Should The Poor Marry?

The rapiid lacrease oí poputatiom In our huinbler ranks oí lifo is held "by many thimkers to ba pno:ific of boclal evils. As a rula the po oír ba ve 3arge families. Rural industries are (few a ad. tlneir wages 3ow. Henee there ia a constan iiiFXix frain the country to the townis, so much so, that a wrtter reoentfjy asserted that a. LoMdoner born and bred cooi'.d trace luimseClf three gene ra'tii ons of Ioixlon ances'tors. Town occupations are tiluus oivercrowöed and thousands unabfje to find employmemt. Te remedy the miseries arisitig irom thda stia'te oí things, numerous sclhemes toave been from time to time proposed : -As Emigrati-om, MallttiaisiainiRm, and Absterition Jrom Marriaige. Wibhiout diseuissinig at present tibe ï-emeidial viatae of the two frrst, we adldress ourse'jves to ttoe last raaaned. Especially as tilue immcral aiid bateful doctrine - as we consdder lt - is widtöy beid : thait manriage is a l'uxury to be indulged in by the welltiodo omiy. Tlie quesbilom, thiein, whether the pioor offlit to miairry or not ie bou.nd to itajterest raamy raaders. A few o'bse.i'va'tiloinis on. t.hO subject may there'ftoce, be acceptabl'e, partiicularly aa miajiy tbings hmve tot be conÉ3derel befiore a ju'sfc decfeioa cani be da-awn. Fior an act may bs legally right aind m'orially wrong, or morfWAy rilght aind legally wrong. It miay be goiod for tlis ilndividu'ai:', and bad íor tilie commu'niüty, or vica versa. , It ia impiossibl'e to lajy towm a-ny defilniite inooime to indioajte Wliat is meanit by "pior," beoause wihat would be p'OTerty to o.ne would be weaffth, to another. Any man, no matter lww mucíli he posaesses, who lis iJimched a;nd liarassed by his requ1:rements, and whiose reasonabce wamts exceed kis meane oí suppCylng tibem, iis really p.oor. The Btoic phil■osoiphjerfi of old tcane taugttt that the fwaiy t.o be rich was to r educe our wants, tio dfepeaisO witihi cvOrything rlnLch was aofc necessairy to a tueajthy lile. And ilias aa the story goas, the cyniis Dlogenes, who restrictcd hdniseli to a tmb to dweil iu, and a woodeu bowl íor drinklng from, tihirew the lattw away wlien lie saw a tMnsty eoMter drink out of -liis liaiids. Bu't wo are none oï U3 stoic-s, and very few pliilosop'liers. AVo are miKtcy practical, matter-oc-fact peo pie, who run ouir wlueels iiu tJiei comman ruig, and copy tuno waya oí the W'Oi'jd. We waalt to live, and to ;ive ïtwpectably, after tíie iashiaa ol uur feClo'we, and tihO qu&stioin ï'eally iiit.ciiidei1. is - WonM people oí very imiltod imcomes be better or worse for marrying '! BeüoTe we contd ;in-;vcr thiis we shouid wart to kmov wluit sort oí peopíe thiey are. It' they have simall ilncomes aod exti'avagant nabits ót ■Bastes, oe if thiey are deficienit in energy afmd busiruess aptitudes, or even ïn rmoral principies, tuien they had isMr better remaiia smgie. B.ut ii thcy are the coinverse ol all these, roiarrdingo wlll BOtb omly ba suitasble, but hiilghcj desirable. Paradosical as it nay seem, a golo'd and t.hritty wife woujd miake. the late baobelar's ilacome giG f art hei tof two th.ain for oae. Her defb and ready flmgers at tihie saane time, muAiiply hisi comDo'rts. lier thrik'ty aadi carelu3 iiabits woul'd p.rove tibe aa.fest guardiaais of h-ils namjije sbare. "We presume. o!f ooiurse, t'hiafc the imaTr'Laga is prompted' by Jove, otiherjvv'iise it is l'ikely to be a fiaihire. 0nly rich pecpije caía veabure 'to nuarry wMno'ut it, as they have other co'mpeinsationö oí whiclh we d!o not approve, but whioh they ceftem seem, to iniiatri'ne suit tbem just as wed. To our thhiking a Joveless marriage is nio't orijy an unnatua-al un1on, but is siheer iajly or dowiwight wiijikedmess. People wlll sometinic siay, "Oih, boit ïove wlll oome ai' u-r miarriage." Never ! tihe chaaices are too mamy agaiost it. An intelligent and mutual aiffectioni, bowever, is tn itseli mra;rriag)e, blut we muslt not ïie tedi away by suppasiJag tituait a cei'emioiny eau ever ba anytihisng more tihfun a ceremiomy. There are othei' reaso'nts why poor peopje oi (suitable dlispositions, as nu p.tioned, ökOTiüd marry. Miarrisuge iorth all the latent (jood that nuay bo lin tbem. It onjarg-es tlieir eymipatbies and thcif Inopes ; it gives 1'iUbeiitive fco aetiion and sölidity to c.haracter ; it steaddes the wavering-, ;md saves those who would otberwlse be lost. The