the history of john bull-第5部分

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values　not　your　money　more　than　the　dust　under　his　feet；　but　he　hates　to　be　abused。　Once　for　all；　Mrs。　Minx；　leave　off　talking　of　Hocus；　or　I　will　pull　out　these　saucer…eyes　of　yours；　and　make　that　redstreak　country　face　look　as　raw　as　an　ox…cheek　upon　a　butcher's…stall；　remember；　I　say；　that　there　are　pillories　and　ducking…stools。〃***　　With　this　away　they　flung；　leaving　Mrs。　Bull　no　time　to　reply。　　No　stone　was　left　unturned　to　frighten　John　from　his　composition。　　Sometimes　they　spread　reports　at　coffee…houses　that　John　and　his　wife　were　run　mad；　that　they　intended　to　give　up　house；　and　make　over　all　their　estate　to　Lewis　Baboon；　that　John　had　been　often　heard　talking　to　himself；　and　seen　in　the　streets　without　shoes　or　stockings；　that　he　did　nothing　from　morning　till　night　but　beat　his　servants；　after　having　been　the　best　master　alive。　　As　for　his　wife；　she　was　a　mere　natural。　　Sometimes　John's　house　was　beset　with　a　whole　regiment　of　attornies'　clerks；　bailiffs；　and　bailiffs'　followers；　and　other　small　retainers　of　the　law；　who　threw　stones　at　his　windows；　and　dirt　at　himself　as　he　went　along　the　street。　　When　John　complained　of　want　of　ready…money　to　carry　on　his　suit；　they　advised　him　to　pawn　his　plate　and　jewels；　and　that　Mrs。　Bull　should　sell　her　linen　and　wearing　clothes。

*　Talk　of　peace；　and　the　struggle　of　the　party　against　it。　**　The　endeavours　made　use　of　to　stop　the　Treaty　of　Peace；　***　Reflections　upon　the　House　of　Commons　as　ignorant；　who　know　nothing　of　business。



CHAPTER　XIII。　　Mrs。　Bull's　vindication　of　the　indispensable　duty　incumbent　upon　Wives　in　case　of　the　Tyranny；　Infidelity；　or　Insufficiency　of　Husbands；　being　a　full　Answer　to　the　Doctor's　Sermon　against　Adultery。*

*　The　Tories'　representation　of　the　speeches　at　Sacheverel's　trial。

John　found　daily　fresh　proofs　of　the　infidelity　and　bad　designs　of　his　deceased　wife；　amongst　other　things；　one　day　looking　over　his　cabinet；　he　found　the　following　paper：

〃It　is　evident　that　matrimony　is　founded　upon　an　original　contract；　whereby　the　wife　makes　over　the　right　she　has　by　the　law　of　Nature　in　favour　of　the　husband；　by　which　he　acquires　the　property　of　all　her　posterity。　　But；　then；　the　obligation　is　mutual；　and　where　the　contract　is　broken　on　one　side　it　ceases　to　bind　on　the　other。　Where　there　is　a　right　there　must　be　a　power　to　maintain　it　and　to　punish　the　offending　party。　　This　power　I　affirm　to　be　that　original　right；　or　rather　that　indispensable　duty　lodged　in　all　wives　in　the　cases　above　mentioned。　　No　wife　is　bound　by　any　law　to　which　herself　has　not　consented。　　All　economical　government　is　lodged　originally　in　the　husband　and　wife；　the　executive　part　being　in　the　husband；　both　have　their　privileges　secured　to　them　by　law　and　reason；　but　will　any　man　infer　from　the　husband　being　invested　with　the　executive　power；　that　the　wife　is　deprived　of　her　share；　and　that　she　has　no　remedy　left　but　preces　and　lacrymae；　or　an　appeal　to　a　supreme　court　of　judicature？　　No　less　frivolous　are　the　arrangements　that　are　drawn　from　the　general　appellations　and　terms　of　husband　and　wife。　　A　husband　denotes　several　different　sorts　of　magistracy；　according　to　the　usages　and　customs　of　different　climates　and　countries。　　In　some　eastern　nations　it　signifies　a　tyrant；　with　the　absolute　power　of　life　and　death。　　In　Turkey　it　denotes　an　arbitrary　governor；　with　power　of　perpetual　imprisonment；　in　Italy　it　gives　the　husband　the　power　of　poison　and　padlocks；　in　the　countries　of　England；　France；　and　Holland；　it　has　a　quite　different　meaning；　implying　a　free　and　equal　government；　securing　to　the　wife　in　certain　cases　the　liberty　of　change；　and　the　property　of　pin…money　and　separate　maintenance。　　So　that　the　arguments　drawn　from　the　terms　of　husband　and　wife　are　fallacious；　and　by　no　means　fit　to　support　a　tyrannical　doctrine；　as　that　of　absolute　unlimited　chastity　and　conjugal　fidelity。

