Julia (Chapter_2)

hear the { ?} of neglect--nor[his?} insulting smile of triumph.-Break then my heart, but betray not thy agonies to an unkind husband and a proud rival; cover those agonies with a smiling face--return indifference for indifference and scorn for scorn to prove, however indifferent a husband may be to the merits of a wife, that the world is not equally unjust. Such was the unwise conclusion, to which the tender hearted, but high spirited Mrs Clifton was brought, by the suggestion of wounded feeling and irritated pride. The virtuous resolutions to which she had been excited by the exhortations of her aunt, tho' weakened, were not entirely subdued, by such a train of thought, and she still determined to be more circumspect in her conduct, tho' she relinquished the designs of retreating from the gay world, on which a few hours before she had resolved.-The arrival of D'aubigne, added might to her aunt's advice. She too well knew the nobleness of his nature, the purity of his sentiments and the strictness of his principles, to hope for his esteem without deserving it.--But she knew too--his gentleness and indulgences, which during the period of her childhood, had so often veiled and excused her errors. This dear companion of her infancy, this friend of her youth, was now {returned, retired?}. In accusing herself to him, she had yielded to the natural frankness of her disposition; but no artful and preconcerted plan of self defence, could more effectually have succeeded in persuading D'aubigne that such accusation were unjust,{once?} he deemed it impossible for one so candid and ingenious, to be guilty of any serious faults. Under the persuasion, he had soothed her irritated feelings, and flattered by lessening her self-reproach, had restored her self-complacency. Such a disposition as D'aubigne's, revolted from the austerity of Mrs Edwards and to whose character he did less justice than it deserved. It is to be lamented that the natural smiles and graces of Virtue, should ever be banished, and their place supplied by a {severity?} and gloom which repels rather than attracts.

And Addison beautifully illustrates the impolicy of such conduct , when he says, "Those who represent Virtue or religion in an unamiable light are like the spies sent by Moses to make a discovery of the land of promise, when by their reports they discouraged the people from entering up on it. Those who show us the joy, the cheerfulness, the good human that naturally spring up in this happy state, one like the spies bringing along with them the clusters of grapes and delicious fruits that might invite their companions into the pleasant country which produced them. If {less?} may believe our {logicians?}, man is distinguished from all other creatures by the faculty of laughter. He has a heart capable of mirth and naturally disposed to it. It is not the business of virtue, then to extirpate the affections of the mind, but to regulate them. It may moderate and restrain; but was not designed to banish gladness from the heart of man." Let the moral and virtuous, then, endeavour to allure back wanderers from the paths of{vice ?} by an example, of gentleness and indulgence, of cheerfulness and content and be assured they will be more successful, than they can be by the most austere manners and rigid observances. "Happiness is our being's end and aim, "and it is only by convincing mankind, that it is more certainly secured by the practices of virtue, than those of vice, that they can be induced to adopt one, and stand on the other. Mrs Edwards was by nature, of a cold reserved temperament, and of a melancholy disposition, and her perception of duty took their colour from the complexion of her mind. She looked upon all the gaieties of life as criminal; the severity of her precepts and the gloom of her example, disgusted the young and gay, with the duties, it was her intention to recommend. Unfortunately for Mrs Clifton, her favorite friend and advisor, was the very opposite of her aunt--If Mrs Edwards was a stoic, Madam Luneville was an epicurean--if one was a bigot, the other was an infidel--Julia saw the errors of both, and aimed at steering a middle course, but between them opinion fluctuated and truth was endangered.