As Christianity has banished polygamy, no immediate moral can be
derived by husbands from this Fable, unless we conclude, that it is
as impossible to serve two mistresses as two masters; for whatever we
do to please the one, will probably offend the other. To conciliate
the affections of persons whose tempers are opposite, is extremely
difficult, if not impracticable. To wives it may teach, that those
whose love is tempered with a tolerable share of good sense, will
be sure to have no separate views of their own, nor do any thing
immediately relating to their husbands, without consulting them first.
All that we shall add to what has been said, is to observe, that many
women may ignorantly, out of a pure effect of complaisance, do a
thousand disagreeable things to their husbands. But in a married state,
one party should not be guessing at or presuming, but inform themselves
certainly, what will please the other; and if a wife use her husband
like a friend only, the least she can do is first to communicate to
him all the important enterprizes she undertakes, and especially those
which she intends should be for his honour and advantage.
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