When a young woman, of what rank or degree so ever, indulges herself in a too great freedom of conversation with one of a loose and wanton behaviour, she cannot wonder that those who are witnesses of their intimacy should suspect her guilty of the same inclinations; – and that tho' perfectly innocent of the faults of her companion, is made an equal partaker of her shame.

Women, who are either born to, or are reduced by accidents to low and indigent circumstances, excuse themselves by saying, – that the necessity of their affairs compels them to keep an acquaintance with persons who they find it their interest to oblige; – but if this be an insufficient pretence, as certainly it is, since there is no interest which ought to be put in competition with reputation, what can be alledg'd in behalf of ladies of fortune and quality, who have it in their power to chuse their company, and it cannot be supposed would converse with any whose manners they did not approve?

In fine, there is no one error in conduct which, according to my opinion, the sex in general should be more upon their guard against than this; – for tho' some, dazzled with the pomp of show and equipage, may be weak enough to imagine, that to appear in public, or be known to have an intimacy with a woman of a polluted fame, provided she be a person of condition, will bring no blemish on their own characters, or be of any prejudice to their morals, yet that such an intimacy is extremely dangerous to both may be very easily demonstrated.

First, as to character; – If the world should be more silent than it ever was, or ever will be on such occasions, it cannot be expected that a woman, who has thrown off all regard for her own honour, should have any for that of the person she converses with, or would even wish they should be thought possess'd of a virtue she is entirely destitute of herself; – no, – on the contrary, she will rather have recourse to all the wicked artifices she may be mistress of to cast a shade over that brightness which would render her own deformity more conspicuous.