I'm sure I never knew that I'd married a home-missionary." "Darling, please, now, don't laugh at me, and try to make me selfish and worldly.

You have such power over me, you ought to be my inspiration." "I'll be your common-sense, John.

When you get on stilts, and run benevolence into the ground, I'll pull you down.

Now, I know it must be bad for a man, that has as much as you do to occupy his mind all the week, to go out and work Sundays; and it's foolish, when you could perfectly well hire somebody else to do it, and stay at home, and have a good time." "But, Lillie, I _need_ it myself." "Need it,--what for?
I can't imagine." "To keep me from becoming a mere selfish, worldly man, and living for mere material good and pleasure." "You dear old Don Quixote! Well, you are altogether in the clouds above me.

I can't understand a word of all that." "Well, good-by, darling," said John, kissing her, and hastening out of the room, to cut short the interview.
Milton has described the peculiar influence of woman over man, in lowering his moral tone, and bringing him down to what he considered the peculiarly womanly level.