The Columbus journal., 1883-02-21
Matrimony and Matchmaking.

1t is recorded of an ancient sage that
on being asked at what period of his
life . man ought to marry, he replied:
when he is young. it is too soon;
when old. it is too late" Discouraging
as such an answer may be considered.
it still leaves the question open as far as
middle-aged persons are concerned;
whereas the matrimonial aspirations of
these, as we'll as of juvenile and .'hors
d'age" would be Benedicks are sum-
marty and uncompromisingly checked
by the Oft-quoted prohibitory monOsyl-
liable, DON'T" That marriage is q
lottery suggestive of blanks than
prizes. is. We believe. generally allowed:
and the possibility Of this drawback be-
ing admitted, it would be unreasonable
to blame the candidate for the happy
state if he looks before he leaps and
weighs well the pros and cons of the
undertaking ere he irrevocably COM
mits himself. Every one is not so
fortunate in his choice as the painter
Charlet, who tells us -that on mis- first
interview with the woman destined to
become his wife, he found her in the
hOmely but practical employment of
darn:ng stockings. mine are always
in holes" he reflected, and this reminis-
cence of bachelor discontinue decided
the matter. He proposed. was accept
ed. and. a. he conscientiously adds.
''never had cause to regret it,
1t is moreover, a melancholy fact that
young men of the present day are less
impulsive and calculating than
1T traditional reports are to be credited
they formerly were, and are rarely in
cGned to barter their liberty for a pro-
portiOnate liquid pro quo" Love in a
cottage has long been an exploded
myth, and the pleasant fallacy, that
where one can dine two can, only re.
quires a few months trial to be at one
and forever disproved. We are grad
ually-although not perhaps without
protest-adopting the usage in vogue
among our neighbors across the chan
mel, and accustOming ourselves to re-
gard matrimony as an affair" not tO
be entered upon lightly but demanding
the fullest and mature elaboration; like
Talleyrand, we are inclined to distrust
first impressions. although not precisely
for the reasons ascribed by that astute
diplomatist. Many young men who
willingly succumb to the attractions OF
a pretty face. and plunge unhesitatingly
into a Irritation on every available OPP
portunity, yet, however, closely they
may flutter around the candle, take
especial care not to burn their wings.
while on their side, the fair ladies, we
may be sure. are equally cautious as to
the amount OF encouragement they may
safely venture to bestOw.
When we read in the Morning Post
or Court Journal that q marriage has
been arranged between Lord Fitz Ara
rat and Miss Pamela G~eldwechsel, only
daughter and heiress of Ezra Geld
wechsel, Esquire. of Lothbury and
Mayfair, We may be morally certain
that some matchmaking duenna has
had q finger in the pie; and by her per-
suasive reasoning has induced the noto-
riously impecunious patrician to regard
with q favorable eye. the somewhat
shadily-acquired dowry of his afiianced
bride. Without her aid he would. in
all probability, have continued to vege-
tate on an income barely sufficient for
his "button-holes" and cigarettes;
while Miss Pamela, Notwithstanding
her half-million, would in equal likeli-
hood have forever remained outside the
social pale, beyond which for an un-
accredited parvenue there is no passing. |
All the Year Round.