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the ardour of Julia's affection, diminished that of her husband --
The only child, & the spoilt child of doting parents, she had been ever used
to be the exclusive object of the fondest affection. To be so still, was
necessary to her happiness, & the slightest indifference was to her heart
a deeper wound, than positive unkindness would have been to most
others. Perhaps Clifton is not the only man, whom such exclusive
claims would have disgusted; it deprived him of that liberty which
all men love. He could ill brook being called to account for
every accidental absence or indifferent action, & her overweaning
fondness instead of attracting him to home, often drove him from it.

In the early part of her marriage, she wished for no society
but his, tho' by the querelousness of her sensibility she deprived
her society of its power to please, him, whom she most desired to
please. By almost imperceptible degrees he became weaned
from home, & when after longer absences, he returned, he
was received with tears & reproaches, which quickly drove
him again away, in search of some object more amusing
& interesting, than a complaining & weeping wife. --

A man of his talents * his fortune is always a welcome
guest, & he soon gave himself up to a circle of gay friends by
whom he was always received with smiles & flattery.

Such was the situation of the family, when Madam Luneville
became its inmate. A woman of the world, has but one principle of
action. Her own enjoyment. She looks not to another state of being, for any
happiness, & therefore seeks in the present, for all the pleasures it can yield.
A woman of the world, has no motives for virtue beyond the advantages
which virtue bestows on the present life; there indeed are many, for corrupt
as society may be, virtue is so pure & lovely, that it commands the homage
even of the vicious, & in order to enjoy public respect & consideration, its
semblance is worn, even by those who obey not its principles. "Hypocricy
is the homage vice pays to virtue," & thus far Mdm Luneville showed
her respect & observance of its requisitions. Without neglecting her friend,
as she called Julia, continual opportunities occured of rendering herself [??]
-ble to Clifton; here she assiduously improved, & the many hours & days which common decency required he should