The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1858-01-27
Aversion TO Mntrimomy.

/ .l
The New York Express recently gave
some good advice on this subject. We con
cur with the writer in general sense, though
his remarks do not apply to the young gents
in this i'm Immediate latitude: .-.....
at has been observed, as a matter o.
philosophical interest, and complained Of as
social evil, that young men of the present
day are not disposed to matrimony. Vari
rious causes have been instanced as opera.
ting to produce this effect. The age is one
Of utility, not of sentiment; We have arrived
at the period indicated by Madame de Stael
when she said: 'Quand on a tournie
l'enthousiasme en- ridicule on a tout defait
e1cepte l'argent ct le pouvoir.' The char
acter Of the education given to women has
rendered her almost exclusively dependent
upon sentiment and enthusiasm, and her in-
fuence has suffered in consequence. Our
age, too, is one of almost unprecedented
luxury and selfindulgence, the prevalence
of which, among all nations, has marked a
decline in the value of what is pure and good
in woman. The habit Of reckless expeudi-
that is widely diastrous TO domestic ties
Thus it has come about that young men do
not look forward to marriage. Women, on
their part, though too dependant on mar
riage as the only means afforded them of a
respectable livelihood, to be able to manifest
so much Indifference 10 it, are beginning to
exhibit something like spirit Of independ-
ence of it; At last they have learned that
some sounder counselor is necessary than
the heart. Woman is not free from the de-
moraizpg effect of the luxury of the times,
and purple ard fine linen have represented
to her the 'faring sumptuously' and 'riotous
living Of the other sex; uniting her,
scarcely less than him, for state Of life in
which pleasure is represented by peace, and
amusement by duty.
The effect of all this is, that the two sexes;
instead of being drawn more together, are
diverging one from the other in sympathy
and feeling. Whatever may be the advsn-
vantage Of such state of things, in giving
that capacity for practical independent ac-
ton TO women, in which their education
leaves them so markedly deficient, it cannot
be doubted that any separation Of two ele-
ments created for union must be grievous
and vicious, because at variance with the
law of creation. It needs no philosophy to
inquire into the causes of the secret anomaly,
and prescribe the means of its removal.
| ARTEs1AN WELLs-THE SOURCE OF THE
WATER. Various conjectures have been
made as to the source of the water which
comes from the artesian wells. 1t was long
believed that the water of the sea must nee
essarily penetrate, by ,ntiltra,ion, into the
interior Of the continent, and at length form
large bodies Of subterralean waters, which
excepting from capillary influences, Would
not rise above the general level Of the ocean.
Another opinion was, that the subterraneous
water from which the sources Of rivers and
springs are supplied, is the product Of the
condensation of aqueous vapors ascending
from the interior parts OF the earth, in con-
sequence Of the central heat. But these hy-
polhesis are purely visionary. The simplest
aud most natural explanation is, that the
water of ordinary wells, artesian fountains
and rivers, is supplied by tie rains which
falls on the surface at higher elevation,
and which penetrate through pores and fs-
sures Of the ground till they meet with som.
impenetrabe statum, or are collected into
subterranean reservoirs. 1t has been obiec.
ted that springs are sometimes situa'
ted on or near the SUBMITS of noun
taius, which could not be supplied in this
way; but on an attentive examination of all
the circumstances-that is to say, on meas.
ureing accurately the extent Of surface al
greater elevation than the spring, and com.
pairing it with the quantity Of rain THAT falls
annually in the same climate, it has been
found in every instance, that the aqueous
deposition from atmosphere greatly exceeds
the supply from the spring. 1t is computed
that not more that third part Of the rain
which falls in the valley Of the Seine is con
veyed to the sea by the river.