tleman, in one of the New England States, who had assumed
the chair of the pedagogue, paid his addresses to the beautiful and
sensible daughter of a respectable farmer. One day, as she was present
in his school, he read to her a hymn, which he said was from his own
pen. Now it was obvious to this lady, and even to some of the pupils,
that the hymn was none other than that usually known by the name of the
'Harvest Hymn,' modified by the change of a few words only. How much
effect this circumstance might have had I cannot say with certainty;
but I know it disgusted _one_, at least, of the pupils; and I know,
too, that his addresses to the lady were soon afterwards discontinued.

A young man who would profit from the society of young ladies, or
indeed from any society, must preserve a modest and respectful spirit;
must seek to conciliate their good will by quiet and unostentatious
attentions, and discover more willingness to avail himself of their
stock of information, than to display his own knowledge or abilities.

He should observe, and learn to admire, that purity and ignorance of
evil, which is the characteristic of well-educated young ladies, and
which, while we are near them, raises us above those sordid and sensual
considerations which hold such sway over _men_, in their intercourse
with each other. He should treat them as spirits of a purer sphere, and
try to be as innocent, if not as ignorant of evil as they are;
remembering that there is no better way of raising himself in the scale
of intellectual and moral being. But to whatever degree of intimacy he
may arrive, he should never forget those little acts of courtesy and
kindness, as well as that respect, and self-denial, which lend a charm
to every kind of polite intercourse, and especially to that of which I
am now speaking.

Whenever an opportunity occurs, however, it is the duty of a young man
to introduce topics of conversation which are decidedly favorable to
mental and moral improvement. Should he happen to be attending to the
same study, or reading the same book with a female acquaintance, an
excellent opportunity will be afforded for putting this rule in
practice.

CHAPTER VI.

Marriage.

SECTION I. _Why Matrimony is a Duty._

Matrimony is a subject of high importance and interest. It is
_important_, because it was among the earliest institutions of the
great Creator; because it has always existed in some form or other, and
must continue