The Virginia Gazette

The GOOD WIFE.

The good Wife is one who, ever mindful of the solemn Contract which she has entered into, is strictly and conscientiously virtuous, constant, and faithful to her Husband; chaste, pure, and unblemished in every Thought, Word, and Deed. She is humble and modest from Reason and Conviction, submissive from Choice, and obedient from Inclination.

What she acquires by Love and Tenderness she preserves by Prudence and Discretion; she maketh it her Business to serve, and her Pleasure to oblige, her Husband, being conscious that every Thing which promotes his Happiness must in the End contribute to her own. Her Tenderness relieves his Cares, her Affection softens his Distresses; her good Humour and Complaisance lessen and subdue his Afflictions. She opened her Mouth (as Solomon says) with Wisdom, and in her Tongue is the Law of Kindness. She looked well to the Ways of her House, and she eateth not the Bread of Idleness. Her Children rise up, and call her blessed; her Husband also, and he praiseth her. Lastly, as a good and pious Christian, she looketh up with an Eye of Gratitude to the great Disposer and Disposer of all Things, to the Husband of the Widow, and Father of the Fatherless, entreating his divine Favour and Assistance in this and every other moral Duty, well satisfied that if she duly and punctually discharges her several Offices in this Life she shall be rewarded for it afterwards.

The most generally important Qualification in a good Wife is Sweetness of Temper. Formed to obey a Being so imperfect as Man, she ought to learn betimes even to suffer Injustice, and bear it without Complaint. It is not for his Sake, but for her own, that she should be of a mild Disposition. The Perverseness and ill Nature of Women only serve to aggravate their own Misfortunes, and the Misconduct of their Husbands; they might plainly perceive that these are not the Arms by which they gain the Superiority. Heaven did not bestow on them the Powers of Insinuation and Persuasion to make them perverse and morose; it did not constitute them feeble to make them imperious; it did not give them so soft and agreeable a Voice to vent Abuse, nor Features so delicate and lovely to be disfigured with Anger. When they give Way therefore to Rage, they forget themselves; for, though they may have often Reason to complain, they are always in the wrong to scold.

Each Sex should preserve its peculiar Tone and Manner; a meek Husband may make a Wife impertinent; but Mildness of Disposition on the Woman's Side will always bring a Man back to Reason at last, if he be not a Brute, and will sooner or later triumph over him.