DR. DARWIN. 



their confequcnces. The declaration by 

 which fhe repulfes his impious fait, entirely 

 acquits her of the leaft defign to infpire him 

 with paflion. Dr. Darwin was influenced 

 by the author of this Memoir to refcue 

 the form of Ninon from the unreal decre- 

 pitude he had imputed to it, and her prin- 

 ciples from fuch unnatural excels of de- 

 pravity. 



If we may credit her hiftorians, Ninon 

 was an exception to a maxim of the Duke 

 de Rochefaucault, which has perhaps very 

 few exceptions, viz. " Generally fpeaking, 

 " the leaft fault of an unchafte woman is 

 " her unchaftity." Confidering this remark 

 as an axiom, the reafon probably is, that 

 chaftity being the point of honor, as well 

 as of virtue in women, it's violation has a 

 ftrong tendency to engraft deceit and ma- 

 lignity upon the fecret confcioufnefs of 

 felf-abafement ; a confcioufnefs more fatal 

 to the exifience of other good qualities 



U than 



