I had myself held the contrary opinion at one time, but I now believed that you mutually corrupted each other; and, perhaps, if she used a little gentle but serious remonstrance with her husband, it might be of some service; as, though he was more rough-hewn than mine, I believed he was of a less impenetrable material.' 'And so that is the way you go on--heartening each other up to mutiny, and abusing each other's partners, and throwing out implications against your own, to the mutual gratification of both!' 'According to your own account,' said I, 'my evil counsel has had but little effect upon her.

And as to abuse and aspersions, we are both of us far too deeply ashamed of the errors and vices of our other halves, to make them the common subject of our correspondence.

Friends as we are, we would willingly keep your failings to ourselves--even from ourselves if we could, unless by knowing them we could deliver you from them.' 'Well, well! don't worry me about them: you'll never effect any good by that.

Have patience with me, and bear with my languor and crossness a little while, till I get this cursed low fever out of my veins, and then you'll find me cheerful and kind as ever.

Why can't you be gentle and good, as you were last time ?--I'm sure I was very grateful for it.' 'And what good did your gratitude do?
I deluded myself with the idea that you were ashamed of your transgressions, and hoped you would never repeat them again; but now you have left me nothing to hope!' 'My case is quite desperate, is it?
A very blessed consideration, if it will only secure me from the pain and worry of my dear anxious wife's efforts to convert me, and her from the toil and trouble of such exertions, and her sweet face and silver accents from the ruinous effects of the same.