Literary Cadet And Rhode Island Statesman

Advice To Young Ladies.—A young lady, at eighteen, often needs a warning voice to point out the quicksands over which she is speeding her thoughtless career. If you are beautiful and have many admirers, I am sorry for it. A young woman, whose conduct is marked with strict honour and principles, cannot have many admirers. There is nothing that more certainly marks a bad heart and depraved moral principle, or worse, a thorough destitution of it, than this cruel and guilty encouragement of honourable love.

A young man is never long attached to a young lady without her being aware of it; commonly indeed before he is himself aware of the nature and extent of his feelings. The knowledge is almost intuitive. From that moment, if she be persuaded that she cannot reciprocate his sentiments, her course is plain before her—it is cool understanding, unhesitating repulse—on every occasion, place and manner Love will die without hope. To crush love in the bud is easy; but trifle and tamper with it till it has taken root in the heart, and its destruction is attended with the extinction of the heart's noblest feelings.

Never forget this prime maxim in these matters, not to discourage is always to encourage.

A mean and culpable species of coquetry, is the practice of not giving a decided encouragement or repulse, with a view of keeping your slave till you have learned, to use the cant phrase, you cannot do better. I know not an expression that betrays more despicable meanness; and she who uses it, shows a willingness to sell her hand, to traffic her person for value received, that is revolting in the highest degree.

No one, not even a parent, can tell what character will render a lady happy, but herself. On herself alone then, must and ought to rest the responsibility of her choice. I have seen so many marriages commenced with all the glitter of wealth and pomp, terminate in misery and broken hearts; and so many that were begun with no very promising auspices, which have proved as happy as human life admits. that I am convinced that the parent who officially interposes, stands answerable to God, his child, and his conscience, in a degree of responsibleness most fearful and tremendous.

Ladies too often attempt to gain husbands as anglers catch fish—by drawing the bait as he approaches it, till he is impelled to grasp at every hazard; but she who angles for a husband may find too late, that she has gained the man at the expense of the husband's confidence in her principles and heart.