PRELIMINARY ETIgrKTTK OF A YVKDDIX. ;. 307 



society. He feels, therefore, that this risk ought not to be incurred. For, 

 although the noble and loving spirit of a wife might enable her to bear 

 up cheerfully against misfortune, and by her endearments soothe the 

 broken spirit of her husband ; yet the lover who would wilfully, at the 

 outset of wedded life, expose his devoted helpmate to the ordeal of pov- 

 . -rty, would be deservedly scouted as selfish and unworthy. These, then 

 are among the circumstances which warrant a lengthened engagement, and 

 liould be the endeavour of the lady's friends to approve such cautious 

 delay, and do all they can to assist the lover in his efforts to abridge it. 

 The lady's father should regard the lover in the light of another son 

 added to the family, and spare no pains to promote his interests in life, 

 while the lady's mother should do everything in her power, by those 

 small attentions which a mother understands so well, to make the pro- 

 traeted engagement agreeable to him, and as endurable as possible to her 

 daughter. 



Preliminary Etiquette of a Wedding, 



Whether the term of courtship may have been long or short accord- 

 ing to the requirements of the case the time will at last arrive for 



Fixing the Day. 



While it is the gentleman's province to press for the earliest possible 



opportunity, it is the lady's privilege to name the happy day; not but 



that the bridegroom-elect must, after all, issue the fiat, for he has much to 



ider and prepare for beforehand : for instance, to settle where it will 



nt to spend the honeymoon a point which must depend 



on the season of the year, on his own vocation, and other circumstan 



this advanced state <>t' atl'uirs, we must not overlook the important 



! Of 



The Bridal Trousseau and the Wedding Presents. 



Wedding preeentamusi be -mt always to the brufc, never tb the bride- 

 groom, though they br given by the friends of the latter. They should 

 . previous to tin- \\vddin_: day. as it is eustmary 

 to display thnn hefuiv tin- o H'i i K my . 



Ided in the invitation in the envelope are sent with the 

 :ding invitation. The invitation is in the nani" of the bride's mother, 

 t living, tb friend QOareflt the bride : 



