget the debt of justice to one another, and xii PREFACE.

betray the confidence which one housekeeper and neighbour owes to another, in one of the most essential articles of their families' quiet.

This is all exposed here ; and though this part is very short, being but an accident to the other discourses ; yet, I presume to say, it will be as acceptable ? and, in its kind, as useful as any of the rest.

This edition of this work recommends itself upon this express condition, viz., That the author has not found occasion to alter anything from the former (errors of the press excepted), nor have I found room for any additions, that usual pretence to set off new impressions, and impose upon those who have bought the first; being still fully satisfied, that the goodness of the design, and the usefulness of the subject, will make this work acceptable wherever it comes.

RELIGIOUS COURTSHIP.