Year: 1866

remains unaltered. They are the
same in adversity as prosperity they
share alike the sunshine and tempests
Of life. Although the sympathy OF
the world may have been entirely
withdrawn from them, still they are
happy in the existence of each other.


In the married life we have comfort
in distress, advice in difficulties, at
tention in sickness, and consolation in
the hour Of death. But the man who
stands alone in society, who has no
partner in his joys, or companion in
his sufferings, how miserable must be
his situation. Who pities him when
he is misjudged or misrepresented by
the world? Who watches him when
death is stealing upon him or weeps
over his lonely grave ? Alas. he is
entirely deserted, he is a stranger
among men.


Many are the sorrows Of life, but
labor and hardships are rendered
lighter by conjugal love. Our efforts
have then direct object. We care
not for the toll of to-day because it
adds to the enjoyment of our family
Parents also find new and unexpected
delights in the existence of their off
spring. A thousand joyful emotions
swell in their bosoms which no one
save father or mother can ever ex-
perience.


Matrimony not only increases our
happiness in this way but it also in-
clines us to a greater degree of piety.
Our faults not only affect ourselves,
but those too, who have united their
destinies with us. This leads us to n
greater degree of caution. He who
would ruin an innocent wife and chill
dren by his wickedness and profigacy
is monster of the most hideous kind.
A single man is often indifieret about
his conduct-sometimes guilty Of the
grossest immoralities, because there
are none to whom he is accountable.
The actions Of the married, on the
contrary, are open to the inspection of
each other. If either of them do any
wrong it will be observed, and the
error may becorrected bya little friend
ly admonition. In this way the mat
rimonial life sets q limit to our evil
propensities, and renders the domin
ion of virtue easy and pleasant But
unhappily such is not the case in every
instance. How many have brought
misery upon themselves for whole
life by pledging their hand at the
altar, through some blind and pas
sionate inclination, or perhaps an ex-
pectation of wealth which is never
realized. If, however, a matrimonial
alliance is concluded, it remains in
some degree optional whether or not
their whole existence shall be con-
tinuod scene of disappointment OF dis
gust.


The good conduct of married people
a. the commencement of their career.
is of the utmost Importance. Their
contentment and happiness depends
entirely upon their mutual respect for
each other. Whatever behavior they
may adopt at first is likely to give a
bias to their habits ever after. They
should, therefore, be extremely cau-
tious in their department. If they
neglect this they will always repent
their Indifference. They may have
known each other for years without
understanding their respective charac-
ters. When they are brought to-
gether as man and wife, divested of
all artfice and dissimulation, they are
surprised to find that their feelings,
opinions and inclinations are widely
different. There are a hundred un-
welcome peculiarities of temper and
disposition which they did not expect
to discover. Hence they accuse each
other of deception, because they were
satisfied with a confused idea of each
others supposed excellence, which upon
on a closer intamacy they have found
to bo without foundation. For this
reason It'll not uncommon to find even
good and well-dispored persons less
happy in the early part of their mat
rimonial life than after q lapse of
years, when they have learned to un-
derstand and know each other better.


Where two persons have united
themselves together for a whole life,
there ought to be nc pride and obsti-
macy, but mutual respect and indul-
gence Of each other. The husband
should rule by kindness and persua-
sion; he should endeavor, impercept.
IDLY, to lead his wife to the faithful
performance of her duties without as
suming an air of insolent authority