The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-05-12
MAY IL, 1925.

Next, let every virtue be examined in or
der, and let the lowest in rank of these be
preferred to the highest personal endowment
or agreeable equality. Never seek for those
qualities which the most of your sex admire;
they are Indifferent in themselves, but, by
the favour they acquire, they inspire vanity,
and render a man naughty, imperious, and
sclf-sufiicient; which think next to drunk
enness is the most to be avoided.
Let an o6Agmg disposition be much re-
garded. l do not mean the temper which
is in general called by this name, and which
consists in affected complaisance and un
meaning officiousness--under which is COM
monty concealed the most nsuferable pride:
but that disposition which, without ostenta-
ton, finds pleasure in giving pleasure; thinks
the opportunity of doing a good office suf-
ficient reward for the trouble attending it;
and isnever SO happy as when employed in
doing good.
You sec how little stress lay upon the
qualifications of body or mind, which carry
! to the generality of each sex the most be-
witching attractions. have learned to reg
ulate my own conduct by other rules, and to
AIM at other attainmcnts; and perhaps, both
in myself and Others, make too little ac-
count of those admired qualities. In short
| lay no stress at all upon them, but rather
the contrary; and were to marry woman
at short warning. would rather choose
one of whom no one took any notice, than
one who was the admiration Of every body.
But good sense, own, has great attractions
for me, and think for you also: but very
great mistake is often committed in that par
ticular. You remark put the epithet good
to it; that will form a hint of what | mean;
namely "A tolerable share OF sense applied to
its proper use. have often been in compa-
ny with people of noted sense, who have
been the mos: insufferable creatures living
A certain air Of superiority infccts THEN
whole conduct: postiveness in assertion
an i:npatiencc of contradiction, perempto-
ry tone, deciding vote, are the characteris-
tics. These you would avoid as pcstlence
A person much inferior in parts and educa-
ton may far surpass them i'll good sense
You may be able to converse with one infe-
rior in knowledge with tolerable satisfaction
but YOU never can with him who thinks him
self superior in SO absolute manner, as moi
to allow you to know any thing. A real ig-
norance and ali imagined knowledge Otter
have the sane effects, that is, produce OBJ
stinacY, which is the bane of every thing
good and desirable. Let the person ther
you choose. in this particular, possess use
: ful knowledge; but whether he knows moro
: or less, let him never think he knows enough
, Iif he does, wo to his wife--except she know
, nothing. In my judgment, nothing can ren
der a man more desirable than a certail
: diHdcncc of HIMSELF feeling that he is liza
: bic to mistake, and that his knowledge, ho'
extensive soever, may receive addition!
Such person will ever listen to reason
> given; and will never quarrel with one VIII
happens to think otherwise than he doe!
/. and You know how desirable such qualt
e is.
In regard to external circumstances,
prudent foresight Is necessary in every ran
: of life:-though riches are not happiness, pc
c verify is distress, especially to those VIII
: have not been used to it. Here look ont fc
:, frugality, industry, application snd activit
Whatever station man is born in. on hin
Il self in a great measure depends his futul
+ fortune; and though it may not be practic;
BILE tor man to raise himself from indigenc
!, to afiluence, yet it is hardly ever out of
= mans power, who possesses the qualities
It have mentioned, to advance himself to
e comfortable independence: while, on the otl
n er hand, no advantages of fortune, sccu
. the mprudent prodigal from sinking into po
erty and Distress
SO you see, upon the whole, prefer s
n briefly to every thing; virtue to the gifts
,f nature that man to whom others think b
meath notice, to him whom each female veS
and admires; an innate benevoence to
81 outside complaisance; a small share of usef
y we'll applied good sense, to the largest ful
= of learning and knowledge, when producti
;, Of scf-sufficicncy; modesty, even in ma
to the most agreeable assurance, and lastl
is frugality and prudence to riches and worl
h ly advantages and from all together y
may infer that it is the man himself, not /
:. externals, nor yet his calling, that judi
! by. You best know how many OF tho
d qualities the person in question possesst
< and in which he is deficient, but as you mt
&C expect deficiencies in every one, let it rat
er be in any thing than that first mentione
i and next avoid the peremptory, senst
lie man.
Sc The following description and refectio