66 your chafte conversation coupled with "fear (t)." To every woman who, in modern times, is unhappy enough to have a husband ignorant of the evidence, uncon→ vinced of the truth, or utterly regardless of the precepts of Chriftianity, this direction of the Apostle indicates an object which ought to be among the nearest to her heart; and at the fame time defcribes, with an accurate insight into the nature of the human mind, the methods from which, under the fuperintending control of Providence, the attainment of it is to be expected. But it speaks to married women univerfally. To every one who difcerns in the behaviour of her husband a habit of deviation, in any refpect, from the path of Christian rectitude, it speaks the language of instruction and of encouragement. If the example of a wife endearing herself to her husband by "chafte converfation," by purity of manners and of conduct, “ coupled with fear," united with modeft refpect and unassuming

(t) 1 Peter, iii. 15 2.

mildness,

mildness, would be thus efficacious in reclaiming a perfon immersed in the darkness and the immoralities of Paganism; shall it now be without power to detach him who daily beholds it from smaller errors? Shall not the divine bleffing, which heretofore enabled it to do fo much, enable it now to do what is lefs? Its power is neither diminished, nor forfaken of the divine blessing. It labours in fecrecy and filence, unobtrufive and unfeen. But it is, at this hour, performing its part throughout every quarter of the Christian world, in weaning from prejudices, in diffuading from vice, in fixing the wavering, in softening the obdurate, in rendering virtue and holiness beloved, in diffufing peace and happiness, and in preparing those on whom it operates for higher felicity hereafter. Women appear to be, on the whole, more difpofed to religi ous confiderations than men. They have minds more fufceptible of lively impreffions. They are lefs expofed than the other fex to the temptations of open vice. They

CHAP. XII.

ON THE DUTIES OF MATRIMONIAL

LIFE.

AMONG the most important of the du

ties peculiar to the fituation of a married woman, are to be placed those arising from the influence which she will naturally pos fefs over the conduct and character of her husband. If it be scarcely poffible for two perfons connected by the ties of common friendship, to live constantly together, or even habitually to pass much time in the fociety of each other, without gradually approaching nearer and nearer in their fentiments and habits; ftill less probable is it, that from the closest and most attractive of all bands of union a fimilar effect should' not be the refult. The effect will be experienced by both parties, and perhaps in an

2

equal

equal degree. But if it be felt by one in a greater degree than by the other, it is likely to be thus felt by the husband. In female manners inspired by affection, and bearing at once the ftamp of modefty and of good fense, example operates with a captivating force which few bofoms can refift. When the heart is won,the judgement is easily perfuaded. It waits not for the flow process of argument to prove that to be right, which it already thinks too amiable to be wrong. To the fascinating charms of female virtue, when adorned by its highest embellishment, diffidence, the Scriptures themselves bear testimony. St. Peter, addreffing himself to married women, fome of whom, in those days, had been converted to the Christian religion, while their husbands remained yet in idolatry, fpeaks in the following terms: "Likewife, ye wives, be in fub

jection to your own husbands; that if any obey not the word, they alfo, without the word, may be won by the con" verfation of the wives; while they behold

to minds lefs happily attempered, and lefs under the guidance of religious motives, prove fources of anxiety and vexation.

To delude a young man by encouraging his attentions for the pleasure of exhibiting him as a conqueft, for the purpose of exciting the affiduities of another person, or from, any motive except the impulse of mutual regard, is a proceeding too plainly repugnant to justice, and to delicacy of fentiment, to require much obfervation. On fuch fubjects, even inadvertence is highly culpable. What, then, is the guilt of her, who deliberately raises hopes which she is refolved not to fulfil!

There remains yet another caution relat→ ing to the present subject, which appears worthy of being fuggefted. A young woman, unbiaffed by interested motives, is fometimes led to contract a matrimonial engagement without fufpecting that the perhaps does not entertain for her intended

hufband