"fhall be enabled under my conduct to become " what they defire. The chriftian and the hero are infeparable; and to afpirings of unaffuming trust, " and filial confidence, are fet no bounds. To him « who is animated with a view of obtaining appro"bation from the fovereign of the univerfe, no dif"ficulty is infurmountable. Secure in this purfuit "of every needful aid, his conflict with the fevereft pains and trials, is little more than the vigorous "exercises of a mind in health. His patient de"pendence on that providence which looks through

all eternity, his filent refignation, his ready ac"commodation of his thoughts and behaviour to "its infcrutable ways, is at once the most excellent

fort of felf-denial, and a fource of the most ex"alted tranfports. Society is the true fphere of "human virtue. In focial, active life, difficulties " will perpetually be met with; reftraints of many "kinds will be neceffary; and studying to behave "right in respect of these is a difcipline of the hu"man heart, useful to others, and improving to "itself. Suffering is no duty but where it is ne

ceffary to avoid guilt, or to do good; nor plea"fure a crime, but where it ftrengthens the influ"ence of bad inclinations, or leffens the generous "activity of virtue. The happiness allotted to man "in his present ftate, is indeed faint and low, com"pared with his immortal profpects, and noble ca"pacities; but yet whatever portion of it the dif"tributing hand of heaven offers to each individual, " is a needful fupport and refreshment for the pre"fent moment, so far as it may not hinder the at"taining of his final destination.

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"Return then with me from continual mifery to "moderate enjoyment and grateful alacrity. Re"turn from the contracted views of folitude to the

proper duties of a relative and dependent being.

Religion is not confined to cells and closets, nor "reftrained to fullen retirement. These are the "gloomy doctrines of SUPERSTITION, by which fhe "endeavours to break thofe chains of benevolence " and focial affection, that link the welfare of every "particular with that of the whole. Remember "that the greatest honour you can pay to the Au"thor of your being is by fuch a cheerful beha"viour, as discovers a mind satisfied with his dispen"fations."

Here my preceptrefs paufed, and I was going to exprefs my acknowledgments for her difcourfe, when a ring of bells from the neighbouring village, and a new-rifen fun darting his beams through my windows, awaked me.

I am, Yours, &c.

NUMB. 45. TUESDAY, August 21, 1750.

Ηπες μεγίτη γίγνεται σωτηρία,

Ὅταν γύνη πρὸς ἄνδρα με διχοταλῇ,

Νῦν δ' ἐχθρὰ πάλα

This is the chief felicity of life,

That concord fmile on the connubial bed;

But now 'tis hatred all

SIR,

To the RAMBLER.

EURIP.

HOUGH, in the differtations which you have given us on marriage, very just cautions are laid down against the common caufes of infelicity, and the neceffity of having, in that important choice, the first regard to virtue, is carefully inculcated; yet I cannot think the fubject fo much exhausted, but that a little reflection would prefent to the mind many queftions, in the difcuffion of which great numbers are interested, and many precepts which deserve to be more particularly and forcibly impreffed.

You feem, like most of the writers that have gone before you, to have allowed as an uncontested principle, that Marriage is generally unhappy: but I know not whether a man who profeffes to think for himself, and concludes from his own obfervations, does not depart from his character when he follows the crowd thus implicitly, and receives maxims without recalling them to a new examination, efpeVOL. IV.

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cially when they comprise fo wide a circuit of life, and include fuch variety of circumftances. As I have an equal right with others to give my opinion of the objects about me, and a better title to determine concerning that state which I have tried, than many who talk of it without experience, I am unwilling to be restrained by mere authority from advancing what, I believe, an accurate view of the world will confirm, that marriage is not commonly unhappy, otherwife than as life is unhappy; and that most of those who complain of connubial miferies, have as much fatisfaction as their nature would have admitted, or their conduct procured, in any other condition.

It is, indeed, common to hear both fexes repine at their change, relate the happiness of their earlier years, blame the folly and rafhness of their own choice, and warn those whom they fee coming into the world against the fame precipitance and infatuation. But it is to be remembered that the days which they fo much wish to call back, are the days not only of celibacy but of youth, the days of novelty and improvement, of ardour and of hope, of health and vigour of body, of gaiety and lightness of heart. It is not eafy to furround life with any circumstances in which youth will not be delightful; and I am afraid that whether married or unmarried, we fhall find the vefture of terreftrial existence more heavy and cumbrous, the longer it is worn.

That they cenfure themselves for the indifcretion of their choice, is not a fufficient proof that they have chofen ill, fince we fee the fame difcontent at every other part of life which we cannot change.

Converse

Converse with almost any man, grown old in a profeffion, and you will find him regretting that he did not enter into fome different courfe, to which he too late finds his genius better adapted, or in which he discovers that wealth and honour are more easily attained. "The merchant," fays Horace, « en"vies the foldier, and the foldier recounts the fe"licity of the merchant; the lawyer, when his "clients harafs him, calls out for the quiet of the

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countryman; and the countryman, when bufinefs ❝calls him to town, proclaims that there is no hap"piness but amidst opulence and crowds." Every man recounts the inconveniencies of his own ftation, and thinks thofe of any other lefs, because he has not felt them. Thus the married praise the ease and freedom of a single state, and the fingle fly to marriage from the wearinefs of folitude. From all our observations we may collect with certainty, that mifery is the lot of man, but cannot discover in what particular condition it will find moft alleviations; or whether all external appendages are not, as we use them, the caufes either of good or ill.

Whoever feels great pain, naturally hopes for ease from change of pofture; he changes it, and finds himself equally tormented: and of the fame kind are the expedients by which we endeavour to obviate or elude thofe uneafineffes, to which mortality will always be fubject. It is not likely that the married state is eminently miferable, fince we fee fuch numbers, whom the death of their partners has fet free from it, entering it again.

Wives and husbands are, indeed, inceffantly complaining of each other; and there would be reafon

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