Women are instructed in the art of pleasing, and the handsomest and most
gifted exert themselves to this end. They are required to attend to
their personal appearance abroad and at home. The married especially are
enjoined to attend to this as much in the presence of their husbands as
before strangers. A different custom prevailed in former times, when
women after they had been some time married, thinking that their
husbands' affection was secured, gave themselves no further care to
please him, though still taking pains to appear handsome and fascinating
to others. It was for visitors and strangers that the most comely
apparel and the most engaging manners were put on; the consequence was,
that the husband often preferred the society of those who in appearance
at least seemed to care more for him than did his own wife. This was the
cause of much of the immorality which formerly existed in our world.
The example, too, on children, was most injurious; it schooled them in
deceit and disingenuousness. My laws declare that those, whether man or
woman, are dishonest, who wear a behaviour to each other after marriage
different to what they did before, for they have gained the affections
of their victim by deceit--pretending one thing and doing another.