MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 229 



be fairly canvassed. Although it will be allowed 

 that men, devoid of honour and modesty, who have 

 let loose their unbridled, bad passions, will not be 

 easily stopped in their career, yet, notwithstand- 

 ing, this evil may be, by the strong arm of the 

 law, greatly banished from the land, and innate 

 modesty planted in its stead. 



All men and women in health, and of good 

 character, ought to be countenanced in marry- 

 ing; and it is for them to consider whether they 

 can properly rear and educate a family; and, 

 should there be an over-abundant population, then 

 colonisation might be resorted to at the public 

 expense; and this globe will be found large enough 

 to hold additional millions upon millions of people. 

 There are few contracts between human beings 

 which should be more delicate than that of 

 marriage. It is an engagement of the utmost 

 importance to individuals and to society, and 

 which of all others ought to be the most un- 

 biassed ; for it cannot be attended with honour, 

 nor blessed with happiness, if it has not its origin 

 in mutual affection. The rules to be observed 

 in thus selecting and fixing the choice are few, 

 simple, and easily understood. Both males and 

 females, if of unsound constitution, ought to 

 forbear matrimony. It is the duty of every 

 man to endeavour to get a healthy woman for 

 the sake of his children, and an amiable one for 

 his own domestic comfort. The fair sex should 

 observe the like rules. If a woman marries a 

 man who has broken down his constitution by 

 his own dissipation, or has imbibed a tainted one 

 from his parents, she must not be surprised at 

 becoming a nurse to him and his nerveless, puny, 



