The police of marriage consist of all those means which are given you
by law, manners, force, and stratagem for preventing your wife in her
attempt to accomplish those three acts which in some sort make up the
life of love: writing, seeing and speaking.
The police combine in greater or less proportion the means of defence
put forth in the preceding Meditations. Instinct alone can teach in what
proportions and on what occasions these compounded elements are to be
employed. The whole system is elastic; a clever husband will easily
discern how it must be bent, stretched or retrenched. By the aid of
the police a man can guide his wife to her fortieth year pure from any
fault.
We will divide this treatise on Police into five captions:
1. OF MOUSE-TRAPS.
2. OF CORRESPONDENCE.
3. OF SPIES.
4. THE INDEX.
5. OF THE BUDGET.