Davys, Mary (1674-1732)

The Accomplish'd Rake: or Modern Fine Gentleman

London

Printed and sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster

1727

Women have the same "Passions and Inclinations [as Men], which when let loose without a Curb, grow wild and untameable, defy all Laws and Rules, and can be subdued by nothing but what they are seldom Mistresses of"

My Mother, cry'd Sir John, with the utmost Surprize, my Mother a Criminal, how, when, where, what is her Crime? Who her Accuser, who dare accuse her? Speak Distractor, or ------Be calm Sir John, interrupted the good Man, least your too furious Vindication of her Honour, should expose it more, the Family I believe is at present unapprised of the Matter, and unless her Woman be privy to it, as sure she must, I think myself the only Person who have found it out, which I by the greatest Accident did this very Night, when I came up to Bed I cast my Eye upon Moliere, which lay upon my Table, and got so deeply engaged in it, that I read till almost two a-Clock: There is a little wooden Window yonder at my Bed's-head, which looks into the great Hall, and which I never opened in my Life till this Night, because I always took it for a Cupboard, which I had no Use for. Before I had a Mind to part with the Companion in my Hand the Candle burnt out, and when I had thrown the Snuff in the Chimney and was getting to Bed in the dark, I thought I saw a Gleam of Light in the Cupboard, as I took it to be. I went immediately to it, perhaps a little startled at a Thing so unexpected, and trying to open it, found it very ready to comply, not so willing were my Eyes to consent to the Sight they met with, which was LadyGalliard hanging upon the Arm of a Man, the Light shaded so that I could not command a full View of his Face, but fancied he resembledTom, I ran immediately to my Chamber-Door, which I opened before they came within hearing, and flew to the End of the Gallery, which you know faces my Lady's Lodgings, and there I saw Tom so plain that I was soon convinced I was not at first mistaken, they both went in together and left me in a State so restless, that I have never either warm'd my Bed or closed my Eyes this Night: Oh Sir John I grieve for your Distress, nor am I less at a Loss how to advise you on this sad Occasion. Sir John who till now had never been touch'd to the quick, flung himself on Mr. Teachwell's Bed, where his Eyes gave vent to a heaving Passion, he indulged it for some Time and then got up crying out with transport, tell me Mr. Teachwell, for you know the World, tell me I say, are all Women such? O say they are, and give my Mind some ease. Hum, Sir John, saidTeachwell, you may with the same Reason ask, when you see a Malefactor executed, whether all Men deserve the Gallows. No, Vertue forbid, one single Faulter should infect the whole Species. Women no doubt, are made of the very same Stuff that we are, and have the very same Passions and Inclinations, which when let loose without a Curb, grow wild and untameable, defy all Laws and Rules, and can be subdued by nothing but what they are seldom Mistresses of.
(pp. 19-21)

Government::Lawless Plant::Grow Wild

Searching "passion" and "law" in HDIS (Prose)

At least 3 entries in ESTC (1727, 1756).

Mary Davys, The Accomplish'd Rake: or Modern Fine Gentleman. Being An Exact Description of the Conduct and Behaviour of A Person of Distinction. (London: printed and sold by the Booksellers of London and Westminster, 1727). <Link to ECCO> <Link to Google Books>

04/25/2005