home may bo poorly íurníelied and wantdng in many thiiigs ; but leve brightens and cbeers the huinblest cottage. And afber all, it is a real borne wliere two bravo souiis cherisli aiad comïort cach otber. And wbem the chMren come, the parents nave rlpened by experience, amd have dieoovered t)he means wberriby to ppovidie for theim. ten, t.hiey ocïme as God's aingeífe, to 'hea: a wounded heart or to stremgbhen a weak spLrit. Thnis, poor and rioh are no absoíiurte, bub relativo terms. For man íls ii'Ob niouirtshed by bread alone, but by tbought and acitïaiL, and innocent pljeasures, and above all, by sympathy. The oonfilrmed bachear i3 apt to deveCwp a hiard and selíüsh nature: the o'Jd maild is too likely to become sour anú cruisty ; and ncwb because tbeiir characters are worse than those of otters, but beaauis-e theflrcircumstiances faiava not been favorable for the growth of theúir higher feeiiings. ■True marrjiage te ofb&n ïike Moses' rod wbfioh amóte the hard roela and refreshing waters gushed fortih. They wene h;Mlen, penb up, waiting for t'h o friend'.y toucJi tbat should f ree tnem. Of cour.se a cer'bai'n meiasure of prudetnce s'houCd bs exerciteed befwe eegaglng in miarriage. A man efosotiíd see his way tioi fuilfillmg all reas ñatee responsitilltles, arad in so, itop'ortiant a matter- tliie most important of luis iife - sh.o'ul'dí weigh wei: ■whiat he is abouit to do. As a ruL'e tlíe tíharacter of Ms "wJïe lf of m.0Te oonsequence tli.an tibe ainouut of lite ínciome. If the Jatter would be sufficienit in the handis of a prudent anc dioomasticiated woman, and he is attoched to such a Oree Sn mutuaá löve tlirP-n t;be saoinier they marry the bet tèr. Let tttem do; so in, the. tooom of Me, anti onjoy Oach, obter's society white hope and energy are sbrong and nob waifc nmtaa the warid lias embtilbtered them or cruslied cwit a!l the happy bouyaney of thair youth. There ils another aidVantage in ear"y maaTi'age : their chijdrem will be grown np before 'öhey theni;se:ves have passed mrddil'e age, and will be aKie, perhaps, ta have the ïel'i'ciity of retuTmi'ng their parents' care by asei'Stimg: them elioalid! their oíd age aeed it. By far toto muehis made of tJie. diffenence bet ween rich and poor. Those who liave experi'enced both etates know that humia.n happmess is much t'he saniiic la eaeh. AVeaíith has its drawbacks as well as poverty. And lio-sïbjy ii ab tüe close of life we could add up carrectay we e'hiould ü'nd tihat Mie bajamoe of happi'ness is ratlier on Tlie sii'do o;f the paar. IE thaiir sori-'o'ws are s'liiarpier their jsys are keener, and po'wer oí ondurance greafeer. Thiey never experi1tiice tl-iat sati'ety ai :i-iu which ooni'es froin satl'ety of pieasure. They eou:id not uiiderstand the pangs -ii liorerty i'n the bi'east of bhab iuxurious Roman who eommi'lted suicide ii . ause be had omf.y L80,000 left. Siimp'Le luabits and aatural tesbes are {ar mare c cm du e tro to enjoyment th&n many are aware of. Every day duty gïes a zest for Inarm-less recreation ; and many a ;-ood-natured father, wli o takes h.fe Ubtle ones of a Su'niday for a qui&b stro'll in a country lañe, wfiien the hawtborn or hioii'eysuck'.e is in bloom, derives mure so:ild happiiness from this tlian if he Wiere a pniince aadi played ab Monte Oai-io. It is the custom nuAvna-days to f jatter tbe Ayorkiing cJasees by ascriMng to tlbeon alH tbe viitues. Bat those are nob tiheSr true frilemdis wlio üo tihiis. Eveiy c::bss bas its own vtrtues aimd vices, and tbe woirkimg class hos its. They wouM dio weil to remember tlluat polcitical suifferage does nob g'ive pojiticaj wisidoin, amd that a, restriic'bed educati3ü' must produce a. restricteid iubeüllgeince. Tbeir impreved oo-ndii'tio'n wül depend not, on extra;neous assistance, nat on acts oí panlfiamerait, nor tibe nastrums of económica! a,ad political quacks, bat on tbemseeis. They must set themsolives a stamidard of educatioia. and a higber ooia of moa-atlity before they can make any ooinsiidierab; advance. Oncy those wbo livO ín a fool's pa.radiise beiieve ia tbe pawer oí parlianieii'ts to effect 'a graat sociaüi refor-niation, whóch, like that oi an individna:'., muisb prioioaeid' f roía wiiitilijn. I)i-3nk, fo-r iasba;nc.e, is tliie greatest hrónöranct to their prosperity, and t'he bapptoess of thei;" man'ied Iïves. Many thiiak tlnat, ii all the public houises were closed by an act of pairMamemt, Eng-land would ba changfi'Dm a dnuLken to ;i snh.r iiat.'nn. TlrLs is a pure (Irtusioii. The fanatïcs of tbe sfcate of M'aime cause d it to be i ried tibe re by law. Bait Mr. Justin McCai-tliy has rívoji u.p his ex!!