CONSANGUINITY, OR NATURAL

RELATIONS.

HUSBAND.

TAKE unto thyself a wife, and obey the ordi. nance of God: take unto thyself a wife, and become a faithful member of society.

But examine with care, and fix not suddenly. On thy present choice depends thy future happiness.

If much of her time is destroyed in dress and adornments; if she is enamoured with her own beauty, and delighteth in her own praise; if she laugheth much, and talketh loud; if her foot abideth not in her father's house, and her eyes with boldness rove on the faces of men: though her beauty were as the sun in the firmament of heaven, turn thy face from her charms, turn thy feet from her paths, and suffer not thy soul to be ensnared by the allurements of imagination.

But when thou findest sensibility of heart joined with softness of manners; an accomplished mind, with a form agreeable to thy fancy; take her home to thy house; she is worthy to be thy friend, thy companion in life, the wife of thy bosom.

O cherish her as a blessing sent thee from heaven Let the kindness of thy behaviour endear thee to her heart.

She is the mistress of thy house; treat her therefore with respect, that thy servants may obey her. Oppose not her inclinations without cause; she is the partner of thy cares, make her also the companion of thy pleasures.

Reprove her faults with gentleness; exact not her obedience with rigour.

Trust thy secrets in her beast; her counsels are sincere, thou shalt not be deceived.

Be faithful to her bed; for she is the mother of thy children.

When pain and sickness assault her, let thy tenderness soothe her affliction: a look from thee of pity and love shall alleviate her grief, or mitigate her pain, and be of more avail than ten physicians.

Consider the tenderness of her sex, the delicacy of her frame; and be not severe to her weakness, but remember thine own imperfections.

FATHER.

CONSIDER thou, who art a parent, the importance of thy trust: the being thou hast produced, it is thy duty to support.

Upon thee also it may depend, whether the child of thy bosom shall be a blessing or a curse to thyself; an useful or a worthless member to the community.

Prepare him early with instruction, and season his mind with the maxims of truth.

Watch the bent of his inclination, set him right in his youth, and let no evil habit gain strength with his years.

So shall he rise like a cedar on the mountains; his head shall be seen above the trees of the forest. A wicked son is a reproach to his father: but he that doth right is an honour to his gray hairs.

The soil is thine own, let it not want cultivation: the seed which thou sowest, that also expect to reap.

Teach him obedience, and he shall bless thee: teach him modesty, and he shall not be ashamed.

Teach him gratitude, and he shall receive benefits: teach him charity, and he shall gain love.

Teach him temperance, and he shall have health: teach him prudence, and fortune shall attend him. Teach him justice, and he shall be honoured by the world teach him sincerity, and his own heart shall not reproach him.

Teach him diligence, and his wealth shall increase teach him benevolence, and his mind shall be exalted.

Teach him science, and his life shall be useful: teach him religion, and his death shall be happy.

SON.

FROM the creatures of God let man learn wisdom, and apply to himself the instructions they give.

Go to the desert, my son: observe the young stork of the wilderness : let him speak to thy heart. He beareth on his wings his aged sire: he lodgeth him with safety, and supplieth him with food.

The piety of a child is sweeter than the incense of Persia offered to the sun; yea more delicious than odours wafted from a field of Arabian spices by the western gales.

life;

Be grateful then to thy father, for he gave thee and to thy mother, for she sustained thee. Hear the words of his mouth, for they are spoken for thy good: give ear to his admonition, for it proceedeth from love.

He hath watched for thy welfare, he hath toiled for thy ease: do honour therefore to his age, and let not his gray hairs be treated with irreverence.

Forget not thy helpless infancy, nor the forwardness of thy youth, and indulge the infirmities of

thy aged parents; assist and support them in the decline of life.

So shall their hoary heads go down to the grave in peace; and thine own children, in reverence of thy example, shall repay thy piety with filial love:

BROTHERS.

YE are the children of one father, provided for by his care; and the breast of one mother hath given you suck.

Let the bonds of affection, therefore, unite you, that peace and happiness may dwell in your father's house.

And when you separate in the world, remember the relation that bindeth you to love and unity; and prefer not a stranger to your own blood.

If thy brother is in adversity, assist him: if thy sister is in trouble, forsake her not.

So shall the fortunes of thy father contribute to the support of his whole race; and his care be continued to you all in your love to each other.

PROVIDENCE; OR THE ACCIDENTAL DIFFERENCES IN MEN.

WISE AND IGNORANT.

THE gifts of the understanding are the treasures of God; and he appointeth to every one his portion, in what measure seemeth good unto himself.

Hath he endued thee with wisdom? hath he enlightened thy mind with the knowledge of truth? Communicate it to the ignorant, for their instruc

tion; communicate it to the wise, for thine own improvement.

True wisdom is less presuming than folly. The fool is obstinate, and doubteth not; he knoweth all things but his own ignorance.

The pride of emptiness is an abomination; and to talk much is the foolishness of folly. Nevertheless, it is the part of wisdom to bear impertinence with patience, and to pity absurdity.

Yet be not puffed up with thine own conceit, neither boast of superior understanding; the clearest human knowledge is but blindness and folly.

The wise man feeleth his imperfections, and is humbled; he laboureth in vain for his own approbation: but the fool peepeth in the shallow stream of his own mind, and is pleased with the pebbles which he sees at the bottom; he bringeth them up, and sheweth them as pearls; and with the applause of his brethren delighteth he himself.

He boasteth attainments in things that are of no worth but where it is a shame to be ignorant, there he hath no understanding.

Even in the path of wisdom he toileth after folly; and shame and disappointment are the reward of his labour.

But the wise man cultivates his mind with knowledge the improvement of arts is his delight, and their utility to the public crowneth him with honour.

Nevertheless the attainment of virtue he accounteth as the highest learning; and the science of happiness is the study of his life.

RICH AND poor.

THE man to whom God hath given riches, and blessed with a mind to employ them aright, is peculiarly favoured, and highly distinguished.