Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1839-10-17
MAR RAGE.
ssee John, xiv. ..

NJ A XXI A1Es
The matrimonial covenant Is an ordinance
of Heaven. Immediately after the creation
of man, "the Lord said. ] will make for hln
q help mate" This domestic constitution .
. distinguished characteristic OF christianity
md i. essential to the elevation and happi
pcss Of our race.
Every young man should, therefore. if pos
sible, contemplate being married. 1t Is
christian duty, as well ~ privilege to hnv
q companion TO share with you the responsI
bities, interests and enjoyments OF lie.
a man is in circumstances to be married he
usually less useful To society, and pcrhup
always less happy for remalnng in The sin
gle state. That he may be perfect an'i en-
tire, wanting nothing he must have wife.
When man lives single beyond the propeI
time for being married. there is prevalent
suspicion among the other sex that he Is od'
dcted To vice. | do not know but this Jodg
ment is a little scyere--for there are some
bachelors of unquestionable virtue. But that
there is foundation for general suspicion
of this sort, will hardly be questioned; and
The vicious tendency of celibacy, in coinmu-
ties, are very generally known aud acknowl-
edged.
The time for marrying after the period in
dicaied by nature has arrived, must OF course
vary somewhat with circumstances. AS
general rule, early marriages are desirable
but then they should be under one or two
conditions, either that of property inherited
or already acquired, adequate to the usual
expense, or that Of simplicity and irugality IN
the style Of living, sufficient to reduce the
expenses within the present earnings. The
latter is always the best. II is the happies
and most vrtuous state Of society, IN which
the husband aud wife set out early together.
and with perfect sympathy of soul graduate
oil their expenses, plans, calculations, and to
their future and common interest.
Nothing delights me more than to enter
the neat little tenement Of the young couple
who within perhaps two OF three years, with
oui any resources but their own knowledge
and industry have joined heart and hand and
engaged to share together the responsi0llI'
ties, duties, interests trials and pleasures ol
life. The Industrious wife is cheerfully en-
ploying her own hands in domestic duties,
putting her house in order, or mendng her
husbands clothes. or preparing dinner, while
perhaps The little darling sits prattling upon
the floor, or lies sleeping in the cradie-and
every thing seems prepared to welcome the
happest of husbands and the best of fathers,
when he shall come from his toll, to enjoy
the sweets Of his little paradise. This is the
true domestic pleasure, the "only bliss that
survived the fall" Health, contentment,l love,
abundance and bright prospects arc all here.
But il has become prevalent sentiment
that man must acquire his fortune before
he marries that the wife must have no sym
pathy, nor share with him in the pursuit OF IT.,
in which most of the pleasure truly consists 4;
and that young married people must set out
with as large aud extensive an establishment,
as is becoming those who have been welded
for twenty years.
This is very unhappy. II fills the commu-
nifty with bachelors, who are waiting to make
their fortunes, endangering virtue and pro.
noting vice it destroys the true economy
and design Of the domestic institution and
it promotes idleness and ineificieucy among
females who are expecting TO be taken up
BY a fortune, and passively sustained without
any care or concern on their portland thus
many modern wife becomes, as a gentle
man once remarked, not "helpmate," but Il
help eat.
There is another unpleasant evil attending
this, especially as it bears pretty severely on
the fnir SEX When bachelors have made
their fortunes and become some forty or fifty
ySuTs Ou, tlltJ w HOt 'ohS "
their own age, but they then abandon those
with whom they have hitherto associated,
and requite oil the pleasures which their
society has afforded them, with utter neglect
they then select for their companions the
young and blooming and thus leave to their
fate a numerous class Of worthy maidens.
Great disparity in matrmony is an evil in,
many particulars; and what is more unnatu
raj than to see young Miss welded to a
man old enough to be her father? He ought
to havo sense enough to know, unless she is
an eccentric character, she never married
him for love; and she ought also to know,
that in consenting TO marry him, she IN all
probability consented TO make herself
wretched slave-to put herself in the power
of man " ho had already expended his first
and wurmest love upon others and who, by
his superior age. his mstured habits OF pleas
ing himself aud Of having his own way, and
the SELF importance which property gives,
was well qualified TO net The part OF the ty-
rant. rnihcr than that of The hnsbond.
lr young man has property, he may OF
course marry ut a suitable nge. and adopt the
style of living, which j. justified by his means.
But if he is destitute of property, he has
three alternatives. and he eau take his choice
between them. Selecting prudent indus
trious person tor his wife. he may marry
young aud live ia st, le of simplicity adap-
ted ,n his irc"nr; or he can wait I'LL he has
OCCURRED u property. so as 10 be able to sup
port family IN the mnrr modern aud fash.
ionahle style; or be can marry at any rate,
launch fearlrssly uui into oil the expenses of
o fashionable establishment, and run his
chance % bringing his wife aud children To
want. The hfst is the best. the second is
the next sod the third is bad enough. - Hm.
sioir.