Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1861-04-12
A Great Mans Advice to a Young
LADY.

I
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A Great Mans Advice to a Young
Lady.
In the year 1858, George Washington,
the founder of the American Republic,
crossing on business ferry of Pamunka,
branch Of the York river, was stopped
by request to parsake Of the hospitality of
Mr.. Chamberlayue. Washington iDsis
ted on pressing forward, but the Virgini-
an would take no denial, urging, among
other temptations, that he would introduce
bis friend to charming widow, then be-
meath his roof This was Mrs Custis,
aged twenty-six, who had married gen.
,leman who was both a Colonel and an
eminen.ly successful planter. BY bis pre-
mature Geath, Mrs. Gusts found herself at
once very young widow, and among the
wealthiest in the colony. Col. Washing
ton came to dine, and remained to WOO.
He was fascinated By the widow, and,
marrying her, lived never to repent the
step. The new Mrs. Washington had a
step. son, whose son-George Washington
Parke Custis-is the author of certain
"Memoirs" of the great man, just issued,
aud be and his sister were adopted by
Washington. This young lady, Nelly
| Custis, when sixteen, and after her first
ball, had told her revered guardian tha,
she cared nothing for the youth of the
present day. The sound and sensible ad-
vice then given by Washington, at that
time President of the United States, to his
adopted daughter, is of universal applica.
tion to those, as she then was, unengaged
"Love is said to be an involuntary pas
sion, and it is therefore couteDded that it
eau not be resisted. This is true in part
only, for, like all things else, when nour-
ished and supplied beautifully with ali
ment, it is rapid in progress; but let tthose
be withdrawn, and i, may be stifed in its
birth, or much stnted in its growth. For
example, a woman (the same may be said
of the other SEX ali beautiful and accom-.
plsbed, will, while be. hand aud heart are
uudisposed of, turn the heads and set the
circle in which she moves on FIRE. Let
her marry, aud what is the consequence?
The madness ceases, and all is quiet again.
Whyg Not because there is any diminu-
,ion in the charms of the lady, out because
there is an end of hope. Hence it follows
that love may, aud therefore ought to be,
under the guidance of reason; for, although
We can not avoid first impressions, We may
assuredly place them under guard and
my motives for treating on the subject are
to show you-while you remain Eleanor
Parke Cus,is, spinster, and retain the res
olution to love with modera,iou-the pro-
prety Of aiheriog to the latter resolution,
at least until you have secured your game,
aud the way by which it may be accom-
plished.
"When the fire is beginning to kindle,
and your heart growing warm, PROFOUND
these questions to it: 'W ho is the invader
Have / a competent knowledge Of him ?
Is be mau of good character man of
sense? (For, te assured, sensible wo-
man can not be happy with foOl.) What
has been his walk of lifey Is be gam
bier? a spendthrift or a drunkard! Is
his fortune sufficient to maintain me IN the
manner have been accustomed to live! +!
and nv sisters do liveI and is be one to
whom my friends can have no reasonable
objection If these interrogaticns can
be satisfactorily answered, there will be but
one more to be asked. That, however, is
an important one: 'Have l sufficient
ground to conclude that his affections are
engaged by mey' Withou; this, the heart
of sensibil,y will struggle against pass
ion that is not reciprocated-delicacy,
custom, or call it by any epithet you will,
having precluded all advances on your
part. The declaration, without the most
indirect invitation BY you, must proceed
from the gentleman, to render it perma-
men. and valuable; and nothing short OF
good sense, aud an easy, unaffected con-
duct, can draw the line between prudery
and coquetry. 1t would be no great de-
parture from the truth to say that it rare
" happens otherwise than that thorough |
bred coquette'dies in celibacy, as a punish
ment for her attempt to mislesd others BY
encouraging looks, words Of actions, gwen
for no other purpose than to draw men on
to make overtures to be rejected
John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and
Charles Francis Adams-father, son, and
erandsou-havs occupied the same posi-
ton as the highes, ambassador Of the Uni-