Judith Drake

“ But I believe, Madam, you find but few Precedents of Men, that have taken so much pains to undeceive the World to their own disadvantage. I have known Men (and so I fancy have you too) and those of no mean Reputation, that have affected to look grave and compos’d at the Repetition of another Man’s Jest, that it might be taken for their own; and, to say truth, if the World will mistake Men for greater, or Wiser, than they are, there are few that have Ingenuity enough not to help on the Cheat. ”

“ To Madam — on the Occasion of her Essay, in Defence of her Sex.
Ican’t but smile at the Fantastick Malice of some, that love me not, for their Spightful clamor has effected that, which the kind Insinuations of some of my mistaken Friends, in vain attempted, and fixt upon me an honour, and upon themselves Characters, they wou’d be glad to claw off again, tho’ at the expence of their Skins. Caprice, and Humour have indeed a great share in the Movements, even of the wisest of Mankind, but I never met before with such a frollicksome piece of Malice, as to slander a Man into Reputation. ”

“ These Fellows are in their Humours something a-kin to one (that I once knew) who never met a Man very drunk in an Evening, but he led him to his own Door to discharge, that he might in the morning have the Credit of his Debauchery ”