〃The　general　exhortations　to　fidelity　in　wives　are　meant　only　for　rules　in　ordinary　cases；　but　they　naturally　suppose　three　conditions　of　ability；　justice；　and　fidelity　in　the　husband；　such　an　unlimited；　unconditioned　fidelity　in　the　wife　could　never　be　supposed　by　reasonable　men。　　It　seems　a　reflection　upon　the　Church　to　charge　her　with　doctrines　that　countenance　oppression。

〃This　doctrine　of　the　original　right　of　change　is　congruous　to　the　law　of　Nature；　which　is　superior　to　all　human　laws；　and　for　that　I　dare　appeal　to　all　wives：　　It　is　much　to　the　honour　of　our　English　wives　that　they　have　never　given　up　that　fundamental　point；　and　that　though　in　former　ages　they　were　muffled　up　in　darkness　and　superstition；　yet　that　notion　seemed　engraven　on　their　minds；　and　the　impression　so　strong　that　nothing　could　impair　it。

〃To　assert　the　illegality　of　change；　upon　any　pretence　whatsoever；　were　to　cast　odious　colours　upon　the　married　state；　to　blacken　the　necessary　means　of　perpetuating　familiessuch　laws　can　never　be　supposed　to　have　been　designed　to　defeat　the　very　end　of　matrimony。　I　call　them　necessary　means；　for　in　many　cases　what　other　means　are　left？　　Such　a　doctrine　wounds　the　honour　of　families；　unsettles　the　titles　to　kingdoms；　honours；　and　estates；　for　if　the　actions　from　which　such　settlements　spring　were　illegal；　all　that　is　built　upon　them　must　be　so　too；　but　the　last　is　absurd；　therefore　the　first　must　be　so　likewise。　　What　is　the　cause　that　Europe　groans　at　present　under　the　heavy　load　of　a　cruel　and　expensive　war；　but　the　tyrannical　custom　of　a　certain　nation；　and　the　scrupulous　nicety　of　a　silly　queen　in　not　exercising　this　indispensable　duty；　whereby　the　kingdom　might　have　had　an　heir；　and　a　controverted　succession　might　have　been　avoided。　　These　are　the　effects　of　the　narrow　maxims　of　your　clergy；　'That　one　must　not　do　evil　that　good　may　come　of　it。'

〃The　assertors　of　this　indefeasible　right；　and　jus　divinum　of　matrimony；　do　all　in　their　hearts　favour　the　pretenders　to　married　women；　for　if　the　true　legal　foundation　of　the　married　state　be　once　sapped；　and　instead　thereof　tyrannical　maxims　introduced；　what　must　follow　but　elopements　instead　of　secret　and　peaceable　change？

〃From　all　that　has　been　said；　one　may　clearly　perceive　the　absurdity　of　the　doctrine　of　this　seditious；　discontented；　hot…headed；　ungifted；　unedifying　preacher；　asserting　'that　the　grand　security　of　the　matrimonial　state；　and　the　pillar　upon　which　it　stands；　is　founded　upon　the　wife's　belief　of　an　absolute　unconditional　fidelity　to　the　husband；'　by　which　bold　assertion　he　strikes　at　the　root；　digs　the　foundation；　and　removes　the　basis　upon　which　the　happiness　of　a　married　state　is　built。　　As　for　his　personal　reflections；　I　would　gladly　know　who　are　those　'wanton　wives'　he　speaks　of？　who　are　those　ladies　of　high　stations　that　he　so　boldly　traduces　in　his　sermon？　　It　is　pretty　plain　who　these　aspersions　are　aimed　at；　for　which　he　deserves　the　pillory；　or　something　worse。

