Was ever a woman’s spirit, by an injurio...

Was ever a woman’s spirit, by an injurious husband, broke like mine? A vile, licentious man! must he bring home his follies too! Wrong me with my very servant ! - O ! How tedious a relief is patience! and yet my condition 'tis the only remedy: for to reproach him with my wrongs, is taking on myself the means of redress, bidding defiance to his falsehood, and naturally but provokes him to undo me. The uneasy thought of my continual jealousy may teaze him to a fixt aversion; and hitherto, tho' he neglects, I cannot think he hates me. It must be time. Since I want power to please him, he never shall upbraid me with an attempt of making him uneasy - My eyes and tongue shall yet be blind, and silent to my wrongs; nor would I have him think my virtue could suspect him, 'til by some gross apparent proof of his misdoing, he forces me to see and to forgive it.

Cibber, Colley. The Careless Husband. Act 1.

• Full text