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sure which, some Men say, they find in doing what they ought not to do; which, at best, lasts but till they are wise, and learn to know what it is to repent. But the Pleasure of a married State consists wholly in the Beauty of the Union, the sharing Comforts, the doubling all Enjoyments; 'tis the Settlement of Life; the Ship is always in a Storm till it finds this safe Road, and here it comes to an Anchor: 'Tis the want of a taste of Life makes Men despise that Part of it which Heaven at first constituted to compleat the Happiness of his Creatures.
To argue against Marriage, because so many Matches are unhappy, and so few exemplify the Case as it ought to be, is only arguing the Ignorance and Corruption of Mankind, which as it is the Cause, so it is fully discovered by this unhappy Consequence. Did Men expect Happiness in a married Condition, they would Begin and End it after another manner, prepare for it beforehand with more nicety, and take much greater Thought about it before they engaged in it.
Politick Matches are Weddings for Princes, and for Persons of high Birth, where the meer Interests of the Families are the Consideration of the Alliance, and where it is not essential to the Match, whether the Persons love one another or no, at least not so essential as in Persons of a meaner degree.
But as the Persons of a lower Station are, generally speaking, much more happy in their Marrriages, than Princes and Persons of Distinction; so I take much of it, if not all of it, to consist in the Advantage they have to choose and refuse.
Ma-
