bering how oft they have been perfecuted by his; and in fine, by foothing their Cares, lightening their Sorrows, fupporting the Infirmities of Age, and making the remainder of their Life as comfortable and joyful as poffible. To pay thefe Honours and make thefe Returns is, according to Plato, to pay the oldeft, beft, and greatest of Debts, next to those we owe to our fupreme and common Parent. They are founded in our Nature,and agreeable to the most fundamental Laws of Gratitude, Honour, Juftice, Natural Affection, and Piety, which are interwoven with our very Conftitution; nor can we be deficient in them without cafting off that Nature, and counteracting those Laws.

As his Brethren and Sifters are the next with whom the Creature forms a Social and

Duties to Brethren and Sifters.

Moral Connection, to them he owes a Fraternal Regard; and with them ought he to enter into a ftrict League of Friendfhip, mutual Sympathy, Advice, Affiftance, and a generous Intercourse of kind Offices, remembering their Relation to common Parents, and that Brotherhood G 3

of

#1

of Nature, which unites them into a clofer Community of Intereft and Affection.

Connection with the other Sex.

CHA P. II.

Concerning Marriage.

WHE

WHEN Man arrives to a certain Age, he becomes fenfible of a peculiar Sympathy and Tenderness towards the cther Sex; the Charms of Beauty engage his Attention, and call forth new and fofter Difpofitions than he has yet felt. The many amiable Qualities exhibited by

fair Outfide, or by the mild Allurement of Female Manners, or which the prejudiced Spectator without much Reasoning supposes thofe to include, with feveral other Circumstances, both natural and accidental, point his View and Affection to a particular Object, and of course contract that general rambling Regard, which was loft and ufelefs among the undiftinguished Croud, into a peculiar and permanent Attachment to one Woman, which

ordi

ordinarily terminates in the most important, venerable, and delightful Connection in Life.

The Grounds

of this Connection.

The State of the Brute Creation is very different from that of Human Creatures. The former are cloathed, and generally armed by their Structure, eafily find what is neceffary to their Subfiftence, and foon attain their Vigour and Maturity; fo that they need the Care and Aid of their Parents but for a fhort while; and therefore we fee that Nature has affigned to them vagrant and tranfient Amours. The Connection being purely Natural, and formed merely for propagating and rearing their Offspring, no fooner is that End anfwered than the Connection diffolves of courfe. But the Human Race are of a more tender and defencelefs Conftitution; their Infancy and Non-age continue longer; they advance flowly to Strength of Body, and Maturity of Reafon; they need conftant Attention, and a long Series of Cares and Labours to train them up to Decency, Virtue, and the various Arts of Life. Nature has, therefore, provided them with the most affectionate

G 4

fectionate and anxious Tutors, to aid their Weakness, to fupply their Wants, and to accomplish them in thofe neceffary Arts, even their own Parents, on whom he has devolved this mighty Charge, rendered agreeable by the most alluring and powerful of all Ties, Parental Affection. But unless both concur in this grateful Task, and continue their joint Labours, till they have reared up and planted out their young Colony, it must become a Prey to every rude Invader, and the Purpose of Nature, in the original Union of the Human Pair, be defeated. Therefore our Structure as well as Condition is an evident Indication, that the Human Sexes are deftined for a more intimate, for a moral and lasting Union. It appears likewise, that the principal End of Marriage is not to propagate and nurse up an Offspring, but to educate and form Minds for the great Duties and extensive Destinations of Life. Society must be fupplied from this original Nursery with ufeful Members, and its fairest Ornaments and Supports. how fhall the young Plants be guarded against the Inclemency of the Air and Seasons, cultivated and raised to Maturity,

But

Moral Ends of Marriage.

if Men, like Brutes, indulge to, vagrant and promifcuous Amours? The Mind is apt to be diffipated in its Views, and Acts of Friendship and Humanity; unless the former be directed to a particular Object, and the latter employed in a particular Province. When Men once indulge to this Diffipation, there is no stopping their Career, they grow infenfible to Moral Attractions, and by obftructing, or impairing, the decent and regular Exercise of the tender and generous Feelings of the human Heart, they in time become unqualified for, or averfe to, the forming a Moral Union of Souls, which is the Cement of Society, and the Source of the pureft domeftic Joys. Whereas a rational, undepraved Love, and its fair Companion, Marriage, collect a Man's Views, guide his Heart to its proper Object, and by confining his Affection to that Object, do really enlarge its Influence and Ufe.. Befides, it is but too evident from the Conduct of Mankind, that the common Tyes of Humanity are too feeble to engage and intereft the Paffions of the Generality in the

G 5