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The works with his life |Franklin, Benjamin
The works with his life Franklin Benjamin Author:Benjamin Franklin Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: ESSAYS HUMOROUS, MORAL, AND LITERARY. ON EARLY MARRIAGES. To John Alleyn, Esq. DEAR JACK, You desire, you say, my impartial thoughts on the subject o... more »f 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 you consulted me on the occasion, that 1 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 fatally, 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 injured 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 ; but, 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 farther inconvenience, that there is not the same chance that the parents should live to see their offspring educated. 'Late children,' says the Spanish proverb,' are early orphans.' A melancholy reflection to those whose case it may be! With us in America, marriages are generally in the morning ...« less