〃In　confirmation　of　this　doctrine　of　the　indispensable　duty　of　change；　I　could　bring　the　example　of　the　wisest　wives　in　all　ages；　who　by　these　means　have　preserved　their　husband's　families　from　ruin　and　oblivion　by　want　of　posterity；　but　what　has　been　said　is　a　sufficient　ground　for　punishing　this　pragmatical　parson。〃



CHAPTER　XIV。　　The　two　great　Parties　of　Wives；　the　Devotos　and　the　Hitts。*

*Those　who　were　for　and　against　the　doctrine　of　nonresistance。

The　doctrine　of　unlimited　fidelity　in　wives　was　universally　espoused　by　all　husbands；　who　went　about　the　country　and　made　the　wives　sign　papers　signifying　their　utter　detestation　and　abhorrence　of　Mrs。　Bull's　wicked　doctrine　of　the　indispensable　duty　of　change。　　Some　yielded；　others　refused　to　part　with　their　native　liberty；　which　gave　rise　to　two　great　parties　amongst　the　wives；　the　Devotos　and　the　Hitts。　　Though；　it　must　be　owned；　the　distinction　was　more　nominal　than　real；　for　the　Devotos　would　abuse　freedoms　sometimes；　and　those　who　were　distinguished　by　the　name　of　Hitts　were　often　very　honest。　　At　the　same　time　there　was　an　ingenious　treatise　came　out　with　the　title　of　〃Good　Advice　to　Husbands；〃　in　which　they　are　counselled　not　to　trust　too　much　to　their　wives　owning　the　doctrine　of　unlimited　conjugal　fidelity；　and　so　to　neglect　a　due　watchfulness　over　the　manners　of　their　wives；　that　the　greatest　security　to　husbands　was　a　good　usage　of　their　wives　and　keeping　them　from　temptation；　many　husbands　having　been　sufferers　by　their　trusting　too　much　to　general　professions；　as　was　exemplified　in　the　case　of　a　foolish　and　negligent　husband；　who；　trusting　to　the　efficacy　of　this　principle；　was　undone　by　his　wife's　elopement　from　him。



CHAPTER　XV。　　An　Account　of　the　Conference　between　Mrs。　Bull　and　Don　Diego。*

*　A　Tory　nobleman　who；　by　his　influence　upon　the　House　of　Commons；　endeavoured　to　stop　the　Treaty。

The　lawyers；　as　their　last　effort　to　put　off　the　composition；　sent　Don　Diego　to　John。　　Don　Diego　was　a　very　worthy　gentleman；　a　friend　to　John；　his　mother；　and　present　wife；　and；　therefore；　supposed　to　have　some　influence　over　her。　　He　had　been　ill　used　himself　by　John's　lawyers；　but　because　of　some　animosity　to　Sir　Roger　was　against　the　composition。　　The　conference　between　him　and　Mrs。　Bull　was　word　for　word　as　follows：

DON　DIEGO。Is　it　possible；　cousin　Bull；　that　you　can　forget　the　honourable　maxims　of　the　family　you　are　come　of；　and　break　your　word　with　three　of　the　honestest；　best…meaning　persons　in　the　world　Esquires　South；　Frog；　and　Hocusthat　have　sacrificed　their　interests　to　yours？　　It　is　base　to　take　advantage　of　their　simplicity　and　credulity；　and　leave　them　in　the　lurch　at　last。

MRS。　BULLI　am　sure　they　have　left　my　family　in　a　bad　condition；　we　have　hardly　money　to　go　to　market；　and　nobody　will　take　our　words　for　sixpence。　　A　very　fine　spark　this　Esquire　South！　　My　husband　took　him　in；　a　dirty　boy。　　It　was　the　business　of　half　the　servants　to　attend　him。*　　The　rogue　did　bawl　and　make　such　a　noise：　sometimes　he　fell　in　the　fire　and　burnt　his　face；　sometimes　broke　his　shins　clambering　over　the　benches；　and　always　came　in　so　dirty；　as　if　he　had　been　dragged　through　the　kennel　at　a　boarding…school。　He　lost　his　money　at　chuck…farthing；　shuffle…cap；　and　all…fours；　sold　his　books；　pawned　his　linen；　which　we　were　always　forced　to　redeem。　　Then　the　whole　g