Like thee, dear object of my plighted vows, Whom every virtue, every grace endows. Since first I wooed thee to the nuptial bow'r Daphne thy love has sweeten'd every hour. Our lives like two soft flutes of equal frame, Their airs, their measures, and their notes the same. No sounds untrue their harmony destroy, And all who heal their music thrill with joy. Ne'er did my heart a secret wish disclose, That thy fond heart fulfill'd not as it rose; Ne'er did my heart with blissful ardour beat, But thy glad feelings made the bliss more sweet. Grief flies the circle of thy lov'd embrace, As clouds of summer to the sun give place; Since thou wast mine, the joys of peace and love, Have fix'd their station here no more to rove: Order and neatness smile, and each design Prospers, as blest of Heaven since thou art mine; Since Daphne first to Mycon's bower was led, Content and peace have blest his humble shed. From thee all good a twofold charm derives, My crops increase, my flock more fairly thrives, Blest is my daily toil, and doubly blest, At day's decline the moments when I rest; For then how lovely are thy cares, how dear Each fond device my weariness to cheer. Spring, summer, autumn, now delight me more, And winter now has brighter joys in store. When wildly roars without the twilight storm, Within my little cot with love is warm ; And while thy side is fondly press'd to mine, And on thy cheek the blazing embers shine, Though raging winds against my casement blow, And all the world be one wide waste of snow, Possessing thee, I feel no wandering thought, Feel that without thee, all the world were nought. Ye dear first pledges of our fond embrace ! Live still the pride of Daphne's youth and mine, And tears of transport on her eye-lids swell'd: Embracing and embrac'd in purest love; When I had written thus far, and was thinking of closing this part of the subject, I read over again the whole of what I had written on the Advantages of the Marriage State: and I could not help fancying myself to be, in a small degree, like a Poet or a Painter, whose mind is delighted with a beautiful prospect. When he has viewed it from one eminence, he is desirous of seeing it from another, and then from another; and after having ascended several, if the object still appears beautiful, especially if its beauties should increase upon him; he is then desirous to return to the first station, that he may enjoy another feast of fancy, in contemplating the first beauties that struck him, and comparing them with the additional ones, arising from the advantage of observing the different aspects of the prospect from different points of the compass. Thus have I viewed Mount Edgcomb, from the numerous hills with which Plymouth is surrounded; and, often turn'd away from that beautiful scenery with great reluctance: and frequent ly turned back to view it again, and again, to take a parting look. In like manner has my mind dwelt with pleasure, and delight, sometimes rising to rapture, on the Advantages of the Marriage State; which I have here feebly endeavoured to set. forth. May God of his infinite mercy grant, that you and your dear wife may find by experience, that pens and ink must ever labour in vain, when they attempt to describe the Advantages which married people enjoy. I remain, &c. LETTER VII. The Pleasures of the Marriage State. MY DEAR SIR, December 7, 1812. The more I study the subject, the more deeply I am convinced that our pleasures, and our sorrows, frequently arise from circumstances which in themselves are of a very trifling nature. It depends almost wholly upon the state of our own minds, whether the numerous occurrences of a domestic day shall afford us pleasure or sorrow. I have had opportunities of remarking, that married people sometimes endure the greatest vexations, without the least occasion; merely from being irritated by a look, an expression, or an action, in which no harm was intended. While at another time, the happy state of mind in which they have the command of their passions, will enable them to extract durable pleasure from circumstances even of a sorrowful nature. So much depends upon the state of our temper, that we should take all possible pains to render it sweet, and agreeable. This is not only of great importance to others, but to ourselves also. A determination to make it our habitual study to please and be pleased, will greatly increase our own happiness, and the happiness of all with whom we are connected. How can we expect those persons to please us, whom we never endeavour to please? And if we are so difficult to please, that those who endeavour to do it, are frequently disappointed; it will not be surprising if we should soon find that no one will ever strive to please us. But by making it our constant study to be pleased with every thing that was intended to give us pleasure; and by |