252 letter from Senex. April 1%. 

 have you received the hurt, than, without waiting 

 for any explanation, you knock me down,— abuse me 

 for a rude impertinent rascal, — contradict my attempt 

 tp tell you it was only accidental, — tell me it is a 

 lie, — that I did certainly intend it, and that I lay in 

 wait for an opportunity to do the deed, when I 

 could do it with the greatest effect. If, in this case, 

 I fliould happen to have as little reason and forbear- 

 ance as yourself, the necefsary consequence must be, 

 that, conscious of the injuriousnefs of these unjust 

 accusations, my pride is irritated ; instead of apolo- 

 gies, injurious recrimination is adopted. — I conclude 

 that if you had not a bad heart yourself, you could 

 not have supposed I could have been capable of so 

 much basenefs. One injurious imputation produces 

 another much more so ; and, instead of increasing our 

 mutual esteem and kindnefs for each other, this trif- 

 ling accident ends in an irreparable breach, which 

 perhaps can terminate only with our lives Unhap- 

 py, indeed, must the consequence be, if the parties in 

 this case fhould chance to be man and wife ; — their 

 mutual esteem ]& gone, and with it their love, their 

 reciprocal kindnefses, and endearing tendernefs for 

 each other ; — adieu then to happinefs for ever ! And 

 for what is all this ? the parties have still dispositions 

 that ought to insure their mutual tenderest regards^ 

 but because of an inadvertence to the golden rule^ 

 that never can be transgrefsed with impunity, they 



are rendered the mutual pests of each other Look 



at this picture, ye married pairs ; and if your hearts 

 be naturally upright, you will perhaps recognize the 

 justnefs of it. Make haste to repair the injuries 



