or otherwise, that all the preliminaries
commanded by the Act had been properly fulfilled, further superintended
the proceedings to perfect the said intended marriage as follows:--The
man taking the woman by the hand pronounced these words, "I, A.B., do
hereby in the presence of God take thee C.D. to be my wedded wife, and
do also in the presence of God, and before these witnesses, promise to
be unto thee a loving and faithful husband." Then the woman in similar
formula promises to be a "loving, faithful, and obedient wife," and the
magistrate pronounced the parties to be man and wife. This ceremony, and
this only, was to be a legal marriage. It is probable that parties
might and did add a voluntary religious rite to this compulsory civil
ceremony, as is done at this day in many foreign countries.

SIR,--You cannot imagine how I was surpris'd to find a letter that began
"Dear brother;" I thought sure it could not belong at all to me, and was
afraid I had lost one by it; that you intended me another, and in your
haste had mistook this for that. Therefore, till I found the permission
you gave me, I had laid it by with a resolution not to read it, but to
send it again. If I had done so, I had missed a great deal of
satisfaction which I received from it. In earnest, I cannot tell you how
kindly I take all the obliging things you say in it of me; nor how
pleased I should be (for your sake) if I were able to make good the
character you give me to your brother, and that I did not owe a great
part of it wholly to your friendship for me. I dare call nothing on't my
own but faithfulness; that I may boast of with truth and modesty, since
'tis but a simple virtue; and though some are without it, yet 'tis so
absolutely necessary, that nobody wanting it can be worthy of any
esteem. I see you speak well of me to other people, though you complain
always to me. I know not how to believe I should misuse your heart as
you pretend; I never had any quarrel to it, and since our friendship it
has been dear to me as my own. 'Tis rather, sure, that you have a mind
to try another, than that any dislike of yours makes you turn it over to
me; but be it as it will, I am contented to stand to the loss, and
perhaps when you have changed you will find so little difference that
you'll be calling for your own again. Do but assure me that I shall find
you almost as merry as my Lady Anne Wentworth is always, and nothing
shall fright me from my purpose of