The examiner. [volume] (Louisville, Ky.) 1847-1849, 1848-06-24

Il is a difficult question this ofmaTiage;
youth is most naturally its season, every I'M
lolding sentiment and budding hope, and
branching desire, bends at that period toward
The sun of love. Marriage, without love in
highest enthusiasm, is not worthy the name;
but the firm basis Of reasons not the lessneed-
ful. And how liable is youth TO mistake
to decide on uncertain Premlses--or, more
correctly speaking. to act unreasonably!
True, passion lights its beautiful fame, and
pours forth its generous warmth in the heart
of youth; but the fire does not there diel-
In the pure and earnest soul, love, highest
and most intense, lives ever; preserving the
freshness Of spring throug n the maturer sea
sons Of life, and insures to him who guards
It with vestal care, a perpetual youth Of the
heart. Manhood is the season for marriage,
says the philosopher Of life; a certain vinlity
of mind, as well as body. is necessary in
order to Judge and capacitate for so important
relation. Iii from our ideal ofwhat mar
rage ought to be, not from our observation
of the unions, called marriages, around Us,
that we must reason and decide in the ques-
ton before US.
Our estimate Of the worth and uses Of
marriage will greatly depend on the aPPre-
citation we have formed Of the meaning oil
life, and on the understanding we have OF
our own nature. IL that estimate be noble
and true, and if we correctly comprehend
ourselves, we may conceive somewhat oil
the responsibility We ought to feel to act in
the light Of highest reason, when seeking TO
secure to ourselves the unsPeakable benefits
of this 'benignest ordinance Of God to man,
as Milton nobly designates it. Our ideas Of
marriage are generally derived from the cir
cumstances and examples around US, and
these are rarely the most favorable to cor
rect Judgment. In designing the structure
of life, we must be guided by truth and ma
ture, rather than by custom and example;
thus only can we insure beauty and har.
mony in the building. Each Of US is the
architect of his own existence, We are given
life and the materials to make it great and
real; il we neglect TO do so, it becomes mean
and tasteless. What is lile,' asks the wise
Milton, without the vigor and spiritual ex-
ercise Of lilei To establish this vigor, and
to inspire this spirituality, is marriage chiefly
valuable, and only when it thus rouses into
highest life the full maturity Of existence i:
it worthy of that most holy office which the
Creator has assigned it, Of pePetuating His
image on earth. This highest appointment
is alone sufficient to denote the intense i'm
portance Of right and real marriages, it is
impossible to estimate the increased wealth
of mind and soul that would accrue to the
world if the sanction Of nature and truth
were sought in renewing the ranks o.
life.
Marriage is a solemn thing, and must be
communion of spiritual and temporal com
forts, covenant of unleigned love and peace
whereof both the general and particular enc
is the peace and contentment Of mans mind
such is Millions definition, and taking the
full meaning Of every word, just one. Tt
insure contentlnent and communion, mar
riage must be an entire friendship, as wei
as perfect love.-JerToldS Magazine,