(- oí 1 ho working of ïh.i-; act. Peoplo drank as mucb as befryro, and Mr. Mef'arlhy Sound ao difftouLty in '!!;,' hia n-ilivo whisky anywherc, oven oí a Sunday. We depare Intoxicatioa as mucli as Bir WiCMreö liawson. dioos, but we do not thhik TviiH'Lishmen and Irishmen will ever suffer "thenisei've-s to be dragooned into becomtog teetotallers or anytliing eJLee. Altliooigh the poor {requently ■undergo any ■unavoidabïe privations, tae necessaries of life are cheap, and wages luigher thain oin the continent. Tbere they fi'nd nio diffioalty in mairryiing. Thds seems to reqaire some exp?ainatjon for tbose concerne'. Can Kt be true, as Mane. IiOoiis Btoist (Max O'ReOl), airtfoor of "Johm Buil and hifi Is'jand,' saiid in his lecbure at Westbönnme Plark, a few duys aga, that macl harm arases from the ,desire of the pooi1 to ape tlue chasis above tlhem. Th.ís, he naid, pwviaKs ia Kngland mu)dh, more thiajn om the cantiaient. TherO a pcror man is iiot asliamedi to go to ohurch iu. his blouse-, and) servant g,ir;s do not atteonpt to vie with their misbresses ia airs and dress, as tbey do hwre. We regret the KWH of modiest humi;ity whlöh was oince the graoe of the pooi' - t!hat homsty of deportmient whicih preserved tliem fnom affectjjng to be othier tham they were. Evem in. tlnese revoCutionary times there aTe eoiine things worth preservilnig. "Shiould Foor People Marry ?" A well ask stoouldhe conree oF labor . stanJd stdtl ? Sfocmld tüe grass grow Ia otir gtreets, amdi thie oobwba rot on our waiXs ? Shiouldi the lands líe nitSlleÖ and the seas unploughed ? ShO'utd Vho shuttle cease, aad the anviï be slleoit ? In a woL-d, should fanuitaie and pestiüenoa, hnioger and {oiry, des'oi'ataton and death, sway as of QÍÚ ? For all tihese would happen wieTe the sana arad daugtoters o{ liaboir to ceaise breedïng the -workers of out iinidustriaï Mves. Xét none despfiae labor, nor be asliia,míOd of ït. Xt i!s he ioiuidatiloni of ai'.l diignity, all 'gjoiod'iress, and all true Iiappitaess. It te omCis; iullereass that is c.omtemptiVje. And if, in the great battje with. an against tlue forcee af Nature, óhou'dandis, enfeeblled by fElgfht, or folly ïa.:i a;it of tíne ramks as paupers, the wofkers must nat on tilïat account De discouraiged, nar despise tbeiir jot. The rich haye their paupers as ivd as tlve poiar. As a ruüe, thieiir oldest sane ioiliei-it their father's wealth, ai;;l the youmgeir are tlirrcnvn upon t'he ï'eso'uirces oi tJieór country. Most ui tibe good th.inigi ia the aiiny, navy amiï c.humh faM t. the pao-P of high cioamectifoms. It is on'.y rarely that superior ability is allawed to take p reoeklemce of ioco'iapetent rank. But we öhaill obange all that before long. TheTO are good tSanes in store for. the P'0'Oir, if tihiey wKH prepai'e thierauselves to use tiuem wiseüy. Wbeinever they can perceive tlue suiciidlay ío'Uy oí Mrlkes and tne iuti;sty oi miultlplied j,ivs; wSneai tlxety acqu3he generally tlKi't lave of ni oiMlM'y whSch teáches tauat cmüy hwinest work deBerves honest piaymnt, and Jearn to oen, the man tvTiio ghirks his diuty as they wouijd ainy otfcev valsa" clieat ; whetp tin y regard wonnen witli the greater resp'eot, amd are künder to their oivu ; wJtuem thiey free rheimselives fiiom the iiniduEgemce oí filtthjy languiage and debasünig babits. anJ. i'iind tliab pCteasuTe lui iiniteClectuial pureuits which the best O'l th.em havo foiuimd ; when they see tlhiat toi be fnee the ïhts oí a".l must be nespecteid aji'ke, thou the ecouoauic and soeiiar probleans whidi aiflict.tis noiw wltl have baem solved. Honesty arnld mon'aOJty will bless every house'hoC'd. "Tlie Oottaige homes of Enig-l'and'' will be happy home ; marriage wiill be regardad as the sacred bii-tlu-ilght of aC'l. Good Charles Maek&y. the poir m)a;ni's poet, who wrate "There's a goioid tetne coming, 'bolys : waiilt a jilPtie langer," also ■w-polte - For every up there is a down, For every folly sliame; And retributiou follows guilt As purnlng lollows ftame. If wrong you do, if false you play, In sumiller aiviong Uie liowers, You must atone, you shall repay Iu winter araoug tl)e sliowers.