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EDUCATION FOR THE MARRIED LIFE.

EDUCATION is every day receiving new impulses from the aims and efforts of its champions. The importance of adapting education to our condition, as moral, intellectual and social beings, is felt and acknowledged ;—and to a greater extent than formerly, acted upon. Yet with all that has been said and done in the cause of education, one vast field of immense importance, seems by common consent to remain untouched. This field includes our dearest interests, and is more concerned with our happiness or misery than all besides :—and why that alone, in which so much is involved, should be neglected, is difficult to comprehend. While all are ready to acknowledge that marriage is the most important event of our lives, involving our temporal and perhaps eternal destiny, its duties and responsibilities are scarcely ever alluded to, by those who are engaged in training the young for the important stations they are to hold in society. The interests and duties of the conjugal relation, are reduced to a jest, when presented to those not yet engaged in them. They become after marriage any thing but a jest—and those who can cajole the heedless and unthinking into these duties, unprepared, are usually the first to turn spies and informers of their unfaithful or unsuccessful fulfilment. No wonder that marriage has been called a “Lottery,” in which the timid adventurer runs his chance for a blank or a prize :—and in which, like all lotteries, the prizes are much talked of, but seldom seen.

The indifference and apathy manifested on this subject, form one of the strangest records in our social history. The world is ready enough to descant upon the errors and failings of the married life, and to aggravate its many cases of unhappiness; while no effort is used to discover the cause of the evil, or to seek out remedies for removing it. From the studied reserve maintained on this subject, its destined candidates become afraid themselves to inquire into the duties of the station, and marriage becomes at best a blindfolded and doubtful experiment. Instead of the few happy matches furnishing a ground of complaint or wonder, the marvel is, under such a dispensation, that there are so many.

When parents know by experience, that conjugal happiness depends upon the right views and principles with which that life is commenced, how can they lose sight of this object, in forming the characters of their children. They are solicitous enough to make them complete in outward accomplishments, so as to secure them admiration and respectability in society-while they make no provision for their own private, personal happiness. How seldom do we see parents combating those principles of selfishness, self-will and distrust in their children, which will unfit them for that confiding companionship, which constitutes the true marriage-bond. How few parents teach their daughters that self-indulgence and self-love, heedlessness and indolence in youth, will make a wretched foundation for future happiness and usefulness and cultivate gentleness, self-control, and self-denial, because caprice and petulance will never make them good wives or agreeable companions. How seldom do we hear parents check their sons in the indulgence of severity or violence of temper, on the same grounds. They surely might be taught that selfishness and passion, and a domineering spirit will make them tyrants rather than guardians:-that by an habitual disregard

Education for the Married Life.

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to the cares, feelings and wants of others, they are preparing slavery and sorrow for those dependent upon them, and are laying the foundation for future disunion and indifference, where should be mutual sympathy and assistance. We do not mean to say that these faults are not often reproved and checked in children; but they are seldom or never reproved, with a reference to their future characters as husbands and wives. We would have this object held up as a motive for overcoming infirmities of disposition and temper. In the formation of character from early childhood, those principles are to be established which constitute a firm ground of reliance. We believe our youth might be so educated, as to make the happiness of the marriage relation more secure than it now is :-so that even the cautious and the prudent, might not be so fearful of entering its magic circle.

If parents will not educate their children for happiness in the married life, it becomes their duty to supply the deficiency by educating themselves—even at a late hour. Disinterested benevolence must be the foundation of conjugal happiness. No one who is supremely selfish, can be happy in the married life. The happiness of that state consists in each regarding supremely the good of the other;-and where all is demand on one side, which ever side it be, neglect and disappointment must be the portion of the other. One great source of unhappiness is found in the ideal perfection with which the parties are invested before marriage. No allowance or provision is made for imperfections—and on the discovery of them (for none are perfect) each party takes refuge in censuring and condemning the other, and searching for defection there, without any regard to his own state and condition. It is no part of a good system to build up one side by pulling down the other-especially when both are equally essential to a complete and perfect edifice, and must stand or fall together. There is fault on both sides. The causes of disaffection and unhappiness are about equally divided—while each with the peculiar sensitiveness and extenuation belonging to self, imagines them chiefly chargeable upon the other. If individuals will examine carefully to find in themselves the causes of unhappiness, it will be a great step towards removing them. Like every other reform, amendment here must begin by individual reform :-though marriage can never be what it should be, until both parties are united in mutual forbearance and mutual improvement, as well as mutual affection.

