Year: 1864




and to add to them.
And so the holy state of matrimony be-
/ comes sort Of commercial transaction.
The man or the woman who marries for
the sake of money. or Of connection, or to
secure an establishment and home tor life,
does in fact we'd and worship certain con-
ventional properties, takes to himself or
herself to have or to hold, till death part
them, not warm, loving, human soul, with
whom cares may be lessened by sympathy
and pleasure multiplied by participation,
!! but given quantity Of hard cash, of world
ly responsibility, Of household ambition.
Satisfy them to their hearts content, crown
their mean aims with success, surround
them with everything they prize most
highly, and then to all simple and true.
hearted natures, to all that have been un.
prevented by worldly maxims, and know
what real happiness means, and how COM
paratively it is unaffected by the things
which stand round us, but are not part of
our being-to them how false and vain
does all the glitter appear. They will not
tell you, and truly enough we think, that
the shadow has been selected in preference
to the substance, that, instead of the light
heartedness cf joy, an uneasy burden has
been chosen under which every finer, fancy
must be dwarfed, every moral sentiment de.


graded; that if the feelings do sometimes


prove dangerous guides; the common max


inns of the world, so very prudent and so


very shallow, are infinitely more baneful,


since they would lead us to renounce the


very life of life for the sake Of some mate-


rial guarantees, in the shape of bricks and


mortar, servants, jewelry, carriages, g title.
| or coat of arms.


We hold then, and all the best and no.
blest of women will agree with US, that a
marriage which is not founded on. mutual
love and esteem--which docs not bind
hearts as well as hands-beeomes nothing
more or less than sordid and disgraceful
bargain. We believe that father and moth.
ers, whose great aim is to see their children
well settled, in worldly point of view, and


who ignore love whenever interest is con-
| cerned, are guilty not only of folly, and
against those whose earthly happiness lies
so much in their keeping.


| But, on the other hand, wild and irnpru.
dent marriages, and all engagements which
have not common sense and prudence for
| their hand-maidens, merit severe reprehen.


sion, and richly deserve all that the wit of
the poet and dramatist can level against
them. Unfortunately, in no sense of the
word can this age of ours be termed golden.
There are very few Of us who can afford to
pass the time mcrrily; whatever we realize
must be worked for, intervals of leisure and
rest come to us like angels visits, and mar
riage itself, far from being a ate of beati-


tude, is fraught with cares, perplexities,
and sorrow. But then, on the whole, in


most truly happy marriages, the JOY infin.


itely transcends the pain, and the evils with


which the married state is connected NAV


IN great measure be avoided by foresight


and patience. If for example, a young
! couple begin life too soon, with very limited,
and perhaps uncertain means, few years
will find them surrounded with difficulties
perhaps burdcned with debt. In such
case, the suffering is selfentaied, and the
punishment deserved. But, to our think
ing, there is, amongt the middle classes. q
considerable amount of carefulncss in this


matter and the wish to commence life, az
it is called, in the same style as his father
closes it, often deters a young man from
marrying, when his income is really large
enough to secure comfort.


Almost all ladies who have not arrived at
an uncertain age look forward, naturally
enough, to the day when they shall leave
their fathers roof, and under the protec.
ton of a nearer and dearer one, take their
part in the duties Of life How important
it is that they should not be attracted by
external appearance or mere position, but
that in this great step, which has been
called, though untruly, a leap in the dark,
they should consult their Judgment as their
| feelings, and that sound common sense.
which, in things of lesser moment, is deem.
ed SO important. Above all, it is necessary
that woman should take for her friend
and counsellor one who viii not only be a
helpmate in this world, but who will also
stimulate her noblest aspirations, and prove
faithful companion in the journey heaven
ward. ca g
aH~Whena man presents himself before
public audience, it often happens that his
body is inclined to sink while his head
! swims 1 3 .oa9'
W-Onc who is half man, half dog, will