No doubt there are many exceptions in married life to this holy emotion, just as evil of every sort unfortunately everywhere abounds. But we have often seen the most unmistakable evidences of married love. We have seen it in devoted and noble-hearted husbands, we have seen it in most affectionate self-sacrificing wives. This marriage-tree, like every other, can be known beyond disputation by its fruit. If love has sanctified the union, if the overtures have been made under love's earnest influences, then the results will be most evident. See it in the husband's constant admiration of his wife, in his unvarying attention to all that is important to her happiness. See it in the honour he confers, in the toil he cheerfully endures, in the husbandly life devoted to her well-being and joy. The eyes mirror it, the mouth expresses it, but more than all, the constant evolutions of his life declare it. And what sunshine this love produces. What blessedness it confers, and then in return receives.

But is it not equally true, and we think more often and still more evident, that there are a noble, countless number of wives, who both love and reverence their husbands? Yes, and we have known many of these wives who have felt that, next to the claims of God,

were those of the husband. Wives who felt it their greatest bliss to be sources of comfort and happiness to their husbands-who were anxious to anticipate every want who were ready, early and late, in summer and winter, in health and sickness, in youth and age, to sacrifice all, if needful, to make their husbands happy. How large would be the volume that should relate the noble deeds of most affectionate and self-denying wives. Think of the pure and ardent love of Lady Rachel Russell, of Mrs. Col. Hutchinson, of Mrs. Fletcher, and a crowd of such like, whose very being seems to have been knit to the one idea, loving with a woman's whole heartedness their husbands. No doubt there are daily evidences of this mutual love in humble life. The peasant's cottage is often the abode of these righthearted emotions. So too, the dwellings of the operative and artizan; and we have known instances of it amid the gaities of noble life. Who can dispute its existence and undeviating manifestation, for more than half a century, in George III. and Charlotte, his devoted queen wife? Nor has the tongue of envious detraction ever dared to insinuate its non-existence in the royal palace of our reigning Queen and her late worthy Consort. Yes, in spite of all sorts of ill-contrived

matches and falsified unions-in spite of marriages of convenience and selfishness, and pride and vanity—in spite of marriages formal, eccentric, and absurd—yea, in spite of marriages that have been conceived in passion, and which have brought forth indifference, dislike, and sometimes hate and loathing, there remains a goodly residue of truthful, honest, and loving alliances, where intelligence and true love have made of twain one, and that one having constantly burning on the conjugal altar the fire of genuine and hearty love. Where married love exists and grows, it must of necessity be followed by conjugal delights and pleasures by what is clearly involved in the words-JOYS OF

MARRIED LIFE.

God destined all his creatures to have enjoyment. Of course the kind and degree will be in proportion to the capacity to enjoy. Social happiness is that which our social nature demands, and its sweetest and most endearing enjoyments are supplied in the married state. Thus to know and realise that we do truly and intensely love, must give unspeakable pleasure, and especially when we believe that the object of our affection is worthy of all that we can bestow, and reciprocates it heartily again. It may be difficult to decide whether

there is more joy in loving or being loved, but there can be no question about the blessedness we have in both. So had God ordained it--so are we constituted for it so is marriage designed to develop and exhibit it. And where the marriage is of the heart as well as of the hand, where there is oneness of soul and spirit, the result will be a joy to be found in no other scene this life can present.

Mutual affection, mutual solicitude, mutual sympathy must all lead to high and mutual joy.

Hence the wife

The husband the

is the desire of the husband's eyes. crown or diadem of the wife's honour and rejoicing. The two shining countenances, lit up with mutual love, irradiate the dwelling, and make it a sanctuary of delights. How bright the dwelling sanctified by hearty conjugal love. There may be chilling mists without, and tempests and perilous storms; but in the home, there will be a shelter from all. Here will be calmness, serenity, and gladness-mutual burden bearing, mutual and tender reciprocated sympathy, which can know no superior ecstacy except in the enjoyment of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge.

"Oh woman! lovely woman! Nature made you

To temper man: we had been brutes without you,
Angels are painted fair to look like you—

There's in you all that we believe of Heav'n;
Amazing brightness, purity, and truth,

Eternal joy, and everlasting love."

OTWAY.

"She was a phantom of delight

When first she gleam'd upon my sight-
A lovely apparition sent

To be a moment's ornament

Her eyes like stars of twilight fair

Like twilight too her dusky hair;

But all about her else was drawn
From May-time and the cheerful dawn-

A dancing shape and image gay,

To haunt, to startle, to waylay.

"I saw her upon nearer view

A spirit, yet a woman too

With household motions light and free,
And steps of virgin liberty;

A countenance in which did meet,

Sweet records, promises as sweet;