If there is any thing in this field to terrify, or render it unsafe, perhaps by exploring it cautiously and faithfully, the monster may be brought to light and cast out of the fair domain. We would recommend to a phalanx of those brave young adventures, who pride themselves upon fearing nothing, to enlist in the expedition-and either bring back the report that all is safe, or bring out the hidden intruder and slay him.

"Our own faults are the last which we make our preceptors."

For the Microcosm.

MARTHA, &c. &c.

BY REV A. REED, AUTHOR OF "NO FICTION."

We really wish we were able to review this book,-so as to do it justice, --but in true feminine phraseology, we can only say-" that it is one of the sweetest books we ever read." This is almost as bad as the young lady, to whom we once lent “Paradise Lost," and who, on returning it, said “It was very pretty" or as one, who when asked what were the subjects treated of in "Bennet's letters," replied, "They were all to Lucy." We however will not plead guilty to such ignorance of the contents of this interesting volume, however awkwardly we may express our opinion of its merits; but we feel in regard to it, somewhat like the little child, who in his affectionate simplicity, wants all his brothers and sisters to listen to the same beautiful bird that has sung so sweetly to him.

And yet there is nothing in this book so very remarkable-It is the history of an amiable, pious young lady who died early, and was scarcely ever twenty miles from London. There is not much variety, and less incident in it, and her story is told by her brother, after she is laid in her grave. She is not described as being wonderful for genius, or wit, or beauty-but as a humble, retiring, sincere christian.

But the charm of the narrative, (and charming it certainly is) consists in the manner in which it is related. In the first place, the love which subsisted between this brother and sister is peculiarly ardent, and delicate ;—so much so, as to throw a sort of romance over the whole story. Somebody once said that we Americans did not know what natural affection was, in its most elevated, refined state:-that our enterprising, migratory habits forbade it—and to judge by the devoted, lover-like tenderness breathed through these pages, the remark seems in part just. There may be in America many such brothers and sisters, but, we confess we never saw any. The defect may be in our circumstances, but we fear, more in our manners, our every day manners. The style of this writer is of the same character with his feelingstender and full of touching simplicity. His allusions are varied and yet beautifully in keeping with the rest of the picture. All is nature, and truth, and love and he delineates his beloved portrait with a hand so sure that we feel it must be a good likeness, and are full of love to the original; and when at last the dying bed is brought before us, we almost imagine ourselves bereaved, and that a dear friend is gone forever. We will only add, that this volume is not merely descriptive-it is highly practical, and calculated to be very useful: -for it shows us, how a solitary invalid, without wealth, or influence, could make herself "eminently useful," and that even from a bed of sickness. Read it, my young christian friends, and delay no longer to become active and energetic in the cause of the Savior. See what good was accomplished by this unassuming female, even under the greatest disadvantages, and endeavor in your sphere to imitate her kindness, and her active benevolence. If you win no earthly applause, you will obtain what is far better, the approbation of your own consciences, and the favor of your Heavenly Father.

F. A. C.

Advice to a Mother.

For the Microcosm.

I HAD DREAMED OF A HOME.

THERE's a spot, that my heart, in its fanciful dreaming,
Has pictur'd in beauty and fill'd with delight;
And sometimes I thought that in loveliness beaming,
The vision all real would burst on my sight.

I have wander'd where earth in its freshness was glowing,
And dream'd I had found in some sweet little bower,
That spot so desir'd, but where roses were blowing,
A serpent lay coil'd 'neath the loveliest flower.

And where'er o'er the world my footsteps have linger'd,
In search of the fabric my fancy had rear'd,
Scarce the hope of success had with rapture bewilder'd,
Ere the viper's dark coils round the pillars appear'd.

