Liberty advocate. [volume] (Liberty, Miss.) 1835-1866, 1844-03-30
MARRIAGE.

WaTTlaSe Is dCcuSeu VI ull INC evils VI
life; ala unus: accusation; marriage is
good; it is our methods Of education which
are bad. Whatever, therefore, would
mend these methods would render the
state of marriage more happy. What
is required? Only very simple thing,
but which has not we: been tried, viz:
to accustom US from our childhood to all
the thoughts and sentiments which are TO
fill up our lives. would wish, after
all, to fix the attention of young girls on
the choice of their husbands; educate
them for this choice; impress deeply il
their souls the characters Of true love, in
order that they may not be deceived by
whatever has only its appearance.
Are they not made for loving? Should
no, this happiness extend itself through.
out their whole life? Is it not, at the
same time, their supremacy, their pow
er, and their destiny9 And yet the old
conventional prejudices which abhor love,
still exist 10 families. Mothers forget n
the presence Of their children, the perils
with which this narrow education sur.
rounds them, the illusions TO which their
Ignorance gives birth, and the weakness
which follow these illusions. To open
the soul of young girls TO true love Ito
arm them against the corruptlng passions
which usurp its name; and here, the ad.
vantage is two folG, for, by exalting the
loving faculties of the soul, you in some
measure paralyse the tumultuous passions
Of the senses.
Examine the first choice of young
girl. Amongst all the qualities which
please her in a lover, there is perhaps
not one which would be suitable IN
husband; and, in fact, she frequently
sees little more of him she loves than
the beauty of his form, or perhaps the
elegance Of his dress. Is not this, then,
the most complete condemnation of our
systems Of education9 From an apPre-
hension Of too strongly affecting the
heart, we conceal from women all that
is worthy Of love; we allow the sense oil
the beautiful that exists in them to be lost
among utilities; the outside pleases them;
what is within is unknown. When,
therefore, after having been united for
six months, they look for the delightful
young man whose presence charmed
them, they are often very much surPrls'
cd 10 find in his pIa,e only an lmPertIn-
ent fellow or fool. Yet this is what is
very commonly called in the world a
marriage of inclination.
1t is true, that in the present state oil
our manner, young girls are seldom
called upon to make their choice; their
imagination is occupied, not with the hus-
band, but with marriage. So it results
that most girls have marriage for their
object, without thinking much about the
husband. On their part, the parents seek
20 match the fortunes; their almthey say,
is to secure the futurity Of their children;
and absorbed in this idea, they treat oil
marriage as of an affair Of commercials
of a thing which gives position IN the
worId--forgetting that it is likewise a
thing which causes happiness or unhaP-
piness. Thus our foolish wisdom has
succeeded in delaching love from mar,
rage: we have made a bargain by which
Girls purchase the power Of regulating
the expenses Of their household, OF going
out alone, and of seeking in the circle a,
round them that half OF their soul, ina,
ideal being which youth dreams OIL and
will possess. oa,..,;or
For. how much soever our education
NAV succeed in suppressIng our lnc'lna,
tons, they cannot destroy them man anu
woman are the same being, wnom ma,
ture unconquerabIy tends to un''o oy
love.
The actual system is then but deceP-
Ition; it removes the danger from inc pa,
ternal roof, to transport it to ina. 0! I'M Inc
husband. Singular education! the cGleI
aim of which is to throw upon ano'ne'
the heavy load of our want oil foresight
Thus, in the presen, state Of matters,
choice Tor want Of experience ana Ihe
choice of parents is almost always oao
i Tor want Of recollection OF what Is re-
ouired in youth. We are placed De-