folicitude. Or the fact unhappily may be, that in confequence of new scenes, new circumstances, new temptations, failings which did not exist when the matrimonial state commenced, may have been contracted fince. The ftream may have derived a debafing tincture from the region through which it has lately flowed. But the

fault, whether it did or did not exist while the parties were fingle, is now dif cerned. What then is to be the confequence of the difcovery? Is affection to be repreffed, is it to be permitted to grow languid, becaufe the object of it now appears tinctured with fome one additional defect? I allude not to thofe flagrant defertions of moral and religious principle, thofe extremes of depravity, which are not unknown tothe connubial ftate, and give afhock to the tendereft feelings of the heart. I speak of those common deficiencies, which long and familiar intercourfe gradually detects in every human character. Whether they are perceived by the hufband in the wife, or by the wife in the hufband, to contribute

by

by every becoming method to their removal is an act of duty strictly incumbent on the difcoverer. It is more than an act of duty; it is the first office of love. "Thou shalt not hate thy neighbour in fuffering fin upon him (o)," is a precept, the difregard of which is the most criminal in those persons, by whom the warmeft regard for the welfare of each other ought to be displayed. In the course of the forego ing pages I have had occafion fully to notice the power which a married woman poffeffes of influencing the difpofitions of her husband, and the confequent duty of exerting it for the improvement of his moral and religious character. It remains now to guard the wife against the effect of emotions and impreffions, which might prevent her from reaping the benefit of fimilar exertions of duty and kindness on the part of her husband. Let her beware of discouraging him, by irritability of temper, or by inconsiderate proneness to mis

(0) Levit. xix. 17.

X

construction,

construction, from communicating to her his opinion, when he believes that she has fallen, or is in danger of falling, into error. To point out failings in the spirit of kindnefs, is one of the cleareft indications of friendship. It is, however, one of those delicate offices from which friendship may the most easily be deterred. If a husband finds his endeavours to difcharge it fre quently misconceived ; if he fees them ufually producing perturbations difficult to be allayed, and extending far and wide beyond the original fubject of difcuffion; learn to think it wiser to let an evil

he may exist in filence, than to attempt to obviate it at the hazard of a greater. If his conscience at any time calls upon him to fet before his afsociate in connubial life fome defect, either in her general conduct, or in a particular instance; he ought unquestionably to fulfil the task with a lively conviction of his own imperfections, and of the need which he has of indulgence and forbearance on her part. He ought to fulfil

it with a tenderness of manner flowing from the genuine warmth of affection; with an ardent folicitude to fhun as far as may be poffible the appearance of authoritative injunctions; and with prudence adapting itself to the peculiarities of the mind which he is defirous to impress. In all cafes he ought to guard, with fcrupulous anxiety, against exciting in the breast of his wife a fufpicion that he is purposely minute in prying into her failings; and against loading her fpirits with groundless apprehenfions that the original glow of his attachment is impaired by those which he has noticed. He ought to remember, that however culpable the difpofition may be, there is yet a difpofition not unfrequent in women when reftrained, and in their own opinion without fufficient cause, from proceeding in any particular path, to feel in confequence of the restraint itself a strong propensity to advance further in that path than they had proceeded before. But what if in one or more of these points

neceffitated even to Though on former

;

he should be negligent and defective? Let not a momentary quickness of manner, let not an inadvertent expreffion haftily dropping from his lips, nor even the discovery of fome emotion tinctured with human infirmity, be noticed with refentment, or followed by retort and recrimination. If he should evidently be liable to just cenfure himfelf, his admonition may yet be wife his reproof, if he is reprove, may be juft. occafions he fhould have been hurried into animadverfion without reafon, there may be reason for his animadverfion now. Let him not be thought partial and unwarrantably ftrict, if he should chance to obferve, and to obferve with fome indications of dif quietude, a failing when exemplified by his wife, which in other women he had scarcely regarded. Is it furprising that he should be alive to circumftances in the conduct of the perfon moft intimately connected with him, which affected him little or not at all in a more diftant relation, in an acquaintance, in a ftran