The female advocate; or, A plea for the just liberty of the tender sex, and particularly of married women. Being reflections on a late rude and disingenuous discourse, delivered by Mr. John Sprint, in a sermon at a wedding, May 11th, at Sherburn in Dorsetshire, 1699. / By a Lady of Quality.

PREFACE To the Female Sex.

Ladies;

IF you inquire who I am, I shall only tell you in general, that I am one that ne∣ver yet came within the Clutches of a Husband; and therefore what I write may be the more favourably interpreted as not coming from a Party concern'd. Nor really do I hope to make my Condition the easier if ever I resign my self into the Arms of one of the other Sex. No, I am very well satisfy'd that there are a great many Brave Men, whose Generous Principles make 'em scorn the Methods that very Rea∣son condemns. Not that I can boast of any great Beauty, or a vast Fortune, two things

(especially the latter) which are able to make us Conquerors thro the World. But I have endeavour'd to furnish my self with some∣thing more valuable: I shall not brag that I understand a little Greek and Latin (Languages being only the effects of Confu∣sion) having made some attempt to look into the more solid parts of Learning, and having adventur'd a little abroad into the World, and endeavour'd to understand Men and Manners. And having seen something of the Italian and Spanish Humors, I so∣lemnly profess I never observ'd in Italy, nor Spain it self, a Slavery so abject as this Author would fain persuade us to.

As for those of you that are already in the House of Bondage, and have found all the Charms of Innocence and good Humour, and the most exact Prudence ineffectual long to recommend you to the Smiles of your new Lords and Masters; I think indeed 'twill be very well if you can, as he advises you, bring down the very Desires of your Hearts to their Will and Pleasure, and fancy your selves happy in the midst of all.

And as for those of you that are happily married, your Life and Actions are a suffi∣cient

Contradiction to this Gentleman; while you let the World see that you can please your Husbands without that extraordinaay way which he recommends in his Sermon, that was thought so unmanly and scandalous, that (as I am inform'd) Mr. L—the Minister who is resident at Sherborn, look'd on himself as oblig'd to tell the World in the public News, that he was not the Author of that Discourse, lest, it being preach'd where he lives, they who knew not his Name might impute it to him.

In a word, Ladies, I would recommend to your Thoughts something that is great and noble, viz. to furnish your Minds with true Knowledg, that (as an Ingenious La∣dy tells us) you may know something more than a well-chosen Petticoat, or a fashionable Commode. Learning becomes us as well as the Men. Several of the French Ladies, and with us the late incomparable Mrs. Bay∣nard, and the Lady that is Mr. Norris's Correspondent, and many more, are Witnesses of this. Hereby we shall be far enough from being charm'd with a great Estate, or mov'd with the flowing Nonsense and Romantic Bombast of every Foppish Beau; and shall

learn (if we choose Companions for our Lives) to select the Great, the Generous, the Brave and Deserving Souls, Men who will as much hate to see us uneasy, as this Gentleman is afraid of coming under the Discipline of the Apron.

Yours, Eugenia.