At last when remonstrances and entreaties seemed to be all in vain, I resolved to break the engagement.

It may have been a harsh and hard alternative, but I would not give my hand where my respect could not follow.

It may be that I thought too much of my own happiness, but I felt that marriage must be for me positive misery or positive happiness, and I feared that if I married a man so lacking in self-control as to become a common drunkard, that when I ceased to love and respect him, I should be constantly tempted to hate and despise him.

I think one of the saddest fates that can befall a woman is to be tied for life to a miserable bloated wreck of humanity.

There may be some women with broad generous hearts, and great charity, strong enough to lift such men out of the depths, but I had no such faith in my strength and so I gave him back his ring.