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The Works of Benjamin Franklin Consisting of Essays, Humorous, Moral and Literary, With His Life, Written by Himself
The Works of Benjamin Franklin Consisting of Essays Humorous Moral and Literary With His Life Written by Himself Author:Benjamin Franklin General Books publication date: 2009 Original publication date: 1824 Notes: This is a black and white OCR reprint of the original. It has no illustrations and there may be typos or missing text. When you buy the General Books edition of this book you get free trial access to Million-Books.com where you can select from more than a million book... more »s for free. Excerpt: ESSAYS, HUMOROUS, MORAL, AND LITERARY. ON EARLY MARRIAGES. TO JOHN ALLEYN, ESQ. DEAR JACK, Jl Od desire, yon say, my impartial thoughts on the subject of an early marriage, by way of answer to the numberless objections that have been made by numerous persons to your own. You may remember, when yon consulted me on the occasion, that I thought youth on both sides to be no objection. Indeed, from the marriages that have fallen under my observation, I am rather inclined to think, that early ones stand the best chance of happiness. The temper and habits of the young are not yet become so stiff and uncomplying, as when more advanced in life; they form more easily to each other, and hence, many occasions of disgust are removed. And if youth has less of that prudence which is necessary to manage a family, yet the parents and elder friends of young married persons are generally at hand to afford their advice, which amply supplies that defect; and, by early marriage, youth is sooner formed to regular and useful life ; and possibly some of those accidents or connexions, that might have in- j ared the constitution, or reputation, or both, are thereby happily prevented. Particular circumstances of particular persons may possibly sometimes make it prudent to delay entering into that state ; bnt, in general, when nature has rendered our bodies fit for it, the presumption is in nature's favour, that she has not judged amiss in making us desire it. Late marriages are often attended, too, with this further inconvenience, that there is not the same chance that the parents should live to see their offspring educated. ...« less