The Ohio Democrat and Dover advertiser. [volume] (Canal Dover, Ohio) 1839-1840, 1839-11-07
Your affectionate
But heart stricken wife.
TO AN ONLY DAUGH
TER.
By PATRICK HENRY.

My DEAR DAUeHTER.-You have
just entered into that slate which is re.
plete with happiness or misery. The
issue depends upon that prudent, amia-
bic, uniform conduct, which wisdom and
virtue SO strongly recommend, on the
one hand, or on that imprudence which
a want of reflection or passion may
prompt on the other.
You are allied to man of honor, of
talents, and of an open, generours dis
position. You have, therefore, in your
power, all the essential ingredients of
domestic happiness: it cannot be mar
red, If YOU now reflect upon that sys-
tenn Of conduct which you ought inyaria.
bly, TO pursue-il you now see clearly
the path from which you will resolve
never to desiate. Cur conduct is often
the result ofwhlm or caprice; often such
as will give US many pang, unless we
see beforehand whatIs always essen
tial to happiness.
The first maxim you ahould follow is
never to attempt TO control you husband
by opposition, by displeasure or any
other mark Of anger. A man Of sense,
of prudence, of warm feelings, cannot
and will not hear an opposition Of any
kind, which is attended with an angry
look or expression. The current of his
affections is suddenly stopped; his at.
tachment is weakened; he begins 10 feel
modification the most pungebt; he is
belttIed even in hIs own eye; and be
assured, the wife who once excltes those
sentiments in the breast of a husband,
wall never regain the high ground which
she might and ough, TO have retained.
When he marries her, If he be a good
man, he expects TO find in her one who
is not 10 control him-not'to take from
him the freedom of acting as his own
judgement shall direct, but Que who will
place such confidence in him, as to be-
lleve that his prudence Is his best guide.
Little things, what in reality are mere
trilles in themselves, often produce bick
erlngs, and even qnarreIs. Never per-
init them to be subject of dispute,
Weld them with pleasure. with smile
of affection. Be assured that one diff
ference outweighs Them all thousand
or ten thousand times. A dlffere ence
with your husband ought to be consid-
cred as the greatest calamity--is one
,ha, is to be studous!y guarded agains',
II is a demon which must never be per-
mtlted TO enter a habituation where all
should be peace, unimpaired confidence
and heart felt Observation-Disclosures, what
can woman gam by opposition or in
dlfiereuce2 Nothing. But she loses
every thing: she loses her husbands
respec, Tor her virtues; she loses his
love; and, with that, all prospect of fI-
ture happIness. She creates her own
misery, and then utters idle and silly
complaints. but utters them in vain.
The love Of husband can be retained
only by the high opinions which he en-
terians of his wife's goodness Of heart,
of her amiable disposition, other sweet
ness, OF her prudence, other devotion Ia
him. Let nothing, upon, any occasion,
ever lessen that opIn on. On the con-
trary, 1t should augment every day: he
should have much more reason 70 ad-
mire her for those excellent qualities
which. will cast lusture over vir,uous
woman when her personal attractions
are no more.
Has your husband s,aid out longer
than you expected When he returns,
rec i've him as lbe partner of your heart
Has he disappointed you in something
you expected, wheather Of ornament oil
of furniture, or of anvconvenien cel New
or evnce disconient; receive his apollo
gy with cheerfulness. Does he,
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