"Tellme, Anselmo, ifHeavenorgoodfortunehadmadetheemasterandlawfulownerofadiamondofthefinestquality, withtheexcellenceandpurityofwhichallthelapidariesthathadseenithadbeensatisfied, sayingwithonevoiceandcommonconsentthatinpurity, quality, andfineness, itwasallthatastoneofthekindcouldpossiblybe, thouthyselftoobeingofthesamebelief, asknowingnothingtothecontrary, woulditbereasonableintheetodesiretotakethatdiamondandplaceitbetweenananvilandahammer, andbymereforceofblowsandstrengthofarmtryifitwereashardandasfineastheysaid? Andifthoudidst, andifthestoneshouldresistsosillyatest, thatwouldaddnothingtoitsvalueorreputation; andifitwerebroken, asitmightbe, wouldnotallbelost? Undoubtedlyitwould, , then, Anselmomyfriend, thatCamillaisadiamondofthefinestqualityaswellinthyestimationasinthatofothers, andthatitiscontrarytoreasontoexposehertotheriskofbeingbroken; forifsheremainsintactshecannotrisetoahighervaluethanshenowpossesses; andifshegivewayandbeunabletoresist, bethinktheenowhowthouwiltbedeprivedofher, , andthatthewholehonourofwomenconsistsinreputation; andsincethywife'sisofthathighexcellencethatthouknowest, whereforeshouldstthouseektocallthattruthinquestion? Remember, myfriend, thatwomanisanimperfectanimal, andthatimpedimentsarenottobeplacedinherwaytomakehertripandfall, butthattheyshouldberemoved, andherpathleftclearofallobstacles, sothatwithouthindranceshemayrunhercoursefreelytoattainthedesiredperfection, , andthatwhenthehunterswishtotakeit, , theystopthewaytothemwithmud, andthenrousingit, driveittowardsthespot, andassoonastheerminecomestothemudithalts, andallowsitselftobetakencaptiveratherthanpassthroughthemire, andspoilandsullyitswhiteness, , andwhiterandpurerthansnowisthevirtueofmodesty; andhewhowisheshernottoloseit, buttokeepandpreserveit, mustadoptacoursedifferentfromthatemployedwiththeermine; hemustnotputbeforeherthemireofthegiftsandattentionsofperseveringlovers, becauseperhaps—andevenwithoutaperhaps—shemaynothavesufficientvirtueandnaturalstrengthinherselftopassthroughandtreadunderfoottheseimpediments; theymustberemoved, , too, islikeamirror, ofclearshiningcrystal, ; adored, , theownerofwhichallowsnoonetotrespassorpluckablossom; ; Iheardtheminamoderncomedy, , thefatherofayounggirl, tolockherup, watchoverherandkeepherinseclusion, andamongotherargumentsheusedthese:
