Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1879-04-16
GENUS AND MARRIAGE.
EXTREMELY CLEVER HUSBANDS


GENIUS AND MARRIAGE.
sEXTREMELY CLEVER HUSBANDS.
LESSONS DRAWN FROM THE MATRIMONIAL
EXPERIENCES OF DIR. ABERNETHY,
ROUSSEAU, DR.. JOHNSON, DRY
DEN AND JOHN MILTON.
1t has been said by George Sand
that love and courtship end together
so that he who would be always in love
must be ever a wooer. Such, how.
ever, was not the opinion OF thofamous
physician, DIR. Abernethy, whose court
ship, like his prescriptions, was short
and to the point. The Doctor had been
attending a lady tor several weeks,
and had observed during those hurried
visits certain qualities in the daughter
which he considered would render her
invaluable as wife. Accordingly, on
a Sunday, when taking leave of his pa
tient, he addressed her to tho following
import: "You are now 80 wollthat need
not see you after Monday next, when |
shall come to pay you my farewell
visit. But in the meantime wish you
and your daughter seriously to consd-
er the proposition 1 am now about TO
make. 1t is abrupt and unceremonious,
am aware, but the excessive occupa.
tion Of my time by my professional
duties afford me no leisure to accom-
plish what | desire by the moro ordl-
nary course of attention and solcita.
tion. My annual receipts amount to
- pounds, and | can settle -
pounds on my wife; my character is
generally known to the public, so that
you may readily ascertain what it is.
have seen In your daughter tender
and affectionate child, aud an assiduous
and careful nurse, and gentle and
ladylike member of family. Such a
person must be all that husband
could covet, and l offer my hand and
fortune Tor her acceptance. On Mon
day, when i call, | shall expect your
determination; for | really have not
time for the routine Of courtship." 1t
would have been interesting TO know
how this was received by the patient
and her daughter. The blunt intima-
tion Of annual receipts: then "my
character is known to the public, SO
you may readily ascertain what it is, y
then the declaration, "and no time for
courtship," "shall expect an answer on
Monday" all this must have been
startling to the patient "who was now
so we'll" To medical men, who above
all others long to kill two birds with
one stone, the above prescription may
prove a useful one, and might with ad
vantage be placed in the Pharmaco
peia. 1t was at least thoroughly sue
cessful in the case recorded, for hap,
pier couple never existed.
A woman of mean intelligence, one
might imagine, would seldom be chosen
by men OF great intellect as lifelong
companion. Yet such mesallidnces
seem to be the most fascinating for our
greatest geniuses. The wife of DR.
johnson is described as vulgar wo.
man. She was fifty years of age when
the Doctor (who was only twenty-sev-
en) married her, and according to Gar
rick she was very fat, with swelled
cheeks of forld red, produced by thick
painting, and increased by the liberal
use OF cordials. She was faring and
fantastic in her dress, and effected both
in speech and general behavior. II
must be admitted, however, that John
son himself was not altogether "braw
wooer." "He was then" Miss Porter
(the lady's daughter) tells us, clean
and lank, so that his immense struc.
ture of bones was hideously striking
to the eye, and ho often had seemingly
convulsive starts and odd gesticula
tions, which intended TO excite al
once surprise and ridicule." But as
johnson said to Beauclere, with much
gravity, "Sir, ii was love marriage
on both sides" Ii certainly was so on
the Doctors part and his affection and
esteem for "Tetsy" remained as strong
up TO the day of her death as il was on
that of marriage.
But il johnson, with his rugged ex
terror could scarcely hope for great
prize in the lottery, no such remark
can bo made Of the country, handsome
intellectual Goethe. This great man
an intimate friend oil his Prince, and
the idol Of the Weimar Court was cap
tivated by girl IN humble lie, whose
father was o drunkard, and who her
self made artificial flowers for llveli
hood. SO sensible was the girl OF the
mesdliidnce that she herself refused
Goeth's offer OF marriage. The mar
riagc did take place, however, but no,
till the lapse OF years had stolen away
all her charms, and the family com
lplaint-drunkenness-had seized upon
her. Still Gocthes affection remained
and the great poet worked patiently
II sorrowiully, by the side of q foolish
and drunken wife. .
Such another bride did Rousseau
choose, and he himself gives the follow
ing account OF her abilities: II wish
ed from the first TO form her mind
but my toll was in vain. do ne'
blush TO avow that she has never been
able to read though she writes fairly
When l went TO i've in the kue DEF