112 BACHELORS' BLESSEDNESS. 



in him those tender feelings of humanity which, as yet, 

 have no place in the heart of your bachelor ; he could 

 find in the companion of his humble abode an affection- 

 ate friend, a consoling partner, and a thrifty manager ; 

 and he could look upon his children, not as burdens, 

 which must of necessity be borne, nor as unwelcome 

 drawbacks upon his scanty means, but as beings on 

 whom he might expend some of the kindliest feelings of 

 our nature, and in whose little words and looks of love 

 he might find many a gleam of happiness to gladden 

 his way in life. 



Among the better ranks of people, I do not see that 

 it is incumbent on the good man of the house to " rock 

 the cradle," unless he have a peculiar penchant there- 

 for, and, if so, he has as much right to enjoy 

 himself that way, as the "blessed" bachelor with 

 his " glorious thought gilding every part of his mental 

 fabric." Furthermore, I do not believe that ladies who 

 have been accustomed to move in any respectable sphere 

 of society, will "importune" and "frequently scold" 

 their husbands for the mere sake of scolding there 

 may be a few exceptions, but these prove the rule 

 but supposing that a young damsel of gentle blood 

 should bestow upon her liege lord a sound rating for 

 the perpetration of some peccadillo, he ought to thank 

 his stars that he has, in her, a friend sincere enough to 

 warn him from wandering in naughty ways : such scold- 

 ings as this I should class among the blessings of ma- 

 trimony. 



With reference to the cleansing of a sanctum, I do 

 not suppose that any reasonable wife, who respects or 

 regards her husband would disarrange his manuscripts 

 for the sake of proving herself to be a notable woman, 

 nor do I apprehend that the English mode of cleansing 

 a carpet is effected by " deluging it with water." If 

 any good man be fool enough to keep in his house such 

 a bevy of " destructionists" as will enter his study, and 

 annihilate his papers in his absence, then I would by 

 all means strenuously recommend him, when not in a 

 studious mood, to keep the door locked, and treasure 

 up the key in his breeches' pocket. 



