Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1825-05-19
From DIR. SCOTS Letter.
TIE CHOICE OF A HUSBAND.

Let sobrietg be a sine quo non:
with it many DEFICIENCIES may be sup
pIied: without it many excellcncies
may not only be buried, bot rendered
preiudicial. Prefer sobrletyto almost
every consideration; for a drunkard,
nav. a person only a little addicted to
drinking, can never render you happy
Next, let every virture be examin'
ed in order, and let the lowest III rank
Of these be preferred tethe highest per
sonal endowment or agreeable quality.
Never seek for those qualities which
the most Of your sex admire: they are
in lifferent in themselves, but, by the
favour they acquire, they inspire van
ity, and render a man naughty, impe-
rions. and self sufficient; which think
mex to drunkenness is the most to be
avoided.
Let an oblging disposition De
much regarded. | do not mean the
temper which is in general called by
this name, and which conslts ln aiiec.
ted complaisance and unmeanlng ON
cionsuess-under which is commonly
concealed the most insuiferabie PRIDE:
but that disposition which, without os'
tentatlon, finds pleasure IN giving plea
sure; thinks the opportunity OF DONG
a good Office a sufficient reward Tor The
trouble attending it, and is never so
happy as when employed IA dong
good.
You see how little stress | lay up
the qualifications OF body or mind,
which carry to the generality of each
sex the most bewitching attractions. L
have learned to regul tie my own con
duct by other rules iand to aim at other
attachments; andperhaps bothin myself
and others, | make too little account
of those admired qualities. In short
l lay no stress al all upon them, but
rather the contrary; and were 1 to
marry a woman at a short warning, L
would rather choose one of whom no
n took any notice, than n who
was the admiration of every body.
But good sense, l own, has great at
fractions for me, and think for you
also: but a very great mistake IS often
committed in that particular. Eour re-
mark | put the epithet goodto 1t; that
will form ahint ofwhat mean; name
" a tolerable share of sense applied
TO its proper use. | have often been
i'll company with people OfnOted sense,
who have been the most lnsutierablc
creatures living. 4 certain air OF su-
periorlty infects their whole conduct a
positiveness in assertion, an nnpatlence
of contradiction, a peremptoTy tone, a
deciding vote, are their characteristics.
These you would ayoidas a pcstilence.
A person much inferior in parts and
education may far surpass them in
good sense. Youmay be able TO con
verse with one inferior in knowledge
with toletable satisfaction; but you
never can with him who thinks him
self superior in SO absolute a manner,
rs not to allow yol to know any thing.
A real ignorance and an imagined
knowledge often have the same Ell
that IS, poduce obstlnacy,
which IS the bane Of every good and
desirable. LIT the person then
Won choose, in this particular, possess
useful Knowledge; but, whether he
knows more or less, let him never
think he knows enough. il he does,
NO to his wiie-eXcept she knaw no
Iumy judgement, nothing can
render a man more desirable than a
certain diliden"e of himself; q fee ling |
that he is liable TO mistake, and that