Hill, Aaron (1685-1750)

The Plain Dealer, No. 100

London

Friday, March 5, 1725

"A vertuous Woman ought thus to think with herself, That the Tempest of the Mind in violent Grief must be calmed by Patience; which does not intrench on the natural Love of Parents towards then Children, as many think, but only struggles against disorderly and irregular Passions."

It is but just, That the same Arguments which we have oftentimes used to others, should prevail upon ourselves at this so seasonable a Time; and that we should not supinely sit down, and overwhelm the Joys we have tasted, with a Multiplicity of new Griefs. A vertuous Woman ought thus to think with herself, That the Tempest of the Mind in violent Grief must be calmed by Patience; which does not intrench on the natural Love of Parents towards then Children, as many think, but only struggles against disorderly and irregular Passions. For, we allow this Love of Children to discover itself, in lamenting, wishing for, and longing after them when they are dead. But the excessive Inclination to Grief, which carries People on to unseemly Exclamations and furious Behaviour, is no less culpable than luxurious Intemperance. Yet Reason seems to plead in its Excuse; because, instead of Pleasure, Sorrow is an Ingredient of the Crime. What can be more Irrational, I pray, than to check excessive Laughter, and yet, give a free Course to Tears, which flow from the same Fountain?
(II, p. 357-8)

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Text from The Plain Dealer: Being Select Essays on Several Curious Subjects: Relating to Friendship, ... Poetry, and Other Branches of Polite Literature. Publish'd originally in the year 1724. And Now First Collected into Two Volumes (London: Printed for S. Richardson, and A. Wilde, 1730.) <Link to Vol. I in ECCO-TCP><Link to Vol. II in ECCO-TCP>

08/17/2013