By the study of other women than his own wife (which is a very unjust
mode of study) man learns to hate women in general. By observing his
wife, however, he is inclined to love all her sex. Again, by
contemplating himself he falls into detestation of all humankind. Such
"men" as young Mr. Bachelor have spent their time in exhaustive
subjective researches. They know themselves too well. They should, in
reforming, take an easy step upward, and, by contemplating the good
points of Swift's Yahoos, somewhat elevate their opinion of the species
which they so graciously ornament! A green old age is universally
admired. The color of greenness at thirty, however, is not fashionable.
If I have lacked in charity in defending the wisdom of married life, it
is because I have seen too much grass thrown at bad boys. When you hear
a fool prating of the misery of married men as compared with single men,
answer him according to his folly, or, perhaps better, answer him not at
all.