The lady forgot that she had, upon a former occasion, considered a profession of esteem from her husband as an insult, and that, according to her definition of true love, esteem was incompatible with its existence.
Tacitus remarks, that it is common with princes to will contradictories; in this characteristic they have the honour to resemble some of the fair sex, as well as all spoiled children. Having every feasible wish gratified, they are obliged to wish for what is impossible, for want of something to desire or to do: they are compelled to cry for the moon, or for new worlds to conquer.—Our heroine having now attained the summit of human glory and happiness, and feeling almost as much ennui as was expressed by the conqueror of the world, yawned one morning, as she sat tête-à-tête with her husband, and said—
“I wish I knew what was the matter with me this morning.—Why do you keep the newspaper all to yourself, my dear?”
“Here it is for you, my dear: I have finished it.”
“I humbly thank you for giving it to me when you have done with it—I hate stale news.—Is there any thing in the paper? for I cannot be at the trouble of hunting it.”
“Yes, my dear, there are the marriages of two of our friends—”
“Who? Who?”
“Your friend the Widow Nettleby, to her cousin John Nettleby.”
“Mrs. Nettleby! Lord! but why did you tell me?”
“Because you asked me, my dear.”