What would she more? having enough of Pelf,
Sh’ hath all she could have, since she hath my self:
Dear-second-self, be not displeas’d, that I
Have fram’d a Letter to gain thee thereby:
Who would not rack his wits to spring a Myne
So rich? all other’s poor compar’d to thine;
Now here the Powers above henceforth decree,
That none may work within that Mine but me.
The Gentleman returning, found his wife in so pleasant and debonair a temper, that he thought she had complotted with her friends some satisfactory revenge that might be equivalent to the stratagems he had laid to gain a wealthy Widow, with the subtle pretences of a fair promising fortune. But having discourst her to every thing, and penetrating the very recesses of her heart, found she was more satisfied with his wit in this cunning contrivance, than if he had the real enjoyment of what he so largely pretended; and now she hugg’d his soul with much more ardency than her feeble hands could do his body: great was the satisfaction on both sides, but much greater was the Gentlewomans, finding an Husband answerable to her desires, beyond all expectations; neither was the Gentleman backward in making ample acknowledgements how happy he was in that his propitious stars had by their clear shining influence lighted him to so fair a wife, with so large a Fortune: The Friends and Relations of this joyful Bride were all very well-contented by being out-witted by a Gentleman every way compleat both as to Soul and Body, each wishing it had been their lucky hap to have had a Son in Law of so worthy a person.
For a considerable time they nothing but treated one another, which was done on all sides with so much Gallantry and generous freedom, as sufficiently demonstrated the greatness of the respects and friendship they had for one another. The new married Couple were like a pair of Turtles, always wooing and courting each other, with so much ardency and affection, that they were look’d upon by all, as the best Pattern of a kind Husband and a loving Wife. After this manner they lived some years, and obtained the fruit of all their enjoyments, by having several Children Males and Females: But as it is usually and philosophically said that what is violent is seldom permanent, so it prov’d true in our two Lovers; for though there was no similitude in the loves of others to theirs, yet length of time made their loves so dissimular to each other by an unhappy accident, that we have scarcely heard of an Example of the like kind, which produced a more dismal and lamentable Tragedy.