ETHICS. 89 



tion of the moral sense ; and if sought with the right motive, it is 

 the sure avenue to higher views of our duty and our destiny. It will 

 lead us to realize how imperfect is that Code of Honor which the 

 world has formed for its own convenience ; which permits the game- 

 ster, the adulterer, the drunkard, the plunderer, the swindler, the 

 calumniator, and the duellist, though a murderer, to mingle with 

 honorable men, unpunished and unreproached. It will also bring 

 us to realize how far the Civil law falls short of defining and prescrib- 

 ing our moral and religious duties ; for which use indeed it was 

 never intended ; having reference to our political duties only. 



2. By Cognate or Domestic duties, we mean those which grow 

 out of the different family relations ; and which may be classed as 

 conjugal, parental, filial, and fraternal. Conjugal duties, are those 

 which pertain to the husband, and wife, in the married state. Most 

 of these are reciprocal ; as affection, constancy, sympathy, comfort, 

 and assistance ; which the parties pledge to each other at the altar. As 

 the wife is necessarily more or less dependent upon the husband ; he 

 is in duty bound not only to support and protect her for the present 

 time, but also to provide for her future support, in case of his 

 disability or death. The wife, on the other hand, is pledged to obe- 

 dience ; because there should be but one head to a family : but the 

 husband who can abuse his power, tyranically, is unworthy of the 

 name. 



Parental duties, are among the most important, and responsi- 

 ble, which can be assumed : as, on their faithful performance, the wel- 

 fare of society, and the fate of individuals greatly depends. The pa- 

 rent is bound not only to maintain his child, in sickness and in health, 

 but to prepare him to become a useful member of society ; to form 

 his character, and to imbue his mind with right principles, and useful 

 knowledge. This subject will be treated of more fully, in the branch 

 of Education ; but we may here remark that the parent who with- 

 holds the time and attention required for these objects, is answerable 

 to God and to his conscience, for the consequences, however serious. 

 The father should also provide for his child's comfortable establish- 

 ment in life ; and still advise and sympathize with him, when sepa- 

 rated from the paternal home. Filial duties, are those which child- 

 ren owe to their parents ; including affection, respect, sympathy, 

 obedience ; and assistance, as far as they have the power to render it. 

 We might add probity, and candour ; but these are alike necessary in 

 all the domestic and social relations : for confidence, which is the soul 

 of affection, and the key to respect and esteem, cannot exist without 

 them. Obedience to parents, in all reasonable commands, we deem 

 one of the cardinal duties ; which should be enforced from early 

 infancy ; and which, if rightly understood, will be less a task than a 

 pleasure. In the same class with filial duties, we would place those 

 towards all elder Relations. 



Among Fraternal Duties, or those relating to brothers and sisters, 

 are affection, respect, sympathy, and assistance ; the latter particular- 

 ly from brothers to sisters, and from the elder to the younger. It 

 includes watchfulness over manners and morals ; and instruction as 

 far as possible in useful and entertaining knowledge. In early age, 

 12 H 2 