And I've found that the earth in its beautiful seeming,
Bears not on its surface that one blessed spot,
Where amid joyous hopes in their radiance beaming
This peace-blighting reptile's dark influence is not.

But oh, there's a home where rivers are flowing
From a Fountain of love and rapture divine,
The roses of Eden on the borders are growing,

And sin 'neath the leaves may ne'er secretly twine.

Then should the lov'd home that thy bosom hath cherished,
Be bereft of the joys that most fondly you prize,
And the flowers be destroy'd, that fairest have flourish'd,
Oh seek you a home that fades not in the skies.

A

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ADVICE TO A MOTHER,

NEVER punish a little innocent for any unintentional accident or fault; or for good-humoured noise or folly suitable to her age; but, on the other hand, never let a lie, or ill-nature, or spite, or cunning, escape. Begin early, nay, as soon as they are born, to teach bairns to be obedient. For if it is not begun early, it will never be begun at all: and if you can't make a six month old baby obey you, how will ye command it when it is six years! and if the oldest bairn be spoilt, all the lave will be spoilt in spite o' you. Secure your bairns' happiness and your own, by laying in their young hearts the firm foundation of religion. Teach them thankfulness to God for all their mercies, for their health, their sleep, for every meal, for their little pleasures. While the Bible tells you to believe in Christ as the only Savior, it also tells you to love the Lord with all your heart and mind and strength, and your neighbor as yourself. Teach these great commandments to your children. Never let them be forgotten, and never let them forget that, after serving God, they must love

their brethren, and that the end and evidence of all true and acceptable religion is a good life. So impress all such useful and important truths on the hearts of your little ones, and, depend upon it, God will bless your pious cares, and bless your children, both in this world and in the world to come. For, has He not said, that altho' he will visit the sins of guilty parents on their children to the third and fourth generation-an awful consideration to you and me !-He will show mercy to thousands of them that love him and keep his commandments? That mercy may not be shown in making them rich or great in this world; but to live under the blessing of the Most High is our true wealth and welfare and happiness here, and will be our glory hereafter.

What are we that we should dare to expect perfection in our bairns, or in any other? No, no! We maun aye bear and forbear in this world, and just strive as seldom as possible to rub ony o' them against the grain. Ane o' the advices I learned was, to keep my bairns as much under my own eyes as I could, that, sore torment as it might often be to be deaved wi' their din, it was better to make their father's fireside the place where they enjoyed the most peace and pleasure, than by growling at their innocent frolics and noise to drive them out o' my sight, where I could never know what mischiefs they might work, or what ill companions they might fa' in wi'. I'll no deny, that mony a time when they were young, and I was maybe fashed, and no very weel, I've thought my very head would burst wi' their rippets and daffin.' But I aye keepit in my heart that I would reap the happy fruits o' my patience when they grew up,-and so it has been! I got acquaint, from their very infancy, wi' a' their different dispositions, and amang a' there's no twa like ither, and I got acquaint wi' the weanies, their bits o' companions, and I only encouraged about the house them that showed gude dispositions, and gude up-bringin.' When John cam hame at e'en, he used often to lay their noise wi' playing on his sma' pipes to them, and whiles they wad dance and whiles they wad sing, and that was a noise ony body could endure. Some o' the callans took to learnin' the pipes and some to the fife, they could a' skirl and play on something, and baith lads and lasses could sing. So you see, what was first a sore plague was at last a pleasure, and as I had, just in a quiet way, gradually rid the house o' the nightly visits o' the young craiturs that I didna approve o,' I was easy in my mind, though I began to see mair than a bairnlie affection growing up amang them that remained. Puir young things! they've a' married as we could have wished, and that has been the reward I received for following good advice, and making my ain fireside comfortable to them a' to the best o' my power." "Well done, thou good and faithful wife and mother!" you have had ten talents bestowed on you by your Lord, and worthily have you fulfilled your trust! A thousand mothers like you would be greater riches to Britain than ten thousand Wellingtons, or Nelsons, or Chathams, or Pitts,-they can only, like skilful doctors or surgeons, cure or cut off its diseases, but such mothers as you keep it wholesome and healthy, and sound to the very core.-Selected.

Several interesting communications are necessarily reserved for the next number.

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