The Baltimore County union., 1886-06-19
rected against these who remain single.
Tt ic cuooested that the bachelor lives

the other Sacrl1CeS hlmSelf Tor Wl1e,
children and the world in general. There
is no reason, however, why man should
not live bachelor from wise and cred
table motives. and some of those we
have limited at above answer to both
descriptions.
1t may be said that bachelors are not
SO good citizens as those who are mar
ried, for the foundation-stone Of the
commonwealth is the hearthstone, and
few bachelors have any hearthstones,
but in other ways they can brag of their
Importance. If any question it, we shall
take shelter under the authority of Lord
Bacon, who says: Certainly the best
works and of greatest merit for the
public have proceeded from the unmar-
ried or childless men, which both in
affection and means have married and
endowed the world
Even the law has been hard upon
bachelors. By Act of Parliament 7
VIM. III. C. 6, passed in 1905, tax
was laid an all unmarried men of twen-
ty-fve years of age and upward. The
amount varied from shilling year for
a duke. In those days they had their
choice; if they married they made a
certain saving in one direction of at
least a shilling. Another unkind cut
was dealt out to them in 1875, when
bachelors were charged with extra duty
on servants.
In most ancient nations bachelors
were marked with infamy and subjected
to humiliating taxes. Spartan young
sters were forbidden to show respect to
old bacnelors, and by the laws of Ly-
curgus criminal proceedings were au-
thorized against those who neglected to
marry. The Roman laws had severe
penalties on those who remained in a
state of celibacy after certain age.
We may, indeed, think it lucky we were
born so late.
But even though free from the terrors
of the law and the tax-gatherer, it can
not be denied that bachelorhood has
still its weak side. For one thing, sin
gle men have an inferior chance of life
compared with married folk, whose wives
watch over them, keep them at home of
nights, wrap them up carefully against
chills, and charm away little ailments
before they have grown to anything
considerable. Married men certainly
live longest.
Even under the most favorable cir
cumStances bachelors miss a good deal
of animal comfort, an article that is of
considerable importance in the art of
prolonging and making the most of
ones days. 1t does not, perhaps, mat
ter so much early in life, but when old
age has clawed US in its clutch, antici-
pated wants and cosy surroundings mean
SO many more years of happy and per-
haps useful existence.
But its lonliness and isolation are still
stronger objections to bachelorhood.
1t is indeed good enough education
at the time when 'life passes away like
the water of laughing rivulet and kind
hope smiles upon us. But that period
does not last the cheerful unmarried
friends and acquaintances, whose COM
pany makes the first years so pleasant,
succumb to fate one by one, and man
who thoughtlessly lets his opportunities
slip finds himself landed at last in a
solitary old age.
In the matter of battling with the
world it might be thought that bache-
lors would have the best of it, but it usu-
ally turns out quite otherwise. A wife
and children are valuable auxiliaries in
the battle of life. If they do not make
money themselves, they encourage the
making of it, and the few exceptions in
which man is ruined by his wife and
hampered by his children only 60 to
prove the rule. A bachelor anxious to
'get on may we'll be little envious o1
united happy families.
1t is decidedly weak point with
bachelors that they often make them
selves ridiculous by their eccentricities.
Their solitary life places no check on
the development of odd habits, and oi
these we shall furnish some quite laugh
able instances as we proceed.
In connection with celibacy and mar
riage there is, after all, great deal to
be said on both sides. Name an ad-
vantage, and it would be easy to set a
plausible disadvantage in array against
it. He was wise old writer who, after
he had given twelve sound reasons in
favor of wedlock, set down, for the
benefit of his readers, an equal number
on the other side.
But those who are bachelors must, fol
the present at least, make the best of it,
and how to be happy, though bache-
lor, is problem fortunately not very
difficult of solution. 1t is certainly
easier than the problem of how to be
happy though married, for in that case
the happiness depends on the disposi'
ton of two.
The great thing for a bachelor is tc
be contented, and establish himself i'm
movably on the cheerful side of human
affairs. ely melancholy as you would
the toothache,' is the first rule of living
for all solitary mortals. To cultivate
the mind is another point, for without
mental resources one is dependent or
society, and that no bachelor has always
at command. Everything else is saic
when we recommend the wisdom of &C
commodating ones self to circum
stances. If a man expects to have every
advantage in every condition he is much
mistaken: he cannot have all sorts O.
advantages at once. The bachelor mus
be a cheerful philosopher, and thai
character will be no drawback shoulc
he ever change his state, for it is gener
ally allowed that happy bachelors as
rule make happy husbands.
No one should be confident of re
naming all his days bachelor, o.
over-wise as to the good points of sin
gle life. The most trivial circumstance
may upset ones plans and give new
color to ones ideas, and examples art
not wanting of bachelors who have re
solved to go solitary through the world
and yet in the long run have rejoicet