But by what arts wives
procure to themselves power over the men, will be shewn in the following
article.
292. XXI. IN THE WORLD THERE ARE INFERNAL MARRIAGES BETWEEN PERSONS WHO
INTERIORLY ARE THE MOST INVETERATE ENEMIES, AND EXTERIORLY ARE AS THE
CLOSEST FRIENDS. I am indeed forbidden by the wives of this sort, in the
spiritual world, to present such marriages to public view; for they are
afraid lest their art of obtaining power over the men should at the same
time be divulged, which yet they are exceedingly desirous to have
concealed: but as I am urged by the men in that world to expose the
causes of the intestine hatred and as it were fury excited in their
hearts against their wives, in consequence of their clandestine arts, I
shall be content with adducing the following particulars. The men said,
that unwittingly they contracted a terrible dread of their wives, in
consequence of which they were constrained to obey their decisions in
the most abject manner, and be at their beck more than the vilest
servants, so that they lost all life and spirit; and that this was the
case not only with those who were in inferior stations of life, but also
with those who were advanced in high dignities, yea with brave and
famous generals: they also said, that after they had contracted this
dread, they could not help on every occasion expressing themselves to
their wives in a friendly manner, and doing what was agreeable to their
humors, although they cherished in their hearts a deadly hatred against
them; and further, that their wives still behaved courteously to them
both in word and deed, and complaisantly attended to some of their
requests.
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