The Arkansas Advocate

VARIETY.

From the Baltimore Chronicle.

The Baseness of Sporting with Female Character.

Man cannot act a more perfidious part Than use his utmost efforts to obtain A confidence in order to deceive.

Honor and integrity ought to be the leading principles of every transaction in life. These are virtues highly requisite, notwithstanding they are too frequently disregarded. Whatever pursuits individuals are in quest of, sincerity in profession, steadfastness in pursuit, and punctuality in discharging engagements, are indispensably incumbent. A man of honest integrity, and uprightness in his dealings with his fellow-creatures, is sure to gain the confidence and applause of all good men; whilst he who acts from dishonest or designing principles, obtains deserved contempt. Dishonest proceedings in word or deed, are very offensive to, and unjustifiable in the sight of God and man, even in trivial, but much more so in consequential affairs. The most perfect uprightness is highly requisite between man and man, though it is too often disregarded, and is much more so between the sexes. Every profession of regard should be without dissembling, every promise preserved inviolate, and every engagement, faithfully discharged. No one ought to make any offers or pretensions to a lady before he is, in a great measure, certain her person, her temper, and qualifications suit his circumstances, and agree perfectly with his own temper and way of thinking. For a similarity of mind and manners is very necessary to render the bonds of love permanent, and those of marriage happy.

"Marriage the happiest state of life would be, If hands were only joined when hearts agree."

The man of uprightness and integrity of heart, will not only observe the beauties of the mind, the goodness of the heart, the dignity of sentiment and the delicacy of wit, but will strive to fix his affections on such permanent endowments, before he pledges his faith to any lady.

He looks upon marriage as a business of the greatest importance in life, and a change of condition that cannot be undertaken with too much reverence and deliberation. Therefore he will not undertake it at random, lest he should precipitately involve himself in the greatest difficulties. He wishes to act a conscientious part, and consequently cannot think (notwithstanding it is too much countenanced by custom) of sporting with the affections of the fair sex, nor even of paying his addresses to any one, till he is perfectly convinced his own are fixed on just principles.

All imaginable caution is certainly necessary beforehand: but after a man's profession of regard, his kind services and solicitations, have made an impression on a female heart, it is no longer a matter of indifference whether he perseveres in, or breaks off his engagement. For he is then particularly dear to her. Reason, honor, and justice all unite to oblige him to make good his engagement. When the matter is brought to such a crisis, there is no retreating, without manifestly disturbing her quiet and tranquility of mind; nor can any thing but her loss of virtue justify his desertion. Whether chastity has been expressly promised or not, it is of little signification. For if he has solicited and obtained her affections, on supposition that he intended to marry her, the contract is, in the sight of heaven, sufficiently binding. In short, the man who basely imposed upon the honest heart of an unsuspecting girl, and after winning her affections by the prevailing rhetoric of courtship, ungenerously leaves her a bitter sorrow, and complaining, acts a very dishonorable part, and is more to be detested than a common robber. For private treachery is much more heinous than open force; and money must not be put in competition with happiness.